This is the key verse for the book of Luke “For the Son of man is come to seek and to save that which was lost.” (Luke 19:10). There are a lot of opinions about who Jesus is and what He came into the world to do. For some, He is a great teacher, a moral philosopher, and a tremendous role model. These are all nice things, yet Jesus never said, “I am the great teacher, philosopher, moralizer, or role model.” He did indicate in this verse that He came to save the lost! He is the Savior of the World.
First, you have to acknowledge that you need a Savior. You and I need a lot of things. Regardless of what anyone thinks or says, our greatest need is to be saved! We cannot save ourselves. We are born with a sin nature that was inherited from our first parents. As much as I have loved school and education, you cannot school or educate your way out of sin. I love a positive attitude, but you can’t think positively enough to fix the sin problem. Try as I might, I can not save myself! I need a Savior, and yes, you also need a Savior! Good news: Jesus came to seek and save those that are lost! To have a different opinion or expectation of Jesus is to believe in a Jesus that is different from the one revealed in Scripture. From the earliest announcement regarding his birth, the angel said: “She will give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus because he will save his people from their sins. ‘ Matthew 1:21, ESV
One can hold whatever opinion about Jesus they so choose. The Bible says that He would save His people from their sin and that He did indeed come to seek and save those that are lost. He not only is the Savior, but according to Luke, he is the Seeking Savior! The most significant news I ever heard was that Jesus loved me and was looking for me. I could be forgiven of my sins, transformed by His power through grace, and received by faith. It is indeed fantastic news.
He not only was seeking for me and you, but He was also and is seeking for everyone in the world. Not only my family and friends but people who hate Him and are unaware of His love and concern. This truth is so staggering that it has to inform how I live. No one is beyond His love and grace, regardless of what I think or feel! In a world of rejection, we can receive the acceptance we long for through Jesus Christ.
For believers, since we believe in Luke 19:10 that the Son of man came to seek and save the lost, we need to reflect on this in our attitudes and actions. Do we believe people need Christ? Do we believe absolutely no one is beyond His love? Does this show up in our prayers? Do we pray for the lost? Do we ask that the Holy Spirit draw them to the Lord? I am praying for a renewed passion in my life to reach people with the love of God. I want to be used by the Lord where He has placed me and where I live. Give me compassion for hurting, broken people. “I was lost and now am found, was blind, but now I see!”
Ask God today to touch our eyes and hearts to see the world and people as He sees them!
