Jesus’ Mission: To Seek And To Save The Lost

My wedding ring was lost.

Fortunately, I had given my wedding ring to my wife to hold. She was the person who lost it. This wasn’t MY crisis. This was OUR crisis. I was playing softball and had given my ring to my wife to hold during the game. When I went to put it back on after the game, it was gone. The pocket she had placed it in was empty. We searched the area frantically, trying to find it before darkness set in, but to no avail. The ring was gone!

The next morning, I searched and found a metal detector to rent and we headed back over to the park to search in the daylight. Kids were in school. The park was empty. We held out hope that the ring was still there. After a twenty-minute search, when we saw the gleaming gold wedding band nestled down in the blades of grass, what emotions do you think we felt? Excitement. Relief. Joy. It was a cause for celebration!

Every year, we hear stories of hikers lost in the mountains, facing the dangers of exposure to the elements or wild animals. Park rangers, police, emergency personnel and volunteers coordinate to make an all-out search, knowing that if those who have been lost are not found within 24-48 hours, they could be lost for good. Every available resource is used. Helicopters. Technology. Search dogs.

Urgency is felt. Lives are at stake!

Let’s read Jesus’ statement of purpose again.

“For the Son of Man came to seek and save those who are lost.”

The “Son of Man” is a Messianic title. When Jesus’ first century Jewish listeners heard this phrase, they would immediately make the connection to Daniel’s prophecy about the coming Messiah.

Read Daniel 7:13-14.

“For the Son of Man came to seek and save those who are lost.”

“For the Son of Man came to seek and save those who are lost.”

To seek speaks of an active pursuit. Jesus takes action. This action is continual. Jesus does not stop seeking. He does not give up the search. He will not give up on us. He keeps seeking until we are saved… or until we are lost forever.

“For the Son of Man came to seek and save those who are lost.”

Jesus came to save us, but save us from what? He came to save us from being lost forever. He came to save us from a purposeless, meaningless life. He came to save us from our separation from the Father. He came to save us from the wrath of God. He came to save us from the fires of hell.

Read Jude 1:23.

“For the Son of Man came to seek and save those who are lost.”

What does it feel like to be lost? What are the characteristics of the person who is lost? What are the consequences of being lost? Reflect for a moment on what it means to be lost.