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Walking with Jesus Pursuing Sinners
by Dr. Paul Chappell
“And Jesus said unto him, This day is salvation come to this house, forsomuch as he also is a son of Abraham. For the Son of man is come to seek and to save that which was lost.”
Luke 19:9–10
Alice Knight told the story of an elderly lady in New York City in the 1800s who made her living washing clothes. She was known as Sophie the Scrubwoman, and everyone who met her soon knew that she loved Jesus. She was often seen going about witnessing to those she met. One day she was seen witnessing to a wooden Indian that stood outside a cigar store. When someone pointed it out to her, she replied, “I didn’t know I was talking to a wooden Indian about Christ. My eyesight is very bad. But talking to a wooden Indian about Christ is not as bad as being a wooden Christian and never talking to anybody about the Lord Jesus!”
If we are going to truly be followers of Jesus, we must shape our lives and priorities in the same way that He did. His constant purpose, always at the front of His mind and actions, was to bring the message and hope of salvation to those who were lost. It did not matter if they were rich or poor, spiritual leaders or pagans, Jesus told people about salvation everywhere He went. He shared the truth of the gospel with those who were respected and those who were despised. It was His overwhelming passion and purpose, and it shaped everything that He did.
Because Christ was perfect, every trait of His is worthy of our following. But what was most important to Him must also be our priority if we are to walk in His steps. If we can ignore the urgent need of the lost and dying world around us, our heart is not in tune with His.
Luke 19:9–10
Alice Knight told the story of an elderly lady in New York City in the 1800s who made her living washing clothes. She was known as Sophie the Scrubwoman, and everyone who met her soon knew that she loved Jesus. She was often seen going about witnessing to those she met. One day she was seen witnessing to a wooden Indian that stood outside a cigar store. When someone pointed it out to her, she replied, “I didn’t know I was talking to a wooden Indian about Christ. My eyesight is very bad. But talking to a wooden Indian about Christ is not as bad as being a wooden Christian and never talking to anybody about the Lord Jesus!”
If we are going to truly be followers of Jesus, we must shape our lives and priorities in the same way that He did. His constant purpose, always at the front of His mind and actions, was to bring the message and hope of salvation to those who were lost. It did not matter if they were rich or poor, spiritual leaders or pagans, Jesus told people about salvation everywhere He went. He shared the truth of the gospel with those who were respected and those who were despised. It was His overwhelming passion and purpose, and it shaped everything that He did.
Because Christ was perfect, every trait of His is worthy of our following. But what was most important to Him must also be our priority if we are to walk in His steps. If we can ignore the urgent need of the lost and dying world around us, our heart is not in tune with His.
Today’s Growth Principle:
It is impossible to truly be like Jesus without a pressing burden for reaching those who are lost.
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