30th Mar 26 | 13:54
Studies by Book
LUKE 19 1-10 SEEKING TO SAVE THE LOST 10 Crossing the socio-cultural boundaries
📖 Luke 19:1-10
24Nov2020 - *Crossing the socio-cultural boundaries* - _Luke 19:1-10_ - SEEKING TO SAVE THE LOST 10 – Bible reading: _II Timothy 3:10-12_
_Luke 19:5 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."_
The Lord had called him by his name. Zacchaeus was simply overwhelmed but there was another big dynamic that was set in motion at that point of the story.
Jesus had acknowledged Zacchaeus in public, a person who was not worthy at all in the eyes of the world and in his own eyes. The Lord had called him by his name and conversed with him as a friend with a friend.
To the people, Zacchaeus was an ‘untouchable’. No one wanted to have any relationship with tax collectors, leave alone being a friend with one. The maxim, ‘Birds of the same feather flock together’ would apply. Why would Jesus want to risk his reputation by being a friend with Zacchaeus and then publicly announce that He would be staying at his house?
This is what it takes to seek and save the lost. The Lord was prepared to accept whatever society decided to think of Him but His burden was for Zacchaeus, to seek him and find him.
_Luke 19:7 But when they saw it, they all complained, saying, "He has gone to be a guest with a man who is a sinner."_
Are we prepared to risk our reputation in seeking to save the lost? Or are we involved in ministry at a safe, arms distance and not venturing out of our comfort zones?
_John 13:14-15 If I then, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another's feet. (15) For I have given you an example, that you should do as I have done to you._
The Lord was secure about who He was and He was prepared to be and do whatever it takes to seek and save the lost. This is a perspective, a world view, that we need to pray that the Lord would enable each of us to have, by the empowerment of the Holy Spirit. If the church would be this calibre of people, imagine the impact that we would have on our hurting world?
The Lord was breaking a socio-cultural taboo and crossing a boundary line that ought not to be crossed. The people hated Zacchaeus and would have nothing to do with him but Jesus was going to stay in his house.
The culture of the kingdom of God is a counter-culture to that of the world. The world says, “Zacchaeus must not be reached out to”. Jesus responds, "No, I know him by name and I'm going to stay at his place"
Will we be willing to give ourselves so completely to the Lord that we will be those who will cross social and cultural norms and prohibitions and meet with people where they are, in their predicament and bring them into a relationship with Jesus?
Jesus demonstrated this for us again and again in His ministry on earth. He is calling us to be His followers, who will be bold to break those long years of tradition and socio-cultural restrictions and reach those, who are rejected by society.
History is made up of men and women of God, who did just that and because of which transformation of nations took place.
When we break those socio-cultural barriers, there will be opposition and attack on us. It may even cost us our life.
Apostle Paul is encouraging Timothy to be prepared to face hardship in being a disciple of Jesus and crossing those boundary lines, laid down by the culture and the society.
_II Timothy 3:10-12 But you have carefully followed my doctrine, manner of life, purpose, faith, longsuffering, love, perseverance, (11) persecutions, afflictions, which happened to me at Antioch, at Iconium, at Lystra—what persecutions I endured. And out of them all the Lord delivered me. (12) Yes, and all who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution._
It is a blessing to suffer, for we have adopted the culture of God. _Matthew 5:11-12 “Blessed are you when they revile and persecute you, and say all kinds of evil against you falsely for My sake. (12)
Rejoice and be exceedingly glad, for great is your reward in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you._
We must be led by the Holy Spirit at all times. Our own enthusiasm must not take control of us and we end up being, saying or doing things that are not of the Lord.
Not everything in our culture or tradition is bad. There are several good items, which we must embrace. We must have the wisdom to know the distinction of what is of the Lord and what is not.
We must be led, guided and empowered by the Holy Spirit to be people, who are wise as serpents but harmless as doves. At the same time let us be prepared that if the world hated Jesus, the world will also hate us for not conforming to the ways of the world.
_John 15:18-19 “If the world hates you, you know that it hated Me before it hated you. (19) If you were of the world, the world would love its own. Yet because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you._
Will we commit ourselves to be those who cross those socio-cultural boundaries and reach the lost?
*Thought to ponder*
```For the kingdom of God to come on earth, the culture of the kingdom must be set in motion, in our circumstances, by the children of the kingdom.```