L. UNDERSTANDING THE MESSAGE OF THE BIBLE

A father went camping with his family. One afternoon, one of the children wandered down the river and took a trail that confused her. When she tried to return to the camp, she could not find her way. She began to wander around, not sure where to move next. She sat down near a tree and began to cry.

After a little while, her father realized that he could not find his daughter. He cried out and sought to hear his daughter respond. Once he faced the reality that she would not be found, he began a wholehearted search to find his daughter. Even when it seemed hopeless, he did not give up till he heard his daughter crying. The attitude was to do whatever to seek and save his daughter from danger and possibly death.

How is this story like how Jesus feels about us?

Luke 19:7-10

 ⁷ All the people saw this and began to mutter, “He has gone to be the guest of a sinner.” ⁸ But Zacchaeus stood up and said to the Lord, “Look, Lord! Here and now I give half of my possessions to the poor, and if I have cheated anybody out of anything, I will pay back four times the amount.”  ⁹ Jesus said to him, “Today salvation has come to this house, because this man, too, is a son of Abraham. ¹⁰ For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost.”

1. What do you know about this story of Zacchaeus?

2. Who was this man?

3. How did people characterize this man?

4. What made him invite Jesus over to his house

5. What did Jesus mean when he said, “salvation has come to this house?”

6. What does it mean, “the son of Man came to seek and save the lost?”

7. What makes someone lost in Jesus’ eyes?

1. What would make you recognize if you are lost?

2. How do you think Jesus feels about you?

3. What would it take for you to be found?