Seeking the Lost

Then drew near unto him all the publicans and sinners for to hear him. And the scribes and Pharisees murmured, saying, This Man receiveth sinners, and eateth with them.» The Jewish leaders prided themselves on being God’s chosen people; but they were full of selfishness and pride. When Christ came to them, they refused to receive him, because he did not flatter their pride nor indorse their opinions. They turned from him with scorn because he received publicans and sinners. By his ministry of mercy and compassion, Christ rebuked all pride and selfishness; therefore the Jews would have none of him. They were angry that the works they did to be seen of men did not awe or charm the great Teacher, or draw from him one word of approval. They flattered themselves, but Christ did not flatter them. He spoke against all vanity and pride as abhorrent to the Most High. It is the prayers of the humble and contrite that are heard and answered. God declares that he knows the proud afar off, but he says, «To this man will I look, even to him that is of an humble and contrite heart.»

The Pharisees could not bear to see the publicans following Christ and listening to his teaching with an interest that their teaching had never received. Hatred against the Saviour filled their hearts, and they said bitterly, «This Man receiveth sinners and eateth with them,» implying that he chose these as his associates and was insensible to their wickedness.

To this reproach Christ replied with the parable of the lost sheep. «What man of you,» he said, «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? And when he hath found it, he layeth it on his shoulders, rejoicing. And when he cometh home, he calleth together his friends and neighbors, saying unto them, Rejoice with me; for I have found my sheep which was lost.»

The loss of the sheep makes it necessary for the shepherd, at any cost, to seek for it. «Doth he not leave the ninety and nine, and goeth into the mountains, and seeketh that which is gone astray?» Christ asked. The sheep has wandered from the fold, and the shepherd leaves the rest that he may seek for the lost one. It must be found, however dark the night or severe the tempest. At each step the shepherd calls the lost sheep by name, until in the distance he hears its faint and dying cry. In crevices and among the tangled briers he searches, until he finds it. Then carefully rescuing it from its peril, he places it on his shoulders, and goes home with rejoicing.

«God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.» By making this gift to save perishing souls, God has shown the value he places on human beings. Then should any one, high, or low, rich or poor, be treated with contempt? Satan has made it his study to lay the temple of God in ruins, to obliterate the image of God in man. And by yielding to sin, men have become defiled and corrupted. Christ came, clothing his divinity with humanity, that he might touch humanity, without extinguishing it by divinity. He came to save the lost sheep. He became a servant that by loving service he might uplift the lowly.

More than eighteen hundred years ago Christ walked on this earth, a man among men, yet a God. Hear what he said, «I am come to seek and to save that which was lost.» A solemn duty rests upon every one who believes in Christ to go outside the church and seek in every way to save souls. To be a Christian means to be Christlike, and upon all Christians rests the duty of working as Christ worked.

Christ came to this world to represent the character of God as expressed in his law, and in human nature he lived that law. So our lives are to be spent in doing God’s will. We have been made repositories of sacred truth; but this truth is of no value to us unless it is practiced in the daily life. Christians are to do thorough work. Instead of expending their time and means in working for those who already have been blessed with so many opportunities and privileges that they do not know how to appreciate them, let God’s workers go into places where the truth has not been heard. Let earnest zeal and fervent piety be manifested in behalf of those who are in the darkness of error. Of those who work in this way Christ says, «Ye are laborers together with God.» «Ye are the light of the world.» «Ye are the salt of the earth.» «Ye are my witnesses.» «Let your light so shine before men that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.»

We are to exert a saving influence over those who are without God and without hope in the world. The pathway to the city of refuge is to be kept free from the rubbish of selfishness and sin. Those who profess to be following the Lamb of God are to take every stumbling-block out of the way. But too often those who claim to believe the truth lay stumbling-blocks in the way of others. They say that they know Christ, but in works they deny him. By their trifling conduct they hurt those they might have helped. They sin against God and lie against the truth, imperilling their own souls and leading others astray.

«Walk in wisdom toward them that are without, redeeming the time, because the days are evil.» God’s people are to be lights, shining amid the moral darkness of the world. By a godly life they are to show that the truth exerts an ennobling influence over them.