Seeking The Lost

Seeking the Lost!

Luke 19:1-10

Online Sermon: http://www.mckeesfamily.com/?page_id=3567

Story of Zacchaeus

As Jesus was passing through Jericho on His way to Jerusalem, He met a man named Zacchaeus. “He was a Jew, a ruler, a tax collector, and extremely rich,” for Jericho was not only wealthy from its important trade route from Jerusalem to the East but was also “their famous balsam groves that abounded.” While being the chief tax collector Zacchaeus “would have enjoyed relative power and privilege in the Greco-Roman eyes,” he was despised and hated by his own nation for having overcharged, swindled and joining the enemy in their oppression of the Jewish nation! Despite it being a huge risk to plunge into a crowd that he and Rome routinely maltreated, in his desire to meet Jesus Zacchaeus not only showed up amongst them but due to being either too young or more likely too short climbed a sycamore-fig tree to see Jesus. When Jesus got to the tree, though it was not the “norm in Judaism and verged on impropriety,” Jesus asked Zacchaeus to “come down immediately for He must stay at his house today” (verse 5). Despite the “religious” crowd becoming angered by Jesus’ grace and mercy towards the heinous, tax collecting traitor; Zacchaeus shows he was repentant by promising to give half of his possessions to the poor, and instead of full restitution to those he wronged plus one-fifth that the Law required (Leviticus 5:16; Numbers 5:7) he promised to give four times the amount he wrongly took from his people (verse 8)! Because of his repentant heart and belief that Jesus could save him, Zacchaeus got to hear Christ confirm his heart’s desire, “today salvation has come to this house” for you Zacchaeus are a true descendent and son of Abraham (Romans 9:6-8)! The story of Zacchaeus’ conversion finishes with Jesus boldly declaring to the unmerciful and dare I say pious crowd of Pharisaic pretenders of the faith that the “Son of Man came to seek and save the lost” (verse 10)!

Story of Seeking a Lost Child

Before we get to some of the lessons of Zacchaeus’ story let me tell you of another one. Supposed there was a small boy in a family of eight that in one dreadful moment got lost in the mall. At first you as the parent thought he was merely lingering so you calmly looked around but after checking out his favorite areas of the store and not finding him your heart began to race, your palms sweat, and terror begins to fill your soul! You cry out his name in hope that he might hear your voice, but you do not even hear a faint whisper of your son! You sit in front of the store manager and the police for what seems like days describing best you could what happened but remain numb less the truth of the situation might crush what little hope you have left! On the way home you shake uncontrollably as every horrible nightmare you ever watched on television is replayed in your mind. What if he is alone, scared, hurt, or worst yet being molested by a psychopathic pervert? Once you enter your home the grim reality hits hard for within your once happy abode you find your entire family and pastor waiting for you to arrive and they have the same terror in their eyes that you feel in your heart! You pray for God’s ever lasting protection for your son and wisdom for all who are going out to search for him! As the days pass and still no sign of your son the search party begins to thin until nearly all have given up home. In disgust you wonder how they could ever give up! Then one night while you and your husband are praying with tears running down your faces you hear a knock at the door! When the door opens you can hardly believe your eyes but who is standing there but your son with your next-door neighbor! O praise be to God for the joy that broke out in that room was truly heavenly! As you hold your son ever so tightly, he says he is so deeply sorry. He explains that he ran away from home because he did not feel loved. He wandered for days but eventually made his way back home and stood outside the house wandering if he should enter. He had been gone for so long and had done so many despicable things that he feared he might have been forgotten or worst yet not wanted! It was then that the neighbor who never stopped seeking found and convinced him beyond the doors were parents who absolutely loved him! At that very moment you knew what the Father must have felt when he saw the prodigal son in his field and you rejoiced for your son who was lost had been found!