Untitled Sermon (1)

In this passage, Jesus tells us plainly what he came to earth for: to seek and save the lost. First-century Jews would hear this and immediately think of Old Testament passages where God compares himself to a shepherd, his people being sheep. In Ezekiel 34:15-16, for example, God says, “I myself will search for the lost [sheep] and bring back the strays,” and Psalm 23 famously describes God as the good shepherd.

“The Son of Man” is also significant here. “The Son of Man” was Jesus’ favorite title for himself while he walked the earth. Prophesies about a “Son of Man” are scattered throughout the Old Testament, including passages like Daniel 7:13-14, where it describes “one like a Son of Man” being given “authority, glory, and sovereign power” and ruling an everlasting kingdom. By calling himself the son of man, Jesus was claiming that he is the promised messiah, here to fulfill prophecies.

It’s notable that Jesus says this to someone like Zaccheus, a tax collector. Tax collectors were known for their greed and dishonest business practices, and since they oppressed Jews in order to enrich Rome, they were seen as sellouts. Jesus chose to spend time with Zaccheus anyway, and the crowd grumbled that Jesus wanted to be with a sinner.

It’s not insignificant that in this very city, centuries earlier, God had used Rahab, a Canaanite prostitute, to conquer Jericho: another sinner who seemed irredeemable, but was used by God.

Zaccheus and Rahab are two clear examples of Jesus’ mission to seek and save the lost.

It’s easy to believe the lie that if we go to church and say and do the right things, we earn our spot in heaven and deserve it more than others. But that’s not true. If we are worthy, it is only because we have a good God who actively sought us out when we became lost. And that was Jesus’ purpose when he came to earth. He didn’t come to start a political revolution. He didn’t come to bless his followers with health and wealth. He certainly didn’t come to start arguments on social media. And although he spent lots of time healing the sick and giving to the poor, he didn’t come strictly for that either.

He came to seek and save the lost. You and me, your neighbor, your coworker, and the person on the other side of the world that has never heard the name of Jesus.

The last passage in the gospel of Matthew describes some of Jesus’ final words to his disciples. He reminds them of his authority again and says, “go therefore and make disciples of all nations.” As followers of Christ, we are to take on this mission to seek out the lost and share with them the saving Grace of Christ.

This is a calling more important than your job or your 401k or your pride. It’s a calling so important that God sent his own son to do.