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SUNDAY EXTRA: This Railroad Uses RARE Locomotives | V12 Productions

This railroad may be the only one in the world that's still using General Electric U18Bs to pull its trains!

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For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost.

Luke 19:10

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Looking at sin...

There are two ways of looking at sin: One is the severe view: it makes no allowance for frailty—it will not hear of temptation, nor distinguish between circumstances. Men who judge in this way shut their eyes to all but two objects—a plain law, and a transgression of that law. There is no more to be said: let the law take its course. Now if this be the right view of sin, there is abundance of room left for admiring what is good and honorable and upright: there is positively no room provided for restoration. Happy if you have done well; but if ill, then nothing is before you but judgment and fiery indignation.

The other view is one of laxity and false liberalism. When such men speak, prepare yourself to hear liberal judgments and lenient ones: a great deal about human weakness, error in judgment, mistakes, an unfortunate constitution, on which the chief blame of sin is to rest—a good heart. All well if we wanted, in this mysterious struggle of a life, only consolation. But we want far beyond comfort—goodness; and to be merely made easy when we have done wrong will not help us to that!

Distinct from both of these was Christ's view of guilt. His standard of right was high—higher than ever man had placed it before. Not moral excellence, but heavenly, He demanded. "Except your righteousness shall exceed the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, ye shall in no case enter into the kingdom of heaven." Read the Sermon on the Mount. It tells of a purity as of snow resting on an Alpine pinnacle, white in the blue holiness of heaven; and yet also, He the All-pure had tenderness for what was not pure. He who stood in Divine uprightness that never faltered, felt compassion for the ruined, and infinite gentleness for human fall. Broken, disappointed, doubting hearts, in dismay and bewilderment, never looked in vain to Him. Purity attracting evil: that was the wonder.

F.W. Robertson

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We are redeemed—

From the power of the grave.

From the power of sin.

From the curse of the law.

E. Hicks

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It is said

The Scripture has said, "No man comes to the Father but by Me."

The Scripture has said it, "If any man have not the Spirit of Christ, He is none of His."

The Bible has said it, "We must be found in Him, not having our own righteousness which is of the law, but the righteousness which is of God by faith."

And none of these up to this moment had Zacchaeus the publican. A man of moral propriety, and a man of promising indications he may have been, but as yet outside of the field of conversion. We may, then, ask ourselves the question, how it is that this missing element was to be supplied. We answer, that his conversion went upon these two principles: that Christ sought him, and that Christ spake to him; and that those two things must be fulfilled in every man who is to be truly a believing child of Abraham—the Savior must come, and the Savior must speak to him.

A. Boyd

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To see Jesus

Let the desire of all of you, in coming up to the house of God, be, like that of Zaccheus, to see Jesus. You may see Him, and should earnestly desire to see Him, by knowledge and faith, in the glories of His person, character, and redemption. If you obtain a sight of Him, and come to know who He is, in this way, you will be like Abraham, who "rejoiced," or "greatly desired," to see His day, and saw it, and was glad; and the words will then be applicable to you, in their best sense, "Blessed are your eyes, for they see."

James Foote

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Barriers give way...

Here is a man earnestly trying "to see Jesus," who is opposed and defeated by obstacles he had no hand in producing, and over which he had no control, (1) "The press," and (2) "Little of stature." He had no hand in producing either of these, and yet they defeated him. But, was that fair? Has Zacchaeus had a fair chance? Whether fair or not, he has had all the chance he will have, unless he makes another… When a man's conscious littleness compels him to "run" and "climb," he will master his obstacles and get a better knowledge of things than the men who think they can see all there is to be seen without climbing. In a world like this, where we are all "little" in so many places, no man will reach the highest success unless he feels his littleness and knows how to "climb." Learn from this narrative that all barriers give way before the man who has made up his mind to see Jesus Christ.

T. Kelly

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Lost its way, utterly

Mankind had lost its way utterly, its way from the home of God, from the fields of truth, from the path of holiness, from the fountains of joy; was wandering, blind and miserable, in forbidden ways; was stumbling on the dark mountains of error and sin. And the Son of man came to seek this erring and lost race, to lead it back again, to restore it to its heritage in wisdom, in righteousness, in God... For on what more fitting errand could the Savior be engaged than on that of saving another human soul from its sin and its shame, and lifting it up into the light and liberty of the truth?

W. Clarkson

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Zacchaeus did not change jobs.

He was a tax collector before he met Christ, and he continued collecting taxes after he met Christ. His job was the same, but his destiny was different. He now used his job as an opportunity to give glory to God. You do not have to become a vocational minister to follow Jesus with you whole heart. The kingdom of God needs Christ-followers in the market place shining the light of the gospel.

Dr. Steve Andrews

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"To reach the fruit of a tree, you must go out on a limb."

Dr. Steve Andrews

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Murmur...

When the religious leaders saw that Jesus was going to his house for dinner, they murmured against Jesus saying that He was going to be the guest of a man who was a sinner. In response to their complaint Jesus said,

"The Son of Man has come to seek and to save that which was lost."

On another occasion Jesus said,

"Those who are well do not need a doctor, but those who are sick."

Again Jesus on still another occasion said,

"I did not come to call the righteous but sinners to repent."

Paul writing to Timothy said,

"The Messiah Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am chief."

Before Jesus was ever born the angel told Joseph that the child that Mary was carrying was conceived by the Holy Spirit and he was to name Him Jesus for He would save His people from their sins.

Chuck Smith

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The figure of Zacchaeus

Symbolically, the figure of Zacchaeus represents all those who are considered outcasts or sinners by society. By reaching out to Zacchaeus and offering him salvation, Jesus demonstrates his love and compassion for those who are marginalized and in need of redemption.

The sycamore tree that Zacchaeus climbs to see Jesus also holds symbolic significance as a representation of the humble and eager heart of a seeker. In climbing the tree, Zacchaeus shows a willingness to go to great lengths to encounter Jesus, and Jesus responds by seeking him out. In a broader theological context, Luke 19:10 also points to the mission of the church and individual Christians to continue the work of seeking and saving the lost.

This verse serves as a call to evangelism and the sharing of the gospel message with those who have not yet experienced the saving grace of Jesus Christ.

BibleArt

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Luke 19 | ESV Audio Bible

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As the "Son of man," Jesus came to seek out those who were lost in sin and to save them through his sacrificial death on the cross. This message is central to the Christian belief in salvation and the forgiveness of sins through faith in Jesus Christ.

BibleArt

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Lost and seeking

The term “lost” refers to people who are separated from God, who do not know Him or are in need of redemption. This indicates that Jesus is not just a teacher or a prophet; He is the Savior sent to restore and reconcile us with the Father. In essence, through this simple yet powerful verse, we are reminded of the love and grace of God, as Jesus actively searches for those who are spiritually lost, offering them salvation and guidance.

Furthermore, this verse reflects the overarching narrative of the Bible, where God pursues His people throughout history. From the very beginning, Adam and Eve’s sin resulted in a separation from God, and throughout the Old Testament, we see a continuous effort of God to reach out to His people...

The term “seeking” implies an intentionality; it suggests that Jesus comes looking for people who go unnoticed or are overlooked, emphasizing that no one is beyond His reach. When we embrace this truth, we can be reminded that we are never too far gone for redemption.

Moreover, the idea of saving encapsulates the heart of the Gospel. It is not enough just to seek out the lost; Jesus came to save them. This means providing a way for reconciliation with God, a path that is paved through His sacrifice on the cross. In accepting Jesus, we receive forgiveness for our sins and are brought back into a rightful relationship with our Creator.

The words of this verse serve as a reminder that no one is beyond the hope found in Christ.

~ Jaime Wilson

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Lost railcar...

Imagine walking through a dense forest (Bailey Yard, North Platte, NE), searching tirelessly for a lost sheep (a lost railcar)—this is the relentless pursuit Jesus has for every single person who feels lost or disconnected. It reflects his compassion, love, and unwavering dedication to bringing back those who have strayed away… It is a reminder that no matter how far you may have wandered or how lost you may feel, Jesus is always there, ready to rescue you and guide you back to safety. Reflect on the profound love and grace embodied in this verse and allow it to bring comfort and reassurance to your heart.

Michael Johnson