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The King Who Seeks and Saves the Lost

One of the truths that gives the most delight to my soul is that I belong to a King that SEEKS and SAVES the LOST.  “For the Son of Man came to seek and save the lost.” ~Luke 19:10

In this passage, Jesus is speaking to Zacchaeus, a tax collector who has defrauded many.  But we see this theme of seeking and saving the lost played out throughout the gospels (the books of Matthew, Mark, Luke and John).  Jesus offers a Samaritan woman ‘living water’.  He heals the diseased and disabled, those considered by Israel as unclean and cursed by God.  He allows little children, who were despised in that time, to come to him.  He makes disciples of a ragtag, rough group of men (fishermen, tax collectors, etc).  He casts demons out of demon-possessed people.  He heals the servant of a Roman Centurion with a word, who displayed greater faith than anyone in Israel.  He eats with sinners.  He allows prostitutes to wash his feet with their hair in worship of Him.  

This is the King that I follow.  This is the King that I love, admire and worship.  This King humbled himself, and was born in a manger.  He was poor.  He was the opposite of what the world considers ‘Kingly’.  He lived 33 years on this earth, in human flesh, in perfect righteousness.  He never sinned.  He fled temptation.  He did not lie.  He did not oppress.  He did not use might and strength to establish his Kingdom.  He was poor in Spirit.  He was mournful over sin (though for him…he did not need to mourn his own sin, as he did not sin).  He was meek.  He hungered and thirsted for righteousness.  He was merciful.  He was pure in heart.  He was a peacemaker.  He was persecuted for righteousness’ sake.  He was reviled, and had all kinds of evil uttered falsely against him.  He was the light of the world.  

And He IS reigning at the right hand of God. 

He walked a long, hard, lonely road to the cross.  He was abandoned by his closest friends.  And yet, despite being reviled and abandoned, he suffered and died on the cross.  He suffered the curse that belonged to us.  We are the sinners, deserving God’s wrath and eternal hell.  But on that cross, the wrath of God was poured out onto Jesus.  And there, he died.  

But his death is not the end.  It’s the beginning.  Jesus rose from the dead, and with his rise from the dead, he conquered death and sin.  Now, through Christ, we have access to eternal life, if we believe in Him.  

“For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.” ~Romans 6:23

“But God chose what is foolish in the world to shame the wise; God chose what is weak in the world to shame the strong; God chose what is low and despised in the world, even things that are not, to bring to nothing things that are, so that no human being might boast in the presence of God. And because of him, you are in Christ Jesus who became to us wisdom from God, righteousness and sanctification and redemption, so that, as it is written, “Let the one who boasts, boast in the Lord.” ~1 Corinthians 1:27-31

“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.  For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him. Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only Son of God. And this is the judgment: the light has come into the world, and people loved the darkness rather than the light because their works were evil.” ~John 3:16-19

I confess that I was once lost.  In sin. In hopelessness. In every way.  I was lost.  But now I am found, and this one truth is the truth that keeps my heart in dark times.  When the world disappoints, I cling to the ONE who never disappoints.  I am not yet sinless, but am being sanctified by the Holy Spirit.  But when God looks upon me, He sees Christ’s perfection, because of Christ’s death and resurrection.  There is no greater hope than this.  This is AMAZING GRACE.  To God be the glory…

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