THROUGH THE BIBLE IN THREE YEARS
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A mistress was instructing her maid, "Don't forget to move the furniture and sweep under the bed so that the ladies coming for dinner won't see dust under the bed."
The maid said, "It seems to me, Ma'am, that if those are LADIES coming to dinner, they wouldn't be looking under the bed!"
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Luke 15:1-2
1 Then drew near unto him all the publicans and sinners for to hear him.
2 And the Pharisees and scribes murmured, saying, This man receiveth sinners, and eateth with them.
KJV
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PRAISE GOD! Jesus "receiveth sinners!" Not as though they were visitors, but to make them family members!
This holy, perfect, sinless, undefiled "Man" is none other than God incarnate. Yet He is willing to receive sinful men!
He will take the poor in their squalor and make them rich in mercy and grace.
He will take the alcoholic from the gutter and fill him with the "wine" of His Holy Spirit.
He will take the drug addict from the habitual evil and give him hope beyond hope.
Indeed, He will take unholy creatures, defiled by sins, and make them NEW CREATIONS in God's love!
Not only shall He receive sinners, but He shall JUSTIFY them by His holy blood.
He shall pardon their sins and cleanse their hearts.
He shall preserve their souls in His Holy Spirit.
He shall enable them to both have intimate communion with Him and to serve Him.
He will give them the right to "sit" with Him in His "throne" (Rev. 3:21).
Christ opens the gates of His royal heaven and receives sinners!
There has never been a greater statement of God's holy love!
"This man receiveth sinners!"
"Whosoever shall call upon the Name of the LORD shall be saved!" (Rom. 10:13)
But will sinners receive HIM?
In order to be received by Christ, one must come "draw near" and "hear Him!"
To those who come "near" to His heart by penitent submission, Christ opens Himself for sinners to be made part of His "body." Then He causes the "Word" to be opened to their hearts that they might live in His holy and divine will.
Then He causes the windows of heaven to open and pour out grace upon grace!
Love ya,
Bruce