LUKE 19:5

Jesus made it so abundantly plain – “They that are whole need not a physician: but they that are sick. I came not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance” (Luke 5:31,32). Ministering to the healthy can be very beneficial, but it must never be overlooked that the real ministry of the church is to those that are broken, lost, wounded and weary. By rehearsing the true essence of His mission, Jesus incites us always to remember that it is always about the last, the least, and the lost! It’s about the afflicted, the addicted and the evicted! It is about the least of these, the renegades and the prodigals, the lonely and the forgotten!

In very plain language Jesus reaffirms – “The Son of man is come to seek and to save that which was lost (Luke 19:10). This He said about the rich but lost publican, Zacchaeus. He specifically came to save the sinners of this world. This is what drove and compelled Him to sacrificially give His life on Calvary – to redeem and reinstate Adam’s fallen race. He came to seek and to save all of sinful humanity.

We as His representative body still somehow get it mixed up. To sanitize the church, we often misrepresent His message and mission. We sometimes forget that He came to save sinners. He came to save the drug addicts, pimps and pushers – the homosexuals, the lesbians, the transgendered – the liars, cheaters, extortioners and murderers – the sick, twisted, perverted, corrupt people of this world, as we all were. Thank God for the greatest manifesto of His love as Jesus articulated for us in John 3:16 – “For God so loved the world . . .”

In Luke 19:5, contrary to the expectation of the multitude, Jesus deliberately looked up into the sycamore tree. Despite the crowd’s undisguised contempt for Zacchaeus, Jesus refused to reject him or leave him out. Luke insightfully declares “And when Jesus came to the place, he looked up and saw him, and said unto him, Zacchaeus, make haste, and come down; for today I must abide at thy house” (Luke 19: 5). How often we look and do not see, but not Jesus! Unlike others, He never pretends not to see us. With deliberate intent He sees us and without fail He addresses the deep longing and pain in our hearts.

The great Physician and sympathizing Savior called him out. He called him by his name, when all the others had snubbed and ostracized him, refusing to have any meaningful association with him. Jesus charged him “. . . make haste and come down for today I must abide at thy house” (5). Can you fathom the gracious, saving, healing Redeemer wanting to dwell with Zacchaeus and to break bread with him whom many felt was unworthy of love and forgiveness? With unspeakable joy Zacchaeus not only receives Jesus, but he evidences transforming grace by his willingness to give to the poor and make restitution (v.8).

The same graciousness He extended to Zacchaeus and to all, we are now by His grace and mercy expected to graciously extend and minister to others. Zacchaeus though hated by others was loved by Jesus! May the church always be driven by this same dominant recurring theme of love – “For the Son of Man is come to seek and to save that which was lost” (Luke 19:10).  That no-one may be left behind! In His commonwealth of grace all are welcome!

Leroy V. Greenaway