Preschool
Prepare ye the way of the Lord (Luke 3:4).
Jesus Came for Sinners
Memory Verses
Primary
The voice of one crying in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the Lord, make his paths straight (Luke 3:4).
Junior
As it is written in the book of the words of Esaias the prophet, saying, The voice of one crying in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the Lord, make his paths straight (Luke 3:4).
Background Scripture: Mark 2; Luke 19:1-10
Lesson Scripture: Mark 2:13-17; Luke 19:2, 4-10
Introduction
Jesus came to earth to rescue mankind, which has a tendency to self-destruct. Through the devastation and noise of violence, war, and pain, Jesus reaches out his hand and offers peace—not what the world describes as peace, but a kind of peace that words cannot fully define.
Jesus’s heart of compassion was touched by the degenerates, the hardened sinners, and the lonely souls trapped in the mire of poor choices and the inability to overcome. Jesus came to save those whom society deemed unsalvageable. He came to save the privileged and underprivileged alike; He came to save us all.
Key Verse
This is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners; of whom I am chief (1 Tim. 1:15).
Lesson Scripture
Mark 2:13 And he went forth again by the sea side; and all the multitude resorted unto him, and he taught them.
14 And as he passed by, he saw Levi the son of Alphaeus sitting at the receipt of custom, and said unto him, Follow me. And he arose and followed him.
15 And it came to pass, that, as Jesus sat at meat in his house, many publicans and sinners sat also together with Jesus and his disciples: for there were many, and they followed him.
16 And when the scribes and Pharisees saw him eat with publicans and sinners, they said unto his disciples, How is it that he eateth and drinketh with publicans and sinners?
17 When Jesus heard it, he saith unto them, They that are whole have no need of the physician, but they that are sick: I came not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.
Luke 19:2 And, behold, there was a man named Zacchaeus, which was the chief among the publicans, and he was rich.
4 And he ran before, and climbed up into a sycomore tree to see him: for he was to pass that way.
5 And when Jesus came to the place, he looked up, and saw him, and said unto him, Zacchaeus, make haste, and come down; for to day I must abide at thy house.
6 And he made haste, and came down, and received him joyfully.
7 And when they saw it, they all murmured, saying, That he was gone to be guest with a man that is a sinner.
8 And Zacchaeus stood, and said unto the Lord; Behold, Lord, the half of my goods I give to the poor; and if I have taken any thing from any man by false accusation, I restore him fourfold.
9 And Jesus said unto him, This day is salvation come to this house, forsomuch as he also is a son of Abraham.
10 For the Son of man is come to seek and to save that which was lost.
Studying the Lesson
The beauty in this lesson scripture is the tremendous contrast between the two images set before us: the purity of the Son of God against the backdrop of sinners and their sordid lives. Being familiar with the Scriptures, as many of us are, it is hard to take a step back and imagine the kind of people Jesus was associating with. The company He kept could be likened to the drug-addicted beggar of our day outside the corner store, the unfortunate woman who walks the city streets at night, or the corrupt, political candidate whose private life is a shame to recount. Those who looked on and saw what Jesus was doing criticized Him, asking, “Why is He eating with these terrible sinners?” They could see no benefit in this behavior; it was simply inexcusable that He was associating with people like these. But Jesus was not swayed by their disgust. He came to save, and who better to start with than those whom society considered contemptible?
Zacchaeus was one of these despised people. Luke describes him as a chief tax collector. He was a Jew who collected taxes for the Roman oppressors. He was a traitor to the Jewish national identity and akin to a robber in their eyes. But Zacchaeus had a soul that was longing for love and redemption. He exhibited this by clambering up a sycamore tree in a way that was quite undignified for a public official. His desperation was fueled by his need to see Jesus, a person who inspired hope within his heart. When Jesus saw Zacchaeus, He invited Himself over for a meal. This act must have shocked Zacchaeus but, nonetheless, made his heart swell with joy. Again, the people murmured. “Why is Jesus going to dine with this sinner?” The people’s criticism and gossip likely clouded their view of the miracle that took place that day. Sensing love and mercy, Zacchaeus opened his heart and home to Jesus, changed his life, and was saved.
Practical Truths for Today
The hardest people for Jesus to reach while He was on earth were the overtly religious. Those who accepted that they were sinners tended to listen to his words and recognize their need for salvation. The religious conservatives of Jesus’s time were blinded to the reality of their sinfulness, which is a sobering reminder for us today. While being sheltered from many of the darkest aspects of sin, we can forget that we, too, are sinners.
A proper perspective is very important for a Christian. Perspective can sometimes mean the difference between wholehearted obedience and second-guessing the direction of the Holy Spirit. We might neglect our duty to reach out in love to someone because we are hindered by a prejudiced perspective. How many times have we been intimidated and given someone the cold shoulder because of their appearance? What does it do to our witness when they can tell we are afraid or repulsed by them?
The Scripture would lead us to believe that Jesus’s work was often focused on the underprivileged. That is not to say He does not come to save the virtuous and upright, but He expects more from those who are raised with the principles of truth. He expects us to be willing to reach beyond our prejudice or disinclination and invite every sinner to seek Him and be saved. So much energy can be focused on the saving of our own household that there is little regard for the great work before us that may be outside our familiar surroundings.
A vital ingredient for reaching out to others is being aware of how we personally appear to God. Unless we have a keen sense of our own need, the tendency to overlook our own deficiencies can be quite strong, especially when we see someone we perceive as having a greater or more obvious need. To feel like we are enlightened in a way that others are not can be motivated by a proud spirit that blinds us to our own needs. A person in this state will likely feel he has the answers to most questions. It may cause us to overlook sin in our life, justifying ourselves by a liberal standard not extended to others. This can be quite offensive and unattractive, and a coolness may surround us that will not endear us to others. The good news is that if we recognize these impurities in our life, there is help.
Perhaps about a year into Jesus’s ministry, He entered the synagogue in his hometown of Nazareth and was handed the Scriptures. He began teaching out of the book of Isaiah and read one of the most beautiful prophecies known to man: “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he hath anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor; he hath sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised” (Luke 4:18). Those looking on were astonished at the audacity of this Man before them. One of their own had just affirmed that He was the Savior of mankind, but this was the fulfillment of the prophecy of salvation—the Messiah and the day of grace had come.
Children must be taught to repair and build. Unfortunately, breaking and destroying things is part of our base nature. This is also true for our spiritual life, but let us take courage. Though there is judgment to come, Jesus came to save mankind and to repair the broken things of life. Today is the day of grace and mercy, and may we rejoice in this knowledge! When we are willing and available to let ourselves be searched and cleansed, the power is there to lift us out of any situation in which we find ourselves.
Questions
- How can we be more willing to share with those who may not appear inclined to accept our company?
- Are there disadvantages to being raised in a sheltered or privileged environment?
- How can we teach our children to view each person as someone worthy of our love and attention?
- Is our salvation dependent upon our willingness to reach out to others?
- How do we deal with a spirit that makes us feel superior to others because of our lifestyle or religion? What are the dangers of entertaining such a spirit?
Source: COGICM Daily Bible Readings (Daily Bible Readings, PO Box 124, Glenn, CA 95943).