TOPIC:‌"The Great Christmas Discovery"

                  by Rev. Dr. Reg Dunlap

 

TEXT:‌St. Luke 19:1-10

 

‌‌"For the Son of Man is come to seek and to save that which was lost" (Luke

19:10)

 

‌There is in this story of Jesus and Zacchaeus a very important Bible verse that I want to use for this Christmas message. It is found in the words of verse 10: "For the Son of Man is come to seek and to save that which was lost." Found in those words is not only the PERSON who came, but the PURPOSE behind His coming. It is the great Christmas discovery.

 

‌In this verse of only 16 words we discover both the WHO of Christmas - "the Son of Man is come" and the WHY of Christmas - "to seek and to save that which was lost." Here is the stupendous, deathless and life-changing announcement to the world that God has made His advent among men. We publicize this truth when we sing about it in one of our Christmas carols - "Joy to the world! The Lord is come."

 

‌But in the midst of all of the shopping and shouting, racing and wrapping, feasting and celebrating, many people have never come to grips with the purpose behind this high and holy day. The question still remains: Why did Jesus leave the heights of Heaven and come to this sinful planet to be born of a virgin in little known Bethlehem? You may be certain there was a sacred reason behind this divine act of Almighty God. Though we shall never fully understand it with our insignificant minds, it is there nevertheless.

 

‌So knowing the fact that Jesus has come, let us together trace out the full meaning and purpose of His coming to earth. There are three important discoveries in this verse that I want to call to your attention as we think of the divine mission of the Son of God.

 

I.

 

‌Consider, to begin with, we discover in the words of this verse a DIVINE SON who had to COME. We read these words: "For the Son of Man is come" (v. 10). This verse contains the recurring title given to Jesus. Not a son but the Son of Man.

 

‌The title "Son of Man" is used 32 times in Matthew, 15 times in Mark, 26 times in Luke and 12 times in John. Eighty-five times in all and eighty-three times it is used directly by Christ Himself. Though there has been much debate about the meaning of this title, there is no doubt that it is the title that distinctively describes His living union with humanity and His intimate relationship and identification with the sons of men. The Apostle John wrote about it in these words: "In this . . .