"Seek & Save the Lost"

C.R.O.S.S. C.R.E.E.K.

Part 5 of 10 Dec. 5, 1999

Luke 19:1-10 & Selected

 

"Jesus entered Jericho and was passing through. A man was there by the name of Zacchaeus; he was a chief tax collector and was wealthy. He wanted to see who Jesus was, but being a short man he could not, because of the crowd.

So he ran ahead and climbed a sycamore-fig tree to see him, since Jesus was coming that way. When Jesus reached the spot, he looked up and said to him, "Zacchaeus, come down immediately. I must stay at your house today." So he came down at once and welcomed him gladly. All the people saw this and began to mutter, "He has gone to be the guest of a 'sinner." But Zacchaeus stood up and said to the Lord, "Look, Lord! Here and now I give half of my possessions to the poor, and if I have cheated anybody out of anything, I will pay back four times the amount." Jesus said to him, "Today salvation has come to this house, because this man, too, is a son of Abraham. For the Son of Man came to seek and to save what was lost."

 

 

  1. Realize how Lost is Lost?

  1. The Lost is of GREAT VALUE to God.

Luke 15:4-7 "Suppose one of you has a hundred sheep and loses one of them. Does he not leave the ninety-nine in the open country and go after the lost sheep until he finds it? And when he finds it, he joyfully puts it on his shoulders and goes home. Then he calls his friends and neighbors together and says, 'Rejoice with me; I have found my lost sheep.' I tell you that in the same way there will be more rejoicing in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who do not need to repent."

 

  1. The Lost has a DISEASE beyond human cure.
    2.

Mt. 9:12 "…Jesus said, "It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick."

     

  1. The Lost stays Lost until we BELONG to Christ.

Rom 5:8 "But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us."

Romans 10:13 "For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved (found)."

 

 

II.  Realize two main ways of seeking the Lord:

1.  You may seek the Lord FALSELY (lost). Mt. 7:21-23

2.  You may seek the Lord TRULY (found). Mt. 7:7-8

 

III.  Realize your Condition Today:
  1. EXAMINE Your Life.

2Co. 13:5 "Examine yourselves to see whether you are in the faith; test yourselves. Do you not realize that Christ Jesus is in you-- unless, of course, you fail the test?"

 

IV.  Realize the Benefits:
  1. True Seekers are promised BLESSINGS. Ps. 24:5-6
    2.

    "He will receive blessing from the LORD and vindication from God his Savior.

    Such is the generation of those who seek him, who seek your face, O God of Jacob. <Selah>"
  2. True Seekers are REWARDED. Heb. 11:6
    3.

    "And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him".
  3. True Seekers are totally SECURE. Ps. 9:10
    4.

    "Those who know your name will trust in you, for you, LORD, have never forsaken those who seek you."
  4. True Seekers will FIND GOD. Prov. 8:17

"I love those who love me, and those who seek me find me."

 

John 4:35 "Do you not say, 'Four months more and then the harvest'? I tell you, open your eyes and look at the fields! They are ripe for harvest." ~ Jesus

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