Tom James is facing a possibility of an operation on his foot, possible removal. So remember him in your prayers. The place has gotten worse on its heels. And also, I got a phone last night with David Parks, who's the dad of Bruce Parks' brother, who's also a pastor in Ohio, has advanced. Prostate cancer, so I don't know whether it's a pesticide or what. I don't know. I remember David Parks in your prayer. Yes? Put Eddie Crowe on the list. He's in Ashland Hospital. I don't know what the problem is. Eddie Crowe? Eddie Crowe. I don't know what the problem is. Junior or senior? Huh? Junior or senior? Senior. I remember the others.

We begin our worship service this morning with hymn number 42, All Hail the Power of Jesus' Name. All hail the power of Jesus' name. Lord of all. Bring forth the royal ironing and crown him Lord of all. Bring forth the royal ironing and crown him Lord of all. For John's seed of Israel's grace, He rests on from the fall. Hail Him who saved you by His grace, And crowned you Lord of all! Hail Him who saved you by His grace, Lord of all.

Let it rain, let it rain, let it rain dry on this terrestrial wall. To Thee, O majesty of strength and gravity, Lord, ♪ To him, oh, let us feel your strife ♪ ♪ And crown him Lord of all ♪ ♪ For that with yonder sacred throne ♪ ♪ We at his bequeathed fall ♪ ♪ We'll join the everlasting truth ♪ We'll join the everlasting song and bow with you, Lord of all.

After Scripture reading and prayer, we're singing number 62. Chapter of the Bible is told in maybe the 11th chapter. A son of man came eating and drinking, and they say, behold a gluttonous and a wine giver, a friend of publicans and sinners. The wisdom is justified of our children.

Let us pray. Our Father in heaven, we praise you and thank you for mercy and grace for the ruined sinners that you have chosen in the foundation of the world. We thank you, Father. that you shed your grace and mercy upon them. They deserved eternal punishment. But your dear son came into this world and died in their womb instead, paid their sin, secured their salvation, and we praise you for that. We thank you that you didn't leave nothing up to us, because we know, as you have made us to see what we are, that we could do nothing that would merit any recognition from you. We are thankful that you see your people in Jesus Christ as holy, and pure, and sanctified, and righteous, and redeemed. Father, you're worthy of praise, and honor, and glory.

We pray also, Father, for those who are sick, going through trials, who have been added to the prayer list, We ask the Lord your help for them. We know, Father, that troubles attend every person that faces life on this earth. We know that man is, for a few days, in full of trouble. We know that for your children, that troubles come their way for the singular purpose of bringing you to the feet of Jesus Christ.

And we'll see one day that troubles weren't troubles at all, but it was you manipulating history for the good of your people and for the glory of your name's sake. Help us this day to worship you as we hear the preaching as we take the table of the Lord. Had you not entered into our corrupt career and turned us from our idols to serve the living God, we would have remained in sin. The only thing that kept us out of eternal perdition was your grace and your mercy. Help us now to worship you.

In Christ's name, amen. Round yon pinnock round, the land of holly snow, Our Calvary men were crowned, our music burning so. I'll love Him who died for me, and in heaven I shall match His feet with all eternity. I am the Lord of love, behold His angelic sight, No angel in the sky can fully bear that sight, but now her face is white as snow. I'm To Thee be endless praise We now award you in this age of glory. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen.

Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen to you, to do so with joy and thanksgiving in our hearts. We pray in Christ's name, amen. so so so so I'd like your attention back to Matthew chapter 11.

Our Lord here is quoting in verse 19 the words of the Pharisees and the Jews gathered about him, who had listened to John the Baptist preach and listened to him preach, and had not been pleased with either one, because John the Baptist would not socialize with them.

He came out of the wilderness, preached, baptized who wanted to be baptized way back in the wilderness. They said he hath a devil. And because Christ did sit down with him and have some wine and some fellowship and eat together, they said he's a gluttonous and a wine-bibber.

It's important to note that these two characterized people here in this passage of scripture, our Lord says in the latter part of verse 25 through 27, that the Lord has hid the gospel from these people. They are the wise and the prudent. And he has hid the gospel from them and has not revealed it to them because it's his good pleasure to not only reveal the gospel, That was the promise given to Isaiah in Isaiah chapter 6. You preach to them, make their eyes fat, make them feel good, make them have a good time, but close their eyes and stop their ears because I'm not going to convert them. This is what it said about these characters.

Our Lord is speaking about the infantile and impish and trite religionists who have rejected the message of both He and John the Baptist. These words were directed at the message and manner and the perceived character of the Lord Jesus Christ by those who were hearing him.

These who despised him and wanted him dead said his preaching was piping because he did not come with the scathing words of John but spoke of the hope and peace wrought by the gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ. To these self-righteous men Christ's message was shallow and had a little more substance than a trite ditty played on a flute. That's what a piping is. These religious toddlers refused to dance to what they perceived as piping and indeed chose to defame the one, the very one who was promised in Isaiah 61. bruised and preaching the gospel of the poor and proclaiming the acceptable year of the Lord.

As often is the case, the things spoken by the enemies of Christ are often precisely the very things that end up glorifying Christ. Religion said of Him that He was Joseph's son, and what they were saying, He's not God, He's one of us. to a sinner's ears, although Jesus Christ was a man, fully God and fully man, but he was a man with all the troubles of a man. Religion said that he had Beelzebub, or the devil, saying that he was demon-possessed. The word spoken in hatred by his enemies is good news to the sinner, because he does have Beelzebub.

He has him bound, and on a chain, and allows him only to do good for the elect. He is one of those angels spoken of in Hebrews chapter 1 and verse 13, who are all ministering spirits to those that shall be heirs of salvation. As he hung on a cross, his enemies looked at him and said, he saved others.

He cannot save himself. They were mocking him. They sought to mock him because he claimed to be the Messiah that was suffering the death of a criminal. These words of the resounding clarion of substitution, the trumpet of jubilee, if he is to save sinners like me, he cannot save himself from the cross, from the punishment and the death that is due me.

Our Lord, came to die as our substitute, give his life a ransom for many. He was numbered with the transgressors, gave his soul for sinners. In our text, he would not sound a horn and call men to watch him fast, which these men did for public recognition, so they called him a glutton. He did not bend to their social taboos, religious regional sanctification. So they call him a wine-driver, which is a wine-hollerer, a besotted drunk.

In our text, the enemies of Christ who are seeking to defame him speak some of the sweetest language that has ever fell upon the ruined, wretched sinner on the face of this earth. For they said of him, he's a friend of publicans, and sinners, a friend of publicans and sinners. Behold a man, that's how they say it, behold a man who's a friend of publicans and sinners.

Sinners and publicans are categorized as the worst of the bunch. They were sinners because they didn't adhere to and follow the regulations and rules and traditions of religion. And the publicans was a man who robbed his own people with tax money. It's important to remember that these words spoken in hatred reflect the heartfelt ignorance of religion. This man, behold a man who's a friend of publicans and sinners.

Religion has a strong opinion of sinners. Their opinion is that a sinner is someone who hasn't pulled himself up by the bootstraps. hasn't straightened out his life, hasn't got right with God, and has quit his sinning. Religion is for good people. These words spoken in hatred of Christ are honey from the rock for poor, wretched, lost souls. Salvation is only for sinners.

Every word of this farisical slam is music to the sinners. We're glad the Pharisees said that. We're glad because they told us what's true to our own hearts and it causes us to rejoice. Behold, a man, they said. This is a declaration of hope for the sinner. Christ is a man. He's the man. The man Christ Jesus, the Son of Man.

Christ in his humanity was the singular substitute for sinners because the children were of the flesh, it says in Hebrews chapter 2 verse 14 through 17, because the children were flesh and blood, he partook of the same, that he might die for them and give them comfort and peace in this world. Behold a man, you see man has sinned against God, so man must die for the soul that sinneth it shall his elect, for his chosen, all of whom were sinners against God.

By nature, there is no difference between any human being and any other human being on the face of the earth. We who have been privileged to receive the grace of God, our old filthy flesh has not changed one iota. Thank God the Spirit has subdued it somewhat. But he ain't done with it yet, I can tell you that from my own heart and my own mind. We're vile and unclean by nature, just like everybody, every son of Adam that's born into this world. But by grace, we're made to differ.

How? We're the children of God. By His grace, we stand before Him in the righteousness of Jesus Christ. Our only righteousness. People talk about impartation and imputation. Here's the difference. He, He is our righteousness. How does that work? He's the one that stands before God for me. He alone is our righteousness. He's a man. He's a man and He's God. Behold, there is a man in glory. He's Christ the Mediator, the only Mediator between men and God. He's the Mediator. He's the daismon in Carl and Job. He's the lone, loving liaison between humanity and deity. Behold the man. He's the Mediator of the new covenant, the eternal covenant of grace.

As such, he can lay his hand on God and lay his hand on me. He can reach out to God and also touch and be touched by me. His condescension from the realms of glory to the depths of humanity at once is a binding mystery without controversy, Paul said, and at the same time a close and present comfort for sinners. We can touch our Lord in our faith, and He can touch us and not be tainted, and He can touch God because He Himself is God.

Behold the man, he said. Behold the man, a friend. This is a title that's not easily understood, save for those who have been made alive to God by the Spirit through the Word. Religion never gets this, but every lost, ruined son of Adam needs and wants to have a friend.

Jesus Christ is the friend of publicans and sinners. The Greek word for friend is philos, This word means friend, to be friendly to one, to associate, he who associates familiarly with one, a companion. All these words are blessed titles as they apply to our Lord. They are blessed because they are spoken in the context of who Christ is a friend to, publicans and sinners. Both of these aspects must be considered in order to get the full import and power of this title given to our friend, the Lord Jesus Christ. Concerning false religion, these words express self-righteousness, a self-righteous attitude they possess concerning Christ both and those with whom he associates. Religion does not associate with sinners on any friendly level.

You know how he was raised. Don't hang around with that person. Why? Well, he's the kind of person he is. And you might not want to hang around with that type of person. But wouldn't it be some of you that would tell the truth about the gospel? Religion is interested in social image and reputation. I know that because I was raised in false religion. And reputation and association was just about everything. Just about everything.

Look over at Matthew chapter 9, verse 9 and 10. And as Jesus passed forth from thence, he saw a man named Matthew sitting at the receipt of customs. He's a publican. That's what he was. And he said, then follow me. And he rose and followed him and came to pass. As Jesus said it, meet at the house. Behold, many publicans and sinners came and sat down with him and his disciples.

Something about him, who is the only truly perfect man that ever walked this earth, drew sinners to himself. Something about him, the thrice holy God, before whom the sun, moon, and stars are not pure in his sight, was a magnet for the foulest of the foul that walked to face the earth.

That's a friend. That's a friend. Religion's opinion of sinners is that a sinner is someone who hasn't pulled himself up by the bootstraps. You know that. Religion is embarrassed to be seen with sinners. Why do you suppose that is? It is because religion does not believe itself to be sinful, and therefore deems any contact with sinners to be tantamount to being tainted, so we get little sayings like, They can't be friends with sinners and thus cannot process the fact that our Lord, the Holy One, was a friend of sinners. This was a reaction that the Pharisees had to seeing Jesus Christ sit down with sinners.

This is a reaction. What's He doing? What kind of person would do that? In another place, they asked the same question of His disciples and He heard their thoughts. And He looked them square in the eye. The most holy man on the face of the earth, as far as natural religion goes, he looked him square in the eye and said, I did not come for you. I came not to call the righteous, but bring sinners to repentance. You go learn what that means. I will have mercy and not your sacrifice.

Religion can't be friendly with sinners, and thus cannot process the fact that our Lord was a friend to sinners. They have no knowledge of what sin is. Clearly, the concept declares that they believe that sin is about doing something, eating and drinking. Also, sin is about associating us with publicans and sinners, and hopefully those that smoke, or chew, or go to the movie show, or mess with folks who do that type of thing. We don't do that. That's how we were raised.

That's religion without Christ. If God is gracious and merciful enough to you to show you what you are in this world, you won't think about what you do and what you've done and try to undo and reform your life. You'll be ashamed for what you are. A vile and unclean thing who despises God by nature.

That's what a sinner is. And if God has been gracious enough to show you that, you've seen the light, my friend. If you still think you're a sinner if you do this or do that, you do that or do this because you're a sinner. That don't make you a sinner. That makes those things sin.

Beer bottles and liquor bottles can sit on a shelf all the days. Men can drink liquor, they can drink beer, they can have a wine and never sin. Your alcohol's bad. Alcohol ain't bad. Men are bad. You imagine people talking about, we need to get rid of drugs. Would you want to walk through a hospital today without drugs? Without opium, without heroin, these derivatives of that. Those things are not bad. People make them bad.

Peter said that in one of his epistles. Religion says it has nothing to do with condition. It has to do with changing yourself, with reforming. Listen, you can reform all you want to, but you're still the same. Still the same. With sin firmly ensconced in a box or a bottle, religion is a very precise measure of what a sinner is and who would associate with the likes of such.

This is what they said. These are sinners. They said Christ is a sinner because of a box or a bottle. He's a 1-0. He's a nothing. That's what they said. That's what religion believes about sin. About being a sinner. No, they preach of sinners and give long invitations for so-called sinners to come down the aisle once that simple plan of salvation is accomplished. They hold that Christ's association with an aisle for others is dependent on their personal righteousness. They hold that. If you're going to have a relationship with Christ, you've got to be straight up and fly right. You've got to do that.

This is why religious people tell their children when they misbehave, Jesus doesn't like them for that. That's a lie straight out of hell that other people ought not say. But they say things like that. I remember one time I lit up a cigarette, and my sister said, Lord, I'm not pleased with that. I said, Lord, it pleases me because of Jesus Christ. Now I thank you, I'll light up my candle and leave me alone. But that's what people say. Jesus won't like you if you do that. He won't like you if you do that. He don't like you at all. And if he loves you, you can do that all day long.

This is why religious people will tell their children that when they do badly. They're teaching their children that Christ is not the free Religion does the same thing to its adult infantile toddlers. It does so by making works the determining factor in Christ's pleasure or displeasure with them. Oh, but for Christ, he's the friend of sinners, the friend that sticketh closer than a brother, the friend that loves his friend so much that he laid down his life for him.

There is no measure of what this means to the sinner. Christ is his friend. His unconditional friend, his eternal friend, his loving, forgiving, and merciful friend. He's our friend. We know what that word means. The hateful words of religion are a harmonious piping melody to poor publicans and sinners. Those who are rejected by kith and kin and society and Christianity so-called. What does it mean to a sinner that Christ is his friend? First, it means that Christ laid down His life for him. No greater love has to be than that. And He laid down His life for His friend. His friend.

Romans chapter 5, verses 6-8 says, God commended His love toward us while we were yet sinners. Christ died for us. Secondly, it means that Christ loved Him where many times in scripture this is how the love of God is described. He loved us and gave himself for us. He loved us and washed us in his blood. Herein is the love of God perceived. And he laid down his life for us.

Thirdly, it means that the sinner and his Lord have a close relationship, a true friendship. about the fact, and glad to do so, that our Lord is the absolute sovereign of this universe. We are thankful, as we look at the chaos and the mess of this world, to know that these things, somehow, in the grand scheme of providence, sovereign providence, these things are working for our good and for His Lord. We don't see it now. We can't read what God's doing in progress. Makes no sense to our poor old finite minds. He's doing that for me? Yes!

He's doing it all for you. And at the same time, knowing that absolute power and sway over all things, even the dust that roasts across the sunbeam. You can go to Him all day long. and speak to him from your heart, and tell him what you want, and tell him how you feel, and he's your friend, and he'll hear you. He'll listen to you. He shall feed his flock like a shepherd, take up the lambs in his arms, and gently lead those that are with you up.

Fourthly, it means that Christ associates with him. It means that Christ is not ashamed of him. Our Lord said that. Behold, I and the children that thou hast given me, be not ashamed to call them brethren, brothers. He's satisfied with what he did on Calvary. He's not up there and his poor wretched creatures to do something to solidify and give power to his atoning sacrifice.

You see when Jesus Christ suffered the travail of his soul, the birth pains of his soul according to Isaiah 53, it says, by the travail of his soul, and shall be satisfied." What does that mean? You mothers here, you women who have born children, you know what travail is. It's birth pains and it's pains. One comedian lady said, giving birth is very easy, it's like taking a I could read it. Birth pains are hard.

Our Lord travailed. He travailed to give birth to His children, His elect, His chosen. He says, He shall see the travail of His sacrifice and shall be satisfied. What does that mean? No one for whom Jesus tried to give birth was a miscarriage. No one. and happy and very much alive. That's the travail of his soul. And he was satisfied. He was satisfied.

One of the most intriguing and engaging aspects of this title of our Lord is it sets forth Christ as friendly. To be honest with you, when I think about the Lord and about the apostles, it's almost a carving grain from my youth. the picture that's painted in my head.

He's a friend of sinners. What does that mean? He's friendly to them. He's friendly to sinners. For a man to have friends, scripture says in Proverbs, he must show himself to be friendly. Friendly. This means what? It means he's approachable. Not standoffish. This means that he can be touched. He's touched with the feeling of our infirmities. It means this intimates welcome and open and public welcome and intimate relationships.

He does not intimidate sinners. What does he require of you? created in Christ Jesus unto good works which God has predestined for ordainment. We should walk in them. Are we going to walk in his good works? Well, he said we would. And he's ordained that he would. And he says, what I have purposed shall come to pass. He commends his love to them.

This is only a blessing to us. It's not only a blessing to us, it's also a lesson for us. If our understanding of grace does not cause us to be approachable to those who know not Christ, we are missing the means of grace. Of all the people on earth, sinners who are saved by grace ought to be the kind of folks who other sinners can feel comfortable around.

I've said many times, this is what I desire of this congregation, that we be a hospital for sinners. For sinners to come. We've got kind of a reputation here among some of the churches. They churched a few fellows up in the coves, and the pastor told them, he said, go down to Tim James. He'll take anybody. That's right. Come on in. Come on down.

Sinners feel comfortable around our Lord, the perfectly righteous and holy man. True righteousness is a friend of sinners. And when you think of righteousness as it's portrayed in religion, does it make you feel that you can approach it? It make you feel like you can go around?

Well, you know, when I think of righteousness, and I was in religion a lot of years, and that word was used quite often, and it meant the way I dressed The way I talk, the way I act, the way I carry my Bible, all those things. My humble character, my humble carriage, the way I, my position in prayer. When I prayed, I had to bow my head and clasp my hands. All these things meant something to me, but that's a righteous man.

No. Jesus Christ was perfectly righteous. I mean perfectly. He never sinned. Never had an evil thought. Not one. Nobody knew it. Scripture says his brethren. John 7. His brethren. Those that lived with him day to day. He was perfectly righteous. Perfectly holy. Without sin. And they didn't believe him. Why? What you've got is invisible if you're a child of God. You've got faith. Faith is the evidence of things hoped for. Service of things not seen. And if you believe the gospel, this day, it's by the grace of God that you do so.

Because 2,000 years ago in Calvary's tree, our Lord Jesus Christ actually paid your sin debt so you would never have to pay it. Justice cannot twice demand. Payment in my bleeding shirt, his hand, and then again in mine. If he paid your sin debt, then we wouldn't take the Lord's table.

If you're trusting wholly in his merits, in his salvation that he accomplished for you, then you're welcome to this table. If that's not your case, don't take this table. If it is, drink heartily, my friend. Rejoice to eat the bread and the wine. And in that brief moment of consumption, you as a child of God show forth that death. 2,000 years ago, you show forth his death until he comes again.

He said that. He said, I've been looking forward to this one. Millions of Passovers have become, and thousands have been observed over the years. He said, I'm looking forward to this one. Because in this, he sent for his death and his disciples, and cleared them in certain terms. He took the unleavened bread and broke it, and gave it to his disciples, said, take, eat. This is my body broken for you.

This is a picture of what I'm going This is the new covenant in my blood, or by my blood. That's how the covenant was ratified by the blood of Jesus Christ. This is the new covenant in my blood. What is that new covenant? It's not the covenant of works, not the covenant of pity. that Jesus Christ entered into your situation and your career and actually forgave you a sin.

That's why we take this table. It's a commemoration of what he did 2,000 years ago. And if you're trusting Christ now, trusting his miracle alone for your salvation, then take this table and rejoice to do so. Let's ask the Lord's blessings during the afternoon. In the name of Jesus Christ, that you would bless this time together as we worship you in the manner which you've ordained, that you've given to your church to show forth the fact of your death until you come again. Let us do so with joy and thanksgiving, we pray in Christ's name. Amen.

On the night I was betrayed, he took the unleavened bread and break it, gave it to his disciples and said, take, eat, this is my body broken for you. As often as you do it, do it in remembrance of him. That same night he took the cup and after he blessed him, he said, this cup is the new covenant in my blood. As often as you eat this bread, Do so in remembrance of me. In the Scripture, of course, the disciples sang a hymn, and the Lord went out to be betrayed.

Let's stand together. The Lord can wash away my sin, nothing but the blood of Jesus. What can make me whole again? Nothing but to love Jesus. Oh, precious is the flow. That makes me white as snow, No other fount I know, Nothing but the blood of Jesus. This is all my hope and peace, Nothing but the blood of Jesus. This is all my righteousness, Nothing but the blood of Jesus. Oh, precious is the flow that makes me white as snow. No other fount I know. Nothing but the blood of Jesus. This is our custom. We hook up on everybody and tell each other we love them. Don't do that for that fellow right back there. He's got a little bit of a cold.