I had a stroke earlier in the year and wasn't able to stand for long periods of time. So we cut our messages down to just one message on Sunday morning. And then about, I guess about a month ago, I started resuming the Sunday school and the message together. And I'm doing pretty good now, but this has been a long trip. I hope tonight that the Lord will bless and allow me to preach one more message.

You know, one of these days it's going to be the one more. It doesn't matter how old or young you are, you've got one more thing, one more day, one more hour. I invite you to turn back with me to the 15th chapter of the book of Luke. And while you're turning, let me say I'm thankful to be here tonight among God's saints. Nowhere else I'd want to be. And I found out over the years, people generally go where they want to be, wherever it is. But I'm thankful to be here tonight with God's saints.

I preached several times before coming here. It's been a blessing and a privilege to be able to do that. There was a time earlier this year when I didn't think I was going to stand behind a pulpit at all. And to have the privilege to bring five or six messages, it's a thrill to my heart. Had a rough start. But that's kind of the way it is with all believers, isn't it? We have a rough start. And then the Lord intervenes. And I don't care what happens after that, it's all good.

You know, the Lord sends these things our way, not as a punishment, and not out of wrath, but for our good. It's suffering these things that enables preachers to connect with people, to understand what they're going through, and to preach in such a way as to help them that are ailing in certain things. He sends these things. They don't just happen. This is sent of God.

I'll never forget sitting where Mark is, or the next few back, and Henry Mahan came here to preach. And Don knew Henry wasn't doing too good, and he asked me earlier in the day, he said, could you have something prepared just in case? Well, Henry started to get up, and I saw him, he was going to fall, and I kind of steadied him a little bit, and he turned around and looked at me, and he said, I don't think I can do this tonight. And I told him, I said, well, Don had me have some things prepared, and he looked at me the way only Henry could do, and he said, that's providential. And he sat down and I preached to him.

I like looking out and seeing familiar faces. What that tells a pastor is that that work that God's done in them is sufficient. It's effectual. They come back. They come back to the Lord's table. They find their place among God's saints in hunger to hear. They still have an appetite. And I like to see new faces. New faces that now appear with those older faces. And they come and they find a connection, they find a union, they find a connection with these people. And they want to gather with them.

Brother Mahan told me when I was just a young man, he said, you know what fellowship is? Fellows in the same ship. And I've never forgot that. But this is a scene that pastors who are called of God will experience over and over. And actually, it's the gist of what I have to say tonight. All the elements of the church, when the church gathers together, all these elements are here at hand in my text. There's a company of chosen sinners gathered together, Christ in the midst. And sitting separate from them are a few Pharisees and scribes. It doesn't say how many, it just said scribes and Pharisees, a handful of men. I picture them sitting up on a hill, but they're always looking down. If they're looking nose to nose, they're still looking down at you. But I see them up here on this hill, and they're looking down, and there's such a strange sight sitting separate from the others, a handful of Pharisees.

And verse 1 tells us, there drew near unto him all the publicans and sinners for to hear him. Gathered to themselves were some folks who didn't need to hear. They didn't need to be drawn. They didn't need to be taught. They didn't need to be fed or washed or encouraged. All they ever needed or wanted was themselves. They're full of themselves. Self-made men, self-taught men, self-righteous men, self-preserved, self-justified. They had no need of a savior. They're just out there, more or less, out of curiosity.

I attended church many times out of curiosity. Have you? And these publicans and sinners, they drew near. And the scribes begin to murmur. That's what religious folks who don't know God, that's what they do, they murmur about everything. That word appears again over in John chapter six, and it appears there in the same context. Scribes and Pharisees looking and murmuring at Christ, thoroughly disgusted that a Jewish rabbi was receiving and eating Republicans and sinners.

And over in John chapter six, we find these same men again murmuring because Jesus said he came down from heaven. They murmured at what they heard because they were ignorant of what he said. They were ignorant of him. That's where men find fault when they're ignorant of Christ. And the Lord said unto them, don't murmur. No man can come to me except The Father which hath sent me draw him, and I will raise him up at the last day. It's written, and they shall all be taught of God. Every man, therefore, that hath heard and hath learned of the Father cometh to me.

What did my text read? They drew together. If you drew together, it's because you were drawn. Is that right? Publicans and Pharisees, draw near to Christ, being drawn of God. What draws them to Christ? Well, first of all, God's providence. God's providence. He arranges the circumstance. Oh, you know, you can, why were you at that church on that particular night? And you can come up with some little reason, but I'm not talking about the little reason. I'm talking about the big reason. Why are you there? because God arranged for you to be there. Why did this preacher preach? I don't preach here every day. It's been a while since I've been here. Why am I here tonight? Because God arranged it.

I keep telling myself these things because I don't know. We're just human beings. We fade away from these things so fast. You need to be reminded constantly.

Public and centers, they drew near to Christ being drawn of God and what draws them to Christ is God's providence. Do you believe that God arranges, controls, and brings events and events to pass in this world? I absolutely believe it.

And I tell you, Ephesians 1, I guess beginning with verse 9 all the way through verse 11 is one of the most amazing passages that I've ever read. Paul writes that God hath abounded toward us in all wisdom, making known unto us the mystery of his will, that in the dispensation, that word is economy or stewardship, of the fullness of times he might gather together in one all things in Christ.

So picture, if you will, a man being given the stewardship of all things, everything, everything that is, creation, providence, salvation, the honor and glory of God, God's purpose. You can read about it over in Revelation chapter five, taking that sealed book. You don't take anything from God unless God gives it to you. And the son put out his hands and the father laid the book in his hands. And the only one who could opened it. This is Christ, he's the steward. What's he steward of? Everything. Everything.

And this is what's going on, that's what's going on in my text, and that's what's going on right here tonight. He's gathering all things unto himself. All things. Things in heaven, things in earth, everything that is. He's gathering, he's working, he's doing these things.

So picture this in your mind. He said, I come to do thy will, O God. And even the times of all things are in his hand. When did Christ appear? When the fullness of the time was come. Isn't that what he said? Although Pharisees got mad at him on one occasion, and the city that he was at was built on a cliff. And they said, I know what we're going to do. We're going to throw him off a cliff. And a bunch of them got together, and he just walked right through the middle of them. You remember why he did that? His time was not yet. God has a time. You can read about it back in the Old Testament. Time for everything. Time to be born, time to live, time to work, time to die. There's a time. Well, who says what and when? Christ does. He's the steward. He's the steward.

These public and centers, they didn't just happen to be there, God arranged for them to be there. William Cooper wrote this, he said, deep in unfathomable minds of never-ending skill, he fashions up his bright designs and works his sovereign will. And there in Ephesians, Chapter 11, he said, in whom also we obtained an inheritance, being predestinated according to him who worketh all things after the counsel of his own will. What's God doing in heaven right now? What's Christ doing? He's seated at the right hand of God. What's he doing? Working. What's he working with? Everything. Everything that is.

These men weren't there for a sharing session or there to contribute to his work or make his work possible. They weren't there to tell him their story. He was there to tell them his. And after the Pharisees made fools of themselves, verse 3, it says, he spake. Now I'm gonna tell you something, everything revolves around this, don't it? The Pharisees sent out some officers to bring our Lord to them. They were gonna straighten him out on his doctrine. They were gonna get him in line. And they sent out these officers and they said, you go fetch him, you get him, bring him back here. And they were gone for a while and they come back empty handed. Over in John 7, 45, They said unto him, where's this man we sent you to get? They said, never man spake like this man. Never man.

In a ship tossed about in a violent storm, about to go under, the Lord was asleep. We talked about that a while ago, worrying. He wasn't worried. Everybody else on the ship was worried. just don't believe in it. They cried to him, and, don't you care that we perish? Oh, he had a little faith. Come up on deck, he said, peace be still. That ocean laid down like a piece of glass. And all of them who heard him said this, what manner of man is this that even the wind and the waves obey his voice? He spake. You see where I'm coming from? David records in the Psalms, he spake and it was done. He commanded and it stood fast. What's that talking about? That's talking about as far as your eye can see on a clear night and past. All at once, all he did was speak. What manner of man, never a man spake like this man. He said God spoke to our fathers through the prophets, but in this last days, that's right now, he speaks to us through his son. Actually, that reads he speaks to us in son. There's nothing else to say. We preach Christ.

Pharisee spoke and nothing happened. He spoke. You remember on the Mount of Transfiguration? They saw Moses and Elijah and Christ, and their arraignment was white and blistering, and they didn't know what to do. They were so impressed by what they saw, and they said, I'll tell you what we're going to do. We're going to build some monuments. We're going to build one to Moses and one to Elijah. And all of a sudden, they heard a voice. And the voice said, this is my beloved son. Hear ye him. Hear ye him. He's back.

Most significant thing is not the parables. The most significant thing that's going on here is that Christ spoke. He spoke. If he hadn't given the parables, they wouldn't mean anything, just be another story. He answers these men, they said, why does he eat and drink and receive publicans and sinners? They come to him, he puts his arm around them. They come sick, he heals them. They come lepers, he cleanses them. They bring the dead, and he raises them. Why is he doing this? Why is he associating with sinners, publicans and sinners?

Well, the Lord gave them three parables, and these parables are directed at the question that they ask. If you want a true understanding of these parables, That's what's going on, that's the context of this chapter. And he tells them about lost sheep, a lost coin, and a lost son.

In the parable of the lost sheep, I've often heard men interpret that verse as the Lord leaving his sheep. He's got a flock of sheep out here, and he said, well, they'll be okay, so he just leaves them. and goes out and finds that sheep. That is not what that parable says. What that parable says is he left his sheep in the wilderness to seek the lost sheep. His sheep is the church. He's left us in this world, in this wilderness that he might seek his sheep, his lost sheep. That's why we're here. It's the only reason we're here. We're not getting holier and holier. We're as holy as we're ever gonna get in Christ. I'm as righteous as I'm ever gonna get in Christ. I hope you ain't bought into that junk about progressive sanctification. There's no such thing. I'm as sanctified as I'm ever gonna get in Christ.

And he leaves his sheep in this wilderness for one purpose, to seek the lost. That's why we look, and that's why we gather together. That's why we put money in a building. That's why we print tracts and send them out. That's why we preach. That's why we take a radio broadcast or a television broadcast or go on the Internet. We're hunting sheep. Who are they? I don't know. I won't know until after I preach to them. Then I'll have some idea. He left us in this world so he can find that which was lost. Not that we're necessary for him, but that's his purpose. That's what he purposed to do. And that's why he associates Republicans and Senators. We're fellow laborers with God. When he sent out the 70, he said, I'm sending you out whether I myself am gonna go. That's encouraging, and I hope I don't have to go someplace where he's not gonna be. That's the last place I want to be. And here's what else he said to them. He that heareth you, heareth me. The only voice any sinner is ever going to hear is that of a preacher. But when he hears it, he'll know that it was Christ speaking and not that man.

Turn with me over to 1 Thessalonians chapter 2. Let me read you something. I don't know if you remember this verse or maybe you've never even read it. I don't want anybody leaving here tonight and going home and saying, well, that's his opinion. It is my opinion, but I have that opinion because of this verse. 1 Thessalonians 2, verse 13. For this cause also thank we God, because when we receive the word of God, which you heard of us, You received it not as the word of men, but as it is in truth the word of God, which affectionately worketh also in you that believe.

Paul said he preached in demonstration of the spirit and power. I preached this up in Rocky Mount the other night. He demonstrates his adoption by accompanying his gospel with the Holy Ghost causing the hearer to know that he's a child of God. His spirit bears witness with our spirit. And what's the result of that? We begin to cry, Abba, Father. We couldn't sincerely before that moment ever call God our Father and mean it.

He demonstrates the efficacy of his blood applied to the consciences of men, removing their guilt, that guilty conscience that you could never appease. is appeased when the Holy Spirit accompanies the gospel into the hearts of sinners. He demonstrates the sufficiency of his righteousness as he convinces us of sin. You know, once he convinces you of sin, he's going to have to convince you of righteousness because you'll never think ever after being convicted of sin that you could ever be righteous. There's no other way to be righteous except by that righteousness of Christ.

And he demonstrates his justification when he opens men's hearts to receive the substitutionary sacrifice of Christ. And demonstrates his justifying resurrection by a spiritual resurrection called a new birth. Paul said, we don't speak with excellency of words, but in demonstration of the Spirit. It doesn't take a long, complicated message to convert a sinner. It takes the power of God. And Christ came into this world to save sinners. That's why these publicans and sinners are drawn to him and they follow him.

The second parable is about a woman. Usually in parables concerning women, he's talking about the church. And I assume that's what he's talking about here. There was a woman and she had 10 pieces of silver. What's that mean? 10 pieces of silver represent redemption. You remember what Peter said in the first chapter of his first epistle? He said, you're not redeemed with corruptible things like silver and gold, which you receive from your vain conversation from your fathers, but you're redeemed with the precious blood of the Lord. This coin, there's 10 pieces to it. Redemption has more than just one piece. There's a lot to the redemption of Christ.

But she lost a piece of it, and it was a critical piece of it. And she couldn't find it, but she knew she needed it. And that's why she's seeking the Lord. That's why these publicans and sinners are coming. Somewhere along the line, redemption was lost. And they're hearing all this stuff, but they're not hearing anything about redemption. There's a piece missing. And that's what the Lord's telling them. You've lost redemption. You've lost redemption. Well, what's she going to have to do? She's going to sweep the house and she's going to get some light. You've got to have light if you're going to see redemption, don't you? Where are you going to find it? You're going to find it in God's church. They're the pillar and ground of the truth. You're going to find it from that man faithful to God, called of God, equipped of God to preach the gospel to you. You're going to find that missing piece.

I told them the other night we had a member there, Actually, I've got a bunch of men with the last name Whitehead. Somebody said I ought to call it Whitehead Church. There's so many of them. Well, this man was a timber man. He cut timber for a living, and he had brain cancer. And he'd had it for a long time. On the second or third operation, it kind of got to the part of his brain that affected his speech. And he couldn't talk real clear. But he was coming, and he wasn't sure about what he was hearing yet. And he was sitting back there one night, and I was dealing with this subject of redemption. And all of a sudden, out of the quiet, I hear, that's right. That's right, he said. And later on, they asked him, said, well, Nathan, why did you holler? That's right. And he said, because of what he said. He said, it's right. He said, that's what's missing. That's what I didn't understand.

Oh, my. She had to find that coin. It was necessary. She couldn't let it go. She had nine more. Why didn't she just go on with nine? Can't do without that one. They'll take the redemption of Christ and they'll turn it every which way. But they won't have all ten pieces. They come up short. That's particular redemption. That's usually the piece they lose. What did you find when the Spirit swept your house and put some light in it. Redemption. That's what you found.

And then thirdly, the parable of the lost son. And I'm still dealing with this thing of receiving and eating Republicans and sinners. Why? Because they're lost sons. God's sons have always been his sons. He chose them in Christ, having, that's past, isn't it? Having predestinated them unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself. They've always been sons, but here they are and they're wasting.

You know, God accompanies his children with prevenient grace. I've heard Don preach on it so much. Prevenient grace, following you around. I should have been dead a hundred times. I don't know about you. I thought one night he actually let my car pass through another car. I was so close. I let go of the wheel and held my head. I knew I was going to hit that car, but I didn't. Right on down the road. Prevenient grace. In the wrong place at the wrong time, but God's watching over you.

And that was this man. He's out here in the hog pen. He's working for a pig farmer. You preaching in Armenian churches, you're working for a pig farmer. That's what you're doing. You're tending the swine. And he's sitting down there, and he's starved to death. And these hogs have got plenty. They're over there chomping on that corn. And he finally got where he could almost eat the husks, you know, let alone the corn. And he said, boy, things wasn't this way in my father's house. They wasn't that way there. Even the servants, they had bread enough and to spare. There was never a time when they weren't God's sons, but there was a time when they didn't appear like sons. A time when they didn't act like sons. And he made up this little speech, Come home to the Father, Father's looking for him. He never got to give his speech. Father saw him and took off running. Ran down, put his arms around him, began to kiss him. Turned around to those servants. They didn't know what to do. They'd never seen anything like this. They're just looking on. He said, go get the robe and put it on him. Get the ring. Let's get him bathed. Let's get him cleaned up. Put the ring on him. Anoint him with oil. We're going to have a celebration. We're going to celebrate. This my son was lost. Now he's found. Now he's found.

What about you and I? You know, I believe the father knew every minute of what that boy was doing. He had servants. He had ways to find out. I think he monitored everything that boy ever did. And he knew when that boy was coming. Do we know what Christ is doing with publicans and sinners? Do we know why, as saints, we're left in the wilderness? Have we found again the missing silver of redemption? Has the Father embraced you, called for a celebration? He said there's joy in heaven. That's what I titled the message. Joy in heaven.

You think about the angels. They don't know anything about redemption, just what they see. And they're amazed at it, amazed at it. If I'm reading the scriptures right, they wait for services like we're having tonight, and they fold their wings and listen intently. Isn't that what he said? We're gathered together in a company of innumerable angels, and they're listening, and they're looking, and they can't hardly believe their ears God's saving these publicans and sinners. He's saving these vile men. How can that be? How can a just and holy God do these things?

Satan never really did anything. He just, just the thought came into his mind and he felt like heaven, like lightning. Can you imagine these angels looking down here and here's sinners practicing sin and God's saving them. It must be an amazing thing to them.

I've heard a word most of my life, maybe a better way to describe it would be a place called the halfway house. We had one where my work was over in Lexington. They had a halfway house. But historically, it means a place between you and where you're going. Doesn't necessarily have to be halfway, but you can't go the whole way. You go to this place, wherever it is, on the way, and that's where you stay. The halfway house.

Chosen sinners are sojourners in this world. Those who believe are hoping for a better place. We were talking about houses a while ago, and I was thinking to myself, in my father's house, that's where I want to be. There are many mansions. He said, if it were not so, I would have told you. Oh, we're hoping for a better place. And we have expectations. And there's a place along the way, as best as I can read and the experience of my life tells me this road to this place is a long, narrow road. Long narrow road, untold hardships, dangers, potholes. As the sojourner goes down the road, he, by the grace of God, finds a halfway house. The sign in the front of it says the faith of God's elect. I've heard people say we're kept by the power of God through faith, ready to be revealed in the last day, and that's so. That's where we camp. We go in the halfway house. Where are we at tonight in the halfway house if we're here by faith, if we're believers? And oh, what a house it is. You enter into this house, and I see a big plaque that reads, Jesus Christ, author and finisher. What a house. As you enter into the house, you find it's fully staffed. Everything's in place. butlers and maids and cooks and managers and fully staffed. Beautiful, beautiful place. All kinds of pictures. I don't know how many times, but it's been a lot that I've used pictures. Pictures to preach Christ to men. There's pictures in this house, isn't there? Beautiful pictures. Great place to rest.

In the lobby, there's a fountain. Thirsty sinners can go there and take one drink from that fountain. It becomes a well within them, springing up into everlasting life. What a house. And the food. He said, I have food that you know not of. Roasted lamb. That's my favorite. And warmth, I've never experienced such warmth as I find in this house. And there's many travelers there, all on their way to the same place. Where are you going? Going to my father's house. Where are you going? I'm going to my father's house. Well, that's where I'm going. They all have like precious faith, don't they? They all talk about the same thing, like the same thing, look forward to the same thing, read about the same thing. What a house. Nobody arguing there, is there? No, they're all thrilled. It's a house of love and a house of mercy. It's a perfect house.

And it's a house of wisdom. In this house, you learn great and precious Mysteries, they're revealed. The treasure house of God is uncovered and you get to look on. The name of the house is Christ, isn't it? Did you know, I just heard Gabe preach a message and he said, just take that word faith, blank it out and put Christ in there. See how it reads. That's what faith's all about, isn't it? About a person, about Christ. You substitute his name in all the places where faith is used. Now, Christ is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. By Christ, the elders obtained a good report. Without Christ, it's impossible to please God. You can go on and on. The name of this house is Christ.

And you know who always finds the house? Publicans and sinners. Not many wise men there. Not many noble. Not many strong men, mighty men. Just publicans and sinners. Come unto me, he says, all ye that are weary and heavy laden, I'll give you rest. Come in here and rest. This is the place to rest. And all the weary sinners are kept in this house till the Lord himself sends that sweet chariot of death and takes them the rest of the way. These all died, listen, in faith. Died and halfway there. God sends his children, takes them away. Takes them to his father's house.

Oh, may the Lord himself be our teacher. Tell us why and teach us why these publicans and sinners are drawn unto him. How often do you read about it, huh? Somebody told me one time, said, you're always talking about wanting to be a, not minding being a sinner. I said, well, Christ came into this world to save sinners. That's my hope. Not that I want to sin, but I want to own what I am because that's who he came to save. And I tell you, you'll never learn anything till you bow to that.

Our Father, we thank you for this, another opportunity to stand before men. And if it be the last time, Lord, I pray that you'll use these words for thy name's honor and glory. Press these things upon our hearts. Teach us these things that we might walk in them and hope in them and rejoice in them. Let us rejoice when we hear of your sons and daughters being drawn to you. Let us rejoice with the angels in glory. One sinner, lost sinner, repents and the Lord saves his soul. Lord be with us for Christ's sake. Amen.