For the Son of Man is come to seek and to save the lost

 

LIMAVADY INDEPENDENT METHODIST CHURCH

NOTES FROM MISSION – MONDAY 22 AUGUST 2022 – REV J LYONS

LUKE 19 VERSES 1 – 10

Look at this man, the meeting he had with the Lord and the message Jesus spoke on this occasion.

The man – Zacchaeus was a clean, pure, righteous, innocent man. Verses 1 to 4.  His parents wanted him to lead this kind of life – right before God, pure and clean.  He was a tax collector.  In Jesus’ earthly ministry there are 2 tax collectors mentioned in scripture – Matthew and Zacchaeus.  Matthew had a meal in his house for Jesus and many tax collectors.  Zacchaeus you will notice that Zacchaeus was “chief” of the tax collectors, and he was also “rich”.  To set up a Roman depot you had to buy the franchise from Rome.  They set the levy on fixed rates, and they could add an additional tax.  In this way the tax collector became rich.  They were despised by the people, barred from the synagogue, treated as the lowest of the low in society.  Zacchaeus was chief boss in Jericho.  He wanted to see Jesus, who he was but he couldn’t because of the crowd of people, and he was short of stature.  There was something going on in his life.  He had heard many things, probably even heard about Matthew who had left his job and was now following Christ.  Maybe you are not like this man.  You are upright, honest but something has happened in your life recently.  You have seen a change in other people. Maybe you have seen that evidence of Jesus transforming a life.  Why were there so many people in the street that day?  These were Jewish pilgrims on their way to Jerusalem to celebrate the Passover.  Another factor in the crowd being so large was the fact that Jesus had raised Lazarus from the dead.  When Jesus was on his way to Zacchaeus’ house the people murmured that he was gone to be guest with a man that is a sinner.  You can almost hear the disdain in their voice.  They set him down, but they thought they were more righteous than he was.  Jesus did not come to call the righteous people to himself.  People who are sinners acknowledge their sin and will receive peace with God, a sure and certain assurance of a home in heaven.  Jesus was accepting tax collectors and prostitutes into his kingdom.  Zacchaeus would have wanted to protect himself by separating himself from assault and physical harm.  He runs ahead of the crowd and climbs into the tree.  A sycamore tree was easy to get up into and he could see the procession as well as Jesus.  He was financially well off; his future was secure.  The story is not primarily about him, it is more about the message of Jesus.  “For the Son of man is come to seek and to save that which was lost.”  Someone who is desperate, lost, rejected by society, lost in the caste system within Israel but he is so loved by God.  Maybe you can see yourself in this man.  You know you are spiritually lost; something is working in your heart, but you don’t know what it is.  There is a voice going around in your conscience which cannot be stopped.  Zacchaeus was curious as to who Jesus was.  Maybe you are curious too?

 

The meeting.  It was totally unexpected – Zacchaeus had climbed the tree outside the city out of curiosity.  Now he could see Jesus.  Jesus had lots of people all around him at this point.  The story gives us the impression that Zacchaeus was seeking the Lord, but the truth is it was Jesus who came to seek and to save the lost.  Maybe you are unaware of what is going on in your life.  Jesus came to where Zacchaeus was, and he called him by his name. Jesus is still seeking for people today.  He knows your name and everything about you and your life.  The religious leaders of Jesus’ day didn’t understand the heart of God – why – because they didn’t know God.  Their religious system was based on their heritage.  They believed they were accepted before God because of that.  The only merit we have today is based on what Jesus came to do on Calvary, when we trust in what he came to do, to make a way that we can have assurance of sins forgiven and a home in heaven with him one day.  After Jesus spoke to Zacchaeus “he came down and received him joyfully”.  If didn’t believe it before now, this person is different than the religious leaders.  They treated him with condemnation.  Jesus however accepts him just for who he is.  This meeting made a profound difference in his life. Although he was seen as a rogue and an outcast the language of this verse speaks volumes.  He responds with kindness and restitution – verse 8.  It is fair to assume what he is saying is in response to the conversation he has with Jesus.  In verse 2 we read that he was rich, but those same riches are paling into insignificance in the presence of the riches of Jesus Christ.  He was about to give half back to the poor.  He is seeking to put things right.  That is what happens when Jesus comes into our lives.  The evidence is seen through what he did.  If he has taken more than he should have he will restore it fourfold.  He didn’t just dream this idea up – it was based on Jewish law that a fifth should be given back.  He was going far beyond the law’s requirements.  He confessed he was a thief but was now turning from that life.  The people know him as dishonest, deceitful but now something has changed.  Have you ever had a meeting with Jesus Christ that absolutely changed you from the person you were to the person you are now?  2 Corinthians 5 verse 17 “Therefore if any person is in the Lord, he is a new creation.”  You need a meeting with Jesus, to be transformed, to have the assurance of a home in heaven.

 

The message – verses 9 and 10. “Today salvation has come to this house”.  Salvation came in 2 ways.  Jesus came into his house; deliverance came to him and changed him.  Simeon in the temple said, “mine eyes have seen thy salvation.”  He was transformed from his previous life.  God wants to give you new life.  Zacchaeus was also referred to as the Son of Abraham.  People were astonished – it was an outward change.  Through faith alone.  If you are to know forgiveness with God, peace in your heart, assurance you will go to be with the Lord in heaven you must accept him for what he has done.  In verse 10 we read the supreme purpose of Christ coming into the world – it was to give his life for the world.  He revealed to the people what God was like. The compassion of God.  The power of God.  That is miraculous.  His supreme purpose was to go to the cross, to die in our place, to make it possible to be accepted by God.  People are climbing their own sycamore trees and viewing Jesus with curiosity.  They have done so for years but they have never come down from the tree – will you?