重要的福音信息：最可悲的字词──失丧
路加福音十九章1至10节
1耶稣进了耶利哥，正经过的时候，
2有一个人名叫撒该，作税吏长，是个财主。
3他要看看耶稣是怎样的人；只因人多，他的身量又矮，所以不得看见，
4就跑到前头，爬上桑树，要看耶稣，因为耶稣必从那里经过。
5耶稣到了那里，擡头一看，对他说：撒该，快下来！今天我必住在你家里。
6他就急忙下来，欢欢喜喜的接待耶稣。
7众人看见，都私下议论说：他竟到罪人家里去住宿。
8撒该站着对主说：主阿，我把所有的一半给穷人；我若讹诈了谁，就还他四倍。
9耶稣说：今天救恩到了这家，因为他也是亚伯拉罕的子孙。
10人子来，为要寻找，拯救失丧的人。
信息分享
然而，对耶稣而言，最伤心的莫过于看见人类失丧。耶稣在祂的讲道中，经常提到失丧的人。在今天的经文中，祂便直言祂来到世上的目的，是要寻找拯救失丧的人（10节）。这句话究竟是甚么意思呢？
「失丧」的原文直译是「完全失去」。它在其他地方亦会译作「败坏」甚或是「灭亡」。它亦可解作「浪费」或「毁了」。我们有时会说：「我毁了这件衣服。」意思是说：那件衣服虽然存在，但已经没有用处。
按照圣经的解释，自人类始祖犯罪以后，人在神眼中已经是失丧的。他们失去了天堂的喜乐，并永远与神隔绝。请记着，人类虽然存活在世上，但已经是毁了，是毫无用处的。
神造人，是要人与祂相交。可是，当人犯罪之后，罪便在神与人之间造成阻隔，使人失去了与神相交的特权。然而，神爱我们每一个人，看到人类失丧的光景，便差派祂的儿子来挽救人类困境。
神的儿子降世，正是为了寻找和拯救我们这些失丧的罪人。因此，只要我们愿意接受耶稣为我们所作的一切，便可以得蒙拯救。我们这些罪人之所以能够死里逃生，完全是因为神爱我们，甘愿让祂的儿子为我们的罪受死。罗马书五章8节怎么说？「惟有基督在我们还作罪人的时候为我们死，神的爱就在此向我们显明了。」
哈利路亚！感谢救主！
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!