Country Road
Posted by Dion Todd November 5th, 2023 3,110 Views 0 Comments
Country Road from Refreshing Hope Ministries on Vimeo.
Jesus Christ came to seek out and save the lost sheep. He is the Good Shepherd and said plainly that He didn't come to condemn the world (John 3:17 NKJV) "For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved."
Jesus' teachings were so refreshing to listen to, which was a complete reversal of the cold legalism of the day. The lost were drawn to Him like moths to a flame. Sinners were starving for his warmth, grace, and wisdom, and He welcomed them to come to Him.
(Luke 15:1–2 NKJV) Then all the tax collectors and the sinners drew near to Him to hear Him. And the Pharisees and scribes complained, saying, "This Man receives sinners and eats with them."
Yet, not everyone loved Jesus. Two prominent groups that conflicted with Jesus and are often mentioned in the Gospels are the Pharisees and the scribes. The Pharisees were a religious sect within Judaism that emphasized strict adherence to the Mosaic Law and ritual purity. They often distanced themselves from those they considered "sinners".
The scribes, on the other hand, were scholars and experts in the Mosaic Law, serving as teachers, advisors, and sometimes judges. Both groups found Jesus' revolutionary teachings, freedom, and disregard for their traditional legalisms unsettling, even threatening.
Then we have two groups that were drawn to Jesus: tax collectors and sinners. "Sinners" need less explaining and are your typical garden-variety heathens like us before we surrender to the Lord, so we will start with them. Sinners were often social outcasts and shunned by Pharisees. Here is an example of when a Pharisee, a sinner, and a Savior meet:
(Luke 7:36–38 NKJV) Then one of the Pharisees asked Him to eat with him. And He went to the Pharisee's house, and sat down to eat. And behold, a woman in the city who was a sinner, when she knew that Jesus sat at the table in the Pharisee's house, brought an alabaster flask of fragrant oil, and stood at His feet behind Him weeping; and she began to wash His feet with her tears, and wiped them with the hair of her head; and she kissed His feet and anointed them with the fragrant oil.
(Luke 7:39 NKJV) Now when the Pharisee who had invited Him saw this, he spoke to himself, saying, "This Man, if He were a prophet, would know who and what manner of woman this is who is touching Him, for she is a sinner."
The "sinners" were captivated by Jesus' genuine warmth and His open-hearted acceptance. His compassionate understanding, forgiving nature, and healing touch drew them near. Simon, the Pharisee, only saw a social pariah weeping and kissing his guest's feet, while Jesus saw a daughter - a lost child of the King. Recovering the lost is the prime objective of the Kingdom.
(Luke 15:3–7 NKJV) So He spoke this parable to them, saying: "What man of you, having a hundred sheep, if he loses one of them, does not leave the ninety-nine in the wilderness, and go after the one which is lost until he finds it? And when he has found it, he lays it on his shoulders, rejoicing. And when he comes home, he calls together his friends and neighbors, saying to them, 'Rejoice with me, for I have found my sheep which was lost!' I say to you that likewise there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine just persons who need no repentance.
Understanding tax collectors requires a bit more explaining. The Roman tax system was very complicated and used a process called "tax farming." The Romans auctioned the tax collecting jobs by province to the highest bidder. The winner would pay Rome in advance, then go and collect the taxes from the people in their province. Whatever extra turned up, they could keep for themselves. So the system was ripe with corruption, and the tax collectors often had a group of thugs and enforcers with them.
The tax collectors became very wealthy, while the overtaxed people became poor. They were usually Jews who worked for the Roman occupiers to collect taxes from the Jews. So tax collectors were considered traitors and hated by nearly everyone. This made tax collectors one of the lowest and most despised social classes in Israel during the ministry of Jesus. That makes the story of Zacchaeus in Luke 19 interesting:
(Luke 19:1–4 NKJV) Then Jesus entered and passed through Jericho. Now behold, there was a man named Zacchaeus who was a chief tax collector, and he was rich. And he sought to see who Jesus was, but could not because of the crowd, for he was of short stature. So he ran ahead and climbed up into a sycamore tree to see Him, for He was going to pass that way.
Zacchaeus was a chief tax collector and a very wealthy man. The crowds lining the little country road blocked him from getting through, and Zacchaeus was short, so he couldn't see Jesus. Yet, he was so drawn to Jesus that he climbed up into a tree just to get a look at Him as He passed by. Zacchaeus was seeking Jesus but had no idea that Jesus was seeking him.
(Luke 19:5–6 NKJV) And when Jesus came to the place, He looked up and saw him, and said to him, "Zacchaeus, make haste and come down, for today I must stay at your house." So he made haste and came down, and received Him joyfully.
Jesus came to the tree Zacchaeus was in and told him to get out of the tree for He "must" stay at his house that day. It is as if Jesus had received a schedule from the Holy Spirit that morning and knew who He would be staying with beforehand. Jesus went to Zacchaeus' house and spent time with him while the religious elite stood outside and watched in jealous disgust.
(Luke 19:7 NKJV) But when they saw it, they all complained, saying, "He has gone to be a guest with a man who is a sinner."
Jesus passed by vast crowds of people to get to one who was desperate to see Him. He could just have quickly eaten at a priest's house or a Pharisee. Instead, Jesus chose the one outcast who was so desperate that he would climb a tree just to get a glimpse of Him, and that day changed Zacchaeus' life forever.
(Luke 19:8–10 NKJV) Then Zacchaeus stood and said to the Lord, "Look, Lord, I give half of my goods to the poor; and if I have taken anything from anyone by false accusation, I restore fourfold." And Jesus said to him, "Today salvation has come to this house, because he also is a son of Abraham; for the Son of Man has come to seek and to save that which was lost."
Jesus came to seek and save the lost. He accepts the humble who come to Him and gives them hope and a future. While the scribes and Pharisees might cast you aside, Jesus welcomes you wholeheartedly, and you will find a deeper connection with Him than they ever will.
You can pray this with me if you like:
Prayer: Heavenly Father, thank You so much for all You do for me. Help me see the world through Your eyes and not be judgmental of others. Please draw my heart to You and speak to me and through me. I want to know You more. In the name of Jesus Christ, I pray. Amen!