WHAT a meaning there is in these two little words for you, my reader. The worst that could be said by the murmuring Pharisees and scribes concerning the meek and lowly Jesus was,—" This man receiveth sinners, and eateth with them " (Luke 15:22And the Pharisees and scribes murmured, saying, This man receiveth sinners, and eateth with them. (Luke 15:2)). What a blessing for thousands that it was so, and it is even so still.
Yes, "this man," the friend of sinners, “receiveth sinners "still. And His voice is still crying," Him that cometh unto me I will in no wise cast out” (John 6:3737All that the Father giveth me shall come to me; and him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out. (John 6:37)). The proud and haughty ones of earth would pass the sinner by, their thoughts of sinners being that those only were such who were past all remedy, but He who knoweth the heart hath declared all mankind sinners. The whole world has been brought in guilty before God. And now on the ground of righteousness, He is prepared to receive sinners of every shade, of every tongue, and of every clime. Are you a sinner before God in very consciousness? Then “to you is the word this salvation sent.”
But listen; a little further on in "this man's” history, He is brought into Pilate's judgment-hall, vested with a "purple robe," decked" with a crown of thorns,"—mock royalty. The people" had him in derision. "They" spat upon him; "they" smote him on the cheek; "they cried," Hail, king of the Jews," and mocked him. Their cry was, Away with "this man" (Luke 23:1818And they cried out all at once, saying, Away with this man, and release unto us Barabbas: (Luke 23:18)). “Not this man,' but Barabbas” (John 18:4040Then cried they all again, saying, Not this man, but Barabbas. Now Barabbas was a robber. (John 18:40)). And it is the same world still. That "message" has never been recalled that was "sent after him," saying, "We will not have this man' to reign over us " (Luke 19:1414But his citizens hated him, and sent a message after him, saying, We will not have this man to reign over us. (Luke 19:14)).
Eighteen hundred years have rolled away, but still the world goes on in its old course. It can get on very well without Him, but, my dear unsaved reader, how do you stand in relation to “this man "? You have had a hand in all this that the world is held to be guilty of; namely, the murder of the Son of God. Its hands are still dripping with His blood, and its heart is still thirsting for the blood of His saints. It has no place for Him to this day. A common stable and a common grave were good enough for the Christ of God, or any of His devoted followers. Outside man's religious circle is His place, outside the temple, outside the city. "No room in the inn;" no room in the city; no room in the world. “Away with him, crucify him, crucify him." “Not this man,' but Barabbas." Officers were sent to fetch Him, but evidently He apprehended the detectives, like many since, who have gone to scoff and remained to pray.
They hung upon His lips, they drank in His sweet faith-inspiring and soul-stirring words, and returned to the chief priests and Pharisees, declaring that "never man spake like 'this man" (John 7:4646The officers answered, Never man spake like this man. (John 7:46)).
What do you now think of Him, my reader?
Have you heard His voice in your soul yet? Are you responding to the sweet invitations of His loving heart? or do the words still rise in your hearts, and to your lips, "Not 'this man.’”
Listen! Calvary's hill is all astir. Three dying men are suffering yonder; one of them is the sin bearer. It is the great Day of Atonement for a guilty world. The heavens grow dark; men gnash upon Him with their teeth. The last hour arrives, the last moment has come. He prays for His murderers. "It is finished." All is over.
But hark; there appeared two other witnesses, one (hung on a cross beside Him) says, “‘This man’ hath done nothing amiss." The other, a Roman soldier, a centurion, and an eye-witness of the whole tragic scene. Hear what he has got to say—"Truly, ‘this man’ was the Son of God” (Mark 15:3939And when the centurion, which stood over against him, saw that he so cried out, and gave up the ghost, he said, Truly this man was the Son of God. (Mark 15:39)).
Reader, are you satisfied with "this man" yet?
He can save to the uttermost all that come unto God through Him.
But again, " Be it known unto you that through this man' is preached unto you the forgiveness of sins, and by him all that believe are justified from all things from which ye could not be justified by the law of Moses " (Acts 13:38, 3938Be it known unto you therefore, men and brethren, that through this man is preached unto you the forgiveness of sins: 39And by him all that believe are justified from all things, from which ye could not be justified by the law of Moses. (Acts 13:38‑39)). Dost thou believe on the Son of God? The Lord enable you to believe now, to cast yourself upon Him who is mighty to save.