KNOWING CHRIST AS THE SEEKER AND SAVIOUR OF THE LOST

 A Sermon By Wayne Camp

TEXT: Lu. 19:10

 INTRO: God sent his Son into the world to do a number of things. First and foremost he was to glorify the Father in the saving of his people from their sins. Thus, it seems to me, the Bible sets forth the saving work of Christ as the primary reason for his being made in the likeness of sinful flesh and dying on the cruel cross of Golgotha.

I will have more to say on this in a moment. The text is clear on the matter, however. Luke 19:10 For the Son of man is come to seek and to save that which was lost.There are three things I want to call to your attention from this verse as we consider the subject, Knowing Christ as the Seeker and Saviour of the Lost.

First, we will consider the gracious mission of Christ. Second, we will look at the tragic state and condition of those whom Christ came to save. Finally, we will give some attention to the double difficulty of Christ's gracious mission.

 I. THE GRACIOUS MISSION

A. The Son of man is come.

1. The prophets must write of the one who was to come.

2. During his ministry Christ could speak in the present tense and say "The Son of man is come."

3. We can look upon it and speak of it as an accomplished fact.

a. He has come into this world and performed every work necessary to the salvation of his people. John 17:2 As thou hast given him power over all flesh, that he should give eternal life to as many as thou hast given him.

b. We can rejoice in the fact of his finished work and rejoice in those marvelous words, "It is finished."

B.   The Son of man came to give his life a ransom for many. Matthew 20:28 Even as the Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give his life a ransom for many.

1. This was yet future when Jesus spoke these words.

2. We can rejoice in the accomplished work; he has given his life a ransom for many and those ransomed must surely be set free. 1 Timothy 2:6 Who gave himself a ransom for all, to be testified in due time.

C.  The saints of old looked for redemption in Israel. Luke 2:38 And she coming in that instant gave thanks likewise unto the Lord, and spake of him to all them that looked for redemption in Jerusalem.

1. We can rejoice in the finished redemption accomplished by Jesus Christ. Romans 3:24 Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus.

2. God has made him redemption unto us. 1 Corinthians 1:30 But of him are ye in Christ Jesus, who of God is made unto us wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption.

3. We are not looking for redemption, we have redemption through his blood. Ephesians 1:7 In whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace. Colossians 1:14 In whom we have redemption through his blood, even the forgiveness of sins.

4. Our redemption is an eternal redemption that has already been obtained for us by the Lord Jesus Christ. Hebrews 9:12 Neither by the blood of goats and calves, but by his own blood he entered in once into the holy place, having obtained eternal redemption for us.

D.  The law showed men their imperfection and demanded perfection, thus pointing them to the need of a substitute who could perfect them.

1. We do not need to look forward to one who shall perfect us.

2. We can rejoice in the one who graciously came into this world and by one sacrifice has perfected us. Hebrews 10:10-14 By the which will we are sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all. 11 And every priest standeth daily ministering and offering oftentimes the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins: 12 But this man, after he had offered one sacrifice for sins for ever, sat down on the right hand of God; 13 From henceforth expecting till his enemies be made his footstool. 14 For by one offering he hath perfected for ever them that are sanctified.

E.  The graciousness of Christ's mission is further seen in this text in his reference to himself as the Son of Man, a title that speaks of his gracious       identification with his people. Luke 19:10 For the Son of man is come to seek and to save that which was lost.

 

II.  THE TRAGIC STATE AND CONDITION OF THOSE WHOM CHRIST CAME TO SEEK AND TO SAVE

A. A look at the word translated lost will give us an idea of the tragic state of those whom Christ came to seek and to save. The word lost is a dreadful word.

1. The Greek word is apollumi.

a. In the Active Voice this word means "to destroy, to destroy utterly, kill, to lose utterly".

b. In the Middle Voice in the Greek it means "to perish, perished, are perishing".

c. The word also means "to put out of the way entirely, abolish, put an end to, to give over to eternal misery, to be lost, ruined, destroyed".

2.  The ninth chapter of Revelation shows the sounding of the fifth angel in the sounding of the trumpets. It paints an awful picture of destruction. Revelation 9:1-11 And the fifth angel sounded, and I saw a star fall from heaven unto the earth: and to him was given the key of the bottomless pit. 2 And he opened the bottomless pit; and there arose a smoke out of the pit, as the smoke of a great furnace; and the sun and the air were darkened by reason of the smoke of the pit. 3 And there came out of the smoke locusts upon the earth: and unto them was given power, as the scorpions of the earth have power. 4 And it was commanded them that they should not hurt the grass of the earth, neither any green thing, neither any tree; but only those men which have not the seal of God in their foreheads. 5 And to them it was given that they should not kill them, but that they should be tormented five months: and their torment was as the torment of a scorpion, when he striketh a man. 6 And in those days shall men seek death, and shall not find it; and shall desire to die, and death shall flee from them. 7 And the shapes of the locusts were like unto horses prepared unto battle; and on their heads were as it were crowns like gold, and their faces were as the faces of men. 8 And they had hair as the hair of women, and their teeth were as the teeth of lions. 9 And they had breastplates, as it were breastplates of iron; and the sound of their wings was as the sound of chariots of many horses running to battle. 10 And they had tails like unto scorpions, and there were stings in their tails: and their power was to hurt men five months. 11 And they had a king over them, which is the angel of the bottomless pit, whose name in the Hebrew tongue is Abaddon, but in the Greek tongue hath his name Apollyon.

a. The name of the king of these destroyers is Apollyon.

b. This name comes from the same root word as does lost. Apolluwn.

B.   Let us go beyond the language and look at how the Bible describes the lost.

1. The lost are dead in trespasses and sins. Ephesians 2:1 And you hath he quickened, who were dead in trespasses and sins.

2. The lost are under condemnation. John 3:18 He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.

3. The lost are under the abiding wrath of God. John 3:36 He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life: and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on him.

4. The lost are perishing and will perish ultimately unless they believe in Jesus Christ. John 3:16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish (apollumi), but have everlasting life.

5. The lost are on the broad road that leads to destruction. Matthew 7:13-14 Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat: 14 Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it.

a. Please note that men are not naturally on the narrow way but are called to enter it.

b. All men are by nature on the broad way that leads to destruction, walking according to the course of this world. Ephesians 2:2 Wherein in time past ye walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience.

6.  All men are by nature the children of wrath. Ephesians 2:3 Among whom also we all had our conversation in times past in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind; and were by nature the children of wrath, even as others.

7. Men are so lost by nature that they will not come to Christ for eternal life if left to themselves. John 5:40 And ye will not come to me, that ye might have life.

8. Men who are lost are without hope, without God, and without Christ. Ephesians 2:12 That at that time ye were without Christ, being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope, and without God in the world.

C.  If you are unsaved and you continue down the road you are on you will be lost, lost, lost, forever lost in endless death, forever lost in the second death, forever lost in everlasting destruction from the presence of God, forever lost in the endless torment in the flames of the lake of fire.

D. But, I have good news, wonderful news, gracious and merciful news and it is found in the words of our text. Luke 19:10 For the Son of man is come to seek and to save that which was lost.

1. It is found in the words of John 3:16.  For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.

2. It is found in the words of John 5:24. Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life.

3. It is found in the words of Romans 8:1. There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus.

E.  This good news is not found in the preaching of many today.

1. It is not found in the declaration that Christ came to make men savable.

2. It is not found in the declaration that Christ came to make salvation available.

3. It is not found in the declaration that Christ came to try to save those who are lost.

4. It is found in the declaration that "he shall save his people from their sins."

5. It is found in the declaration of our text. Luke 19:10 For the Son of man is come to seek and to save that which was lost.

6. It is found in the declaration of John 6:37. All that the Father giveth me shall come to me; and him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out.

7. It is found in the declaration of John 10:27-28. My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me: 28 And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand.

III.   THE DOUBLE DIFFICULTY WHICH CHRIST MUST OVERCOME TO SAVE THE LOST

A. The first difficulty faced the Christ is the lost are so lost that they must be sought.

1. Men are not naturally seekers after God and his Christ. Romans 3:11 There is none that understandeth, there is none that seeketh after God.

2. If the lost are to be saved they must be sought.

a. This Christ did personally while on earth.

b. Christ seeks the lost through the preaching of the gospel. 1 Corinthians 1:21 For after that in the wisdom of God the world by wisdom knew not God, it pleased God by the foolishness of preaching to save them that believe.

c. Christ seeks the lost through the convicting and regenerating power of the Holy Spirit. John 6:63-65 It is the spirit that quickeneth; the flesh profiteth nothing: the words that I speak unto you, they are spirit, and they are life. 64 But there are some of you that believe not. For Jesus knew from the beginning who they were that believed not, and who should betray him. 65 And he said, Therefore said I unto you, that no man can come unto me, except it were given unto him of my Father.

d. The wonderful news is that Christ always finds those whom he seeks.

(1) His sheep always hear his voice. John 10:27 My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me.

(2) All those given him by the Father come to him. John 6:37 All that the Father giveth me shall come to me; and him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out.

B.    The second difficulty is they must be saved.

1. Merely seeking them out is not enough, they must be saved. Illustration: Child who is missing and is found to be down an abandoned well shaft. Merely seeking and finding her is not enough; she must be saved; she must be brought up out of the shaft.

2. Christ finding and saving his sheep is set forth in his own words. Luke 15:4-6 What man of you, having an hundred sheep, if he lose one of them, doth not leave the ninety and nine in the wilderness, and go after that which is lost, until he find it? 5 And when he hath found it, he layeth it on his shoulders, rejoicing. 6 And when he cometh home, he calleth together his friends and neighbours, saying unto them, Rejoice with me; for I have found my sheep which was lost.

3. When the lost sheep are found they must be saved, Christ must lift them up, put them on his shoulders and bring them all the way home. John 10:28 And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand. Hebrews 7:25 Wherefore he is able also to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by him, seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them.

 

CONC: Where to you stand? Are you lost? Has Christ already sought you out and saved you?

If you are unsaved you are perishing. If you are unsaved your are under condemnation. If you are unsaved you are without God, without hope, and without Christ. If you are unsaved you are on a broad way that leads only to destruction. If you are unsaved you are under the abiding wrath of God at this moment and were it not for his longsuffering and mercy you would right now be crying out in the torments of hell.

I pray that Christ is seeking you and will save you today. He is the door, by him you can enter in. He is the way and by him you can come to the Father. He is the life and there is no life except in him.

Lost! Lost! Lost! What a dreadful sound! But there is good news. Luke 19:10 For the Son of man is come to seek and to save that which was lost.

rwcamp@gpp-5grace.com

Tuesday, April 01, 2008