As the Lord may graciously help
me, I turn your prayerful attention to a verse you'll find in Luke
15, and taking verse 2 as our text this morning. And the Pharisees,
that's Luke 15 and verse 2. These are words spoken against
Jesus. by the Pharisees and the scribes. And the Pharisees and scribes
murmured, saying, This man receiveth sinners and eateth with them. Really the words from Luke 15
verse 2. This man receiveth sinners and
eateth with them. The enemies of the Lord Jesus
tried to put him down and tried to deride him and tried to slander
him. And yet it's amazing how a number
of statements that were made by Jesus' enemies had a glorious
truth about them. They were trying to say, if this
was really the Son of God, he wouldn't be receiving sinners,
he wouldn't be eating with them. But Jesus was the Son of God,
and he did receive sinners, and he did eat with them. This is
a glorious gospel truth, that we serve a God, you see, which
is able to condescend. His name shall be called Jesus,
for he shall save his people from their sins. Well, this chapter is an interesting
chapter, It's filled really with what we would normally refer
to as three different parables, and yet it's interesting, I tried
to remark on this at the beginning, but in verse 3 it says he spake
this parable unto them, almost in the singular, this parable,
and then goes on and speaks about the lost sheep, the lost coin,
and then the lost son. And so in one way I feel that
these, as we have it in scripture, these parables are in one sense
together. They are giving different aspects
of the same idea that there is joy in heaven over one sinner
that repenteth. There was joy of that lost sheep
that was found by the shepherd. There was joy in that house of
that woman who had lost her coin, who had found the coin, that
precious coin that she had lost. There was joy and rejoicing.
And it has this refrain, likewise I sound to you, this is verse
10 of chapter 15, likewise I sound to you there is joy in the presence
of the angels of God over one sinner. that repented. Let's
just stop there to think about that. You think of heaven, a
place of glory, a place where Christ is exhorted amongst the
angels and the four and twenty elders and the lamb in the midst
of the throne as it had been slain. And you think, well, I
would think naturally, well, what's going on down here below
on earth won't make much difference to what's going on in heaven.
But that's not what the Bible says. When there is a sinner
saved by grace, brought to confess their sins, brought to cleave
to Christ as their Saviour, there is joy in heaven. over that. Just as there was joy when you
lose something and you don't know where it is and it's precious
to you and then you find it and you're so thankful and so rejoicing
that you found it, this is the picture of those who are lost
and ruined in the fall that have been drawn and brought back into
the fold. And therefore we see here the
preciousness of God's people, don't we? He doesn't say, well,
I've got so many thousands, so many millions of people, one
more, one less, doesn't make much difference. No. Each one
is an individual. He is bought with a price. We
won't have in heaven a temple that's got one stone missing
in it. You see, we are to be the temple of the Lord. And there
won't be one stone in that temple in heaven missing. There won't
be one missing stone. You think of it, if you build
a building but one stone's missing, everybody would see, wouldn't
they? They'd say, well, there's a missing stone there, there's
a block missing. But you see, there won't be a missing stone.
All his people will be brought out of nature's darkness into
his marvellous light. This is the Lord's doing, it
is marvellous in our eyes. Then as we look at this chapter,
really when we look at the first parable, the first story of the
lost sheep, it was very much the emphasis is on the shepherd. The shepherd goes out to seek
that wandering sheep. We don't really read that the
sheep was particularly concerned or worried to come back. They
would have just kept on going, kept on going further and further
away. And yet the love of the shepherd,
the care of the shepherd, went after that wayward sheep. and
there's that rejoicing so really the emphasis is on the work of
God really as seeking. I've come to seek and to save
that which is lost. We have that in the next account
of this woman. We don't have the coin finding
itself do we? We don't have the coin getting
concerned that it's lost itself. We have a coin that is lost and
we have a woman that is diligent in seeking to find that coin
that is lost. And so we have again the concern
that God has for his people in finding them where they've gone
and where they've fallen and bringing them back. But you see
the third account which again it doesn't say this is a different
parable it just goes on. And this third account which
we usually refer to as the parable of the prodigal son. But really
there's two sons here and both sons need mercy when you really
think about it. Both sons come short in some
respects. And I guess when we think about
it in the kingdom of God we all come short in different ways.
We all come short and we each need the kindness and mercy and
loving kindness of our God to look upon us in mercy and to
forgive our iniquities. Well we have this account then
of the which I want to mainly dwell upon on this account of
the certain man with his two sons but here I want to see that
the emphasis more here is on once he goes away this son goes
away from his father really the father is left back in the home
and yes I'm sure the father prayed for this son that was wayward
but he didn't in a sense do anything physically to bring his son back
did he? The father was waiting for him to come back But the
father didn't do anything in that story in the sense to bring
him back other than no doubt pray for him. And so we see I
think in this account of something of the two sides. The first two
is focused on the sovereignty of God in gathering and finding
his sheep that is lost. The sheep that didn't seem to
realise it was lost. It wasn't really too bothered
that it was lost and yet it was. and the woman that had lost her
coin. The emphasis is on the woman
that seeks, it wasn't the coin that was doing the seeking, it
was the woman. And yet in the last account we
have very much more focuses on the internal thoughts and experience
of one that is returning. But don't forget that God was
involved in this, just as he was involved in the lost sheep,
just as he was involved in the coin that was lost. God was involved. And yet, this is the experience.
You see, we have the sovereignty of God and his dealings, but
we have our own experience. And we have to come to our thoughts
and to recognize that what we thought was a good way and we
thought was a great way forward, we suddenly realize or come to
realize, painfully to realize, that it's not as good as we thought
it was. Well, as we look at this account then, This man receiveth
sinners and eateth with them. This is the emphasis. This is
one who cares for these sinners, who brings them to himself. And
at the end of each of these stories, there's a rejoicing, as it were,
there's a banquet. There's a rejoicing with others
that there's been this return. Well in verse 11 it says and
a certain man had two sons. So if we look at this account
you can break it into batches of three verses really. And really
the first three verses of this account starting in verse 11
really tells us something of the recklessness of sin. The recklessness of sin. A certain
man had two sons. And the younger of them said
unto his father, Father, give me the portion of goods that
falleth to me. And he divided unto them his
living. And not many days after, the
younger son gathered all together and took his journey into a far
country. And there wasted his substance
with riotous living, the recklessness of sin. You see, we go against
our father. A father that is a good father.
A father that has set us his laws in his word. And we reject
them, we go our own way. We want to seek our own pleasures.
And you see, he didn't want his father's house. He didn't want
his father's rules. He didn't want his father's observation.
He went to a far country, where his father couldn't see him,
so he thought. He wanted to go away from God, you see. Let me just look in one of the
hymns that picks this up so preciously as well. There is a period known
to God when all his sheep, redeemed by blood, shall leave the hateful
ways of sin, turn to the fold, and enter in at peace with hell,
with God at war. They didn't want their father.
They didn't want his influence. In sin's dark maze, they wander
far, a far country, indulge their lusts, and still go on as far
from God as sheep can run, the recklessness of sin. But you
might say, but not everybody lives like that. Not everybody
lives a reckless life. They perhaps still come to the
house of God, they still toe the line. You see, what were we made for? We were made to glorify God and
to enjoy him forever. And really everything that comes
short of that is a reckless life. It's a life that was never intended
to be lived to that way. God never intended that we should
use our wisdom, our skill, and our strength, and all the things
that he's given us to glorify ourselves and to live selfish,
self-glorifying lives. Yes, they may be honorable in
the eyes of the world, but if they're not lived to God, if
they're not lived, he must increase and I must decrease. It is a
reckless life. You might say, but it's outwardly
good looking. It seems OK. But what's the end
going to be? What's the end of a life lived
unto ourselves? The loss, the loss, the pomp,
the pride of life. Moses saw it, the pleasures of
sin for a season. He saw they would come to an
end. Well these first three verses in this parable then a certain
man had two sons so he wanted to have that portion give me
the portion he just wanted it now and that's another nature
of sin you see sin it wants its portion now. I want to be gratified
now not waiting in God's time in God's way That's the whole
thing in our society with relationships outside of marriage. They want
gratification now and not waiting for God's time, God's place for
that intimacy inside the marriage bond and the chaos that that
brings. Give me the portion of goods
that falleth to me now. Give it now. I want it now. I
don't want to wait for God's time. And then, well, he got
given this by his father. Not many days after, the younger
son goes into that, took a journey into a far country, and there
wasted his substance with riotous living, a reckless life, not
giving glory to God. Well, in the next three verses,
we have the result of a reckless life. And this will be a result
of every life that does not be lived to the glory of God. This is not just for the people
that end up on the park bench. This is for all of us. We will
not live, we will not have the joys of a life that glorifies
God. We will not have the blessings
of heaven if we have lived an outwardly upright life and yet
it's not been motivated by the glory of God. Well, verse 14
says, and when he had spent all. You see, a life lived to ourselves
is spending, spending our resources, spending everything that God
has graciously given us on ourselves, for ourselves, for our glory,
for our pride. And it's absolutely empty. The
result of sin is poverty. And when he had spent all, there
arose a mighty famine in the land. You see, the judgments
of God, often associated with a famine, a mighty famine in
the land, and he began to be in want. And he went and joined
himself to a citizen of that country, and he sent him into
the fields to feed swine, pigs, of course, for Jews. And when
this was written, Jesus was speaking to the Jews when he was writing,
when he's speaking of this. And of course, Jews were not
allowed to eat pig's meat at that time. So it was an occupation
that wasn't particularly good, as it were, would have been forbidden
for a Jew to be involved with. And he sent him into the fields
to feed swine, and he would. Fain have filled his belly with
the husks that the swine did eat. and no man gave unto him. So he was looking for some way
of satisfying that emptiness that he felt, that want that
he came into, and he was trying to find anything and everything
that could possibly give him some sense of satisfaction. But
no man gave unto him. You young people, do take seriously
the word of God. These things are not out of date.
These things are not out of date. They're totally true today. You live a life unto yourself,
to the lust, the pomp, the pride of life. You will come into want. Maybe not in this life. You might
say, I know people who've lived a life like that. They've died
millionaires. They may have done. Where did
they go then? Where did they go then? They went to meet their
judge. And then all the things and all
the things that they gloried in will all come crashing Psalm
73 picks that up so graphically. When the psalmist was envious
at the prosperity of the wicked, it all came crashing down. And
he was able to say, until I went in the sanctuary of God, then
understood I their end. Surely thou did set them in slippery
places. Thou castest them down into destruction. How they brought into desolation,
as in a moment, they are utterly consumed with terrors. How many
of us want to change place with that person there? That's the
way of the reckless life lived unto ourselves, lived to satisfy
the lust, the pomp, the pride of life. Well, we have then the
result of sin, the poverty and the inability of this prodigal
son, this wayward son to be able to find any sustenance, anything
that would really give him nourishment in that far off country, far
away from his father's house. Well in the next three verses
we have really the consideration of this son and his repentance
and his resolution. And how when we come into difficulties,
come into trials, the psalmist said it was good that I'd been
afflicted, that I may learn thy law. And often it's when we come
into afflictions and difficulties, we come to realize the value
of the things that we despised. And you see this son despised
his father's house. He despised his father's rules.
He didn't want them. He thought he could enjoy life
far better without them. And there's something in each
of us that agrees. Something in each of us that
thinks, yeah, that's probably true. But you see, and he came
to himself. He said, how many hired servants
of my father have bread enough and to spare? And I perished
with hunger. He starts to see the bounty. of his father's house. What do I mean by that? That
the people of God have something eternal something substantial, not the
tinsel glories of this world, but something substantial, something
that will not pass away. And we start to come to appreciate
that which we totally despised and set to one side and said
it's naught, it's rubbish, it's not worth it, get me out of here. And he came to himself. And how,
what a blessing that is, and may you young people, May there
be this, that you have this in the experience that you came
to see, perhaps your school friends or those around you, they're
going on in their reckless way, but should you go with them? Should you partake of their parties,
of their relationships, of their wrong ways? Or will you see something that
the Father's house has something precious. I know it was a late
pastor, LSB Hyde. He used to tell the account in
his personal life when he was young. There was a time when
his mother and his aunt, I believe, went to some special services.
I think it was on a bank holiday. And he far would rather go and
watch the cricket on the village green. And he did. And he had
a really enjoyable day watching the cricket on the village green.
When he came back at the end of the day, and his mother and
his aunt came back as well, and they were in the house in the
evening, they were talking about what they had enjoyed in God's
house. And he suddenly came to realize
that though he'd had a really enjoyable day watching the cricket,
he realized they had something that he didn't have. They had
something substantial. And you see, that's something
of coming into our, and it came, and when he came to himself,
Oh, the world would put before you all the things it can give,
but ultimately it's empty. Ultimately it will not satisfy.
And when he came to himself, he said, how many hired servants
of my father have bread enough and to spare? And I perished
with hunger. The worst person, as it were,
the lowest servant in my father's house is still well provided
for. Is it something of what the psalmist said? I'd rather
be a door keeper in the house of my God than dwell in the tents
of wickedness. The lowest position as it were
in God's house but to be in God's house. Has the Lord opened your
eyes to see something of it? And then you see in verse 18
he has a resolution. He wouldn't just think these
thoughts and say well they're just interesting thoughts. He
was going to do something about it. And you see this is very
much from the side of of the prodigal son, what was going
through his mind and he no doubt thought that it was his thoughts
that were doing this and it was what he was doing and yet, remember
the two other parables that we have earlier, the lost sheep
and the lost coin, it was God that was overruling this I believe
and bringing this son to realise his need. It's the spirit's work
to convince of sin. You see, the sad thing is that
so often those that go and have their fling in this world, they
come to poverty or they come to need and they then turn to
drugs, to alcohol, to more and more things to try and fill up
the gap and they're running themselves further and further into destruction
and they never, as it were, wake up to the need that they need
to come and repent. But you see it's God's grace
that draws his people and opens their eyes to think. How many servants of my father
have bread enough and to spare and I perish with hunger. I will
arise and go to my father and I will say unto him father I
have sinned against heaven. and before there. You see this
is a confession of our sins. We spoke about it in Sunday School
this morning amongst the older children. The vital ingredient
of prayer, one of the vital ingredients is confession. And this one you
see, he confessed. This prodigal son, he was going
to confess. He had gone out of his father's
house and he was pleased to be rid of it. He just wanted the
assets from his father but he didn't want anything else. But I have sinned against heaven
and before thee. You see here he acknowledges
here, it's interesting here, that he doesn't just think that
he's sinned against his father, he actually realizes there's
an aspect that he's sinned against God. And you see the same with
Joseph's brothers, they came to realise that God, what is
this that God has done unto us? The realisation that it's not
just your father, it's not just your parents, it's God. You're
dealing with God here. I have sinned against heaven
and before thee. You see, but Satan would come
and say, well, if you sinned, well, you know, you sinned too
badly, you've gone too far, there's no hope now. But that's where
you see the gospel is for sinners. This man receiveth sinners, and
eateth with them. This is, there's mercy here.
And you see, the solemn thing is if when we come to realize
we've done that, it's wrong. It's terrible if we end up being
like Judas Iscariot. He realized he was wrong. He
realized he denied his Lord and Master, and he paid the money
back that he'd been given, the 30 pieces of silver, and went
out and hanged himself. What a solemnly sad end to Judas
Iscariot. But this man receiveth sinners
and eateth with them. I don't think perhaps we in our
culture we understand the significance of and eateth with them. I understand
in In their cultures, the Bible was written, the symbol of, you
wouldn't sit down and eat with somebody if you didn't, if you
were, have fellowship and agree with them. So the fact that Jesus
receives sinners and eats with them means that he's received
them, he's won with them, he's reconciled to them. Another word
that we had set before us this morning in the Sunday school,
reconciliation. Two parties that had been separated,
that had felt a separation from one another through sin. There
was a bringing them together. This man received his sinners
and eateth with them. Well, this parable is going to
show how this wayward son was going to be received. I have sinned against heaven
and before thee, and am no more worthy to be called thy son. This is a great ingredient in
true confession. It's our unworthiness. We don't
come and say, well, we have rights. No, we come as beggars. We come constantly on the mercy
of God. We come as beggars. I'm no more
worthy to be called thy son. Make me as one of thy hired servants.
I'm happy. If I'm not called a son, I realize
I'm not worthy of that position because I've acted so dishonorably. Just let me be in thy house.
Just let me be one of those hired servants. There's still bread
enough in the father's house, even if I'm just, as it were,
just one of the workers. That's what the prodigal son
thought. Well, verse 20, we have then
the return, the return. And he arose and came to his
father. You see, sadly, we can say, well,
I've upset this person so much, I'm never going to go back to
them again. Don't think like that. That's so wrong. God is
one that is merciful and the whole gospel is a gospel of reconciliation,
bringing together those that are far off and redeeming them. Well, here we read, and here,
rose and came to his father. But when he was yet a great way
off, his father saw him. So here we see that the heart
of the father was looking out for his returning son. He was
looking out, and I do believe that as we think of this spiritually,
he was involved in that repentance. Jesus gives us true repentance. He gives us the gift of repentance. You see, it's his work and yet
the The prodigal son felt that it
was just what was going on in his own heart, and it was going
on in his own heart, but there was one that was leading him,
revealing the value of the father's house. A day in thy courts is
better than a thousand. And the son said, and he arose
and came to his father, but when he was yet a great way off, his
father saw him and had compassion. and ran and fell on his neck
and kissed him. So here we have a picture of
this father being just so thankful that the son has returned. He's
not angry with his son. He's desiring him to return because
this, you see, this one has come to hate the sin himself. This
prodigal son now hates, sees the foolishness and the recklessness
of verses 12 and 13. He wished he'd have never done
it. And that's why, as it were, in
the preaching of the gospel, we seek to warn you young people. This boy came to absolutely hate
himself for what he'd done, realizing the foolishness of what he'd
done. And yet the world says, this is what is life about. Live
it. Enjoy it. pleasures of sin for a season
may we be like Moses who esteemed the reproach of Christ greater
riches than the treasures in Egypt the treasures in Egypt
we know the treasures today how much they had in those treasures
in Egypt but the approach of Christ Moses realized was greater
than that He had compassion on him and
ran and fell on his neck and kissed him. So this shows so
much mark. This was not a cold father that
said, well, you've come back, but I'm very cross with you.
It was love, you see. And yes, you see, this is a picture
of the kingdom of love. and this whole picture of the
rejoicing as the lost sheep comes and the rejoicing as the coin
is found. It's all one, it's all one parable. It's a rejoicing
over that which was lost that has been found. May we be able
to have that love and that concern for souls that rejoices in the
work of God. and we pray for it here amongst
the dear people here at Red Hill that we may have these times
of rejoicing as we see this my son was lost and he's found again. He was off, he was thinking that
this world had far more desirable things than ever we have in Hope
Chapel. Oh, to listen to the pleasures of sin for a season,
it has so much more attraction. It's come to say, I all declare,
that they declare they're nothing, and yet Christ is precious. And
may there be then these bleating of the lambs as they come and
confess their sins, but realize the love you see. There's love
here. And you see, the kingdom of God
is a kingdom of love. And the son said unto him, Father,
I have sinned against thee, heaven, and in thy sight. Acknowledgement
confession of his sin verse 21 and I'm no more worthy to put
you called by son and he had intended to say Make me as one
as they hired servants, but he never got as far as that Because
the father started immediately giving orders to those around
him, but the father said to his servants bring forth the best
robe and put it on him this one who had been feeding pigs no
doubt a number of us know what the smell of pigs are a pretty
potent smell those who work on the farm it's a strong strong
smell pigs but you see bring forth the best
robe and put it upon him the best robe he was being clothed
you see We think of that spiritually, you see, those who have gone
their own way, been reckless, been despising the things of
God and the people of God and the ways of God. No, we'll have
our fling in the world. We'll enjoy ourselves. We'll
show these poor people at Hope Chapel what real life is about.
And they despise, you see. In vain, the sons of wealth and
pride despise your lot, your hope deride. In vain they boast their little
stores, trifles of theirs. A kingdom yours, a kingdom of
immense delight. Bring forth the best robe and
put it on him. Put a ring on his hands and a
robe we think of Christ talks about often in the Bible, a robe
of righteousness. Oh, this man had no righteousness,
did he? All he could feel is that he
was unworthy and unrighteous. But yes, you see, this son was
going to be made beautiful. That robe you see would have
covered all the filth, wouldn't it? And he would have looked
beautiful as it were, as you saw him in that robe. And that's
how God's people are in Christ. And in Christ, they're perfect. All their sin, all their defilement
is covered. Cover my defenceless head with
the shadow of thy wings. Bring forth the best robe and
put it on him. Put a ring on his hand. What
does a ring mean? We think of that in the marriage
ceremony. The man and the woman give each other a ring. And the
ring denotes an unchanging love. A ring has no beginning and no
end, does it? It goes just round and it doesn't
have a start and an end. And of course, natural love does
have a start. But the love of Christ is the
true ring that has no beginning and no end. Our marriage rings,
they did have a beginning. We didn't know the person when
we were first born, perhaps. But you see, the love of Christ
is a love that chose them in eternity past. And you see here
we have, I believe in this chapter, the two sides, the love of God
from eternity past seeking out his people, but the individual
experience of God's people. This son that was wayward and
far off, he said, well he didn't shrug his shoulders and say,
well if I will be saved, I will be saved, and if I won't be saved,
I'll stay where I am. He came to his senses and he
realized his need and he fled for refuge. And he asked for
mercy the way back. That was his experience of it.
But then how was it from God's side? He had plucked him as a
brand from the burning. He caused him to hear his voice. He caused him to hate sin. Caused
him to hate the things he once loved and to love the things
that he once hated. It's God's work. And may that
be known amongst our dear people here. The work of God. Consider
the work of God. That's what we want to do. This
man receiveth sinners and eateth with them. the best robe and
put it on him, the ring on his hand of his unchanging love,
the father's love, but he said, I don't deserve it. And you see,
we're being heavenless people that never deserve what we've
received. We are going to be eternal debtors
to God's mercy and eternal recipients of his love. Shoes on his feet. This time of the year, I understand
some of you went to the beach yesterday. You try running on
those stones fast when they're hot and difficult. You can run
so much quicker, can't you, if you've got shoes on. If you've
got bare feet over cobbled stones, it's very hard to run. So he
put shoes on his feet. He was going to have to walk
in the ways of righteousness. He was going to need those shoes
that he may be able to walk in God's ways. Bring hither the
fatted calf, and kill it, and let us eat, and be married."
I don't know whether there's an illusion here, but we think
of what do God's people delight in? And it's something to be
the death of the lamb, isn't it? And they're to eat of his
merits. And they're to drink, as it were,
of that which comes from his death. And so the people of God
delight, you see, in that one that has stood in their place,
the Lord Jesus Christ, who is the one that brings a way back
to God of these prodigals. These are far off, but this parable
shows so much of the love of the Father. But you see, when
we look at the whole plan of salvation we see the faithfulness
of the father that he did not sidestep the law to embrace this
son he did not sidestep the law to bring his people back to him
in heaven he satisfied the law he honored the law he paid the
price so that these people in heaven are forever justified
justified Nobody could come, you see, with the people of God
and say, in heaven, you shouldn't be here because you're a sinner.
They say, yes, that's true, I was a sinner, but the debt has been
paid. The debt has been paid. And God
is not unrighteous. He will not pay the debt and
then ask for it again, like some people might take the debt and
then come and ask for it again. God does not do that. He's paid
the debt, he's satisfied. For this my son was dead. This
is how it's described. This person going out enjoying
the pleasures of sin for a season is described as dead. In trespasses
and in sins. Dead to the value of the things
of God. Dead to the beauty of the people
of God in Christ. For this my son was dead. But
he's alive again, the work of God. Who's brought him back as
a lost sheep, as a lost coin. For this my son was dead and
he is alive again. He was lost and is found. And they began to be married. There's something you see to
be rejoicing. We have reason to rejoice and
when there is that baptising of services and people come and
confess what the Lord has done for their souls, it's a time
of true rejoicing, surely. This my son was dead and he is
alive again. He was dead to the power of sin,
dead to all the things of God that were so precious. But now
he's alive. And they began to be merry. And we have a very sad part to
this story. Now his eldest son was in the
field and he came and drew nigh to his house and he heard the
music and the dancing and he was upset, you see. eldest son,
and how we need to be so careful. Those of us that perhaps have
walked close to the Lord and have borne the heat and burden
of the day, that we can easily look at others and think, oh
well, they haven't done, they've shirked their responsibility,
they've gone to the far country and now they've come back and
now they seem to be getting on better than we are. The reality
is everyone that's in the Father's house is unworthy of that house. And yes, the son that ran away
was unworthy of the father's love, wasn't he? But when we
look at the other son, I think he was unworthy of the father's
love too. And he did mercy in a different way than the first
son. So you see, we each need to live upon the bounty and the
mercy of God. In Luke 17 and verse 10, it says,
these words, so likewise when ye shall have done all these
things which are commanded you, say, We are unprofitable servants,
we have done that which was our duty to do. In other words, we
can never say we've earned heaven. We never can earn heaven by our
own righteousness. We're always on the mercy of
God. And so those that perhaps have
been blessed with being in God's house for many years and enjoying
the things of God for many years, they don't then become worthy
in themselves. They're always debtors. They're
always living upon the bounty of their God. Nobody can come
and say, well, you see, I've been a Christian for 80 years. I'm worthy in heaven. No. You've
been a Christian for 80 years. It's of great mercy you have
been. But it doesn't mean you've earned a place in heaven. You're
unworthy. And we always remain unworthy.
And yet, God has put that robe of righteousness round his people,
so all their foulness and all their vileness is covered. Well,
may the Lord bless us then with an understanding of this word,
this man receive his sinners and eateth with them. The scribes,
the Pharisees and the scribes sought to deride Jesus with these
words. They sought to mock him with
these words. But these words are gloriously,
gloriously true. And everyone in heaven will find
that they're only there because of the truth of this word. If
Christ did not receive sinners, heaven would be empty as far
as the human race is concerned, apart from the Lord Jesus Christ.
We would be empty, we're all outside of it. This man receiveth
sinners and eateth with them. Has fellowship with them. And
of course when we think of this spiritually, he gives us his
body and his blood. Thinking of that feasting in
the Lord's Supper. He, do this in remembrance of
me. You're to eat, you're to partake.
This man receiveth sinners and eateth with them. We think that
being a sinner, you see, means that we should be separated from
him. But he came to seek and save sinners. Not that he sidesteps
our sin and says it doesn't matter. He's dealt with it. He's paid
the price. And therefore that robe of righteousness
he put on is His imputed righteousness. He's taken from us all our stench
and put it upon Himself and therefore He was made sin for us who knew
no sin. This man receiveth sinners and
eateth with them. May this man, the God-man, the
Lord Jesus Christ, be precious in our eyes. Amen.