In one of their cartoons Hobbes and Calvin were having a serious discussion. Said Hobbes, “Is there a God?”

“Well,” answered Calvin, “I’m not sure. But someone’s out there trying to get me!”

He was absolutely right. God is out there and He is trying to get everyone!

Jesus said, “I came to seek and to save the lost!” He initially made this statement in His meeting with Zacchaeus. And if you recall, as a tax collector, he was in one of the most unpopular professions of his day. But it didn’t matter to Jesus: He was always seeking to save the lost. This was His message and His mission. Zacchaeus was just as valuable to God as anyone and everyone else. In fact, Jesus was out to “get him.”

No matter who we are or what we have done or are doing, Jesus wants us for His own. It is not what we know or who we know that will save us. Remember – Zacchaeus was a son of Abraham, the religious elite. But that could not save him. It was his faith in the Savior. Only our personal faith in the Lord Jesus Christ can save us from our sin.

We must never forget that God is “out to get” everyone to know, love and accept His Son as their Savior. And, how can He do this? By abiding in us, being with us and working through us.

Prayer: Dear Jesus, thank You for our salvation and the opportunity to work with You to reach others. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

Scripture for Today: Luke 19:10 for the Son of Man has come to seek and to save that which was lost.”

Once I asked an appliance repairman to come to church with me. “No,” he responded. “The church is full of hypocrites.”

“Great!” I responded. The man was startled. Continuing, I said, “That’s exactly where they belong. Let’s join them. I’m sure they won’t mind.”

If I understand it correctly, a hypocrite is someone who says one thing and does another. Or as a friend said to me, “A hypocrite is a person who does not walk their talk. They profess what they do not possess.”

Many who do not want to attend church say the reason they refuse to do so is because the church is full of hypocrites. For as long as I can remember that has been a frequent excuse of many. As I see it, it is a great reason for them to attend! They already know the difference between the saved and the unsaved. The saved are expected to behave like Jesus and the person who says he sees hypocrisy in Christians already knows what is expected of the born again.

We need to extend a warm welcome to those who use “the hypocrite excuse” as a reason not to attend church. Jesus said that He came to call sinners to be saved. Those who believe that they are already good enough will have a difficult time to admit they are sinners. But the hypocrite already knows his need.

Prayer: Lord, help me to live a life that will be an example, not an excuse, for people to seek You. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

Scripture for Today: Luke 19:10 for the Son of Man has come to seek and to save that which was lost.”

The phone rang and a small child answered it softly. “Hello,” he said barely above a whisper.

“Hello,” came the response. “Is your mother home?”

“Yes,” came the reply, “but she’s busy.”

“Well,” wondered the caller, “is your father home?”

“Yes,” he said, “but he’s busy, too.”

“Are they both busy? What are they doing?” asked the salesman.

“They’re looking for me,” he whispered.

What a picture of our Savior! He said, “I, the Son of Man, have come to seek and save the lost!”

This verse comes at the end of the story of Zacchaeus. Sometimes we focus on the different facts in the story: he was very short, the son of Abraham, he was a very influential man, and he was an unpopular tax collector. None of this actually mattered to Jesus.

What did matter to Jesus, then and now, is that a person is not saved because of his family, his wealth, his influence in the community, his appearance or his previous way of life. It is only through faith in the Son of Man that the lost can be forgiven and made new.

In one verse Jesus summarized His entire mission: to seek and to save the lost. Wherever they are, whatever they have done, Jesus continues to seek the lost.

Prayer: Lord, we may have much, but You ask little except that we, in faith, accept You as our Savior. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

Scripture for Today: Luke 19:10  for the Son of Man has come to seek and to save that which was lost.”

Once I asked an appliance repairman to come to church with me. “No,” he responded. “The church is full of hypocrites.”

“Great!” I responded. The man was startled. Continuing, I said, “That’s exactly where they belong. Let’s join them. I’m sure they won’t mind.”

If I understand it correctly, a hypocrite is a someone who says one thing and does another. Or as a friend said to me, “A hypocrite is a person who does not walk their talk. They profess what they do not possess.”

Many who do not want to attend church say the reason they refuse to do so is because the church is full of hypocrites. For as long as I can remember that has been a frequent excuse of many. As I see it, it is a great reason for them to attend! They already know the difference between the saved and the unsaved. The saved are expected to behave like Jesus and the person who says he sees hypocrisy in Christians already knows what is expected of the born again.

We need to extend a warm welcome to those who use “the hypocrite excuse” as a reason not to attend church. Jesus said that He came to call sinners to be saved. Those who believe that they are already good enough will have a difficult time to admit they are sinners. But the hypocrite already knows his need.

Prayer: Lord, help me to live a life that will be an example, not an excuse, for people to seek You. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

Scripture: Luke 19:10: for the Son of Man has come to seek and to save that which was lost.

The phone rang and a small child answered it softly. “Hello,” he said barely above a whisper.

“Hello,” came the response. “Is your mother home?”

“Yes,” came the reply, “but she’s busy.”

“Well,” wondered the caller, “Is your father home?”

“Yes,” he said, “but he’s busy, too.”

“They are both busy? What are they doing?” asked the salesman.

“They’re looking for me,” he whispered.

What a picture of our Savior! He said, “I, the Son of Man, have come to seek and save the lost!”

This verse comes at the end of the story of Zaccheaus. Sometimes we focus on the different facts in the story: he was very short, the Son of Abraham, he was a very influential man, and he was an unpopular tax collector. None of this actually mattered to Jesus.

What did matter to Jesus, then and now, is that a person is not saved because of his family, his wealth, influence in the community, his appearance or his previous way of life. It is only through faith in the Son of Man that the lost can be forgiven and be made new.

In one verse Jesus summarized His entire mission: to seek and to save the lost. Wherever they are, whatever they have done, Jesus is still seeking the lost.

Prayer: Lord, we may have much, but You ask little except that we, in faith, accept You as our Savior. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

Scripture: Luke 19:10 for the Son of Man has come to seek and to save that which was lost.