Choose: Seek & Save or Steal & Kill

“…the Son of Man has come to seek and to save that which was lost”
Luke 19:10

That Jesus came to seek and save what was lost is a good thing, right? Well, it depends on if you think you are lost and whether you think those who are lost are worth saving. Jesus made this statement after people complained that Jesus, “…has gone to be a guest with a man who is a sinner” (Lk 19:7).

Jesus was eating with Zacchaeus, a tax collector and with his tax collector and sinner friends. Those who thought themselves better than tax collectors, better than sinners, didn’t think they were worthy of Jesus’ time. Worse yet, they thought themselves not needing the “seeking and saving” that Jesus came to do.

Jesus received similar criticism in a similar situation in Matthew 9 and He famously replied, “Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick” (9:12). It’s good to hear when Jesus says, “…the Son of Man has come to seek and to save that which was lost” if we know we are lost and need to be found, dying and need to be saved. We’re all sick. We’re all lost. We’re all sinners. We have a choice to make: Will we let Jesus find and save us? Consider the alternative.

“The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy”
John 10:10

We would like to think that the choice is to either follow Jesus or follow nobody (or ourselves). But actually the choice is between a Savior who finds and saves and a thief who steals, kills, and destroys. Of course the devil doesn’t advertise himself that way – “…Satan himself transforms himself into an angel of light” (2 Cor 11:14). What he offers looks good and promises to feel good and make all our dreams come true! But every time, in the end, what the devil offers is darkness, suffering, sin, death, and separation from God.

Jesus came so God could tell us Himself that the choice is between being found and being lost, being saved and being damned, being with God in heaven forever or with the devil in hell for eternity. Jesus came so God could personally tell and show us that He loves us in contrast to the devil who hates us. Jesus came so that God Himself could be seen looking for us and saving us.

God has made His choice. His choice is to seek and to save. The devil has made his choice. His choice is to steal, kill, and destroy EVERYTHING and EVERYONE. Now we have to make our choice as to which we will follow. But as for Satan, “…we are not ignorant of his devices” (2 Cor 2:11).  dd