Saving The Lost

Saving the Lost

TEXT: Luke 19:1-10

Luke 19:1-11 (KJV)

1 And Jesus entered and passed through Jericho.

2 And, behold, there was a man named Zacchaeus, which was the chief among the publicans, and he was rich.

3 And he sought to see Jesus who he was; and could not for the press, because he was little of stature.

4 And he ran before, and climbed up into a sycomore tree to see him: for he was to pass that way.

5 And when Jesus came to the place, he looked up, and saw him, and said unto him, Zacchaeus, (Jesus knew his name—Word of Knowledge in Action) make haste, and come down; for to day I must abide at thy house.

6 And he made haste, and came down, and received him joyfully.

7 And when they saw it, they all murmured, saying, That he was gone to be guest with a man that is a sinner.

8 And Zacchaeus stood, and said unto the Lord; Behold, Lord, the half of my goods I give to the poor; and if I have taken any thing from any man by false accusation, I restore him fourfold.

9 And Jesus said unto him, This day is salvation come to this house, forsomuch as he also is a son of Abraham.

10 For the Son of man is come to seek and to save that which was lost.

11 And as they heard these things, he added and spake a parable, because he was nigh to Jerusalem, and because they thought that the kingdom of God should immediately appear.

Introduction:

A. Last week we looked at Luke 18:35-43 --- Jesus is on His way to Jerusalem (for Passover – To give His life) and as He nears the boarders of Jericho and and hears the cries of a Certain Blind Man. Jesus Stops!

1) Jesus healed that blind man both physically and spiritually.

2) “Your faith hath saved you.”

3) Jesus met this man on the way.

B. In our text today – Jesus enters Jericho – He walks through Jericho. WHY?

C. Zacchaeos was there and he was wanted to see Jesus.

1) “He sought t see Jesus” “Who He was”

a. He wanted to see this man that he had heard so much about.

2) He received Jesus joyfully.

D. Not all liked it. Satan and his group will never respond with joy.

1) When “they” saw it “they all” murmured.

2) Have you notice a common thread through all of these sermons I have preached from the Gospel according to Luke?

a. The religious people murmured about everything He did.

1. Pharisees and Scribes

b. He healed the blind, they murmured.

c. He cleaned the lepers, they murmured.

3) Those He saved, healed, and delivered rejoice like little children at Christmas.

ROME: Levied heavy taxes on all nations under their control.

The Jews opposed these taxes because they supported a secular government and its pagan gods, but they were forced to pay.

Some of their own countryman became tax collectors, lured by the wealth such as a position promised.

Jewish Tax Collectors – no longer considered a “Son of Abraham.”

Now looked upon as a traitor.

E. Jesus came to seek and to save that which was lost.

1) That which the enemy had taken into captivity.

a. The captivity of sin.

b. The captivity of vain and powerless religion.

D. Jesus was all about SAVING THE LOST ---

E. The CHURCH must never forget that one of our main missions is “SAVING THE LOST.”

1) Rescuing the perishing.

I. What Does It Mean To Be “Lost?”

A. We have heard of people losing their health.

• We have heard of people losing their reputation.

• We have heard of people losing their loved one.

• We have heard of people losing their fortune.

B. Jesus is referring to the greatest loss of all – the loss of the SOUL.

1) When the SOUL of MAN is lost – it is lost from GOD.

2) THE SAD PART--- Not all sinners realize the danger of being LOST.

 Not all are aware of the VALUE of the SOUL.

 THEY ARE SHORT SIGHTED – ONLY ABLE TO THINK OF THE PRESENT.

 UNAWARE THAT ETERNITY IS LOOMING AHEAD.

3) Hear the words of Mark 8:36 (KJV) “For what shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul?”

4) Being LOST is the MOST TRAGIC experience one could know.

C. NOW I AM A FIRM BELIEVER IN HEALING – But I would rather go through life sick and when I die, go to heaven than to be physically whole and die and go to hell.

1) I believe God wants to prosper His people – but I would rather go through life broke than to be rich and end up eternally lost and confined to a devil’s hell.