Luke 19:10 - Christ Came to Seek and Save the Lost.
Luke 19:10 (NLT) For the Son of Man came to
seek and save those who are lost.
INTRODUCTION
A person is not saved because of a good
heritage or condemned by a bad one; faith is more
important than genealogy. Jesus came to save all the
lost, regardless of their background or previous
way of life. Through faith, the lost can be
forgiven and made new. [Life Application SB]
COMMENTARY PEARL
Right on time, I congratulated myself as
I pulled into the parking lot for my yoga
class. As I left my car, an SUV wheeled in beside
me. A distressed-looking woman called, "I'm
lost! Can you help me?"
I'd be late to class, but how could I not
help her?
She had an appointment with a new doctor
and couldn't find her office. Luckily, I knew
the location. I told her to get back on the
road, go three blocks, and look for a white
building on her left. She sped away.
A person can be temporarily lost, as in
confused about a location, or one can be a lost soul,
wandering rudderless, without the direction of Jesus.
Jesus told parables of the lost sheep (Matthew
18:12-14) and the lost coin (Luke 15:8-10). In both
instances, the seeker would not give up until the
missing item had been found. The Prodigal Son was
lost, but when he found his way home, his father
welcomed him with open arms (Luke 15:1132). That's
how Jesus is with us. He won't give up on us
until we find our way home.
I've been lost directionally, and while
it's frustrating, I can reprogram my GPS or stop
and ask for directions. But being a lost soul is
much worse. I've been both. When my young son
died, I blamed Jesus and rejected Him, but He
didn't turn away from me. After months of wandering
aimlessly, I came back to Jesus, and He welcomed me
home. Pat Butler Dyson
Faith Step: If you see someone is lost
either directionally or spiritually, reach out to
them. [Mornings With Jesus 2023 Devotional by
Guideposts and Zondervan]
COMMENTARY
The Only Distinction That Matters
In Gods eyes, there are only two kinds
of people - saved people and lost people. Every
one of us falls into one of these two
categories. And, ultimately, no other human distinction
matters.
God loves all people - regardless of
gender, race, or culture. And he doesnt
distinguish people by their education, looks, wealth, or
talent. What matters most to him is whether people
are spiritually saved or lost.
Saved and lost imply value.
The two words mean that God sees you as being
worthy of seeking, saving, and finding; saved
and lost are expressions of his love.
The Bible says, For the Son of Man
came to seek and save those who are lost (Luke
19:10 NLT). Thats how valuable you are. Jesus
Christ came to earth to seek you and to save you.
Only valuable things get lost; invaluable
things just get misplaced. In other words, nobody
loses a toothpick. You may misplace a toothpick,
but you dont lose it - because its not
that valuable.
If I lost my wedding ring, it would be a
real loss because it represents over 40 years of
commitment to my wife. Not only that, but Kay gave it
to me, and I love her. I would never misplace
my wedding ring; I would lose it.
So, when we talk about whether a person
is spiritually saved or lost, were not
talking about that persons value. Whether someone
is saved or lost, theyre incredibly
valuable.
But God doesnt want anyone to be
spiritually lost. Why? Because it means they are
disconnected from him and dont have a relationship
with him. [Daily Devotional by Rick Warren:
https://pastorrick.com/devotional/]
Recovering Lost Things
Jesus came to seek and save lost sinners,
but He also wants to help us recover everything
that we have ever lost that He intended for us to
have. I lost my childhood through abuse, but God
started giving it back to me while I was in my
fifties! It is never too late to take back the things
the devil has stolen from us. I learned to
believe as a little child, to have fun like a child,
and to trust as a little child. My natural
father abused me, but I have a Heavenly Father now
who loves me and has promised to meet all of my
needs, and so do you.
Have you lost your childhood, confidence,
security, joy, peace, hope, trust, boldness, or
anything else? If you have, then Jesus wants to give
it to you now. Jesus has already provided for
our complete restoration through His death and
resurrection, and we simply need to realize it and pray
expectantly for those things to be restored.
Everything from God comes through faith,
so I recommend that you release your faith for
anything you need. God can do more than we can think,
or even imagine, and nothing is impossible for
Him, so pray boldly. He loves you and wants you
to be completely whole.
Father, I ask boldly for the restoration
of all that the devil has token from me in my
lifetime. Help me stand firm in faith and refuse to do
without the things You sent Jesus to provide for me.
Thank You! [My Time with God by Joyce Meyer]
CLOSING PEARL
Search And Rescue
Jesus' time on earth was a
search-and-rescue mission. He rescued a woman hiding in
Samaria. Five husbands had dumped her like the
morning garbage. The sixth wouldn't marry her.
Christ went out of his way to help her.
He rescued a demoniac in the caves. Evil
spirits had driven the man to mutilate himself,
slashing himself with stones. One word from Christ
stopped the hurting.
He spotted pint-size Zacchaeus in
Jericho. The tax collector had swindled enough people
to stockpile his retirement. Yet he would have
given it all for a clean conscience and a good
friend. One lunch with Jesus and he found both.
Jesus' ministry went on like this for
three years. He changed person after person; no
one quite knew how to respond to this carpenter
who commanded the dead. Just when he seemed
poised for a crown, he died on a cross.
All so that he could search for and
rescue you. [You Can Count On God by Max Lucado]
LINK FOR FURTHER STUDY
Luke 15:4 - He Can or Will Bring You Home.
http://www.abible.com/devotions/2023/20230723-1134.html
LINKS WORTH CHECKING OUT
https://abible.com/links/
