Good evening, everyone. It's
wonderful to see you. It truly is. Coming up here, I told Hannah
it feels like it's been forever since I went somewhere to preach.
I haven't gone anywhere. And it's wonderful to see brethren
wherever they may be. So comforting to see those who
have a heart for Christ. God has given us all one thing
in common. And I pray we might gather around
Him tonight. I thank you, Brother Clay, for
inviting me. This is a real honor. And I pray
the Lord will meet with us. Turn with me, if you would, to
Luke chapter 15. Luke chapter 15, we're all here for the purpose of gathering
around the gospel. That's why we're here. You know, we come together and
run in and lives are busy and things are crazy and our minds
are scattered and it seems like a tropical storm
is taking place, doesn't it? But we're here right now to gather
around the gospel. No matter what is going on outside
of this moment, we're here to gather around the gospel. As
I started making my preparations for the weekend, that's what
was going through my mind. As always, we need the gospel. That's what we need. That's what
we're here for. The gospel. We're here for the
gospel. And what that means is, to say
we're here for the gospel, what that means is, we're here for
some good news. That's what it means. The word gospel means glad tidings. If a man is going to preach the
gospel, he's going to preach good news. Not gloom and doom. Good news. Well, honestly, honestly,
this is the best news I have ever heard in my life. I mean
this. I'm so thankful the Lord has
called me to preach and allowed me to tell this. This right here,
sincerely, is the greatest news I've ever told in my life. Look
at Luke 15, the middle of verse 2. It says, this man, receiveth
sinners. This man receiveth sinners. May God open our hearts to this
tonight. Really, may God draw us near. May He lay hold of us, and we
sing a song sometimes, when He reached down His hand for me,
when He reached way down for me. May He reach down and grab
our hearts, and cause us to truly enter into
Him, and enter into His Word to us. Who He is. Who He is. What He's done for
us. We take for granted what He's
done for us, don't we? You know, our Lord said, you
go tell everybody. He told that Gadarean lunatic. He wanted to follow him, and
He said, no, I want you to go home to your family and your
friends, and you tell all of them how great things the Lord
has done for you. May God cause us to enter into
who He really is, and what He's done for us, and what He has
to say to us. I'm so thankful for the fact
that the Lord's Word is so clear and so definite. It's clear and
definite if He gives us eyes to see it. He has to give eyes
to see it. If He gives an ear to hear it,
and if He gives a heart to believe it, then His Word is so easy
to understand. His words are so soothing to
a soul. So restful, so peaceful, we get
so torn up and then we hear His voice in His Word. And it just
calms us down. Our Lord can do so much for us
with just a few words. This man receiveth sinners. That's all we need to hear. That's
all we need to hear. You want to go home? Done. See y'all tomorrow. Four words, just four words.
You know the gospel can be preached in one word, Christ. He's the gospel. Here's a gospel
message in two words, in Christ. What is salvation? In Christ. Being in Christ. Being in found...
Here's another gospel message in two words. But God. You know what you are and you
know what I am? But God. Here's the gospel in
three words. It is finished. No work to do. You know, don't
you feel so sorry for people who have to sit there and listen
to a man stand up here in his self-righteousness and in his
arrogance saying, now you better start! And you better stop. Nothing to do. It's finished. Christ finished the work. He finished the work of salvation. The work His Father sent Him
to do. He finished it on the cross.
And right here, this is the happy news in four glorious words,
this man receiveth sinners. Now the message tonight is four
words, and from these four words I have three points. The first
point is, this man receiveth sinners. Speaking of the Lord
Jesus Christ. This text is speaking of the
Lord Jesus Christ. This man. Let's take a minute
and look at this man. This man right here. Let's look
at who he is. Let's look at who He really is. You know how you think you know
somebody until you get to know them. You find out who they really
are. Well, let's see if we can find
out who this really is. Who exactly this verse is speaking
of? Who is this man, Jesus Christ,
Jesus of Nazareth? Many people know who He is. But they don't know who He is. Most everybody knows who He is. But only those that God reveals
it to them know who He is. Who is He? This One who came.
This One who was born of a virgin. Who is He? Let's read a little
bit about Him and see. Turn with me if you would to
Luke 24. Luke 24 verse 25, Then He said unto them, O fools
and slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken,
ought not Christ to have suffered these things? Speaking of His
sufferings on the cross, the sufferings of His sacrifice,
the sufferings of our redemption, Redemption, total redemption.
You know, His people lost it, ruined it. Total redemption. Total redemption of His people.
He said, verse 26, Ought not Christ to have suffered these
things, and to enter into His glory, and beginning at Moses,
That means Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, and Deuteronomy. The
first five books of the Bible. Beginning at Moses, and all the
prophets, he expounded unto them in all the scriptures the things
concerning himself. Don't you love that? Don't you absolutely love that?
Beginning at Moses, and all the prophets, He expounded to them
the things concerning Himself. Look with me at verse 44. And
He said unto them, These are the words which I spake unto
you while I was yet with you, that all things must be fulfilled
which were written in the law of Moses, and in the prophets,
and in the Psalms concerning Me. concerning me. He said it was all concerning
me. He said everything that was written
concerning the God of the Old Testament. Think about the God of the Old
Testament. The great I Am. Jehovah. He said Moses was writing about
me. He wrote of me. Moses, David,
the prophets, all of them wrote of me. All of the dealings of
God with Israel, as you go through those Old Testament stories,
and all of His dealings with Israel, He said, that was me. You know, God met with Moses
in the burning bush. Christ said, that was me. I was
in that bush. That was me. Look at John 1 verse
1. It says, In the beginning was
the Word. That's speaking of Christ. Verse
14 says, The Word was made flesh and dwelt among us. Speaking
of Christ. Verse 1 says, In the beginning
was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. God. That's who this man is.
He's God. When we are speaking of this
man, we are speaking of God. Look at verse 3, it says, All
things were made by Him, and without Him was not anything
made that was made. Who did all of this creating?
Who spoke everything into existence? Who formed man from the dust
of the ground? Jesus Christ did. The Lord Jesus Christ did. Most
people believe He is just the Son of the Old Testament God. Well, you have God and then He's
God's Son. Good man. He can tell you how
to get there. That's what most people believe.
Most people believe that He is just the Son of the God who made
everything and owns everything and controls everything, but
that's not so. That's not who this man is. He's
not just the Son of the Almighty One. He's not just the Son of
the Judge who's sitting on the throne. He's the very I am God
Jehovah of the Old Testament. He said, Moses was writing about
me. They were all writing about me.
Many people believe that he's a frustrated middle man. That's what they think of him.
Ah, the devil keeps messing everything up and you won't believe him
and you won't let him and that's what they think he is. A frustrated,
very frustrated middle man. begging and pleading with God
and begging and pleading with men, trying to mediate between
the two of them. Many people see Him to be a good
luck charm. I keep Him in my back pocket.
I pull Him out when I need Him. Yeah, when I stand, I'm going
to do some name dropping on the Day of Judgment as I'm standing,
but I'm going to bring His name up. That's not who this man is. That's
not who He is at all. Look with me at 2 Corinthians
5. 2 Corinthians 5 verse 8 says, We are confident, I say, and
willing rather to be absent from the body and to be present with
the Lord. Wherefore we labor that whether
present or absent we may be accepted of Him. For we must all appear
before the judgment seat of Christ." The judgment seat of Christ. Why must we all stand before
the judgment seat of Christ? It's because all judgment has
been placed in His hands. The Father said, all judgment,
John 5, all judgment has been placed into the hands of Jesus
Christ, the Son. That's who this man is. That's
who He is. Look with me if you would at
Colossians chapter 1. Colossians 1 verse 16, this is
speaking of Christ, it says, For by Him were all things created
that are in heaven and that are in earth, visible and invisible,
whether they be thrones or dominions or principalities or powers,
all things were created by Him and for Him. And He is before
all things, and by Him all things consist, And He is the head of
the body, the church, who is the beginning, the firstborn
from the dead, that in all things He might have the preeminence."
Does that sound like the description of a person who is trying to
do something? He's trying. Boy, he's trying. As long as other men and women
will allow him to do it, he's trying. Does that sound like
a A weak man. Does that sound like a weak man? Does that sound like someone
who's standing at people's hearts door just knocking? Absolutely not. This man is the
God of all heaven and earth. That's who this man is. He is
the God of all heaven and earth. Without controversy, the scripture
says. Great is the mystery of godliness. God was manifest in the flesh. The God. There is only one God. God was manifest in the flesh. The one who sits on the throne
reigning over everything and ruling over everything and everyone. That's who this man is. That's who this man is. He is
the King of Kings. And he is the Lord of Lords. God with us. God with us. That's who this man is. He's
the one who has the ability and the right, the ability and the
right to kill, And make alive? And wound? If He wants to wound me, He has
the right to do that. And heal? This man is the one who does
all things. All things. He can do anything
He is pleased to do. David said, our God's in the
heavens doing whatever He pleases. He does whatever He's pleased
to do. This man is able to do anything He pleases to do. That's the truth. We talk about
preaching the truth to men and women. We're going to preach
the truth to men and women. Well, here it is. Jesus Christ
is God Almighty and He can do whatever He wants to do. That's
the truth. He can do anything it pleases Him to do. Now here's
the gospel. This is what it pleased Him to
do. He can do anything He pleases. Alright, here's the good news.
This is what it pleased Him to do. Look with me back at Luke
chapter 15. The middle of verse 2 says, This
man receiveth. This man receives. In John 1, it says that he came
unto his own, and his own received him not. Wouldn't receive him. Isaiah 53 says, he was despised
and rejected. of men. He was accused, lied
on. He was tortured. He was mocked. He was humiliated. And he had every right to do
the same thing. He had every right, an eye for
an eye. He had every right to do the
same thing. this text right here, Luke 15 verse 2, it would have
been just, and it would have been holy, and it would have
been right, had it said, this man rejects. It would have been just, right,
holy. Had it said, this man tortures. It would have been good and right
and holy had it said, this man humiliates. But amazing grace, we sing amazing
grace. That's not what it says. It says
this man receiveth. This man allows. This man accepts. This man shows hospitality too. That's what received means. This
man welcomes in right now. Right now. Every soul that the
Father draws to Him. We talk about coming to Christ.
No man can come to Christ except the Father which hath sent Christ
draw that man or woman. But every soul that the Father
draws to Him, He does this. He has done this. He is doing
this. And He will do this. Right now. Right now. It doesn't say, and
I'm so glad it doesn't say, this man received. Past tense. There was a time
when this man would receive. There was a time. This man used
to receive. It doesn't say that. It says,
this man receiveth. Receives. Right now. Right now. Right here. Receiveth
means two things. Number one, it means still. He still receives. Right now. And number two, it
means Continually. Continually. He receiveth and
he receiveth and he receiveth over and over and over again. His receiving is not a one-time
receiving. Aren't you so glad for that?
People think they get saved, now all my troubles are over,
I'll never sin again. Thank God it's not a three strikes
and you're out. This man receiveth, same person,
and receiveth, and receiveth, and receiveth, come here, come
here. Me and you are so prone to wander. Lord, we feel it. We are by nature, by character,
prone to leave the God we love. Every time though, with cords
of love, every time, He draws us and this is what He says,
I'll receive you again. In spite of you, In spite of
what you do continually, in spite of what you continually are,
I'll receive you again to myself. This man receiveth sinners. He receives Sinners. Why does this man receive sinners? We just said this is the God
of all heaven and earth. This is the judge that sits on
the throne. This is the holy one who must
do right and said he will by no means clear the guilty. So
why does this man receive sinners? It's because that's who his father
gave to him. That's who his father chose,
selected, and handed to him. He said, if you ask of me, I'll
give you the heathen for your inheritance. Just think about
what we get, Ephesians 1 talks about our inheritance. We're
his inheritance. That's who His Father gave to
Him. That's who His Father sent Him for. Call His name Jesus
because He's going to save His people from their sins. It's what He came to do. He came
to save. Sinners is who He came to live
for. Do you ever get frustrated with
yourself because life, you just keep messing it up? Every soul in Christ gets His
life. They get the record of His life.
If you think about everything He did, the Scripture says He
went about doing good. And in that substitution that
we get with Him, He took our life, and our record, and our
deeds, and our sin. He made Himself to be our sin,
who knew no sin, so that we could be the righteousness of God in
Him. And everything that He went about
doing, all that good is handed to us. That's our record. Now
that's our life. And we go stand before God, the
judgment throne. And He says, well done. Well
done. Perfect. And it's all because
Christ came for some sinners that the Father chose to give
to Him. And God the Father gave Christ our life. And Acts chapter
8 says, in his humiliation, he stood there just so humiliated,
just humiliated before his father, bearing our sins. And the father
looked at him and said, you're going to have to die for that.
God killed him. Sinners is who He came to live
for. Sinners is who He came to die
for. Sinners is who He shed His blood
for. He said, for this cause came
I into the world. And every person that He did
this for, He didn't do it for everybody, but every person that
He did this for is going to know beyond any shadow of a doubt
that He did it for me. I used to wonder, I used to hear
this, I sat under this message all my life, and I used to hear
that God had an elect people. And I believed it. But I used
to wonder, how can I know if I'm one of them? Here's how. If you want to know you're one
of them. Every soul Christ did this for will absolutely, beyond
any shadow of a doubt, know He did it for them, because God's
Holy Spirit will convince that soul, I'm a sinner. That's how you'll know. Sinners
are hard to find. There's not a soul on earth who's
not one. But men and women don't see themselves
to be one. Oh, I have committed a few sins,
but I'm not a sinner. God's people, every one of them
cry, God, be merciful to me. I'm the sinner. I'm the sinner. God will convince them. Everything
that goes through my mind is wicked. Everything that goes
through my heart is rebellion. Everything my hand finds to do,
I do it with all my might and every time it's sin. I'm a sinner. I'm a sinner. This man can do anything he wants
to do. And to every soul that God reveals
his or her sin to that soul, the Spirit will come to that
person and will, through the Word and through the preaching,
the Spirit will whisper to that person's heart, this man can
do anything he wants to do. And this is what he said he wants
to do. He wants to save sinners. He wants to show mercy. This
is His delight. He can do anything He wants to
do. And His delight is to show mercy to sinners like us. That is such great hope to me. That is just such comfort to
me. Such assurance to me. Because
I know that's what I am. That's the only thing I can say
about myself in absolute confidence. I'm a sinner. I'm a sinner. I'm a genuine, certified, through
and through sinner. That's what I am. When God reveals
sin to a person, sometimes, and I believe it's often occurrence,
fairly common, but sometimes the person who has this revealed
to him thinks that he can't or he shouldn't come to this man. I don't think I should. The reason
is because he thinks he's too great of a sinner. God will reveal sin to all of
His people, and when He does, He truly reveals it. He doesn't
just give a knowledge of it, and He doesn't just give faith
to believe it. I mean, buddy, He reveals sin,
and sometimes, It causes a man or a woman to say, I don't even
think I should come to Him. I don't think I can go to Him.
This is too much sin. I've gone too far. I've gone
past the point of Him receiving me. It's too much. I'm just too
sinful. Too sinful to be received. Based on who Christ is. Based
on who this man is. Based on what he accomplished. Based on who he says he accomplished
it for. Based on the riches of his grace
and the riches of his mercy. Saying that I'm too sinful to
be received, that's like saying, I'm just not going to take my
money to the bank. It's just too much money. I've just made too much money.
I'm ashamed to bring it. I don't even think they'd receive
it. Try them and see. Just try them and see. Just bring
it. Just see if they don't welcome you in. You've seen these signs on pawn
shops and jewelry stores and places like that. They say, we
buy gold. You go get your jewelry, your
gold jewelry, and you take it down to them and they test it
to see how pure it is. And then they weigh it. If it is pure gold, they'll buy
it from you. But if it's not pure gold, I
had a ring that my grandfather gave to my dad And my dad gave
it to me. And I thought it had a big, huge
ruby in it. I thought I was going to pay
my house off with it. That's what I thought. And I protected
that thing. Dad gave it to me. And man, I
hid it almost from myself. I thought, I don't want anybody
seeing this thing. And I took it down to get it.
appraised, you know, somebody I trusted, somebody we really
know, and I trusted him. And he said, buddy, it is genuine
man-made stone, synthetic stone. Hey, buddy, you got a genuine
synthetic stone right there. I walked out with my ring, threw
it on the shelf, said, thanks, Granddad. If that gold, they say we buy
gold, if that gold is not pure gold, they won't receive it.
and you'll walk away empty handed like I did. If it's not real,
you'll walk away empty handed like I did. If it's not real,
what this means is the more confident, when you go to those places,
we buy gold, the more confident you are that you have pure gold,
the more assurance that ought to give you to bring it to them. Because that's what they said
they received. They said, we receive gold. If you have gold, bring it to
us and we'll receive it. Our Lord has said He receives
sinners. The more confident you are of
the fact that you are a sinner, the more assurance that I'll
give you. that you'll be received. I talk
to so many people and they just say, I'm just such a sinner.
I just don't know why He'd have mercy on me. I don't know why.
The more confident you are of the fact that you're a sinner,
the more assurance that ought to give you that you'll be received. If you are convinced, and I'm
being serious here, if you are convinced that you are only part
sinner, just a little bit sinner, then
I would not come to this man because you won't be received. There is no promise and no word
of hope that he receives anyone who is not a genuine, certified,
through and through sinner. But if you are, if you are, if
you're positive, if you're positive that not only are you a sinner,
but you are a sinner in need of mercy. I need God to have
mercy on me and forgive me. Not just for what I've done,
but for what I am. If you're positive that you need
mercy, and that you're in need of a Savior, then God has revealed
that to you. You didn't come up on that on
your own. And it's the evidence of the
fact that you belong to Him. It's the evidence of the fact
that He is drawing you. That's how He draws His people
to Himself. He shows them their need. He
shows them where the need can be met. And it's the evidence of the
fact that you can come running. just come running to Him. If you need to be received, and
if you can only be received just as you are, we sing that song,
just as I am, without one plea, that means one thing to say for
myself, just as I am, without one plea, but that Thy blood
was shed for me, and that Thou bidst me come to Thee, Lamb of
God, I'm coming. If that's you, than come running
to Him, because this man receives sinners. He said, All that the
Father giveth me shall come to me, and him that cometh to me
I will in no wise cast out. I love that. I love that. Not only will He not cast us
out, He said there will be no reason. I will in no wise. Now
with all of that being said, here's the question of all questions,
alright? Here's the question of all questions.
Let's close the message with this question. Are you a sinner? Am I a sinner, really? Are we really sinners? If we
are, then sinners, the Lord Jesus will receive. Sound this word
of grace, this free gift, that's what grace means, it's a free
gift. Sound this word of grace to all who the heavenly pathway
leave. All who linger. All who fall. Sing it over. And over again,
Christ receiveth sinful men. Make the message clear and plain. Christ receiveth sinful men. Oh, let's all cry, Lord, receive
me. Receive me, even me, even me. Let that blessing fall on me.
May it be so. All right, Brother Clay, thank
you.