重要的福音信息：最可悲的字詞──失喪
路加福音十九章1至10節
1耶穌進了耶利哥，正經過的時候，
2有一個人名叫撒該，作稅吏長，是個財主。
3他要看看耶穌是怎樣的人；只因人多，他的身量又矮，所以不得看見，
4就跑到前頭，爬上桑樹，要看耶穌，因為耶穌必從那裡經過。
5耶穌到了那裡，抬頭一看，對他說：撒該，快下來！今天我必住在你家裡。
6他就急忙下來，歡歡喜喜的接待耶穌。
7眾人看見，都私下議論說：他竟到罪人家裡去住宿。
8撒該站著對主說：主阿，我把所有的一半給窮人；我若訛詐了誰，就還他四倍。
9耶穌說：今天救恩到了這家，因為他也是亞伯拉罕的子孫。
10人子來，為要尋找，拯救失喪的人。
信息分享
然而，對耶穌而言，最傷心的莫過於看見人類失喪。耶穌在祂的講道中，經常提到失喪的人。在今天的經文中，祂便直言祂來到世上的目的，是要尋找拯救失喪的人（10節）。這句話究竟是甚麼意思呢？
「失喪」的原文直譯是「完全失去」。它在其他地方亦會譯作「敗壞」甚或是「滅亡」。它亦可解作「浪費」或「毀了」。我們有時會說：「我毀了這件衣服。」意思是說：那件衣服雖然存在，但已經沒有用處。
按照聖經的解釋，自人類始祖犯罪以後，人在神眼中已經是失喪的。他們失去了天堂的喜樂，並永遠與神隔絕。請記著，人類雖然存活在世上，但已經是毀了，是毫無用處的。
神造人，是要人與祂相交。可是，當人犯罪之後，罪便在神與人之間造成阻隔，使人失去了與神相交的特權。然而，神愛我們每一個人，看到人類失喪的光景，便差派祂的兒子來挽救人類困境。
神的兒子降世，正是為了尋找和拯救我們這些失喪的罪人。因此，只要我們願意接受耶穌為我們所作的一切，便可以得蒙拯救。我們這些罪人之所以能夠死裡逃生，完全是因為神愛我們，甘願讓祂的兒子為我們的罪受死。羅馬書五章8節怎麼說？「惟有基督在我們還作罪人的時候為我們死，神的愛就在此向我們顯明了。」
哈利路亞！感謝救主！
GREAT WORDS OF THE GOSPEL THE SADDEST WORD - LOST
Luke 19:1-10
1 Then Jesus entered and passed through Jericho.
2 Now behold, there was a man named Zacchaeus who was a chief tax collector, and he was rich.
3 And he sought to see who Jesus was, but could not because of the crowd, for he was of short stature.
4 So he ran ahead and climbed up into a sycamore tree to see Him, for He was going to pass that way.
5 And when Jesus came to the place, He looked up and saw him, and said to him, “Zacchaeus, make haste and come down, for today I must stay at your house.”
6 So he made haste and came down, and received Him joyfully.
7 But when they saw it, they all complained, saying, “He has gone to be a guest with a man who is a sinner.”
8 Then Zacchaeus stood and said to the Lord, “Look, Lord, I give half of my goods to the poor; and if I have taken anything from anyone by false accusation, I restore fourfold.”
9 And Jesus said to him, “Today salvation has come to this house, because he also is a son of Abraham;
10 for the Son of Man has come to seek and to save that which was lost.”
Message
Do you ever read the 'Lost and Found' columns? Some of the notices can be pathetic, can't they? 'Lost - purse containing pensioner's savings.' 'Lost - a brief case with student's class notes, needed urgently.' Frequently there are stories in the media about a child lost or missing. 'Lost' is very often a sad word. Jesus used the word 'lost' many times in his preaching. He said in our reading today (v 10) that his purpose in coming was to find and save those who are lost. What did he mean?
The word used in the original means to 'lose utterly'.
But it is also translated many times as 'perish' or even 'destroy'. It can mean 'wasted' or 'ruined'. We sometimes say 'I have ruined my clothes' when we still have the clothes, but they are no longer usable.
The Biblical meaning of this sad word is that man is lost to God forever unless a Saviour intervenes. It includes loss of the joys of heaven and eternal separation from God. Remember - man may be ruined but he does not cease to exist.
Man was made for fellowship with God but sin has come in between so man has lost that place of privilege. God feels that 'loss' because He loves every individual soul and gave His Son to remedy the situation.
Are all people destined to be lost today? Not if they are willing to accept what God has done for them. The lost can be saved and the sinner can be changed - all because God loves us and His Son died in our place. What does Romans 5:8 say? 'God demonstrates His own love for us in this: While we were still (lost) sinners, Christ died for us.'
HALLELUJAH! WHAT A SAVIOUR!