Now the tax collectors and sinners were all drawing near to hear him. (Luke 15:1)

In today’s understanding the person who is elevated in power is the one who is all the more difficult to approach.  The difficulty of getting into a one on one conversation with a king, president, mayor, doctor, celebrity, or others such title, is at times, impossible.  Even in biblical times we find that the wife of king Ahasuerus could not approach the king unless she was summoned to do so.  If Esther was to come into the presence of Ahasuerus without invitation, the protocol for such an event would demand her death. The numerous obstacles for people to enter into the presence of someone in power are so overwhelming, that most of us are not even willing to try.  In the back of our minds we know that we will not be allowed to enter. 

It is not so with the King of kings.  The great King of heaven bids us to come.  The lowest and vilest sinner is welcome at the feet of Jesus.  Who is it that gathers at the feet of this King?  Can you see the crowd gathered around Him?  We find prostitutes, tax collectors (one of the most despised groups of Jesus’ day), liars, thieves, idolaters, rebels, coveters, blasphemers, adulterers, and just out and out sinners.  The great King of heaven is so unlike the worldly powers of our day in that He welcomes the lowest of classes and the greatest of sinners.  This great King is so receptive of sinners that His critics accuse Him of being friends with sinners and that He even eats with the lowlife of society.  Jesus readily receives the humble unto His presence and speaks the beauties of the Kingdom with them.  However, the prideful and religious are left out to the side to hurl their insults at Him and to remain in their sins, because they are unwilling to humble themselves and come.  What a wretched course of action.
 
Dearly beloved, I pray that you would come to such a marvelous King.  Sit at His feet and learn from Him for His yoke is easy and His burden is light.  Come to Him and live.  Come to Him and worship.  Come to Him and glory in His beauty.  As C. H. Spurgeon once wrote: “Why art thou afraid to come, and tell him all thy case?  He will not pronounce thy doom, nor frown thee from his face.  Wilt thou fear Immanuel?  Or dread the Lamb of God, who, to save thy soul from hell, has shed his precious blood . . . let whosoever will now come, in mercy’s breast there still is room.”  I pray that all sinners will draw near to Jesus and I trust that you will find mercy in time of need.

J. Randall Easter, Senior Pastor of First Baptist Church of Briar, Azle, TX.
II Timothy 2:19
“He who sells cheapest shall have most customers; the devil knows that it is a cheap and easy doctrine which pleases the flesh, and he doubts not but he shall have customers enough.” (Thomas Watson)