Good evening everyone. I'm so
honored to be here. It has been two and a half years
since we've been here and that's too long. If anyone esteems anyone, I esteem
your pastor and his wife and their daughter highly, very highly. I'm so thankful for the three
of you. So thankful for this congregation and so thankful
for everything that you have done for us in Kingsport, all
your support and love. We're just very grateful to you.
Turn with me, if you would, to Luke chapter 15. Luke chapter 15, and let's read
the first two verses together. It says, Then drew near unto
him all the publicans and sinners
for to hear him. And the Pharisees and scribes
murmured, saying, This man receiveth sinners, and eateth with them. That was their gripe. That's
what they murmured and complained over. And I'm going to tell you,
that's our glory. That is our glory. Does that
not thrill your heart? In Kingsport, they're always
making fun of me because I say this is one of my favorite verses.
And I tell them this is one of my favorite chapters. This is
one of my favorite psalms. But I mean it. I have a lot of
them. But I'm telling you, this is one of my favorite lines in
the scripture. I mean it. I love it every time
I read it. This man receives sinners. I don't think, I don't
know better news than that. I honestly don't. You wanna go home? This man receives sinners. I know that you know the story.
I know you've heard it many times, I'm sure. of when a man named
William J. walked into the office of John
Newton and he said, Brother Newton, did you hear that the Lord saved
that old wicked, wretched man, that man from the gutter, that
man, we're just gonna call him Mr. Center. Brother William J. said, Brother Newton, did you
hear that the Lord saved Mr. Center? And John Newton said,
no, I didn't hear that. That is wonderful news. I'm so
glad to hear that. William Jay said, Brother Newton,
I'll never despair of anybody since God saved him. And John Newton said, Brother
Jay, I'll never despair of anybody since God saved me. Never despair
of anybody. I'd like for us to consider that
this evening. I want us to just enjoy the truth
of that for a moment. The title of this message is,
I'll Never Despair of Anybody. I'll Never Despair of Anybody.
The reason is because the end of verse 2 says, This man receiveth
sinners. And He eats with them. Not only
does He receive them, He'll eat with them. He'll make Himself
known with them. He's not ashamed to call them
brethren. He's not ashamed to fellowship with them. The Apostle Paul said in 1 Timothy
1.15, this is a faithful saying. That means this is the truth. And it's worthy of all acceptation. You can believe this. Christ
Jesus came into the world to save sinners of whom I am chief. And if he'll show mercy to me,
he'll show mercy to anybody. Anybody. Now, he will show mercy
to whom he will show mercy. He has a selected people that
He has chosen to show mercy to. He is going to save every soul
that He chose to show mercy to. But here's the thing about it,
and this is what I mean when I say this. I'll never despair
of anybody. This is what I mean by that.
Every person that He has chosen to save and have mercy on will
be evidenced in this way. They will need mercy from Christ. If you want to know who He had
mercy on, it's known in this way. They
will need mercy from Christ. They will beg for salvation from
Him. If you want to know who He chose
to save, it's every soul who is crying out from the bottom
of their heart and soul, save me, Lord, save me. Where there is no need of mercy,
there has been no showing of mercy. You know, you say, if
anybody, our Lord stood up and he cried, if any man thirst,
come to me. Problem for man was they weren't
thirsty. Every man didn't thirst. But
if any man had a thirst, they could come to him. Where there
is no begging for the blood of Christ, There has been no covering
of the blood of Christ. But for all who have received
that covering, they cry, Lord, I need your blood. I need your
blood. I need your mercy. They do, don't
they? Isn't that something? Those who
have it, need it. Those who have it, beg for it.
And those who don't, don't. That's interesting, isn't it? That's the evidence though of
who he chose to do this for. And the glorious thing to think
on it is who he chose to do this for, who he has evidenced this
to. That is such good news to me
because the answer is sinners. He did this for sinners. He chose
to do it for sinners. He truly does receive sinners. And you know, really, it's people
you wouldn't receive. And I wouldn't receive. Honestly. Honestly. And you know why we
wouldn't receive them? They're sinners. No, I don't want to
receive him. Really. This man receives sinners. Glorious news. He proved that
by the pages of this book that he's written to us. Let's look
at a couple of the stories here. Turn with me if you would to
Luke chapter 7. Luke chapter 7, look with me
at verse 36. And one of the Pharisees desired
him that he would eat with him. This Pharisee, this self-righteous
Pharisee asked the Lord if he would come eat with him, and
he did. He went into the Pharisee's house and sat down to meet. And behold, a woman in the city,
which was a sinner, when she knew that Jesus sat at meet in
the Pharisee's house, brought an alabaster box of ointment,
and stood at his feet behind him, weeping, and began to wash
his feet with tears, and did wipe them with the hairs of her
head, and kissed his feet, and anointed them with the ointment. Why did she do that? Here's the
reason why, verse 39. Now when the Pharisee which had
bidden him saw it, he spake within himself, saying, This man, if
he were a prophet, would have known who and what manner of
woman this is that toucheth him. For she is a sinner." That's why she was weeping. That's
the whole reason why she was weeping. That's why she was washing
his feet with tears and wiping them with the hairs of her head.
You know, his feet, that's the lowest part of his body. And
her hair was the highest part of her body. And she brought
herself down as low as she could go to him. As lowly and as humbly
as she could come to him. That's how she came to him. That's
why she was kissing his feet anointing His feet with that
precious ointment, she knew what she was. It's so painful, but every now
and then the Lord reminds us of what we are. It's so painful,
isn't it? It kills me that I do things
to make Him have to do that. I wish that I did not bring that
upon myself. Every now and then he reminds
us this is what we are and it is crippling. It is humbling. It brings us down so low. This
woman was brought down so low. I can only imagine. This woman
is a sinner. It was her manner, it says. What that means is she didn't
just slip up. It was her manner. And I'm sure it was probably
the same manner as Rahab the harlot. I don't know, but that
would be my guess. You know, poor Rahab, every time
her name is mentioned, she's called Rahab the harlot. Every
time. But this woman knew what she
was. Rahab knew what she was. She
was a sinner. Verse 37 right here, it says,
Behold, a woman in the city, which was a sinner, when she
knew that Jesus sat at meet in the Pharisee's house, brought
an alabaster box of ointment, and stood at his feet behind
him, weeping, and began to wash his feet with tears, and did
wipe them with the hairs of her head, and kissed his feet, and
anointed them with the ointment. Now when the Pharisee which had
bidden him saw it, he spake within himself, saying, This man, if
he were a prophet, would have known who and what manner of
woman this is that toucheth him, for she is a sinner. And Jesus
answering, said unto him, Simon, I have some what to say unto
thee. And he saith, Master, say on. There was a certain creditor
which had two debtors. The one owed five hundred pence,
and the other fifty. And when they had nothing to
pay, he frankly forgave them both. Tell me therefore, which
of them will love him most? Simon answered and said, I suppose
that he to whom he forgave most. And he said unto him, Thou hast
rightly judged. And he turned to the woman and
said unto Simon, Seest thou this woman? I entered into thine house. Thou gavest me no water for my
feet, but she hath washed my feet with tears, and wiped them
with the hairs of her head. Thou gavest me no kiss, but this
woman, since the time I came in, hath not ceased to kiss my
feet. My head with oil thou didst not
anoint, but this woman hath anointed my feet with ointment. Wherefore
I say unto thee, her sins, which are many, are forgiven, for she
loved much. It's evidenced, you can see how
much she loves. But to whom little is forgiven,
the same loveth little. And he said unto her, thy sins
are forgiven. And they that sat at meat with
him began to say within themselves, who is this that forgiveth sins
also? And he said to the woman, thy
faith. And what that means is the gift
of God. That's what he said to her. The
gift of God. The faith of Christ himself,
the author and finisher of faith, the performer of faith. What
has been done in you has saved you. Go in peace. Glorious. You know, I would imagine that
this woman, after she went in peace, I believe, I know it doesn't
say, but I believe I know what she went around telling everybody.
I believe she said, I'll never despair of anybody since God
saved me. Never. Never. Look with me, if you would, at
Luke 18. Luke 18, verse 9. He spake this parable unto certain
which trusted in themselves that they were righteous and despised
others. Two men went up into the temple
to pray, the one a Pharisee and the other a publican. A Pharisee
was a goody two-shoes, better than you, self-righteous, religious
man. He was just a fine citizen. And
a publican was a Jew who was a tax collector from other Jews
for the Romans. He took money from the Jews and
he gave it to the Romans. He took money from his brethren,
literally from his brethren. He was viewed as a traitor and
he was hated by all the other Jews because the publicans were
all brutal. They were very, very brutal.
They were brutal criminals. They extorted their own brethren
for their own gain. If the Romans said that a Jew
owed $100, the publican would go say, you owe $150. and would
skim 50 off the top and send 100 to the Romans, and these
men were hated. The accounts say, when you read
about them, it says that they took everything with brutal force. They were very much the mafia,
very much. You've seen the movies where
the mafia, they conduct business very brutally. That was the publicans. crime, injustice, violence, wickedness,
horrible acts, just vicious, vicious men. Verse 11, it says, The Pharisee
stood and prayed thus with himself, God, I thank thee that I am not
as other men are, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as
this publican. I fast twice in the week, I give
tithes of all that I possess, and the publican standing afar
off, dwelling on everything that he was. That's why he was standing
afar off. He was dwelling on everything
that he was, everything he'd done, all the guilt, all the
shame, all the regret, Verse 13 says, The publican, standing
afar off, would not lift up so much as his eyes unto heaven,
but smote upon his breast, saying, God, be merciful to me, a sinner. This was a man who needed mercy.
And I'll just interject this, I just sincerely I pray that
the Lord does not bring us to a place where he has to make
us bow and make us beg, but I pray that the Lord will make us bow
and make us beg. I really do. I pray that the
Lord will bring all of us to a place where we leave our comfort
zone and we're brought to a place where
we have to beg for mercy. If we belong to Him, He will
bring us there. He will. It is His goodness to
us. If He wanted nothing to do with
us, He'd leave us alone. And we'd just go about our business,
go about our way. But I pray that the Lord will
cause us to beg, cause us to cry out, cause us to truly need
mercy from Him. This man needed Mercy. This man was begging God to cover
his sin in the blood that we shed. And that's what I beg,
and I pray that's what we all beg. Lord, cover my sin in your
blood. That's what I need. Cover my
sin in your blood. I don't excuse it. I wish I didn't do it. Like Paul
said, I wish I didn't do it. But I do, and I have. Cover my
sin in the blood of the Lamb. All that man could do was smite
himself, crying, God, be merciful to me. I'm a sinner. I'm a sinner. Verse 14, the Lord said, I tell
you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the
other. Isn't that amazing? For everyone
that exalteth himself shall be abased, And he that humbleth
himself shall be exalted." If we humble ourselves, that's God
who did that for us and in us. It's not us who did it. If we
exalt ourselves, that's us. But if He humbles us, He will
exalt us in the end. And I'm going to tell you, you
think about that public, and this man, could you imagine being in the
mafia? and then coming out of that and thinking about all the
life you'd lived, all the things you'd done. I can only imagine
this man going around telling everybody, I'll never despair
of anybody, really, since God saved me. I'll never despair
of anybody. Any soul who needs mercy, any
soul who truly cries out for mercy will get it. Look with me at
Luke 23. Luke 23, verse 1, it says, And the whole multitude of them
arose and led Him unto Pilate, And they began to accuse him,
saying, We found this fellow perverting the nation, and forbidding
to give tribute to Caesar, saying that he himself is Christ a king. Look with me now at verse 18.
And they cried out all at once, saying, Away with this man, and
release unto us Barabbas, who for a certain sedition made in
the city and for murder was cast into prison. Pilate therefore
willing to release Jesus spake again to them, but they cried
saying, crucify him, crucify him. And he said unto them the
third time, why, what evil hath he done? I found no cause of
death in him. I will therefore chastise him
and let him go. And they were instant with loud
voices requiring that he might be crucified. And the voices
of them and of the chief priests prevailed, and Pilate gave sentence
that it should be as they required. And he released unto them him
that for sedition and murder was cast into prison, whom they
had desired, but he delivered Jesus to their will." If we want
to know what man's will will get us, there it is. Verse 33
says, And when they were come to the place which is called
Calvary, there they crucified him. And the malefactors, one
on the right hand and the other on the left, then said Jesus,
Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do. Did the Father? I remember the first time this
was made known to me. I have been amazed by this ever
since the first time this was made known to me. Did the Father,
these people who demanded His death, did the Father have mercy
on them? Look with me at Acts chapter
2. Acts chapter 2 verse 22. It says,
You men of Israel, hear these words. Jesus of Nazareth, a man
approved of God among you by miracles and wonders and signs,
which God did by Him in the midst of you, as you yourselves also
know, Him being delivered by the determinate counsel and foreknowledge
of God, you have taken and by wicked hands have crucified and
slain. He said you did it. whom God
hath raised up, having loosed the pains of death, because it
was not possible that he should be holden of it. Now look with
me at verse 36. It says, Therefore let all the
house of Israel know assuredly, that God hath made that same
Jesus, whom you have crucified, both Lord and Christ. Now when
they heard this, they were pricked in their heart and said unto
Peter and to the rest of the apostles, men and brethren, what
shall we do? What shall we do? Verse 41. Then
they that gladly received his word were baptized, and the same
day there were added unto them about 3,000 souls. 3,000 of the very souls who led
him to Pilate. What a gracious man this is. What a merciful man this is. You know, a few days later, Peter
and John were preaching to another group of people who were there
at his crucifixion. And it says over in chapter 4,
verse 4, many of them which heard the word believed, and the number
of the men was about 5,000. 5,000 more. 8,000 souls who knew in their
hearts, I was physically there. I physically crucified the Lord
of glory. I was the one who demanded He
hang on that tree. But He prayed to the Father for
me, and in Him I received mercy. All 8,000 of those souls, I guarantee
you they went around and told everybody, I'll never despair
of anybody. Not since God saved me. Never. The Word of God says,
this man receiveth sinners. And my hope in the ministry,
in my life here in the ministry, I want to run across some. That's
really my hope. I hope that the Lord would cause
my path to cross with sinners like me. This man receives sinners. This Word says this man is able
to save to the uttermost. I'll tell you who I would love
to meet I'd love to meet somebody who is so broken, they think
that their case is absolutely hopeless. That's who I'd love
to meet. That's who the Lord has mercy
on. Really. Not those of us who in our flesh
think, well, I'm not perfect, you know, I'm pretty, I'm okay.
You know, sure, I'll take salvation, might as well. I would love for
the Lord to cross this message with the path of someone who
absolutely believes There's no hope for me. Don't even talk
to me. There's no hope for me. I wish that that was for me,
but it's not. I know it's not. I wish I could find somebody
who just needed a grain of mustard seed, who thought that would
just be utter fullness if the Lord would just give me the grain
of a mustard seed of His faith and His grace and His mercy. I would love to tell somebody
with absolute sincerity and confidence based on the Word of God, I am
telling you, this man, maybe not this man, but we're not talking
about this man, this man receives sinners. But you don't know what
kind of sinner I am. No, but he does. And this man will receive sinners
who are sinners to the uttermost. I mean gone, not too far gone. Well, that's who he saves. That's who he has mercy on. This
word says that whoever he has mercy on and has chosen to save
will have a heart that says, I want to come to Him. I hear
what you're saying, and you're saying maybe there's a sliver
of hope for me. And I want to come to Him. This Word says that every person
that He's chosen to have mercy on, He will draw. He will call. He'll do it through His Word,
and He'll say, you are so much worse than you think you are.
And you're the candidate I chose to save, and you come to me. Every soul that the Father has
given to Him will have a heart to come to Him. And it says,
if any man has been given a hunger for the righteousness of Christ
Himself and a thirst for the mercy that is in the blood of
the Lord Jesus Christ Himself, that is the evidence that that
man or woman has received that mercy and has received that righteousness. And if you need it, I say this
to you, but really I ought to say if I need it, I pray this
is for me. I sincerely pray this is for
me. I pray I need this. If you need this, like I need
this and want to need this and need to need this, if we need
Him, then His word is, come. Come unto me, all ye that labor
and are heavy laden over your sin. You know, there are a lot
of things that get us down, but you know, you're gonna know what
I mean by this. You go into your past. If you've lived a few decades,
you go into your past. There are some things back in
the Rolodex of your mind that every time you think about them,
you go, oh, that's still there. Oh, I wish that could be gone.
That is still there. If you are labored and heavy
laden over your sin, I mean over your sin, then this is what he
has to say to you. I receive sinners. I receive sinners. The kind of
sinners that you think there's just no hope. There's no hope
for me. I receive no hope for me sinners. He says to that man or that woman,
oh, there is hope for you. Yes, there is hope for you. That's
who I receive. Every sinner who comes to me,
he said, comes to me in their sin, begging for mercy. He said,
I will in no wise cast you out. In no wise, if you come in your
sin, begging for mercy, He said, I will not. Because if you come,
it means the Father's drawing you. And He said, I will not
cast you out. Our sin will never keep us away
from the Lord Jesus Christ. Our self-righteousness will keep
us away every time. But not our sin. Not our sin. If you don't have
anything to bring to Him but sin, then you come to Him with
your sin, and He'll receive you to Himself. It doesn't matter
who you are, it doesn't matter what you've done. Tell that to yourself, tell that
to everybody who you can. It doesn't matter who you are,
it doesn't matter what you've done. There is absolute, total
forgiveness with this man. And if anybody wonders, how can
you say that? Honestly, how can you say that
to me with such confidence? How do you know? How do you know? I know because by his grace,
through the promise of his word and his spirit. He's done the
same thing for me. You know, our Lord said, you
go tell how great things I've done for you, and that's the
greatest thing I know to say. This man has forgiven in His
blood, by His Spirit, spoken peace through His Word. He has
forgiven the sins of all of His people. If He's able to do that
for me, He's able to do that for anybody. He truly is. Now, God's elect are going to
hear that, and they're going to say, Lord, please let it be
for me. Please let me be in anybody.
Please let me be a whosoever. If you have chosen for me to
be a whosoever, then I will. I'll come by your
grace. So let's tell this to everybody.
Let's declare this glorious gospel to everybody we can. If God will
open the ears of His own, they'll come. They'll find peace and
they'll find rest. This man receives sinners. and eats with him. He eats with
him. Glory is going to be fellowship
with him, unity with him, a relationship with him. He doesn't just receive,
he'll have a relationship with him. That's wonderful news. I pray that the Lord will make
that to be a blessing and a comfort to our hearts. Thank you, Brother
Todd.