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lost

The Heart of the Matter (Luke 19)

by TerryLema

We have come to the heart of the matter in Luke 19. Jesus is passing through Jericho when a man named Zacchaeus hears about it. Zacchaeus is described as a chief tax collector and rich. He is also short in stature, so in order to get Jesus’ attention he climbs a sycamore tree.

When Jesus spots Zacchaeus in the tree, He invites Himself into Zacchaeus’ house. It is there in Zacchaeus’ house that we hear Jesus speak the heart of the matter. It is the theme of Luke’s Gospel, and it is the glory of our hearts.  “For the Son of Man has come to seek and to save the lost.” [vs 10 HCSB]

Jesus uses His favorite title…Son of Man. It is a title found in Daniel 7:13-14. Daniel saw “One like a Son of Man coming with the clouds of heaven [shekinah glory]. He was given authority to rule and glory, and a kingdom, so that those of every people, nation, and language should serve Him. His dominion is an everlasting dominion that will not pass away and His Kingdom is one that will not be destroyed.” [HCSB]

The Glorious Son of Man came to us with a glorious purpose, “to seek and to save the lost.”  Me. You. Us.

For me the most wonderful word in that verse is “seek.” It is zeteo, and it means “I seek, search for, desire, require.”

The Glorious Son of Man seeks, searches for, desires, requires the lost. It is not that we “find Jesus,” it is that “Jesus finds us.” We are the lost.

I remember being lost once as a child, probably around 7 or 8 years old. I went with a classmate after school thinking I could find my way home after that visit. I could not. I wandered the streets until finally a man found me and took me home to my family. Lost is a feeling I remember quite clearly.

I also remember being spiritually lost, wandering through life with no real awareness of where I was, until Jesus, in August 1973 found me and brought me home.  The Glorious Son of Man sought me, saved me, because He loved me.

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The Found (Luke 15)

by TerryLema

Ah, Chapter 15 of the Gospel of Luke. What a wonderful chapter. Jesus tells three parables in this chapter. My bible titles them “The Parable of the Lost Sheep,” “The Parable of the Lost Coin,” and “The Parable of the Lost Son.” (Although that one should be “The Parable of the Lost Sons” since both were lost.)

I, however, like to think of these parables as the parables of the “Found.” The sheep, the coin and the son may have been lost initially but they end up “found” and what can be more glorious than that?

The poor sheep that wandered off and found himself all alone is wonderfully found by the shepherd and brought into the flock.  Then not only is the sheep happy, but the shepherd calls everyone together and rejoices “because I have found my lost sheep!” [vs 6]

The woman who lost her coin (because coins can’t wander off on their own) also rejoices with her friends and neighbors “because I have found the silver coin I lost!” [vs 9]

What joy there was for the son who rebelliously chose to leave the Father’s House but then returns to find the Father not only watching for him, but ready to forgive him for his rebellion and throw a feast to celebrate his return.

 “But the father told his slaves, ‘Quick! Bring out the best robe and put it on him; put a ring on his finger and sandals on his feet.  Then bring the fattened calf and slaughter it, and let’s celebrate with a feast, because this son of mine was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found!’ So they began to celebrate.” [vs 22-24]

Jesus also reminds His listeners that “there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over 99 righteous people who don’t need repentance.” [vs 7, 10]

I am one of the “found.” What joy abounds in my heart to know that there was joy in heaven in August of 1973 when I became one of those sinners who repented!

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Nostalgia

by TerryLema

I am feeling a bit of nostalgia this morning. This year so much has changed and will change in the near future. I am about to enter what I think is a very new phase of life. I still do not know if I will like it, or how much time I will take to adjust to it, or if it really will be as different as I anticipate. I do know that some things are certain.

One, I am coming close to the finish line on my ministry at The Way Middleton. Two, Bob and I will not be as free to travel as we have been over past decades, not that we went anywhere except to California happily to see our son and his family. Three … well, maybe just one and two are enough to contemplate today.

As I was thinking about all this change, I decided to be a bit nostalgic about the next few devotions. I have a favorite chapter in Luke’s Gospel. (Well, it is one of my favorite chapters.) I like to sneak back and read it often and have done many message on it. I think over the next few days I will do a few more. (Smile!)

The chapter is Luke 7. It contains four interactions Jesus had. The first was with the centurion, then the widow of Nain. Third was with John the Baptizer’s disciples and the last was the beautiful interaction with the sinful woman in Simon the Pharisee’s house.

I love watching Jesus as He meets people in the Gospel. I love how He responds to each one differently, as each one has different needs.

Toward the end of Luke’s Gospel, Jesus explained His purpose, which is the theme of Luke’s Gospel.  “For the Son of Man has come to seek and to save the lost.” [Luke 19:10 HCSB]

These events captured in Luke 7 show Jesus’ purpose in action.  Read Luke 7 today … tomorrow we are going to meet an amazing Centurion and Jesus’ response to him.

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Seeking the Lost

by TerryLema

Ever been lost?  Maybe you were driving in a strange city or highway and you took a wrong turn. That was easier to do years ago before our phones and cars were equipped with GPS and a voice instructing us along the way. I remember getting turned around in a theme park once and going out the wrong exit into the wrong parking lot!  That took a while to find the car.

Maybe you have never been physically lost, but during these days and times we are living in you feel lost.  We have been self-isolating, staying away from others. We have not spent time with family and friends or even ventured into stores where we simply walk around in the “crowds” and smile at each other.  Loneliness is on the rise, in our children, teens, and the elderly.

Suicide rates are on the rise also, especially among teens.  Recently a 17-year-old football player in Florida committed suicide, despondent over not being in school and not being allowed to play football.  (Coaches often serve as the primary mentors for high school athletes.) The restrictions to keep COVID from spreading have had unfortunate consequences for many.

I think that is why the words of Jesus in Luke 19 hold out such hope in our troubled times.

People were offended that Jesus responded to and offered salvation to a hated tax collector named Zacchaeus. When His critics began to complain about His actions, Jesus reminded them of His purpose.

 “For the Son of Man has come to seek and to save the lost.” [Luke 19:10 HCSB]

Jesus brought us many blessings through His sacrifice on the cross. He opened the way to the Father so that we now are no longer at odds with our Creator. He gives peace. Our joy is found in Him. His promises are “yes” and “Amen.” He promises us a future and we live in the hope of our eternity with Him.

Yes, Jesus’ life, death and resurrection brought all those blessings and more!  But, His purpose was so simple – to seek and save the lost. And perhaps the biggest blessing of all is that He invites us now to share His purpose.

 “All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth.  Go, therefore, and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,  teaching them to observe everything I have commanded you. And remember, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”  [Matthew 28:18-20 HCSB

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The Heart of God

by TerryLema

One of my favorite chapters in the Gospels is Luke 15. Jesus tells three parables, the Lost Sheep, the Lost Coin and the Lost Son (actually both sons were lost, but in different ways.) In each of those parables we see the heart of God revealed in a unique way.

Sheep, I think, tend to wander off – one apparently wandered so far from the flock he became lost. The coin was lost through no fault of its own, someone misplaced it. The son was lost because he willfully walked away from the family in rebellion.

What warms my soul in these three parables is the amazing heart of God. In the parable of the lost sheep, I see God’s love for that single lost soul. Yes, God loves the world so much that He sent His Son to redeem it, but God loves me and you. He noticed when we weren’t where we should be and came looking for us.

In the lost coin parable, I see God’s persistence. That woman swept the house, diligently searching for that lost coin. She wasn’t going to give up until it was found and back in her possession. Neither is our Father God giving up on us.

And of course, in the lost sons parable, I see the yearning in the heart of God for all His children to be with Him, whether they had squandered everything given them and were returning destitute to Him, or whether they had a loveless, legalistic relationship with Him that kept their hearts far from His. He wants them all!

 What compassion God has for His children. He notices when one of us is missing. He diligently searches until that missing one is found. He greets those who will return with expressions of love and delight.

“While he was still a long way off, his father saw him and was filled with compassion for him; he ran to his son, threw his arms around him and kissed him.” [Luke 15:20]

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