Luke Chapter 15. Luke Chapter 15. The name of the message is, this
man receives sinners. This man receives sinners. Luke 15 verses 1 to 2, Then drew
near unto him all the publicans and sinners for to hear him. And the Pharisees and scribes
murmured, saying, This man receiveth sinners and eateth with them. Praise God that that's scriptures
in the Bible. This man This man receiveth sinners. I woke up this morning a little
bit earlier than normal, and this text was so on my heart. This man receives sinners. Who is this man? God incarnate in the flesh, the Holy One of Israel, receives sinners. The religious
who's-whos snarled at Him for receiving
sinners, but God Himself God incarnate in the flesh receives
sinners. That's a marvel. The perfect,
spotless Lamb of God received sinners. Do you know there's
a lie that's perpetuated out there? The lie goes like this. Good people go to heaven. Do
you know that heaven's populated by sinners? And hell is populated
by good people. This man, the man Christ Jesus,
receives sinners. And this sinner, and I know you
who are sinners, who God's shown to be sinners, and who saved
you, we say, praise God, our Savior saves sinners. That He
receives sinners. And the Scriptures declare this. This man receives sinners. Let's
do a little historical background to our text. Here we have our
Lord and Savior, God incarnate in the flesh, sitting and eating and receiving
publicans and sinners and the scribes And the Pharisees are
criticizing our Lord Jesus Christ. Criticizing God in the flesh
for eating with sinners. Who did Christ come to save? Sinners. Sinners. Now the publicans and tax collectors were mainly Jewish men who purchased
from Roman officials the right to collect various taxes and customs and tolls from the
people, and they extorted the people. They extorted the people. The system which they ran abounded
with abuses, and the publicans, they took full advantage. Full
advantage of it. Tax collectors were hated and
despised by their fellow countrymen. They were looked upon as unpatriotic,
traitors in the eyes of their people because they worked for
the Roman occupiers. It would be like if someone took
over this country and some worked for the occupiers of the country.
They were looked upon by their countrymen as traitors, and they
were dishonest, and they were greedy. And the pious Jews, the good people, the Pharisees,
the religious who's who of the Jewish community, and the scribes,
who were steeped and abound in their own self-righteousness, Look to these publicans and their
unrighteous deeds and saw them as being alienated from God. And here before us, beloved,
look at this marvelous text. Then drew near unto him all the
publicans and sinners for to hear him. And the Pharisees and scribes
murmured saying, this man received sinners. Those despised tax collectors
are eating with our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, and they're
listening to him. And the other group here mentioned
by the Pharisees are those who are called sinners. Sinners. And we know from Scripture that all men are sinners. So here you have these self-righteous,
pharisaical, religious folks snarling at the Lord Jesus Christ
for eating with sinners. What a Savior we have. Little do they know that they
themselves are sinners, full of self-righteousness. And little
do they know that all are sinners before the holy and righteous
God of the universe, every single one of us in here. by our natural birth come into
this world sinners. Now, some of us are saved and
cleansed by the precious blood of the Lord Jesus Christ. But
we still sin, don't we? We still sin. Now, the Pharisees again are
calling folks publicans and sinners, and in the time of Christ. This
was normal. For one commentator says this
for the Pharisees and scribes, Sinners were used for a class
of persons who were marked manifestly by their immoral lives or by
their questionable occupations. People that had no respect for
the things of God and people that no respectable Jew would
have absolutely anything to do with. Turn, if you would, to Matthew
21. We have an example of what is in mind in Matthew 21 verses
28 to 32. And also put your finger in John
chapter 9. Matthew 21 verses 28 to 32. But what think ye? A certain
man had two sons, and he came to the first and said, Son, go
work today in my vineyard. He answered and said, I will
not. But afterward he repented and went. And he came to the
second and said, likewise, and he answered and said, I go, sir,
and went not. Whither of the twain did the
will of the father, they said unto him, the first, Jesus saith
unto them, verily I say unto you, that the publicans and the
harlots, those who these religious Pharisees call sinners, that
the publicans and the harlots go into the kingdom of God before
you. Before those self-righteous religious
Pharisees, the publicans and sinners enter into the kingdom
of God. How? In and through the Lord
Jesus Christ, in Him alone. They've had revealed to them
who they are and what they are. And all of us who believe, all
of us who've been redeemed can put our hands up and say, that's
true of this sinner. He's revealed himself to us.
We'd never know him. We'd never know him otherwise.
For John came unto you in the way of righteousness, and you
believed him not. But the publicans and the harlots believed him.
They believed the testimony of John, who spoke of Christ, who
pointed them to Christ. And ye, when ye had seen it,
repented not afterwards that ye might believe him. Turn, if
you would, over to John chapter 9. The Pharisees and scribes
would consider anyone Also, anyone with certain diseases or disabilities
is a sign that they had committed some guilt, guilty sin, some
great sin. Look at John 9, verses 1-7. And as Jesus passed by, He saw
a man which was blind from birth, And his disciples asked him,
saying, Master, who did sin, this man or his parents, that
he was born blind? And look at the marvelous words
of our Savior. Jesus answered, neither hath
this man sinned nor his parents, but that the works of God should
be manifest in him. Divine appointment, beloved.
Here's one of God's sheep from eternity. I must work the works
of him that sent me. Well, it was day. The night cometh
when no man can work. As long as I am in the world,
I am the light of the world. When he had thus spoken, he spat
on the ground and made clay of the spittle, and he anointed
the eyes of the blind men with the clay. And he said unto him,
Go, wash in the pool of Siloam, which is by interpretation sent.
He went his way therefore, washed, and came seeing." Neither hath this man sinned
nor his parents, but that the works of God should be made manifest
in him. He's a trophy of God's grace
and mercy, beloved. And that is what every one of
God's people are. We might not feel that way, but
we are trophies of the grace of God in Christ Jesus, our Lord.
So the point is that these tax collectors Prostitutes, the maimed,
the diseased, basically the social and religious outcasts were coming
to Christ. Were coming to Christ. And he
was receiving them and eating them. Now, is that not the opposite
of religion? Religion says, well, you need
to clean up before you can go. Christ is receiving sinners. Outcasts. Prostitutes, drug dealers
in our day, drug abusers, whatever. The needy, the needy spiritually. They've had revealed to them
what they are. And these self-righteous Pharisees murmur and get mad
that He's eaten with sinners. Praise God our Savior receives
sinners. Matthew 21, 31. says this, and
think of this in light of the Scriptures we've read, Whither
of them twain did the will of his father? They said unto him,
The first, Jesus saith unto him, Verily I say unto you, that the
publicans and the harlots go into the kingdom of God before
you. Before you, before the self-righteous
Pharisees, the publicans and sinners. The best of the best
of the religious world. and the publicans and the harlots
and the sinners enter into the kingdom of God. And the self-righteous
Pharisees are passed by. That's called God's distinguishing
grace, beloved. God's distinguishing grace. Turn,
if you would, to Luke chapter 5. Luke chapter 5. The Lord Jesus
Christ is eating with those who the Pharisees and scribes considered
sinners in their eyes. They were physically and morally
unapproachable and unacceptable in the Pharisees' eyes and in
the scribes' eyes. And if we tie this passage in
Luke 15 with the one over in Luke chapter
5, we see the wonderful news that we have for sinners. And
the sinner is one who has been shown by God what they are by
birth, nature, and choice. Sinners to the core. You see,
folks, most people think sin is something we do. I heard a couple people talking
the other day. Oh, and they just started popping
off about what people do and are out there sinning and all.
Little do they know that sin is what we are. It's our nature. Oh, we're in desperate trouble.
Oh, my. But Christ Jesus came to save
sinners. And all God's people say, of whom I'm chief. Oh, my. He came to save sinners. Hallelujah. And praise His mighty
name. Look at Luke 5, verses 29-32. And Levi made Him a great feast
in His own house. And there was a great company
of publicans and others that sat with him. Here he is again,
right in the midst of those unacceptable, unworthy, according to the Pharisees,
sinners. And where's our great king? Right
in the midst of them, right in the midst of them. But the scrap,
and think of this, think of this, these self-righteous Pharisees,
they think they're holier than thou, don't they? But here is
the Holy One of Israel, the perfect, spotless Lamb of God, sitting
with publicans and sinners. My, my, what a scene. But their scribes and Pharisees
murmured against his disciples saying, why do you eat and drink
with publicans and sinners? And Jesus answering said unto
them, look at this. Oh, look at this, beloved. They that are
whole need not a physician. Those self-righteous Pharisees,
they didn't think they sinned. They thought they were perfect.
They thought they, remember Paul? He said, considering the law
blameless. That's what he thought, until God revealed to him who
he was, a holy and righteous God, and who Paul was, and who
we who are sinners are. Sinners in desperate need before
a holy and righteous God. But look at this, they that are
whole, they that think they're fine, they don't need a physician. Oh, but they who are sick, They
who are sick, I am not come to call the righteous, that means
self-righteous people who think they're fine on their own, but
sinners to repentance. Oh, what a King we have, beloved.
What a Savior we have. He came to save sinners. Sinners. And I hope that we can lead this
meeting rejoicing in the wonderful fact The wonderful fact from
Scripture that we see here, that this man, that's the Lord Jesus
Christ, God incarnated in the flesh, receives sinners. Sinners. This man receives sinners. Now sin is a lack of conformity
unto the law of God, either in act, disposition, or state, which
is thought, word, or deed. My, and God requires perfection. God requires absolute obedience
to his law and all our sinners, because we've all sinned and
come short of the glory of God. However, Christ does not receive
all sinners, does he? He did not receive the Pharisees
and the scribes. Who vilified him for receiving
sinners. Rather Christ receives only those
sinners who draw near to Him. Who draw near to Him. Let's look
at some sinners who He receives. This man receives nationally
offensive sinners. Now all through time and in every
nation there's a class of sinners especially offensive and disgusting
to the patriotic or patriotic movements within countries. And
these people are sometimes aliens or countrymen that are sympathetic
to a national enemy or the country. And we see that in our text,
the publicans. In Israel, this was the tax collectors
or the publicans. Jews employed by the Romans to
collect taxes and considered by their countrymen as willing
tools of the oppressor. And they were notorious, as I
said earlier, for making themselves rich. Turn, if you would, to
Matthew chapter 9 and put your finger in Matthew 21. They were notorious for making
themselves rich through extortion. They were considered traitors,
apostates, classed with sinners and harlots. And even with the heathen Gentiles.
Matthew 9, 11 says this. And when the Pharisees saw it,
they said unto his disciples again, why is your master with
publicans and sinners? And then look over at Matthew
21, 31. We looked at this earlier, whether
the twain did the will of the father, they said unto him the
first Jesus said unto him, Verily I say unto you that the publicans
and the harlots go into the kingdom of God before you. And in Matthew
18, 17, turn over there, if you would. Matthew 18, 17. Look at this. And if he shall neglect to hear
them. Matthew 18, 17, if he shall neglect to hear him, tell to
the church. But if he neglect to hear the church, let him be
unto thee as an heathen man and as a publican. So that that was
a despised title below. To be called a publican. was
a despised title. Nevertheless, Jesus received
a number of them, including Levi, who became Matthew the Apostle. And let us not forget Zacchaeus. Zacchaeus, not just a tax collector,
a chief tax collector, a chief, a chief sinner, who was justified by the Lord
Jesus Christ. And let us not forget to turn,
if you would, to Luke 18. Let us not forget this. Luke
18. The Pharisee. And the publican. A nationally despised sinner.
This publican. Luke 18 verses 19. Or verse 9,
I'm sorry, to 14. And He spake this parable unto
certain which trusted in themselves. Who's the ones who trust in themselves?
Self-righteous people. Whether they be religious or
just a normal sinner like we. They trust in themselves. God's
people don't trust in themselves anymore. We did at one time.
We don't know more. Now we trust in Christ and Him
alone. Look at this, though. And he
spake this prayer upon the certain which trusted in themselves,
that they were righteous and despised others. We see that
in our text today, didn't we? Those Pharisees and scribes,
they despised Christ for eating with publicans and sinners. Two
men went up to the temple to pray, the one a Pharisee and
the other a publican. So the religious, who's who?
In man's eyes, If anyone's going to heaven,
it's that Pharisee. And in man's eyes, if anyone's
going to hell, it's that publican. But not in God's economy, beloved. Two men went up to pray. The
one a Pharisee and the other a publican. The Pharisee stood
and prayed thus with himself, God, I thank thee that I'm not
as other men are, extortioners. And you know who he's pointing
at when he's saying this stuff. Extortioners, unjust, adulterers,
or even as this publican. And could you imagine how he
probably said that as he was praying? I fast twice in a week. I give tithes of all that I possess. Oh, then we see the publican. And the publican, standing afar
off, would not lift up so much as his eyes into heaven, but
smote upon his breast, saying, God be merciful to me. Oh, God be merciful to me, a
sinner. He's been shown what he is. I tell you, this man went down
to his house, Justify. Save. Rather than the other, for everyone
that exalts themselves shall be abased, and he that humbles
himself shall be exalted. What a Savior. He saves sinners. And this man receives socially
immoral sinners. And such were the sinners in
our text who drew near to Christ. They include fornicators, idolaters,
sodomites, thieves, covetous, drunkards, revilers, extortioners,
the kind of people who the religious who shunned Christ received. Turn, if you would, to 1 Corinthians
6. 1 Corinthians 6. Look at this. No, you're not. First Corinthians
chapter six verses nine to eleven. No, you're not that the unrighteous
shall not inherit the kingdom of God. No, here we go. Not everyone goes to heaven. No. No, you're not that the unrighteous
shall not inherit the kingdom of God. Be not deceived, neither
fornicators, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor abusers of
themselves with mankind, nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards,
nor revilers, nor extortioners shall inherit the kingdom of
God. And look what Paul pens in the next verse. And such were
some of you. And such were some of you, but
ye are lost. washed in the precious blood
of the Lord Jesus Christ. But ye are sanctified, made holy
by Christ. But ye are justified in the name
of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of God. Praise His mighty
name, beloved. Christ receives sinners, and
He saves us. And this is good news for sinners. I had us turn to Luke chapter
5 earlier, and if you want to turn there again you can, but
I'm going to read a portion there. This man receives, the Lord Jesus
Christ receives spiritually sick sinners. Spiritually sick sinners. And I'm bringing this up again
because of what Christ says here. Look at this. And Levi made him
a great feast in his own house, and there was a great company
of publicans and of others that sat down with him. But this But
there are scribes and Pharisees murmured against his disciples
saying, why do you eat and drink with publicans and sinners in
verse 31? And Jesus answered and said to them, they that are
whole need not a physician, but the air that are sick. Oh, beloved,
our Lord Jesus Christ receives spiritually sick sinners, spiritually
sick sinners. And every man by nature is sick
with spiritual leprosy, beloved, and it's called sin. And before
God we are all like an unclean thing and our sickness left untreated
is fatal. Not just death in this life,
but a second death. And some are so spiritually numb
as to be insensitive to their sickness while others ignore
it in vain hope that it'll go away or that they can cure it
by their own works. Turn if you would to Isaiah 65
verse 5. The self-righteous try to cure
it with a home remedy. The self-righteous try to cure
it with a home remedy called self-holiness. And we see the speech of a self-righteous
man in Isaiah 65 verse 5. Look at this. The only remedy for a spiritually
sick sinner is found in the Lord Jesus Christ, beloved, who is
the great physician. He is the great physician. Look
at this, the words of a self-righteous man, which say, stand by thyself,
come not near to me, for I am holier than thou. God says, these are a smoke in
my nose, a fire that burneth all the day. None are healed except those
six sinners who draw near to Christ in saving faith and beloved. He receives all. And we know the Holy Spirit draws
his people to Christ. We know that. He not turned away
one who come to him. They're drawn by the Holy Spirit
of God. And oh, I pray that God would draw you to Christ. That
He would show you your spiritually sick condition and your desperate
need of Christ. Turn, if you would, to Mark chapter
2. Mark chapter 2. Our Lord receives totally unrighteous
sinners. Totally unrighteous sinners. Mark 2. Verse 14. And as he passed by,
he saw Levi, the son of Alpha, sitting at the seat of custom.
And he said unto him, Follow me. He didn't say, Oh, hold on,
Lord, I got to make a decision for you. The Lord didn't say, Follow me.
I hope you make that decision. No, God calls his sheep by name. And he said, follow me. Follow
me. And he arose, and he followed
him. This is an effectual call. And
it came to pass that as Jesus sat at meat in his house, many
publicans and sinners sat also together with Jesus and his disciples,
for there were many, and they followed him. And when the scribes
and Pharisees saw him eat with publicans and sinners, they said
unto his disciples, How is it that he that eateth and drinketh
with publicans and sinners? When Jesus heard it, he said
unto them, Again, they that are whole have no need of the physician,
but they that are sick, I am come not to call the righteous,
but sinners to repentance. Has God shown you that you're
a sinner? Oh, I pray he does. I pray he shows you that you're
a sinner in desperate need of Christ. No man is righteous in
God's sight because scripture declares there's none righteous.
No, not one. There was only one who is perfect, spotless. Full
of righteousness, and that's the Lord Jesus Christ, the very
one who's eaten with publicans and sinners. What a Savior! What a Savior,
beloved! Many are self-righteous, many
vainly boast of their filthy rags, of their personal righteousness.
Lawbongers do this as well as religious people. But Christ
did not come to call them to repentance, and He will receive
none, none, as long as they hold on to even the last tattered
thread of their self-righteousness. Rather, He will pass them by,
to call those sinners, those sinners who acknowledge their
complete lack of any personal righteousness, and they trust
only in the imputed righteousness of Christ, trust only in the
sacrifice of Christ, trust in Him alone, they look to Him and
live. But now the righteousness of God without the law is manifested,
being witnessed by the law and the prophets, and found in him,
in Christ alone, found in him. And to be and be found in him, not
having my own righteousness, which is of the law, but of that
which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness, which
is of God, by faith, Philippians three nine and Romans three twenty
one. These unrighteous sinners. who trust Him, He will receive. He will receive. This man receives
grace-needing sinners. Grace-needing sinners. Many followed
Christ out of curiosity or the desire to see miraculous healing. Scripture declares, and a great
multitude followed Him, because they saw His miracles which He
did on them that were diseased. Turn, if you would, to John chapter
6. But they did not like what they
heard from Him regarding the inability of their own free will
in salvation, and necessity of God's absolute sovereign grace
in their salvation. Jesus answered and said unto
them, This is the work of God, that ye believe on Him whom He
hath sent. John 6, 29. It's a work of God,
beloved. Look at verse 36. to 45, and then we'll look at
verses 63 to 68 in John 6. First, John 36 to 45. But I said unto you that ye also
have seen me, and believe not. All that the Father giveth me
shall come to me. Praise God. And him that cometh to me, I
will in no wise cast out. Republicans and sinners. He came to save sinners, beloved. For I come down from heaven,
not to do mine own will, but the will of Him that sent me.
No man can come to me, except the Father which has sent me
draw him, and I will raise him up at the last day. This is a promise from God, from
Christ Himself. It is written in the prophets,
and they shall be all taught of God. Who reveals to us that
we're sinners? God, the Holy Spirit. It's a revelation. It's a revelation. We won't see it. We won't see
that we're sinners unless God reveals that to us. That's why
we pray that God reveals to you. If you don't know him, then he
reveals to you you're a sinner. And they shall be all a child
of God. Every man, therefore, that hath heard and hath learned
of the Father cometh unto me. Cometh unto whom? Christ and
Him alone. No one else. That's exclusive. That does away
with all the religions of the world, beloved. Right there. Salvation is in Christ and Him
alone. And then look at verses 63 to 68. It is written in the
prophets, and they shall Oh, sorry. It is it is the spirit
that quickeneth the flesh prophet of nothing. The words that I
speak unto you, they are spirit and they are life. And he said,
therefore, I said unto you that no man can come unto me except
it were given unto him of my father. Why do men have to constantly
say, oh, it's my will. It's my. No, it's not. If you're
saying that, you're lost. because scripture plainly declares
if we come to Christ, it's all God's work. It's all his doing.
But yet man wants something to do, and we who are saved, we
marvel in sovereign grace of God given to us in Christ Jesus,
our Lord, the mercy that we've received. No man can come unto
me except they were given him unto him of my father from the
time from that time. Now that saying, just like today,
turned a lot of people away. Oh, because it attacks the pride. You mean that I don't have anything
to do with my salvation? Well, we have the sin. But as far as the salvation,
we have nothing to do with our salvation at all. But the reason
for us to be needed to be saved is because we're sinners. And
we did all the sinning and Christ does all the saving. No man can come unto me except
that we're given him and my father. From that time, many of the disciples
went back and walked no more with him. They didn't want to
have nothing to do with a God like that. We see that even today. Then said Jesus unto the twelve,
will ye also go away? Oh, look at this. Then Simon
Peter answered him, and he said what every blood bought believer
feels. Lord, to whom shall we go now? That's the words of eternal
life. Now. Christ in him alone. Peter represents grace, need
and sinners, beloved. Peter represents the sinners
who draw near to Christ and hear him. And they're all drawn by God's
sovereign grace. Again, our text says this man
receives sinners. The Greek word for received is
defined as this, to give access to oneself. To give access to
oneself, to welcome like Martha welcomed Jesus. Luke says this,
now it came to pass as they went and he entered into a certain
village and a certain woman named Martha received him into her
house. Same Greek word. The Lord Jesus
Christ shows no sense of social superiority to these outcasts
as the Pharisees and the scribes did. The Greek word here is used
to describe the attitude with which the saints of old looked
for redemption and were waiting for the kingdom of God. The same way we are looking for
the blessed hope when it says looking for the blessed hope,
the word for there is the same Greek word is received. We're
looking. Looking for the blessed hope
and glorious appearing of our great God and savior, Jesus Christ,
in the same way that we're looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus
Christ unto eternal life. Same Greek word. And the meaning
in our present text is that Jesus not only receives sinners, but
he looks forward to them coming to him. He looks forward to his
sheep coming to him. They're his. We're his people. From eternity. And he receives all that the
father has given him. Because He came to this earth
to save His people from their sins. And He seeks out His lost
sheep. He receives them. Receives them. Turn, if you would, to Luke 15.
His attitude at receiving them is described in the context under
the figure of a father who anxiously waited for his lost son to return
home. and then joyfully received him
when he did indeed return. Luke 15, verse 20-24, And he arose and
came to his father, but when he was yet a great way off, his
father saw him, and had compassion on him, and ran, and fell on
his neck, and kissed him. Remember, the prodigal son went
off and riotously spent all his inheritance. Had nothing, beloved. Absolutely nothing. Was eating pig food. And the son said unto the father,
I have sinned against heaven, and in thy sight, and am no more
worthy to be called thy son. That's a cry of a believer, beloved.
But the father said to his servants, bring forth the best robe. That's
the righteousness of Christ, beloved. put it on him. Notice he don't put it on himself.
It's put on him by the father's servants. By the father. And put a ring on his head and
shoes on his feet. And bring hither the fatted calf
and kill it. And let us eat and be merry.
For this my son was dead and is alive again. Oh, what a picture
of us being born again by the Holy Spirit of God. He was lost
and is found. And they began to be merry. Great
rejoicing, beloved. I say unto you that likewise
joy shall be in heaven over one sinner that repenteth, more than
over ninety and nine just persons which need no repentance. Likewise,
I say unto you, there is joy in the presence of the angels
of God over one sinner that repented. Beloved, this man receives sinners. Now, turn, if you would, to 2
Corinthians 11, 3 and 4. In contrast, We contrast this
to another Jesus. There's another Jesus whom we
have not preached. Second Corinthians 11 verses
three and four, but I fear less by any means as the serpent beguiled
Eve through his subtlety. So your mind should be corrupted
from the simplicity that is in crisis. The simplicity in Christ
salvation by grace alone through Christ alone plus nothing. Man likes to complicate things.
For if he that cometh preaches another Jesus, whom we have not
preached, or if you receive another spirit, which ye have not received,
or another gospel, so there's another Jesus, there's another
spirit, and there's another gospel, beloved, which ye have not accepted,
ye might well bear with him. Think of this. The other Jesus
is of the pharisaical Christianity, the religion of do, do, do. That's another gospel, beloved.
The gospel of Christ is all about what's done. I'm not preaching
lawlessness, I'm not preaching that at all, no. We're not antinomians,
right? The love of Christ constrains.
But if someone tells me that I am saved by something I do,
that's another gospel. That's another Jesus. We preach the gospel of God's
free and sovereign grace. And think of this, in order to
be received by that other Jesus, one must qualify himself by the
work of pharisaical self-righteousness, something you do. And this is
the basis of all false religions, beloved. We've seen Paul combating
that in Colossians, haven't we? We've seen that in Colossians.
He's combating works-based religion. And he's showing the supremacy
and the all-sufficiency of Christ Jesus in him alone. And think of this. I've seen
this in many different churches. The qualifying work of righteousness
differs from church to church, differs from sect to sect. One
might say, well, you're saved by your law observing. Another
might say you're saved by your Sabbath keeping. That's what
the seven day Adventists say. Another will say, you're saved
by being circumcised. Another says, you're saved by
being baptized. That's the Church of Christ.
Then you've got the Catholic Church who says, you're saved
by the Church. Lies, lies, lies. Contrary to that man, the other
Jesus of works-based religion, this man in our text here, this
man in Luke, The Lord Jesus Christ, God incarnate in the flesh, receives
none but sinners, beloved, without any qualification, without any
merit, undeserving, sin-loving sinners. And He receives. Makes you grateful, doesn't it?
Because we know what we are. Turn, if you would, to Isaiah
55. Isaiah 55. Verses 1 to 3. Isaiah 55, verses 1 to 3. Oh, everyone that thirsteth. Are
you thirsty? Oh may God make you thirsty for
the things of Christ. Oh everyone that thirsts, come
ye to the waters. And he that hath no money, come
ye buy and eat. Yea, come buy wine and milk without
money and without price. Nothing in your hands. You can't
purchase your salvation. Wherefore do you spend your money
for that which is not bread? Why spend your money on a works-based
religion? It's not bread. And your labor
for that which satisfyeth not. God is not satisfied by our works,
but He's satisfied with the work of Christ and what He's done. Hark it diligently unto me, and
eat ye that which is good, and let your soul delighteth in its
fatness." Delight in the things of God, beloved. Delight in his
salvation. Rejoice in what he's done. Incline
your ear and come unto me. Hear, and your soul shall live. Shall live. And I will make an
everlasting covenant with you, even the sure mercies of David. All beloved. This man receives
sinners, he receives sinners and he eats among his people. Turn, if you would, to Matthew
26, Matthew 26. He eats amongst his people. Matthew 26, verses 26 and 28. And I'll read Acts 2, verses
46 and 47, which speaks of the saints, and they continually,
daily, with one accord in the temple and breaking bread from
house to house, did eat their meat with gladness and singleness
of heart, praising God and having favor with all the people. And
the Lord added to the church daily, such as should be saved.
But look at this in Matthew 26 to 28. And as they were eating, Jesus
took bread and blessed it and break it and gave it to his disciples
and said, Take eat. This is my body. And he took
the cup and gave thanks and gave it to them, saying, Drink, drink
ye all of it. For this is my blood of the New
Testament, which is shed for many for the remissions of sins.
Our Lord Jesus Christ eats amongst his people. And then one day, one day, we
will be in the presence of the Lord in His heavenly home. Turn,
if you would, to Revelation 19, beloved. Revelation 19. Sinners. As I said, heaven, beloved,
heaven is populated by blood-bought sinners. Praise God. It's incredible. Blood-bought sinners. Revelation 19 verses 6-9, And
I heard, as it were, the voice of a great multitude, and as
the voice of many waters, and as the voice of many thunders,
saying, Alleluia, for the Lord God omnipotent reigneth. Let
us be glad and rejoice and give honor to Him, for the marriage
of the Lamb is come, and His wife hath made herself ready."
Who's the wife? All the blood-bought saints of
God, beloved. Sinners who are saved by the
grace of God in Christ. Sinners whom Christ redeemed
on Calvary's cross when He cried out, It is finished! It's done! He's purchased them. And then He was raised again
for our justification to show that God is satisfied with His
sacrifice. And to her was granted that she
should be arrayed in fine linen, clean and right. For the fine
linen is what? The righteousness of the saints.
The perfect, spotless righteousness of the Lord Jesus Christ, beloved.
My, my goodness. There we are. God's elect sinners
who are made right, pure, spotless in the righteousness of Christ.
And he saith unto me, right, blessed are they which are called
unto the marriage supper of the Lamb. And he saith unto me, these
are the true sayings of God. Beloved, this man receives sinners
and eats with them and eats with them. This man receives sinners
And those He saves, He keeps. And those He keeps, He will one
day glorify in eternity. And we will sing praises to His
name for eternity. For eternity. This man receives
sinners to pardon and justify them. Your sins are forgiven. Acts 13.38 This man receives
sinners to give them peace and rest, to quiet their conscience,
forgiving all their trespasses and sins. This man receives sinners
to adopt them into his family and to give them all spiritual
blessings which are only in him. This man receives sinners to
regenerate them, and to instruct them, and seal them with His
Spirit, the Holy Spirit of God. This man receives sinners to
save them from the sting of death, and the power of the grave, and
the grasp of Satan, and the vengeance of eternal fire, and to endow
us with eternal life, beloved, and sinner friend. What wonderful
news. This man receives sinners. May God show you that you're
a sinner. Gracious Heavenly Father, oh,
we marvel at the Scripture that declares that Christ Jesus our
Lord receives sinners. Oh, what hope we who believe
have in the Lord Jesus Christ, have in you, Lord, for what you've
done, nothing that we've done, nothing at all, but all what
you've done in our room and place on Calvary's cross, dying as
our substitute, living the perfect life, bearing all the judgment
of God fell upon you that was rightfully ours. You, the sinless
one, And we just marvel, Lord Jesus. We marvel. And may we
who believe leave this place rejoicing in the fact that you
receive sinners. And oh, may you show one of your
lost sheep if it's your will. Oh, may you reveal yourself to
them, we pray. Show them that you receive sinners,
we pray in Jesus' name. Amen.