"A friend of sinners!" What a word, what a title to give anyone! What man of the world would not count it a reproach, a shame, to be called "a friend of sinners"? And yet this is what they called Jesus when He was here upon earth. And notice too, in Luke 7:3434The Son of man is come eating and drinking; and ye say, Behold a gluttonous man, and a winebibber, a friend of publicans and sinners! (Luke 7:34), it is the Lord Jesus Himself who says they called Him, "A friend of sinners." Who was it who gave Him this title? Not those who were openly known as sinners, but those who thought themselves better than others,—those who put on, and kept up, an outward appearance of religiousness. They, speaking of the Lord Jesus, said, "He receiveth sinners, and eateth with them."
Although this is the title they gave Him,—they, the outwardly respectable, religious people of that day, and they did it only to express their scorn and hatred of Him,—how true it was then! And how true it is to this very day! They little thought what a reality His friendship for sinners was,—they knew nothing of their own individual need of His friendship and His help. They hated Him because His words and His presence proved them, to themselves, to be sinners indeed, and that their covering or cloak of religiousness was a greater sin than all else, for it tried to cover up what could not be hidden from God's all-seeing eye.
Reader, do you own yourself to be a sinner? If so, here is a Friend for you, and the story of His love and His friendship will not be wearisome to you. His own blessed words best tell the tale: