“This Man receives sinners” (Luke 15:2)

Our Lord is amazing. “He came to His own, and His own did not receive Him” (John 1:11). Christ was above all other men, holy, harmless, undefiled, and separate from sinners. This Man, was eternal God, before whom angels veil their faces - this Man receives sinners. This act of love is unimaginable, beyond description. If any of us were willing to die for a friend, that would be somewhat understandable; but He was the  offended God, against whom the transgression had been committed. He took upon Himself the form of a Servant, and received the vilest of the vile, “this was the Lord’s doing, And it is marvelous in our eyes” (Mark 12:11).

“This Man receives sinners”; not, however, so they would remain that way. He receives them to pardon their sins, justify their persons, cleanse their hearts, preserve their souls, and enable them to serve Him, to show forth His praise, and have communion with Him. “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new” (2 Corinthians 5:17).

He takes sinners from the dung heap, cleans them up and wears them as jewels on His crown, as monuments of His mercy. He’s intimate with them. He doesn’t keep them at a comfortable distance. He opens his heart, and receives them into Himself – He becomes one spirit with them and makes them a Temple of the Holy Spirit (1 Corinthian 6:17-19).