| This man receiveth sinners and eateth with them (Luke 15:2) |
This
was the complaint of the Pharisees against the Lord Jesus. Yet their
"complaint" contains a glorious gospel truth and has inspired millions.
The Lord Jesus never denied their charge and actually told 3
parables in a row to further enlarge upon these words i.e. the Parable
of the Lost Sheep, the Parable of the Lost Silver and the Parable of
the Lost (or Prodigal) Son. |
| Who
is this Man who is so kind and welcoming to guilty, lost sinners? None
other than our LORD JESUS CHRIST i.e. the Lord of all Glory. |
This
is totally amazing! The Eternal God - the Offended One in this matter
of our sins - is so kind as to receive sinners and eat with them,
denoting reconciliation and forgiveness. Jesus Christ is called the
Lord of Glory in 1 Corinthians 2:8 and declared to be God in John 1:1-3
|
| The One who came into the world and found no room in the inn (Luke
2:7). The One who often had nowhere to lay His head at night, yet came
into the world that the world through Him might be saved (John 3:17). |
Note
the opposites here. Jesus Christ receives sinners and that when they
need Him most. yet when he came into the world as a little Babe in the
arms of His mother, there was no room for them in the inn and He was
born in the less than dignified surroundings of a cattle stall. Yet,
even though He knew this would be the case, he still came into the
world that the world through Him might be saved. |
However, there was room at Calvary for Him. There He bare our sins and
made peace with God for us, by the blood of His cross. (Colossians
1:21)
|
No
room at the inn, but plenty of room at the Cross as He made full
atonement for our sins. This atonement satisfied the righteous
demands of a Holy and Sin Hating God and enables Him to pardon the
otherwise guilty and hell deserving sinner. |
| Only those who actually come to Him in repentance and in faith
receive full and immediate pardon for their sins. He turns away none
who so come to Him. |
The
Pharisees declined to eat with Him, but the low life of Christ's day
did. Repentance towards God and faith in the Lord Jesus are necessary
if you would be saved. There is no merit in either of these things, but
they are the means that bring the soul to God and salvation. Repent
means to do a full U turn - a change of mind and direction and is
always coupled with faith i.e. trust - a putting of the full weight -
in Christ. Mere reformation of character or morality cannot save you.
We are all great sinners and stand in the direst need of a Great
Saviour. |
| As you read this card...Why not you? Why not now? |
The gospel demands a
response. It is of little use reading about others fleeing to Christ
for refuge, if you yourself stand and watch them and decide not to flee
yourself. This card is designed to show you that those who do
flee always find admission into God's Kingdom. He has never turned away
anyone yet who came. Flee to Christ today and experience the joy
of salvation for yourself. |
