Lost but Looking | Chris Donald

1 Then Jesus entered Jericho and was passing through.
2 And there was a man named Zacchaeus, a chief tax collector, who was very wealthy.
3 He was trying to see who Jesus was, but could not see over the crowd because he was small in stature.
4 So he ran on ahead and climbed a sycamore tree to see Him, since Jesus was about to pass that way.
5 When Jesus came to that place, He looked up and said, “Zacchaeus, hurry down, for I must stay at your house today.”
6 So Zacchaeus hurried down and welcomed Him joyfully.
7 And all who saw this began to grumble, saying, “He has gone to be the guest of a sinful man!”
8 But Zacchaeus stood up and said to the Lord, “Look, Lord, half of my possessions I give to the poor, and if I have cheated anyone, I will repay it fourfold.”
9 Jesus said to him, “Today salvation has come to this house, because this man too is a son of Abraham.
10 For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost.”

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

4 “What man among you, if he has a hundred sheep and loses one of them, does not leave the ninety-nine in the pasture and go after the one that is lost, until he finds it?
5 And when he finds it, he joyfully puts it on his shoulders,
6 comes home, and calls together his friends and neighbors to tell them, ‘Rejoice with me, for I have found my lost sheep!’
7 In the same way, I tell you that there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous ones who do not need to repent.

8 Or what woman who has ten silver coins and loses one of them does not light a lamp, sweep her house, and search carefully until she finds it?
9 And when she finds it, she calls together her friends and neighbors to say, ‘Rejoice with me, for I have found my lost coin.’
10 In the same way, I tell you, there is joy in the presence of God’s angels over one sinner who repents.”

17 Finally he came to his senses and said, ‘How many of my father’s hired servants have plenty of food? But here I am, starving to death!
18 I will get up and go back to my father and say to him, “Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you.
19 I am no longer worthy to be called your son. Make me like one of your hired servants.”’
20 So he got up and went to his father. But while he was still in the distance, his father saw him and was filled with compassion. He ran to his son, embraced him, and kissed him.
21 The son declared, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son. ’
22 But the father said to his servants, ‘Quick! Bring the best robe and put it on him. Put a ring on his finger and sandals on his feet.
23 Bring the fattened calf and kill it. Let us feast and celebrate.
24 For this son of mine was dead and is alive again! He was lost and is found!’ So they began to celebrate.

35 Jesus went through all the towns and villages, teaching in their synagogues, preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing every disease and sickness.
36 When He saw the crowds, He was moved with compassion for them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd.
37 Then He said to His disciples, “The harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few.
38 Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into His harvest.”

4 When Jesus had finished speaking, He said to Simon, “Put out into deep water and let down your nets for a catch.”
5 “Master,” Simon replied, “we have worked hard all night without catching anything. But because You say so, I will let down the nets.”
6 When they had done so, they caught such a large number of fish that their nets began to tear.
7 So they signaled to their partners in the other boat to come and help them, and they came and filled both boats so full that they began to sink.
8 When Simon Peter saw this, he fell at Jesus’ knees. “Go away from me, Lord,” he said, “for I am a sinful man.”
9 For he and his companions were astonished at the catch of fish they had taken,
10 and so were his partners James and John, the sons of Zebedee. “Do not be afraid,” Jesus said to Simon. “From now on you will catch men.”
11 And when they had brought their boats ashore, they left everything and followed Him.