Jesus Came to Seek and Save the Sick and Lost

Dato' Dr Kim Tan
12-05-2019

Luke 18:35-43 New King James Version (NKJV)
A Blind Man Receives His Sight
35 Then it happened, as He was coming near Jericho, that a certain blind man sat by the road begging. 36 And hearing a multitude passing by, he asked what it meant. 37 So they told him that Jesus of Nazareth was passing by. 38 And he cried out, saying, “Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!”

39 Then those who went before warned him that he should be quiet; but he cried out all the more, “Son of David, have mercy on me!”

40 So Jesus stood still and commanded him to be brought to Him. And when he had come near, He asked him, 41 saying, “What do you want Me to do for you?”

He said, “Lord, that I may receive my sight.”

42 Then Jesus said to him, “Receive your sight; your faith has made you well.” 43 And immediately he received his sight, and followed Him, glorifying God. And all the people, when they saw it, gave praise to God.

Luke 19:1-10 New King James Version (NKJV)
Jesus Comes to Zacchaeus’ House
19 Then Jesus entered and passed through Jericho. 2 Now behold, there was a man named Zacchaeus who was a chief tax collector, and he was rich. 3 And he sought to see who Jesus was, but could not because of the crowd, for he was of short stature. 4 So he ran ahead and climbed up into a sycamore tree to see Him, for He was going to pass that way. 5 And when Jesus came to the place, He looked up [a]and saw him, and said to him, “Zacchaeus, [b]make haste and come down, for today I must stay at your house.” 6 So he [c]made haste and came down, and received Him joyfully. 7 But when they saw it, they all [d]complained, saying, “He has gone to be a guest with a man who is a sinner.”

8 Then Zacchaeus stood and said to the Lord, “Look, Lord, I give half of my goods to the poor; and if I have taken anything from anyone by false accusation, I restore fourfold.”

9 And Jesus said to him, “Today salvation has come to this house, because he also is a son of Abraham; 10 for the Son of Man has come to seek and to save that which was lost.”

Jesus was heading to Jerusalem through Jericho. His mind was on the betrayal, the flogging, the torture, and the Cross.

He wasn't intending to stay in Jericho.

The crowd got very excited.

In His way to the cross, Jesus took time out for Bartimaeus, the blind man, who was a nobody. No one is insignificant in Jesus' sight. He set aside time for this man.

Immediately, he received his sight and followed Jesus. And all the people got seriously excited.

In the time of Jesus, if you belong to a certain profession, you're a sinner.

Zacchaeus was the chief tax collector. Jericho was the absolute best place to collect taxes. And he got rich. He worked for the Romans. He was the Bill Gates of Jericho.

The crowd walked with Jesus and they were expecting great things to happen in Jerusalem.

Zacchaeus couldn't see Jesus because he was short. And the crowd completely ignored him.

So Zacchaeus ran. It's embarrassing for important people like him to run in public. He was willing to humiliate himself to see Jesus.

And he climbed a tree. Important people do not climb trees in public. He was so hungry to see Jesus. He was so bankrupt inside  that he was willing to embarrass and humiliate himself publicly in order that he might see Jesus.

The father of the Prodigal Son also ran to get his son.

Jesus had already turned down offers from other people to stay a night in Jericho. But Jesus asked him to come down and said He wanted to stay overnight in his house. 

But He stopped and looked up at Zacchaeus. The crowd also looked up and fixed their eyes on Zacchaeus and they wanted to kill him. The crowd expected Jesus to preach the most hellfire sermon to Zacchaeus. That's what Zacchaeus deserved.

Instead Jesus offered Zacchaeus undeserved love and grace. 

The rabbis taught that you could be contaminated with sin if you sit with sinners or sleep on the bed of sinners.

The crowd began to grumble and murmur. And their anger was diverted from Zacchaeus to Jesus.

Zacchaeus was touched by the generosity of God's grace. And he went beyond what is required by the law. The law states that if you're a thief, you are required to pay 20%. If you are caught, you have to pay 100%. But if you steal something essential, you have to pay back four times.

Zacchaeus was only required to pay 20% but he offered to pay back fourfold. It was an extraordinary act of generosity.

The true sign of a Church is the extraordinary sign of generosity and hospitality. That's what happens when you're touched by the amazing grace of God.

Zacchaeus called Jesus Lord.

Matthew 1:21 New King James Version (NKJV)
21 And she will bring forth a Son, and you shall call His name [a]Jesus, for He will save His people from their sins.”

Jesus didn't come to seek the high and mighty, the rich and the famous. He came to seek the weak, marginalised, the poor and the lost.

On His way to the cross, Jesus made time for the blind and the billionaire of Jericho who was bankrupt inside and was willing to humiliate himself publicly that he might see Jesus.

That's the extravagant love and forgiveness of Jesus for sinners. He loved them as they are, for who they are.