Christianity Oasis Forum

[cimi]

June 30
Tuesday


SEARCH AND
RESCUE

READ:
Luke 19:1-10
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The Son of Man has
come to seek and to
save that which was
lost. __Luke 19:10
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Almost every week we see news about a search-and-rescue mission. It may involve a child who wandered away from a family picnic and is lost, or a hiker stranded on a mountain, or people trapped in the rubble following an earthquake. In every case, the people at risk are unable to help themselves. Those who are found and saved usually have lasting gratitude for those who joined in the search and rescued them.

The account of Zacchaeus in Luke 19:1-10 is a story of search and rescue. At first glance it may seem like a series of chance events--Jesus was passing through Jericho and a rich tax collector climbed a tree to catch a glimpse of the miracle-working teacher. But this encounter with Jesus was not a coincidence. At the end of the narrative, Luke deliberately included Jesus' words to Zacchaeus, "Today salvation has come to this house.... for the Son of Man has come to seek and to save that which was lost" (vv.9-1-).

Jesus began His search-and-rescue operation on earth by His life, death, and resurrection. He continues it today through the power of the Holy Spirit, and he graciously invites us to participate with Him by loving those who are lost. __Dennis McCasland
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````````````````````People can't believe in Jesus`````````````````
````````````````````If the gospel they don't hear,`````````````````
``````````````````So we must proclaim its message```````````````
``````````````````To the world--both far and near.````````````````
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Those rescued from sin are best able
to rescue those in sin.

**************Today's Bible Reading __ Luke 19:1-10*************

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 and
saw him, and said to him,
"Zacchaeus, make haste and
come down, for today I
must stay at your house."

6 so he made haste and
came down, and received
Him joyfully.

7 But when they saw it,
they all 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."

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>INSIGHT<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<

Zacchaeus was a chief tax collector (v.2). Matthew, the gospel
writer, had also been a tax collector (Matt. 9:9). Tax collectors
were considered outcasts of the Jewish religious system, yet in
the Gospels Jesus spoke of them more favorably than He did of
the Pharisees (Luke 18:9-14). Jesus was known as "a friend of tax
collectors and sinners" (7:34). __SIM KAY TEE