Jesus Came to Save the World
Notes
Transcript
I want everyone to take a moment and think about the time that you asked Jesus to be your savior. Did you feel an emptiness in your life? Were you running from God when you finally submitted to Him? Or were you like me and you decided at a very young age that you wanted Jesus to be in your life? Think about that experience for a moment.
Now, as you are thinking about your experience, I want to read to you a story about a man and his salvation moment with Jesus. This story is a very popular story. It is found in Luke chapter 19, beginning at verse 1.
1 Jesus entered Jericho and was passing through.
2 A man was there by the name of Zacchaeus; he was a chief tax collector and was wealthy.
3 He wanted to see who Jesus was, but because he was short he could not see over the crowd.
4 So he ran ahead and climbed a sycamore-fig tree to see him, since Jesus was coming that way.
5 When Jesus reached the spot, he looked up and said to him, “Zacchaeus, come down immediately. I must stay at your house today.”
6 So he came down at once and welcomed him gladly.
7 All the people saw this and began to mutter, “He has gone to be the guest of a sinner.”
8 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.”
9 Jesus said to him, “Today salvation has come to this house, because this man, too, is a son of Abraham.
10 For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost.”
I have told you for several weeks that the key verse for why Jesus came is found in chapter 19. Look at verse 10 again.
10 For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost.”
We don’t know much about Zacchaeus’ life, but we do know that when he heard Jesus was coming, he wanted to get a better look at who this man was.
Zacchaeus was the chief tax collector. That meant that he was probably in charge of the district or region and this region was quite prosperous. So, Zacchaeus had made lots of money on the people of this area. Also, some say that because of the role Zacchaeus had as chief tax collector he didn’t have to cheat the people, but according to this story we know that he must have.
After his encounter with Jesus Zacchaeus makes a complete turn around. This is what Jesus was about doing. Jesus wanted to save those that were lost. He wanted to show them the love of God. This is the heart of Jesus’ earthly mission. And this should be our mission. If you are a follower of Jesus then you should be about reaching the lost. If all you think about is what you want your church to be like, then you aren’t any different than the religious leaders. Each of us should be about reaching the lost. Showing the lost the love of Jesus and connecting them to God. Our job is to connect people to God.
How do we connect people to God? We connect people to God by giving them opportunities to worship. We connect people by giving them opportunities for discipleship. We connect people by giving them opportunities for ministry with the talents that God has given them. I need you to help me connect people to God.
Zacchaeus had a complete conversion. He said,
8 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.”
That was a heart change. One encounter with Jesus did this to him. Think of someone you know that doesn’t know God, what could one encounter with Jesus do to them?
11 While they were listening to this, he went on to tell them a parable, because he was near Jerusalem and the people thought that the kingdom of God was going to appear at once.
These people expected the Messiah to be a political leader who would set up an earthly kingdom and free the Jews from their enemies. They were expecting judgement to come now, but instead they got salvation. They did not understand that what they needed was salvation.
You can look all throughout the Old Testament and see how God tried to save Israel. But they continued to live in sin. They continued to let idols into their homes. they continued to intermarry with people that God them not to marry with. God had to do something. So, God sent His son Jesus to be the ultimate sacrifice. Jesus knew His mission was to save the world.
It is at this point that some people are starting to reject Jesus as the Messiah. They were expecting a Savior. They were expecting a judge and king.
So Jesus tells them a parable.
12 He said: “A man of noble birth went to a distant country to have himself appointed king and then to return.
13 So he called ten of his servants and gave them ten minas. ‘Put this money to work,’ he said, ‘until I come back.’
14 “But his subjects hated him and sent a delegation after him to say, ‘We don’t want this man to be our king.’
15 “He was made king, however, and returned home. Then he sent for the servants to whom he had given the money, in order to find out what they had gained with it.
16 “The first one came and said, ‘Sir, your mina has earned ten more.’
17 “ ‘Well done, my good servant!’ his master replied. ‘Because you have been trustworthy in a very small matter, take charge of ten cities.’
18 “The second came and said, ‘Sir, your mina has earned five more.’
19 “His master answered, ‘You take charge of five cities.’
20 “Then another servant came and said, ‘Sir, here is your mina; I have kept it laid away in a piece of cloth.
21 I was afraid of you, because you are a hard man. You take out what you did not put in and reap what you did not sow.’
22 “His master replied, ‘I will judge you by your own words, you wicked servant! You knew, did you, that I am a hard man, taking out what I did not put in, and reaping what I did not sow?
23 Why then didn’t you put my money on deposit, so that when I came back, I could have collected it with interest?’
24 “Then he said to those standing by, ‘Take his mina away from him and give it to the one who has ten minas.’
25 “ ‘Sir,’ they said, ‘he already has ten!’
26 “He replied, ‘I tell you that to everyone who has, more will be given, but as for the one who has nothing, even what they have will be taken away.
27 But those enemies of mine who did not want me to be king over them—bring them here and kill them in front of me.’ ”
A mina was worth about three months’ wages. The parable of the ten minas is to show believers that each follower of Christ has the responsibility to use faithfully what God has given him.
Think about all the time, talents, and opportunities that God has given us to use to honor Him. We must make the most of these resources. We must use them to benefit God’s kingdom.
There are some of you in this room that aren’t using all the talents that you have to honor God. Think about how you can honor God. What is something that you can do?
What abilities do you have? What knowledge do you have? What experience do you have? Stop sitting on the sidelines and put it to use. God wants to take you to a new level in everything that you do. Figure out the abilities you have and put them to use.
What can you do to connect someone to God?
What can you do to connect someone to God?
Is there something that you can do to show someone else the love of Jesus?
I don’t believe we are tapping into everyone’s talents. There are some of you, right now, that need to stop running and do what God is speaking to you to do.
So, after Jesus tells this story about the Minas, He goes on ahead to Jerusalem. Look at verse 28.
28 After Jesus had said this, he went on ahead, going up to Jerusalem.
29 As he approached Bethphage and Bethany at the hill called the Mount of Olives, he sent two of his disciples, saying to them,
30 “Go to the village ahead of you, and as you enter it, you will find a colt tied there, which no one has ever ridden. Untie it and bring it here.
31 If anyone asks you, ‘Why are you untying it?’ say, ‘The Lord needs it.’ ”
32 Those who were sent ahead went and found it just as he had told them.
33 As they were untying the colt, its owners asked them, “Why are you untying the colt?”
34 They replied, “The Lord needs it.”
35 They brought it to Jesus, threw their cloaks on the colt and put Jesus on it.
36 As he went along, people spread their cloaks on the road.
37 When he came near the place where the road goes down the Mount of Olives, the whole crowd of disciples began joyfully to praise God in loud voices for all the miracles they had seen:
38 “Blessed is the king who comes in the name of the Lord!” “Peace in heaven and glory in the highest!”
This story is so important for more proof that Jesus is the Messiah. By Jesus entry into Jerusalem on a donkey, He fulfills publicly that He is Israel’s promised King and Messiah.
9 Rejoice greatly, Daughter Zion! Shout, Daughter Jerusalem! See, your king comes to you, righteous and victorious, lowly and riding on a donkey, on a colt, the foal of a donkey.
Zechariah predicted this event some 500 plus years before the event happened. This humble entry is a symbolic action that was meant to show that His kingdom is not of this world; He did not come to rule with force or violence. His refusal to take action as a political leader or a military conqueror demonstrates that His kingdom is spiritual.
Remember what we read in Luke 17:21
21 nor will people say, ‘Here it is,’ or ‘There it is,’ because the kingdom of God is in your midst.”
God’s kingdom does not come as earthly political power. God’s kingdom is a spiritual kingdom. Many people will miss God’s purposes for their lives because they are not willing to let Him change them from the inside out.
Jesus came to seek and to save the lost. Jesus entering Jerusalem that day was the beginning of Him bringing salvation to the world. What began in a stable will end on a cross. Riding the donkey was the first move to the cross for our salvation.
39 Some of the Pharisees in the crowd said to Jesus, “Teacher, rebuke your disciples!”
40 “I tell you,” he replied, “if they keep quiet, the stones will cry out.”
Also, just as the disciples cried out in praise, we too must learn to praise and give Jesus the glory for bringing salvation to our hearts. It is okay for you to shout for joy and be glad that Jesus saved you.
41 As he approached Jerusalem and saw the city, he wept over it
42 and said, “If you, even you, had only known on this day what would bring you peace—but now it is hidden from your eyes.
43 The days will come upon you when your enemies will build an embankment against you and encircle you and hem you in on every side.
44 They will dash you to the ground, you and the children within your walls. They will not leave one stone on another, because you did not recognize the time of God’s coming to you.”
Jesus looks out over the city and He wept. The word “wept” in Greek means more than shedding tears. It suggests deep sorrow, the heavy sobbing of a soul in agony. Jesus, as God, reveals not only His own feelings, but also His Father’s broken heart over the spiritual lostness of the human race and its refusal to turn to God and accept His gift of salvation.
Jesus came to bring salvation to the world not a political upheaval. Jesus has brought salvation to the world and it is up to us to proclaim the good news of Jesus Christ to the world. It is time for you to connect people to God. Let them see the salvation of Jesus.
Do you weep over this city? Do you weep over the lost? Jesus did.
Believers everywhere should weep for those that are lost and hurting. We have to draw the connecting line to the Savior of the world, Jesus.
Jesus ends chapter 19 by driving out those who were selling in the temple. Look at verse 45.
45 When Jesus entered the temple courts, he began to drive out those who were selling.
46 “It is written,” he said to them, “ ‘My house will be a house of prayer’; but you have made it ‘a den of robbers.’”
47 Every day he was teaching at the temple. But the chief priests, the teachers of the law and the leaders among the people were trying to kill him.
48 Yet they could not find any way to do it, because all the people hung on his words.
We understand this as Jesus cleansing the temple area. In John chapter 2, we read about the first great public act of Jesus’s ministry. He began His ministry by cleansing the temple. The one we just read about is the last great public act of His ministry. Jesus is showing a justified anger. The temple court they were selling in was the only place that Gentiles were allowed to worship. So not only were the vendors taking advantage of people, but they were also literally preventing foreigners from spending time with God. This was their greatest crime. Jesus was letting them know that all people should have access to the place of worship.
Jesus has brought salvation to all people and all nations. So, we have to do our job and take it to the world. We need to connect people to God. We need to bring people to Jesus. Make connections with your neighbors. Make connections with your co-workers and in turn help them make connections with Jesus.
Jesus came to seek and to save the lost. Let’s help take that message of hope.
Let’s pray.