Jesus Came for the Lost

We all know what it’s like to lose something valuable. A set of keys. A wallet. Even a child wandering off for a moment in a busy store. Your heart races, your mind spins, and you drop everything until it’s found.

​Luke 19:10 – “For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost.”

That moment of losing something valuable is the picture Jesus gives us of His own heart. Luke 19 tells the story of Zacchaeus, a tax collector who was wealthy but despised, successful but empty. When Jesus spots him hiding up in a tree, He doesn’t brush past him. He calls him by name. He invites Himself over for dinner. And by the end of the story, Zacchaeus is completely changed—he’s giving back what he’s stolen, making wrongs right, and finding a new way to live.

Then Jesus sums it all up with one sentence: “For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost.”

This is the mission of Jesus. He doesn’t wait for the lost to find their way home; He goes looking. He seeks. He pursues. He shows up in our mess and offers a new story.

And here’s the good news: “the lost” isn’t just Zacchaeus—it’s me, it’s you, it’s everyone. We’ve all had moments of wandering, chasing success, hiding in shame, or convincing ourselves we don’t need help. Yet Jesus’ mission hasn’t changed. He came for us.

ApplicationSo where does this land for us today?

• If you feel lost right now—in faith, in purpose, in relationships—know this: Jesus hasn’t stopped seeking you. You haven’t slipped off His radar. He’s still calling your name.
• If you’re walking with Him—remember His heart for those who aren’t. The church isn’t a place for the already-found to sit comfortably. It’s a search-and-rescue team, joining Jesus in His mission.

Imagine if every one of us carried that same urgency—that we couldn’t rest until the people in our homes, our schools, our neighborhoods, knew they were seen and loved by Jesus. That’s when the gospel moves from being just words on a page to a story lived out loud.