PENITENCE AND COMMUNION
‘This Man receiveth sinners.’
Among the many devices of the Enemy, against which the Christian has to be put upon his guard, one of the most dangerous is that of making mistakes as to right and wrong. No sooner does Satan find that we begin to resist open temptations than he seeks to make us go wrong through deception. Especially is this the case with humble and penitent souls, men who are sorry for what they have done wrong and are wishing to do right, but are afraid of themselves and hardly dare consider themselves Christians at all. And, perhaps, the thing above all others that Satan sets himself to deceive them about is that which they most need—the help and comfort of Holy Communion.
Let us consider some of those points of connection between the blessings of Holy Communion and the condition and needs of the penitent. That there is such a connection we all know. Our Prayer Book, our Communion Service, brings it into special prominence.
I. Who are they that are invited to Holy Communion?—‘Ye that do truly and earnestly repent you of your sins …’ This is its Invitation. And then, when we accept the Invitation and draw near to the Holy Mysteries, how, and in what words, do we accept it? We reply, ‘We do earnestly repent, and are heartily sorry,’ etc. So, then, the Invitation is sent forth to the penitent, and it is the penitent who accepts it. It is only as penitent men and women that we venture to accept it. There must, therefore, be some special connection between the Holy Communion and penitence. What follows then? Clearly this:—
II. That it is a tremendous mistake to imagine that Holy Communion is intended to be kept back as the peculiar privilege of the advanced Christian.
III. That it is intended for the comfort of the penitent.
IV. That none, not even the best of men, the purest and the holiest, can ever approach this Holy Feast except in the character of a penitent.—It is only those who in this life wear the robe of penitence who will wear the wedding garment of Christ’s righteousness at the marriage supper of the Lamb hereafter.
Thus, then, our Communion Service makes it clear and certain that Holy Communion is for the penitent, and the penitent for the Holy Communion. Here we have an application of our text, ‘This Man receiveth sinners.’
Illustration
‘Let me tell you how Charles Simeon lost the burden of his sin by casting it in faith on the Redeemer, and how he found, to his endless comfort, that Christ receives sinners. When he was a young man of about twenty, at Cambridge, he was for some months in great distress about his soul, which, as he says, might well have continued for years; but, as he tells us himself, “in Easter week, as I was reading Bishop Wilson on the Lord’s Supper, I met with an expression to this effect: ‘That the Jews knew what they did when they transferred their sin to the head of their offering.’ The thought rushed into my mind: What! May I transfer all my guilt to another? Has God provided an Offering for me, that I may lay my sins on His head? Then, God willing, I will not bear them on my own soul one moment longer. Accordingly I sought to lay my sins on the sacred head of Jesus; and on the Wednesday began to have a hope of mercy; on the Thursday that hope increased; on the Friday and Saturday it became more strong; and on the Sunday morning (Easter Day) I awoke early with these words upon my heart and lips, ‘Jesus Christ is risen to-day; Hallelujah! Hallelujah!’ From that hour peace flowed in rich abundance into my soul; and at the Lord’s Table in our chapel I had the sweetest access to God through my Blessed Saviour.” ’
(SECOND OUTLINE)
CHRIST RECEIVETH SINFUL MEN
‘This Man receiveth sinners.’ I rejoice to know my Saviour was Man. God is so great and holy that I should fear Him, stained as I am with sin. But the Face of Jesus Christ gives me confidence and joy.
I. He receives them into His heart to be forgiven.—If you have read the Pilgrim’s Progress you will remember that when Christian got to the ‘wicket-gate’ he said, ‘Here is a poor burdened sinner. I am come from the City of Destruction, but am going to Mount Zion, that I may be delivered from the wrath to come. I would therefore, sir, since I am informed that by this gate is the way thither, know if you are willing to let me in?’ Then Christ answered, ‘I am willing with all My heart,’ and with that He opened the gate. Yes, indeed, with all His heart of untold love Jesus receives sinners. So willing is He that, as George Whitfield said, ‘He even receives the devil’s castaways!’
II. He receives them into His school to be trained.—He educates them, and teaches them by His Spirit. He opens their understanding to understand the Scriptures. He is so patient, so loving, so gentle.
III. He receives them into His home.—‘In My Father’s house are many mansions’ (many abiding-places). ‘I go to prepare a place for you’ (John 14:2). He knows how we shrink from death and the world beyond the grave; therefore He calls it home. His Apostle assures all believers when they are absent from the body they are ‘ at home with the Lord’ (2 Corinthians 5:8, R.V.). No one fears going home. And every Christian may say, ‘I am going home; I am going home.’
—Rev. F. Harper.
Illustration
‘He will receive the rich—Joseph of Arimathea, an example.
He will receive the poor—Lazarus, the beggar, an example.
He will receive the learned—Dionysius, the Areopagite, an example.
He will receive physicians—Luke, an example.
He will receive soldiers—the Roman centurion, an example.
He will receive fishermen—Peter, etc., examples.
He will receive extortioners—Zacchæus, an example.
He will receive tax-gathers—publicans, examples.
He will receive thieves—the dying robber, an example.
He will receive harlots—the woman who was a sinner, an example.
He will receive adulterers—the woman of Samaria, an example.
He will receive persecutors and murderers—Saul, an example.
He will receive persons possessed of devils—many examples.
He will receive backsliders—Peter, an example.
He will receive persons in trade—Lydia, a seller of purple, an example.
He will receive statesmen and courtiers—the eunuch of Ethiopia, an example.
He will receive families—that of Bethany, an example.
He will receive whole multitudes—those at the day of Pentecost, an example.’