Rescue Mission
What’s the cost of following our Lord Jesus Christ? What’s the value of God’s saving grace? The Gospel Message of salvation is a rescue mission for desperate men. Rescue means to save from danger, to deliver from a desperate condition by force if necessary. The spiritual battle is to rescue the hearts and minds of desperate men who have come to the realization that, “I have found the enemy and he is me.”
In the book of Mark, a rich young ruler had asked Jesus, “What must I do to inherit eternal life?” Jesus said, “go sell all of your possessions, give the proceeds to the poor and come follow me.” The man left sorrowful and grieving because he had many riches. He had forgotten the first commandment: Thou shalt have no other Gods before me. Like many Americans, this rich young ruler worshipped another God… His God was the almighty dollar.
The message of the gospel of the good news of salvation is a message of deliverance from the bondage of sin and death. Desperate men are ready to turn from the darkness of our fallen sinful nature and unto the glorious light of the gospel of truth. To be desperate means to be moved by extreme anxiety and motivated by hopelessness and frustration. God will humble those he’s called. He will bring us to our knees to the point that we realize that “in my flesh dwelleth no good thing.”
Luke 19:1-10 is the story of Jesus’ encounter with another rich man. His name was Zacchaeus. He was a chief tax collector who received a cut from the other tax collectors in his district. He was desperate to see Jesus but he was “vertically challenged” so he ran ahead of the crowd as Jesus approached and climbed up into a sycamore tree. Even though Zacchaeus had many riches and lacked nothing in this world, he was desperate for the Way, the Truth and the LIfe. He was desperate to see Jesus.
God had prepared Zacchaeus’ heart. The beatitudes say that “Blessed are those who hunger and thirst after righteousness for they shall be filled.” Zacchaeus was full of material blessings but he knew Jesus had something he lacked. He was hungry for the things of the spirit of God. Zacchaeus threw dignity to the wind and climbed up into a tree to see Jesus.
The word Zacchaeus means “righteous one.” However, he was despised and hated by the Jews. As the chief tax collector in his district, the people considered him a “turncoat.” He worked for the Roman government and taxed his own people. In the process, he impoverished them while enriching himself. Finally he came to the realization that he did not live up to his namesake. Zacchaeus had heard of Jesus whose reputation had proceeded him. He was desperate to follow the true righteous one.
Jesus said, “Zacchaeus, come down out of that tree for I’m coming over to your house today.” Many people turn away in shame and guilt when Jesus calls them. However, a man who is desperate runs to the Lord and not from him.
Many are invited but few are chosen. We didn’t choose him, rather, he chose us. We had no choice over our natural birth. Likewise we have no control over our spiritual birth. For by grace are ye saved through faith and that not of yourselves, it is a gift of God. Not of works lest any man should boast.
To approach a Holy God, we must forsake our pride and run to the Lord Jesus Christ with the heart of an innocent child. A child runs to his father when he’s desperate and in need of rescuing. Like an earthly father, our loving Heavenly Father will embrace us in his arms. Jesus said, “come unto me all ye who are weary and are heavy laden and I will give you rest.”
It’s not the miracles and great and mighty works or swelling words of man’s vanity that calls a man to repentance. Rather it is the love, mercy, grace and goodness of the Lord that calls us. This is the gospel message. They don’t care that we know until they know that we care. Casting all your care upon him for he careth for you. That’s why the Word of God says recompense to no man evil, provide all things honest in the sight of all men for the Lord is at hand.
Zacchaeus was desperate and need of a Saviour. He ran to his Lord Jesus Christ. He was joyful to make restitution to those whom he had wronged. He wanted to come clean before his lord and before the people. Zacchaeus said, “I’ll go beyond the requirements of the law and give half of everything I have to the poor. I’ll also return back to those I’ve defrauded four times over. Zacchaeus had a change of heart. Like David said when he repented of his sin, “create in me a new heart O Lord.”
When we repent by running to our Lord, and from our sin, he is faithful and just to forgive our sin and cleanse us from all unrighteousness. Jesus Christ is our peace, he is the one who reconciles our hearts back to our Loving Heavenly Father. There is no peace with God without the Prince of Peace. When we turn from ourselves in desperation, he will rescue us from our sin and iniquity. For there is one God and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus. He is the resurrection and the life. Jesus said in John 14:27: My peace I leave with you. My peace I give unto you, not as the world giveth give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.
May we ever live to the praise of the glory of His grace!
Your brother in Christ,
Michael