[After these things He (Jesus)went out, and saw a tax collector, named Levi, sitting at the tax office. And He said to him, 'Follow Me,' And he left all, rose up, and followed Him.] [Now it happened, as He was dining in Levi's house, that many tax collectors and sinners also sat together with Jesus and His disciples](Luke 5:27 Mark 2:15). [But their scribes and Pharisees murmured against His disciples, saying, 'Why do You eat and drink with tax collectors and sinners?'] {Look, [Jesus is] a friend of tax collectors and sinners](Luke 5:30, Matt. 11:19).
But when Jesus heard this, He said to them,[Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick. But go and learn what this means: 'I desire mercy and not sacrifice.' For I did not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance](Matt. 9:12,13).
The infinitely merciful and compassionate Majesty of heaven who [a bruised reed he will not break, and a dimly burning wick he will not quench](Isa. 42:3), did not refuse the kind and warm hospitality of tax collectors and sinners but rather gladly accepted it, pleased to sit with them at their table and converse with them while eating. He was aware of the strict criticism and reproach from jealous, hypocritical people, but regardless of their criticism, His heart was drawn to these tax collectors and sinners who were thirsting for the water of life, He was not concerned with the outward, superficial appearances, but rather with the precious souls of those who would willingly repent of their sins when pointed out, to them who would return to God and obey Him.
Today, He is also looking for such people, drawing them to have fellowship with them. He is not concerned with nationality, race position, wealth poverty, or status level. All the children of men upon the earth are equally His precious children and friends.
To all who depart from sin and gladly choose to obey God He says, [Here are My mother and My brothers!](Matt.12:49). [And I say to you My friends,] [No longer do I call you servants... but friends,] My friends (Luke 12:4 John 15:15). And He adds, for you alone have I shed My blood and given up My life.
What a great number of Christians today are deceiving themselves, as the Pharisees of old, by the spirit of self-righteousness and hypocrisy Although they do not admit anything publicly, in the sight of God their actions say, [God, I thank You that I am not like other men - extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even like this tax collector. I fast twice a week; I give tithes of all that I possess](Luke 18:11,12). And these hypocrites say to those souls who, without the knowledge of God and the Savior, indulge in drinking, amusement, robbery, and murder, crying out for salvation in weariness and helplessness, trying to escape from the darkness - to these souls for whom Jesus has the greatest pity and seeks to save. [Keep to yourself do not come near me; for I am holier Than you!] Jesus declares that He will pour upon them His wraths, saying, [These are smoke in My nostrils, a fire that burns all the day](Isa. 65:5).
He says, [There was a certain creditor who had two debtors, One owed five hundred denarii, and the other fifty. And when they had nothing with which to repay, he forgave them both. Tell Me, therefore, which of them will love him more? Simon, answered and said 'I suppose the other one whom he forgave more.' And He said to Him, You have rightly judged'](Luke 7:41-43).
He who committed ten times greater sin and was forgiven will love Him and be loyal to Him more than the one who committed a little sin and was forgiven. Someday in the near future, great multitude of the redeemed will stand around the throne of Jesus and praise Him who cleansed and saved them with His blood and those to stand closest to Him will be the prostitutes, thieves, and murderers who committed th greatest sins and were pointed at most contemptuously by their neighbors on earth. Jesus has not forsaken or given up even one soul as hopeless, however contemptuously he may have been shunned by society. Whether they tumbled about in the bottom of a cesspool of iniquity or in a den of licentiousness, He says, "What though the whole head is sick and the whole heart faint? What though from the sole of the foot even unto the crown of the head there is no soundness but wounds and bruises, and putrefying sores? He who has been walking in the way of his heart might find healing by turning to the Lord." [I have seen his ways, and will heal him ... Peace peace to him who is far off and to him who is near, says the Lord, and I will heal him](Isa. 57:8,19). The heart of Jesus overflowing with love, who abandoned all of heaven to save sinners, yearns after those who feel powerless to free themselves from the snares of Satan. He graciously offers to strengthen them so that they might live for Him.
[Fear not, (Jesus bids them) I will strengthen you, yes, I will help you, I will uphold you with My righteous right had.][Fear not, you worm of Jacob, you men of Israel! I will help you, says the Lord and your Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel](Isa. 41:10,14). In search of you alone have I forsaken heaven and come to this world of darkness.
It is not because He is reluctant to forgive a sinner but because the sinner persistently refuses to avail himself of the abundant provision of His grace. This is why He turns from the sinner and cannot save him from his sin.[Behold, the Lord's hand is not shortened, that it cannot save; nor His ear heavy, that it cannot hear. But your iniquities have separated you from your God; and your sins have hidden His face from you, so that He will not hear;] and because you have [forsaken Me the fountain of living waters] and persistently refused to come to Me(Isa. 59:1-2, Jer. 2: 13).
When many people are wounded or become critically injured simultaneously due to a sudden traffic accident, they are all quickly taken to the hospital. If there are only a few doctors available to care for the patients, and they all need the doctor's care, whose injuries should the doctors first treat? Obviously, it must be th one who is most seriously injured and in critical condition. Likewise, our great Physician Jesus has the greatest pity on sinners most wounded and bruised by transgression among all sinner patients from the railroad-catastrophe of this earth-train, who are most alienated from society and receive the coldest treatment from people.
But many people hesitate to come to Him, saying, "I have committed too many great sins to be forgiven." They are like those patients who are in critical condition and bleeding profusely due to an unfortunate traffic accident, who say, "Will the doctor not be displeased with me? will he not scold me for so many serious wounds?" and indeed lose their lives because of such foolish, useless anxiety.
Today Jesus is still calling to all sinful children who are coldly treated and ridiculed by people, [Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.] [I, even I, am He who blots out your transgressions for My own sake, and I will not remember your sins.] I am your Physician, your lovely Friend, your Savior who abandoned heaven and came down to this world of darkness in order to blot out your sins, to heal your body and soul, and to take you to heaven. Whoever comes to Me, [I will by no means cast out.] [I did not come to call the righteous, but sinners](Matt. 11:28, Isa. 43:25., John 6:37, Matt. 9:13).
Praise the Lord! [He has not observed iniquity in Jacob, nor has He seen wickedness in Israel. The Lord his God is with him, and the shout of a King is among them.] Therefore [blessed is he whose transgression is forgiven, whose sin is covered. Blessed is the man to whom the Lord does not impute iniquity, and in whose spirit there is no guile](Num. 23:21, Ps. 32:1,2).
[I acknowledged my sin to You, and my iniquity I have not hidden. I said, I will confess my transgressions to the Lord ' and You forgave the iniquity of my sin. For this cause everyone who is godly shall pray to You in a time when You may be found; surely in a flood of great waters they shall not come near him. You are my hiding place; You shall preserve me from trouble; you shall surround me with songs of deliverance](Ps. 32:5-7).
Behold, Jesus is [a Friend of tax collectors and sinners](Matt. 11:19). He is most pleased and delighted with those sinners who are like a bruised reed or dimly burning wick, who accept His invitation and come to Him. From then on, He becomes their unique Friend and Savior, like a tender mother who will [gird (herself) and have them sit down to eat, and will come and serve them](Luke 12:37). And He says to them, [You are 'Our Friends'; (John 11:11). My Friends](Luke 12:4); true[friends loves at all times] [and whatever you ask in My name, that I will do ... (Whatever) you ask anything in My name, I will do it](Pro.17:17, John 14:13,14. Our amiable and lovely friend Jesus who is the same yesterday, today and forever,] who was received up into heaven, and sat down at the right hand of God,] is now waiting for our position, saying, [All thing that the Father has are Mine,] ask Me for anything(Heb. 13:8, Mark 16:19, John 16:15).
Praise the Lord! Glory and praise to Jesus, my everlasting friend who in order to be a friend of sinners, forsook heaven, and was taken up to heaven as a Friend of sinners, who is now sitting at the right hand of God as my everlasting Friend! Praise the Lord!
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