Today’s Devotion
Topic: Jesus Came To Seek And Save The Lost (Self Assessment)
Background: Many struggled to understand Jesus. How is it that He spoke about the righteousness of God and mingled with ordinary men? They were not used to that. The pharisees and teachers of the Law who also appeared to talk about the righteousness of God, only mingled amongst themselves.
Again Jesus was sometimes seen talking with people society called “sinners” (especially tax collectors), while the Pharisees often shun such folks and advised others to do same. Jesus was different for a reason. As Son of Man, HE DIDN’T COME FOR THE SELF RIGHTEOUS, BUT TO SEEK AND SAVE THE LOST.
Let’s delve deeper into the events that led to this profound statement and see if we can learn more truth about the person and mission of Christ.
Text: Luke 19: 1 – 10
1 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 because he was short he could not see over 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 the lost.” Amen
Questions:
- In verse 3 we see that Zacchaeus wanted to see Jesus but He was short and the crowd limited him. In our days, what are some of the factors that limit people from “encountering” Jesus?
- In verse 4, Zacchaeus climbs a tree to see Jesus. In what ways therefore can those who are really determined to see Jesus encounter Him?
- Jesus walks to the sycamore- fig tree Zaccheaus climbed and commanded him down. What are some of the ways Jesus reaches out to us everyday with the request to live in our hearts? Unlike Zaccheaus who welcomed Him gladly, why do most of us resist Him?
- Read verse 7 to 9 again. In what ways can we confirm that by accepting Jesus into his heart and then home, Zaccheaus truly repented?
- In response to the people’s muttering that Jesus was friends with sinners, Jesus emphatically stated that HE CAME TO SEEK AND SAVE THE LOST. What does that statement mean? Why is it a blessing to know this as the mission of Christ?
- What have you learnt from today’s study?
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