Why Jesus Came: To Seek the Lost
Not Standing Idly By
Do you know any criminals who seek out police? I used to work at a courthouse and never once did I come across a criminal who had a warrant out for their arrest who purposely evaded arrest and desired to be captured by the police.
Likewise, when we think of our un-Christian friends and families, what are you praying for? Are you not praying for a miracle of grace? Do you not pray that God would open their hearts and send them to the Son?
Apart from God’s grace working in your heart, you would never have come to faith. The coming of Christ is the entrance of hope for lost sinners.
Christmas is proof that God does not stand idly by waiting and hoping for sinners to approach Him.
Seeking the Lost
Christmas is a rescue mission of the Triune God. Luke 19:10, ESV, “For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost.” He did not come to try to save sinners, or to hopefully find those who were already looking. Man’s fallen state is to flee from God in the bushes like Adam did in the Garden of Eden (Genesis 3; Romans 3:10-12).
Just as God sought out Adam in Eden, Christ seeks out sinners in Advent. The mission of Jesus Christ is not a failed one. He is not a failure to find sinners nor is He stiff-armed from saving any. He will accomplish the work He came to do.
Jesus is a perfect Savior (Hebrews 7:25). The dawning of Christmas is the entrance of hope into the world for sinners who would never gather to a Savior.
As John Calvin wrote, “Christ is much more powerful to save, than Adam was to destroy.”
Saving the Lost
Jesus will save His people from their sins (Matthew 1:21). The success of Christ saving sinners in the world is guaranteed. There is an innumerable multitude of sinners bought by Christ (Revelation 7:9). He will have His people found and saved.
There is hope for unbelievers. Jesus Christ came to save sinners, not to stay them off. His breaking into the world was to break the dark clouds of unbelief.
This Christmas remember that Jesus saves sinners — even those closest to you.
Charles Spurgeon reminds us, “There was never a sinner half as big as Christ is Savior.”
