June 7, 2019 - - Luke 19:10 - - Jesus The Son of Man

For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost.

Luke 19:10 ESV

What a simple statement our text is this morning—it is hard to believe all the weight of truth this single sentence carries. First there is the Name of Jesus: the Son of Man. It is the title Jesus used for Himself. In fact, he used it so often it was almost as if he said “Son of Man” rather than “I”. It is a designation that comes from the Old Testament, Daniel 7—especially these verses: 13-14. There a son of man is given power and dominion over the evil forces gathered in the world—by calling Himself the Son of Man, Jesus is making it clear these prophecies spoke about Him. So there is in this title an emphasis on the deity of Jesus. He is fully God and fully human.

Also, by this Title the Son of Man is reclaiming humanity. Before Adam and Eve fell into sin in the Garden of Eden, they walked with God. They loved God. They obeyed God the Father. They were made for joy: to know and worship and delight in the Living God. Sin robs all humanity of this joy and destroys the ability to do such things. Jesus, by His immaculate conception, is without the stain of original sin and therefore He reveals what it is to be truly, fully human—that is: to know God and worship Him and fully delight in God the Father. Christianity is not some dead, boring drudgery. It is the adventure of a lifetime knowing Him Who is limitless in love, in creativeness, beauty and splendor.

How many people realize they are lost? The very idea is ludicrous to the average person on the street. We have no spiritual GPS to tell us the actual state of our soul, our thoughts and our actions. Once in a while we’ll be aware something we did crossed a line, but we are not sure why we feel that way or what that line actually is.

The reason Jesus, as the Son of Man, is so offensive to many people is that His orientation is always aimed directly to the Father, Jesus willing, loving service is so inexpressibly miles-away-different than anything sinful people can either imagine or experience. The light of Jesus’ presence makes people aware of their sinful condition.

Jesus is the Son of Man and in this capacity He restores people so that they realize they are dead in sin and lost to all that is good.

Jesus is the Son of Man and in this capacity He goes after people who do not even realize their need of Him. He reaches them by friends; by preachers, by evangelists, by whatever means is necessary so that they do not remain lost and dead, but know someone loves them and is coming to rescue them from the clutches of hell.

Jesus is the Son of Man and in this capacity He has borne the punishment of God against sin—your sin and my sin. The reason people go to hell is they blaspheme the work of Jesus, they refuse to go find shelter in His saving work and therefore will have to bear the punishment of God against their sin.

Jesus is the Son of Man and in this capacity He gives us a spiritual GPS—namely, the Holy Spirit, Who by the Word is always orientating us to Jesus—we begin to hate our former sinful ways and love the things of God. I know it is for this reason Jesus is so radical. It is hard for us to imagine that sin becomes hateful and the joy of serving God delightful, joyous, like a river of life running through the core of our new life.

Jesus, Son of Man—throw down the rule of and dispossess the power of sin in my life. Wake me to new life that is ever growing in the knowledge of God, expanding in the worship of the Father, deepening in the delight of serving the LORD of the Universe. I pray, urgently and with great love, for my friends and family members who are not walking in the joy of worshiping and serving You, Jesus. The promise of today’s text is that You have come to seek and save them. Accomplish this important work in their lives so that together we will honour and praise You all to the glory of our Father in heaven. Amen.