Everyone is Significant
By Greg Johnson
January 28, 2007
http://www.LovingGodFellowship.org
Luke 19:1-10
Many today are being treated unfairly by others. They are looked at through judgmental and condemning eyes. It ought not to be so.
There is the mother of four children under the age of seven that has just had an abortion. It was a difficult decision for her as she evaluated her circumstances. Her husband is working two minimum wage jobs and they have no health insurance. They don’t have much food as most of the money her husband earns goes to paying rent. She would get a job, but could not afford child care for her four children while she and her husband worked. She wanted to have the child, but could not see another one of her offspring go without food and proper health attention. She made the only decision she felt she could make. It was a difficult decision and it continues to consume her thoughts as she watches her other four children grow up without proper nutrition and healthcare.
There is the person who has battled unnatural feelings for the same sex since High School. They know the feelings are unnatural. They don’t want to feel this way and desire help to overcome. They have gone to church only to be told that they are sinning and feel homophobic stares. They are trapped by their feelings and have nowhere to turn accept to their homosexual friends who are understanding of the battle that rages within them.
There is the person that is of Middle Eastern descent that has lived in America for years and has become an American citizen. They are Muslim but do not believe or act like the small percentage of extremist Muslims. They value and appreciate the life of others and just want to live in peace with their neighbors. Ever since 9/11 their world has changed. They can not go anywhere without feeling the stares and hearing the words of angry people who do not understand that they are not guilty of or accountable for acts of terror. They can’t help but question whether they will be accepted and valued in America as a person instead of stereotyped as a terroristic extremist.
There is the Latino that seeks a better life for their family that their home country can not offer. They are a hard worker with strong work ethic. There is no job to hard or dirty that they would not do to provide a better life for their family. Their mind is not on themselves and their safety. Their mind is on their family and the strong ties that bind them.
There is the African American living in the inner city. They have been raised in poverty and violence. They have heard a message of “all sinners will go to hell”, but they can not relate because they are already living in hell; right in their own neighborhood, a living hell. How could it possibly get any worse for them? They live with no hope and very little help. Their only help comes from drug dealers and from gangs.
There is the person that has been released from prison or the mental hospital with no where to go but to the streets and live a homeless life. No one will give them a chance at employment. No one wants them to be their neighbor. No one will help them break the cycle.
These are all people that have feelings of insignificance because of their circumstances and the treatment of others toward them. God’s Word tells us that everyone is significant to Jesus. Even a wretch such as I. Jesus said “(Luke 19:10 NIV) "the Son of Man came to seek and to save what was lost."
EVERYONE IS SIGNIFICANT TO JESUS.
Jesus looks at everyone through the same eyes of love. Jesus died for all and He reaches out to all in love and compassion. No matter what they have done and no matter what they have become, they are significant to Jesus and He is seeking after them. He desires to rescue them.
God’s Word says (Luke 19:1-10 NIV) "Jesus entered Jericho and was passing through. {2} A man was there by the name of Zacchaeus; he was a chief tax collector and was wealthy. {3} He wanted to see who Jesus was, but being a short man he could not, because of the crowd. {4} So he ran ahead and climbed a sycamore-fig tree to see him, since Jesus was coming that way. {5} When Jesus reached the spot, he looked up and said to him, "Zacchaeus, come down immediately. I must stay at your house today." {6} So he came down at once and welcomed him gladly. {7} All the people saw this and began to mutter, "He has gone to be the guest of a ’sinner.’" {8} But Zacchaeus stood up and said to the Lord, "Look, Lord! Here and now I give half of my possessions to the poor, and if I have cheated anybody out of anything, I will pay back four times the amount." {9} Jesus said to him, "Today salvation has come to this house, because this man, too, is a son of Abraham. {10} For the Son of Man came to seek and to save what was lost.""
Let’s take a look at Zacchaeus for a moment. He was a wealthy tax collector and he was short. He had been made fun of all of his life because of his height and grew up feeling insignificant. His feelings of insignificance drove him to his occupation of being a tax collector. As a tax collector, he could get even with all those that had made fun of him. He grew very wealthy extorting money from those that had ridiculed him for years. Although he was wealthy and had gotten even, he still felt insignificant because he had no friends. His insignificance drew Him to Jesus and he climbed a tree to get a good look at the One who seeks to save the lost.
Notice what Jesus does. He “looked up” into the tree. He came looking for the person that felt insignificant all of their life. Not only did Jesus look for him, but Jesus desired to go home with him and spend time with him.
YOU ARE SIGNIFICANT TO JESUS.
It doesn’t matter who you are, what you have done or what you have become; you are significant to Jesus. Jesus gave His life for you.
Jesus did not come to earth to get wealthy; he left the riches of heaven to become poor. Jesus did not come to earth to gain power; he left his glory in heaven to become humble and lowly. Jesus came to earth to rescue people; to save people from sin and despair and offer them freedom and joy. When Jesus looked up in that tree that day, He not only saw Zacchaeus; he saw you. He came looking for you.
Jesus died on the cross for your sins. He rose again for your life and your liberty. He desires to set you free from sin, go home with you and spend time with you. Why? Because you are very significant to Jesus.
LET’S PLACE THE SAME VALUE ON ALL PEOPLE AS JESUS DOES.
In this passage (Luke 19:1-10), not only does Jesus show us that everyone is significant to Him, but He also shows us how to value all people. No one wanted to associate with Zacchaeus and Jesus was ridiculed when He associated with him. What a powerful example Jesus is to His followers.
Beloved, as followers of Jesus Christ, we are to continue His ministry in the power of the Holy Spirit until He comes. As His followers, we are looking to rescue people. We find all people significant and we value them. We value the abortionist, the homosexual, those living in poverty and ones of different races and religions. We value them as Jesus does and we realize that Christ died for them just as He died for us. Jesus loved people into His Kingdom and did not condemn them. As we follow Jesus, we will do the same.
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