Seeking to Save

Posted by Karah

PAUSE

As you reflect on your day, ask Jesus to bring to mind one person you can share the gospel with.

The words Jesus said and the deeds He did during His ministry served to prepare people and help them understand what He would soon accomplish on the cross. As you read today’s Scripture, pay attention to how His encounter with Zacchaeus revealed the true purpose of His earthly ministry.

“’Today salvation has come to this house,’ Jesus told him, ‘because he too is a son of Abraham. For the Son of Man has come to seek and to save the lost.’” —Luke 19:9-10

Read Luke 19:1-10 in your Bible

• Read verses 3–4 again. Underline the words “running” and “climbed.” These actions were considered undignified for a grown man in that day. How do these actions reveal Zacchaeus’ desperation to see Jesus? Explain.

• Circle the word “must” (v. 5). Now, read verse 10. Why was it so important for Jesus to go to Zacchaeus’ house?

• How was Zacchaeus changed after this personal encounter with Jesus? What evidence do you see of conviction?

• How do the words of verse 9 and 10 reveal the purpose of Jesus’ ministry?

RESPOND

Jesus sought out a tax collector, a notorious sinner and went to His house. Jesus didn’t ask Zaccheus to repent before He stayed with Him. Jesus took the gospel to Zacchaeus. Today Jesus continues to pursue the lost, seeking to win their hearts with the offer of salvation.

• In your journal, draw a line down the middle of the page to create two columns. On one side, record Jesus’ actions in the passage—He sought, invited, lodged with, and brought the gospel. In the other column, list ideas for how you can do these same things to help others see how Jesus loves and pursues them.

BEHIND THE STORY

As a tax collector in Jericho, Zacchaeus would have been labeled as corrupt and a traitor. The Romans had invaded Israel and collected taxes from their new subject nation. Many collectors charged more than necessary to pad their own salaries. As a Jew, Jesus’ interaction with a tax collector would have been considered scandalous.

THE POINT

Jesus came to seek and save the lost—and He’s still doing so today.

Posted in Devotions | Tagged Camp Ridgecrest Alumni and Friends, Camp Ridgecrest for Boys, Reprinted from EC magazine. @ 2016 LifeWay Christian Resources of the Southern Baptist Convention, Weekly Devotions