“For the Son of man is come to seek and to save that which was lost.”
(Luke 19:10)
While on His way through Jericho one day, Jesus intentionally called out to Zaccheus who had climbed a tree to ensure he didn’t miss seeing Him as He passed by. “Make haste and come down from the tree, for I must stay with You today,” a command Zaccheus responded to joyfully.
And when onlookers murmured because He entered the house of a sinner, Christ announced to them directly that this was the very purpose for which He had come into the world. His association with the lost was primary to His ministry. He came to seek and to save those who would otherwise, left to themselves, perish.
Jesus refers to Himself as “the Son of man” over 80 times in the New Testament for He truly entered our nature while remaining sinless. This dual nature ensured that, while being God, He was also fully human, able to call us “brethren” and yet great enough to rescue us from the misery into which Adam’s fall plunged us all.
Man is lost in more than one sense. He is lost to God because he withholds the love, glory, and service owed to his Creator. He is also lost to himself because he has wandered from the way of true blessedness and placed himself on the road to destruction. Like a sheep that has strayed, fallen man does not know how to return by his own wisdom or power. All men are naturally lost, though the elect are not finally lost because Christ will certainly recover those given to Him.[1]
Indeed, Christ’s heart is for those who belong to Him even while they remain in their wanderings. He does not only care for His sheep that are already gathered, He also seeks those who are yet outside. He finds them in their rebellion, pursues them through repeated warnings and convictions, and does not abandon the work because they resist His calls.
Christ must seek first because fallen sinners will never begin the saving pursuit of God themselves. Christ chooses us before we choose Him, loves us before we love Him, and seeks us before we seek Him. By the merit of His death He procures salvation, and by the power of His risen life He effectually applies what He purchased.
Contemplations:
- You Came Looking for Those Who Were Not Looking for You. Before I ever sought You, You were seeking me. Left to myself, I would have continued wandering, satisfied with paths that led me away from You. But I am grateful that Your grace precedes my desire, Your love precedes mine, and Your choice precedes every motion of my heart toward You.
- You Found Me Where Sin Had Carried Me. You seek those truly ruined by sin. Fallen man is lost to Your glory, lost to true happiness, and traveling toward destruction. You did not wait until the sheep had found its bearings or the wanderer had repaired himself. You came into the very condition of human weakness, took on our human nature, and sought those who could never return by their own power.
- Your Voice Does More Than Invite. Your Word calls, warns, and summons sinners to return, but Your saving work does not end with an invitation. By Your Spirit You overcome the stubbornness that resists You. I adore You because You possess power to make the unwilling willing. The grace that seeks is also the grace that conquers resistance, awakens faith, and carries the sinner safely toward God.
- You Save by Merit and by Power. Your salvation is complete because nothing necessary is absent from Your work. By Your death You purchased reconciliation and by Your living power You apply what Your death secured. Your work begins in eternal purpose, enters history in redemption, reaches the wandering sinner by grace, and ends in certain salvation.
Prayer (Adoration):
Lord Jesus, I adore You as the Son of man who came deliberately to seek and save the lost.
You saw mankind wandering from God, corrupted by sin, yet You did not leave Your people to their ruin. You came near by taking on our human nature. You became of our stock, yet without our corruption, fitted perfectly to become the Savior of those You call brethren.
I worship You for the pity that seeks sinners before they seek You. Your heart is for Your own even while they still wander. You know them before they know You, choose them before they choose You, and love them before they love You.
Through Your Word You call, and through Your Spirit You overcome resistance. Warnings and convictions may be resisted, yet Your saving purpose cannot finally be defeated.
You are not only willing to save, You are mighty to save. By Your death You purchased redemption, and by Your risen power You apply it effectually. Your merit is sufficient, and Your power is invincible.
I will ever wonder at the grace that sought me. Keep my eyes on You as the Shepherd who seeks, finds, carries, and rejoices over those who could never bring themselves home.
In Jesus’ name I pray, Amen.
Further Scripture References:
Matt. 18:11; Luke 15:4; John 3:17; Ezek. 34:16
[1] Thomas Manton, A Fourth Volume Containing One Hundred and Fifty Sermons on Several Texts of Scripture, (London: J. D. and are to be sold by Jonathon Robinson .., 1693), 883-887.
