Who Came to Seek and Save the Lost?

Sin is when we choose to do things our own way instead of God’s way. When we sin, it creates a separation between us and God. It hurts our relationship with Him. Because God loves us so much, He made a plan to save us from our sin and a way for us to be forgiven and close to Him again. Jesus, our Good Shepherd, sacrificed Himself to pay for our sins, removing the separation between us and God. Those who know and love God are able to spend forever with Him!

Ezekiel and Luke used a lost sheep to illustrate that people are separated from God because of sin. God sent Jesus to seek and save sinners just as a shepherd seeks and saves a lost sheep. Jesus died on the cross to pay for our sin and rescue those who believe in Him.

After realizing his sinfulness, Zacchaeus not only stopped being greedy, but he also returned four times the amount of money he took from people. When Zacchaeus became a follower of Christ, he changed his mind and his heart about his sinful ways. This is called repentance. When you repent of sin, you change your mind about your sin and seek forgiveness. The most important act of repentance is changing your mind about Jesus! He isn’t just another person, but the Savior who came to Earth to save us from our sin. When we trust Him, we become a child of God.

It may sound funny for people to be called sheep in the Bible. Jesus often used common things as illustrations to help people understand His teaching. The people in Jesus’ day lived close to sheep and shepherds and understood their relationship. In fact, David was a shepherd before he became king of God’s people! Shepherds were in charge of caring for the needs of their sheep, protecting them from danger and leading them toward safety. Jesus leads us lovingly like a shepherd leads sheep. He cares for all our needs, protects us from the danger of sin and never leaves one of us behind. Jesus, our Good Shepherd, loves us so much that He died in our place so we can spend eternity with Him!