Bible Reading : Haggai 1-2; Revelation 16.
Memory Verse: “Now therefore thus saith the Lord of hosts; Consider your ways.” Haggai 1:5 (KJV).
The Lord Jesus was born over 2000 years ago for the main purpose of saving the lost. He said this himself in Luke 19:10 (KJV), “For the Son of man is come to seek and to save that which was lost.” And He pursued this consistently throughout his earthly ministry. He sought for sinners and saved them. This is why He decided to go to the house of Zaccheus, a tax collector, known for his past atrocities but the people did not understand His mission, thus, they queried why He decided to visit him (Luke 19:5-7). Prior to this, He had sought out Matthew, a tax man who was known to be a sinner and who associated with many sinners at the time. He used the opportunity to attract many publicans and sinners and He ate with them ( Matthew 9: 9-13) and also used the occasion to further restate His mission on earth.
Similarly, He sought out a Samaritan woman by the well side in Samaria (John 4:7) to show her the way of God and save her and her community from their erroneous belief (John 4:21-26; 39-42).
One of the others He sought out and made a public show of His readiness to save the sinners particularly those that the self righteous leaders of the time shunned, was the alabaster box woman. He was able to use the opportunity to show the people that the sinners which were avoided at the time needed Him more as they were heavily weighed down by their transgressions and He was ready to relieve them ( Luke 7:37-50). Thus He gave the woman joy by accepting her and forgiving her sins! No wonder He said in Matthew 11:28-29 (KJV), “Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. [29] Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls.”
This is why God said through prophet Haggai in Haggai 1:5 (KJV), “Now therefore thus saith the Lord of hosts; Consider your ways.” Are you having so much weight of sins and do not know how to go about it? Consider your ways and come to the Lord Jesus who is ever ready to save any sinner that comes His way. On the other hand, are you like one of those Pharisees who is “righteous” and distancing yourself from the sinners; consider your ways and remember the purpose for which our Lord Jesus came to this world over 2000 years ago, which is to seek and save the sinners. Go after them and minister the gospel to them. That is why you have been kept alive after being saved; so that you can save others!
Even today, Jesus Christ is seeking and saving those who place their faith in Him! Hear him: “Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me.” Revelation 3:20 KJV.
Happy Christmas celebration!
Prayer point: Celebrate the birth of our Lord Jesus today by seeking and ministering to lost souls like never before.
Bro. Biodun Oyapero