Luke 15
“Then drew near unto Him all the publicans and sinners for to hear Him.” Reader, have you ever done so? You have heard what others said about Him, who, it may be, knew nothing about Him. You may listen to your own heart which totally misrepresents Him, but have you drawn near unto Him to hear Him? Remember that the hour now is when dead souls are hearing the voice of the Son of God, and they that hear live. It is He who speaks in this wonderful chapter. Draw near unto Him now, and hear Him.
“This man receiveth sinners and eateth with them.” Did He deny the charge? No, He admitted it fully – it was His glory to receive them. In doing so the glory of His divine origin shone out. “He could not be hid.” He was in the midst of sinners, How would He treat them? Receive them, of course. How could the Son of such a Father do otherwise? – the Father whose portrait He draws in the third section of this parable. Will He refuse you? Have you ever gone to Him to ask? “I am too bad,” you say. What, too bad to be a sinner? Are you sure you are not too good, but you cannot be too bad. Thank God for that. That robe, that best robe, has covered the chief of sinners, a thief on the cross, a Mary Magdalene, a woman in the city who was a sinner. That Shepherd sought sinners, that “woman” (figure of the Holy Ghost) found them, that Father received them; And art thou too vile? You wrong the blessed Three.
“O, but He was on earth amongst sinners then, and He is in heaven separate from sinners now,” do you say?
But is He changed? Has He ceased to own a Saviour’s heart, or to do a Saviour’s part? Nay, nay, you wrong Him. The very last words He spoke to us from heaven in Revelation 22:16,1716I Jesus have sent mine angel to testify unto you these things in the churches. I am the root and the offspring of David, and the bright and morning star. 17And the Spirit and the bride say, Come. And let him that heareth say, Come. And let him that is athirst come. And whosoever will, let him take the water of life freely. (Revelation 22:16‑17), He spoke in the character of “Jesus,” the name He received because “He shall save His people from their sins” – And what did He say? “Let him that is athirst come, and whosoever will, let him take the water of life freely.” He wills – Will you?
And why is He in heaven? As the evidence of His finished work accepted. For whom? For sinners.
“The Saviour died, and by His blood
Brought rebel sinners home to God;
He died to set the captives free,
And why, dear soul – why not for thee?”