The Lost Word

The ‘lost’ theme makes for great stories. Think of films such as the ‘Aristocats’, ‘The Lion King’, ‘Finding Nemo’ and many others.

The point of these stories is of course ‘the finding’. Could it be that we recognise an echo of something deeper? Is there a lurking truth we half know but are trying to ignore?

It is considered a noble task to attempt to ‘find yourself’. The band ‘M people’ sang about ‘searching for the hero inside yourself’.

When you think about it people travel the world, change careers, seek relationships, and break relationships, even attempt to change gender all in the name of finding their true selves.

So why all this losing, seeking and finding?

The ‘lost’ theme occurs regularly in the Christian Gospels.

Jesus told stories such as the lost coin 1 Luke 15:8 and the lost son. 2 Luke 15:11

When challenged about the company he kept he declared he ‘came to seek and save what was lost’. 3Luke 19:10

Right at the beginning of the Bible we find Adam and Eve hiding from God after falling into sin. 4Genesis 3:8

Unfortunately the entire human race has inherited this instinct to run from God. Their sin created a terrible breach between God and man that continues to this day.

There are some optimists who seem to believe that mankind is on an upwards trajectory. After all we are gaining knowledge, developing amazing technology, conquering diseases and casting off old superstitions.

Nevertheless there still seems to be something seriously wrong. Looking at the world around us, do you honestly believe that the world is getting better? If the solution lies within ourselves we are taking our time to find it!

The Scripture above comes from the story of Zacchaeus which is found in Lukes Gospel. Zacchaeus was a tax collector, one of the most despised professions in Israel at that time. His job was to collect taxes on behalf of the Roman overlords making him a collaborator in the eyes of the Jews. Typically tax collectors would also have taken a nice percentage for themselves.

The story relates how Jesus invited himself to dinner at Zacchaeus’s house. This displeased onlookers who objected to Jesus mixing with such people. In response Jesus explained that such ‘lost’ people are the very ones he came for!

Do you feel lost? If so, you are the very kind of person Christ is looking for. His Jewish name ‘Yeshua’ means something like ‘Yahweh Saves’ (Yahweh is an Old Testament name for God). He came to bridge the terrible gulf between God and man.

Jesus saw his impending crucifixion and death as the way to reconcile the lost.

Could it be that rather than finding yourself, you need Christ to find you?