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[0:00] If the Lord may help me that I shall attention to the Gospel according to Luke chapter 15 and verses 1 and 2. Luke chapter 15 and verses 1 and 2.

[0:18] 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.

[0:46] These words have been marked upon my spirit over the past few days and having felt I trust something of the sweetness contained in these words as it sets before us the blessed person of the Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.

[1:12] I have felt made to bring them before you this evening. In begin as we look at these words, let me just mention this.

[1:24] For I feel, friends, it's a point we often lose sight of as we read the sacred record of the Gospel wherein is brought before us the life, the work, and the words of the Lord Jesus when he was here upon this earth.

[1:48] What is the design of the Holy Spirit in the sacred record of the Gospel? What is his design in the leading and teaching of the Spirit-taught family of God in and with regard to the sacred record of the Gospel?

[2:12] Friends, it is this. And may the Lord feel the blessed fruit of it upon your heart and mind this evening that we have here not only an historical record of those events that took place when the Lord Jesus was here upon this earth, that we have brought before us here not only what he was, but essentially this, what he still is.

[2:51] For friends, do remember this, that this same dear man in heaven now reigns, who suffered for our sake, it is the same Lord Jesus who was here upon this earth, this same man that received sinners and did eat wisdom that is now exalted and glorified at the Father's right hand.

[3:23] And is he any different to what he was when he was here upon earth? Is his attitude towards sinners any different?

[3:35] Blessed be his great and holy name, it is not. Do just notice this, Lord. Remember that time of the Lord's ascension into heaven when, as he went with his disciples among, as he led them forth out toward Bethany, that he was parted from them.

[4:03] And there, friends, in his parting from them, we read this, he lifted up his hands and blessed them. And it came to pass as he was, as he blessed them, he was parted from them and carried us into heaven.

[4:24] All blessed fruit there brought before us, the last act of a precious Christ upon this earth was to bless sinners.

[4:36] And friends, he's been blessing sinners ever since. And he still does in the riches of his grace. Bless sinners.

[4:47] Remember also what the angels said to the disciples as they stood gazing up into heaven. ye men of Galilee, why stand ye gazing up into heaven?

[5:03] This same Jesus shall so come in like manner as ye have seen him carried up into heaven. This same Jesus.

[5:16] This is a point I want to stress. This is a point of thought that the Holy Spirit a poor sinner in the exercise of a living faith is brought to see, to see, to lay hold upon, that it is this same Jesus that in all that he's opened up before us in the record of the sacred gospel, of his dealings with, his compassions towards, his mercy made known, his path in love opened up and sealed upon the heart of sinners, the friends.

[6:02] He is still the same. His compassion are great. His grace is no less. It is still what Paul emphasises as he writes in his epistle to Timothy.

[6:19] It is a faithful saying, worthy of all acceptation that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners of whom I am Jesus.

[6:36] Well, in noticing these words this evening, I wonder as the Lord may graciously enable to bear that truth in mind that what is here recorded of the Lord Jesus Christ shows us not only what he was but what he still is and that poor perishing guilty sinners as led and tossed by the Holy Spirit shall and will still prove him to be what he was when he was here upon this earth such and one who in rich grace and divine mercy does receive such and does eat with them.

[7:29] Then drew near unto him all the publicans and sinners for to hear him. Well, friends, what a mercy it is that it is recorded in the sacred scriptures that it was with such character that the Lord Jesus did deal.

[7:53] it was among such characters that he went that such characters as these did indeed not only hear his word but know the power and authority on him in their own hearts that his divine grace was displayed unto and towards us.

[8:20] Just notice this thought his association with publicans and sinners when here upon this earth though despised by the scribes and Pharisees though they despised him for it and are for by what is brought before us in this second verse therein to speak derogatory against him the Lord's association with such characters was not to confirm them in their sins not to condone what they were guilty of but essentially was this as is declared concerning himself it was to save them from their sins as his word declared I am come not to call the righteous but sinners to repent to seek and to save that of which is lost praise what drew such characters as these to the feet of the

[9:41] Lord Jesus Christ what caused them to come to hear him we find that there were many that came out of curiosity many that came because they had heard the miracles that he had done many even that came because they did eat of the loaves and fishes and were filled with fine friends that great multitudes followed him when he was here upon this earth during those years of his public ministry men but we are not to suppose by that that all that came to him or heard him when he was here upon this earth were savingly wrought upon or was there not the sad and solemn evidence that even amongst those that heard him they heard but those words to their own condemnation that though he had done so many miracles amongst them yet they believed not so much so that he declared a solemn woe unto them woe unto

[11:08] Capernaum wherein his mighty works had been done he said if the mighty works had been done in them had been done in Sodom he would have repented long ago in sackcloth and ashes I tell you be more tolerable for the land of Sodom in the day of judgment than before thee but friends though that was so we see distinctly manifest divine sovereignty almighty grace that there was a people so wrought upon by the Holy Spirit that were brought both to hear his word not only with the outward ear but know the power and authority of it in and upon their heart were brought both to hear and through his grace to follow him and to know what it was through rich mercy and grace to be brought to repentance and confession of their sins and to find from himself that pardon people and that peace indeed with God then drew near unto him all the publicans and sinners for to hear him what friends

[12:46] I would hear just notice is this point or see what emphasis is put here in sacred scripture upon these publicans and sinners these such characters as these are they that knew what it was through its grace to be benefited savingly by Jesus Christ our here were men and women that were despised by the religious world of that day those that were looked down upon those who the scribes and parities would have nothing whatsoever to do with and truly men and women that certainly had nothing in themselves to commend themselves either unto their fellow men and certainly not unto the

[13:51] Lord God himself certainly nothing in these to commend them unto the Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ God why by and through their sins they had forfeited every claim upon God and upon his favour and notice and friends that remember this that you and I are no which better than these words what is there in us that can merit estee or give the creator delight does not the word of God solemnly declare no something friend of the solemn declaration of it in your own conscience that it be brought home to your heart and mind by divine power under the teaching of the

[14:54] Holy Spirit is those solemn words being sounded as it were in the ears of our soul there is none that doeth good no not one all have been and come short of the glory of God and again solemn fruit the soul that sinnet it shall die here were men and women as it were steeped deep dyed sinners those that indeed as it were were ten thousand pence debtors but oh friends what I want here to try to bring before you again this evening is the truth of this that it is such characters as these but with whom Christ has to deal wretched ruin hell deserving sinners those that have nothing to commend themselves unto

[16:03] God those in whom there is found no good thing yet such are these with whom Christ has to do as was demonstrated when he was here upon this earth and we read and the Pharisees and scribes murmured saying this man receiveth sinners and eateth with them it was an offense to the scribes and Pharisees they fought to say that this was most lowering most degrading that a man should have dealing with publicans and sinners and particularly in the light of what the Lord claimed rightly and justly to be ah here was something that was degrading and shameful as viewed by the

[17:09] Pharisees but friends what I would hear just notice is this does the Lord reject what they murmured against him does he indeed seek to justify himself of that accusation does he in essence say that what they said of him was not true ah blessed be God he does not though friends he reject rightly the cavilling of the scribes and Pharisees yet we find that the Lord Jesus glory in this truth that this was what he came for that that great purpose of his coming was this to glorify God in the salvation of such characters as these publicans and sinners were and not not not only does he not reject that accusation but he gloried it and he goes on distinctly to set forth in these those parables that follow the emphasis of this truth that this man the man

[18:40] Christ Jesus receives sinners and eats with them and as then he tried to notice one or two distinct forms upon these words how full how rich the truth not friends to such as our scribes and Pharisees the soul that never fears tells its need of a sinner as a sinner sees no glory and beauty in these words the soul that has a righteousness of his own will never glory friends in what is brought before us here he will never see and realise the blessed truth and precious of these things they concern the Lord Jesus Christ but I believe the soul that is taught for the

[19:42] Holy Spirit brought to see and feel and to feel increasingly its wretchedness and ruin in and by its sins why this that men despise self righteous parisies reject and turn from why this they glory in the wonder the grace and truth of it that this man receiveth sinners and eateth with them and do you then just have a thought upon these words this man who friends isn't all these may seem very simple very elementary things but I feel increasingly friends how we need to come back again and again to the very simple elementary truth of the word of

[20:49] God the very simple truth as it were simple and yet so sublime concerning the person and work of the Lord Jesus Christ I verily believe that we have not yet half begun to understand the fullness of divine grace and truth as opened up in the gospel and we so often lose sight of what is brought before us in these words that this man receiveth sinners and eateth wisdom I find friends this in the reading of sacred scripture particularly in the epistles of Paul that the whole sum and centre of his ministry that this was something he never got far from something he was coming back to and reiterating again and again and what was that it was

[22:01] Jesus Christ and him crucified and do notice this thought as well do you find it is something that you can get far from oh I believe I can say one has found increasingly something of the sweetness and preciousness of those words of Paul as he writes to the Corinthians wherein he declares we preach Christ crucify there's the whole sum and substance friends of the gospel there is that alone which a poor sinner has taught by the Holy Spirit as to rejoice in which all his hopes are founded both for time and for eternity and from which alone he can look to and expect every favour blessing and mercy of

[23:07] God towards him it is in and through Christ crucified and as you go on upon my journey do you find you can get far from that truth is not the daily need of it impressed upon your soul do you find yourself any less a sinner than you were when the Lord first began to deal with your soul you may have thought then that you knew something of sin as taught by the Holy Spirit but what friends do you find do you find you become any less a sinner or sin any less hateful the evil of it any less in your own soul experience do you find that cry of the public is a cry now that you can dispense with

[24:10] God be merciful to me a sinner no friends I believe has taught that the Holy Spirit increasingly the truth of this will be impressed upon the soul the daily need of a precious Christ in all that he is and in every office that he sustains as hand over all things to the church and as often friends the sin and the guilt of it the defilement of it lies upon your heart and conscience so the more of talk for the Holy Spirit will I believe and be found in such words before us this evening that which alone will raise up a living hope in your soul and bring you some measure of encouragement still through his grace to press on and to press towards him that this man receiveth sinners and eateth with them but to come back to this thought this man who friends is all here is none other but the eternal son of

[25:38] God God manifest in the flesh but it distinctly declared this man oh the wonder when rightly viewed of the sacred humanity of the Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ here we see him as the scriptures open up and declare made a little lower than the angels for the suffering of death that through the grace of God he might taste death for every man here we see a precious Christ indeed God manifest in the flesh he who has become brother to our souls become flesh of our flesh bone of our bones seen here in our room and our place with what end and design why as the scripture declares an opener to save his people from their sins this man the man

[26:59] Christ Jesus and all friends behold a set forth in holy scripture his compassion towards a poor sinner the love of his heart towards the same one says nothing brought him from above nothing but redeeming love it is recorded in holy scripture concerning him read again the eighth chapter of the book of proverbs there as the lord jesus is set before us under the similitude of wisdom it is declared that i was daily with him rejoicing always before him in the habitable path of his earth and my delight he said were with the sons of men all the love of his heart to his own dear people those of his father gave unto him from before the foundation of the world as one says he saw me ruined in the fall yet loved me not with standing all he saved me from my lost estate his loving kindness oh our great friends for this very purpose did this man come to save his people from their sins and in so doing he came just where they were upon him was laid the guilt and the sin of each one of them and his grace and mercy and love is displayed in them that he comes both where they are and with this full purpose to save and deliver them from that case and that state and condition this man the eternal son of

[29:19] God the glory of a precious Christ as they shine forth in the gospel may you and I indeed know what it is as taught for the Holy Spirit in the exercise of a living faith to view more and more that glory of Christ as the saviour of sinners as set forth in the sacred scriptures and our friends through his grace to view the glory of this man to sing to the praise of his glory as sinners saved by grace even to all eternity but this man are despised by many but nonetheless the son of the eternal God the great and only saviour of sinners despised by proud

[30:22] Pharisees but precious friends to guilty and needy sinners this man receiveth sinners and eateth with them love already say that all may this truth be sealed home upon any poor seeking guilty needy soul this evening that he is that same Jesus still friend what is recorded here of him is still true there are poor sinners that have stilled the living witnesses of this truth that he receiveth them upon what ground does he receive sinners all the wonder of this here is something friends which is a continual wonder to the spirit taught people of

[31:25] God and is there not that at time which is found in their heart is it found friends in your heart and mine this evening do we wonder how he can receive sinners he that is holy harmless undefiled separate from sinners we behold the glory of God's holiness righteousness and justice as that forth in the scriptures assured of this that Christ is very God well how can he receive sinners here is something which as it were at times seems completely beyond us here is something that seems so great that how can he receive such a one as I am so guilty defiled throughout by and through sin having not one good thought that

[32:34] I could even call my own or could produce without divine grace enabling how can he receive such a wretched deep dyed stained sinner as I am there is nothing in me to merit his esteem how often friends are these questions found or we so look to ourselves and to our own hearts and cast down and discouraged by what we find there that question often arise how can he receive such a one as I am if only I had this if only I had so and so's experience if only I was not as bad as I am or have gone as far as I have I might have some hope that he would receive me but all friends away with such legal wrangling away with such a self righteous for that's what they are reasoning the blessed scriptures declare that

[33:53] Christ receiveth sinners remember this he receives sinners as sinners and he saves sinners as sinners he doesn't praise expect he doesn't look for us to make ourselves presentable in his sight all such things as that are abomination unto him Paul sweetly touches upon the truth of it when he declares that God justifies the ungodly and that he commendeth his love toward us in this that when we were yet sinners Christ died ah in his receiving of sinners he looks friends not to any desert in them for there is none in them nor ever will be but all it is that which has its origin in himself it is because he will it flows out of his own free and sovereign grace and remember friends what grace is it is the free the undeserved love and favour of

[35:24] God towards a sinner it is because what he is he receives that out of the riches of his grace and love towards them you know that the word that is often quoted from holy scripture a word which is often I believe misapplied and misunderstood yet a word that has such a fullness in it that I believe friends it will require eternity itself to ever fathom any of the depths of it and that is what we find in John 3 16 that God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten son that whosoever believeth in him should not perish but have everlasting life this man receiveth all he receives them freely he receives them friends in love his word declared and blessed is that word that

[36:40] Christ will not cast out one that comes unto him whatever their guilt their case their sin their need one that comes unto him as taught by the holy spirit in all their wretchedness and need a precious Christ declares that he surely will receive such remember those words in the sixth chapter of John all that the father giveth me shall come and him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out their friends is a blessed mark of divine teaching in each one whom the father has given unto his beloved son they are all sinners lost and ruined in the form they are all in exactly the condition described in these words publicans and sinners but the word says they shall come and friends through divine grace and the power of the holy spirit they do come and come in all their wretchedness their sin their guilt and their need and he says he will in no wine cast out ah friends there's a word you and

[38:15] I could never get beyond or fathom the fullness of he says he will in no wine cast them out receive his sin ah he takes them friends unto himself he embraces them why he did life as so to do as his word declares is evident in what follows and eat it with them I just want here to notice this thought we find that friends this word is blessedly true not only in the first beginnings of the work of divine grace upon the soul but there is something in these words that is precious to the living family of God the whole length of life journey you know we read in this chapter the case of the prodigal son no friends have we not a description there of that which is sadly true at times even of

[39:29] God's people are that they have indeed back slidden from God that are those things that have come and entered into their heart and lives that which they have fallen into that have brought guilt and condemnation upon guilt upon their conscience the sad and solemn defilement of sin help in their own soul and all prayings is not even sin a daily solemn reality to the living family of God are you in a situation this evening wherein that guilt has been brought home to your conscience the Lord has shown you something of what you are and where you have been awakened to the solemn realisation of this that you have sinned against light and knowledge love and blood after all the

[40:37] Lord's mercy and favours towards you you have gone and done what you have done and so brought guilt and the defilement of sin upon your conscience and ah Satan is ready to say yea as it were is thundering in the ears of your soul there is no mercy now for you in God you have gone too far ah look what you have done where you have been even after the Lord's mercy can you expect that he will yet turn and have mercy upon you and yet friends do notice this and all I believe poor prodigals do still find and prove the truth of it that though they are they their father's kind this man the man Christ

[41:38] Jesus he still receives sinners and eat it with them as through his grace they are brought to repentance and confession of sin dying with each frame of old to smite upon their side to own their sin before God why there's full and rich reception for them even still at the hands of their covenant keeping God remember what we read in the epistle of John I write unto you little children that ye sin not but if any man sin we have an advocate with the father Jesus Christ the righteous he is the propitiation for our sins and oh friends what wondrous truth is this may the

[42:38] Lord steal it afresh upon your heart and mine this evening that we have a great high priest over the house of God Jesus the son of God and that this Jesus the saviour and friend of all sinners does still receive such and eat with them this eating with them sweet this ignited that that that that his his communion and fellowship known and felt with him in the soul all the wonder of this truth not only that he will and does look upon them but only that he will and does take notice of them but that friends he comes to them even if it were to eat and to drink with them to open up of his own heart the wonders of his grace to hold fellowship and communion with them and friends that sweet sense of that fellowship and communion with him are what why those sweet fortes of heaven and there the fullness of this truth will be realized that this man receivest sinners and eateth wisdom all those before the throne are the redeemed from amongst men all they that are found there are clothed in the righteousness of

[44:24]  Jesus Christ and to them shall assure this be that found the realization of this that they shall eat of the married supper of the land this man receivest sinners and eateth with them still friends blessedly true oh may the Lord the Holy Spirit open it up more and more to your heart and thine but I'll leave it there may the Lord bless his own word amen well