THIS MAN
Luke 15:1-2
(Antioch Baptist Church: Sunday, January 18th, 2025)
Early in His earthly ministry, Jesus miraculously healed a paralyzed man and forgave his sins; upon hearing this some of the scribes said to themselves “This man is blaspheming” (Matthew 9:3). Later, when the Lord returned to Nazareth and began to teach in the local synagogue, the people were astonished and said “Where did this man get this wisdom and these mighty works? Is not this the carpenter’s son? Is not his mother called Mary? And are not his brothers James and Joseph and Simon and Judas? And are not all his sisters with us? Where then did this man get all these things?” (Matthew 13:54-56). On another occasion, members of the Sanhedrin wanted to arrest Jesus, when the officers were asked why they did not seize Him, they answered, “no one ever spoke like this man” (John 7:46).
Tragically, as Jesus was persecuted by His enemies, Simon Peter was identified as being one of the Lord’s Disciples and “he began to invoke a curse on himself and to swear, “I do not know this man of whom you speak” (Mark 14:71). After questioning Jesus, Pilate said to the chief priests and to the people, “I find no fault in this man” (Luke 23:4). Later, when the angry crowd was given a choice between Jesus and a notable criminal named Barabbas, they all cried out together, “Away with this man, and release to us Barabbas” (Luke 23:18).
As Jesus hung on the Cross, “One of the criminals who were hanged alongside Him said, “we are receiving the due reward of our deeds; but this man has done nothing wrong” (Luke 23:39-41). After hanging in agony and suffering for our sins, Jesus “uttered a loud cry and breathed his last. And the curtain of the temple was torn in two, from top to bottom. And when the centurion, who stood facing him, saw that in this way he breathed his last, he said, “Truly this man was the Son of God!” (Mark 15:37-39).
The prophets prophesied concerning “this Man”, the Law pointed to “this Man”, the Apostles and other servants of Christ spread the good news of “this Man” from Jerusalem to Judea, to Samaria, and on to the uttermost parts of the earth. This Gospel of “this Man” has been handed down for generations and as a result we have the opportunity to know Him.
John records a great summary of the people’s response to Jesus in John 1:11-12. The Apostle says, “He came to his own, and his own people did not receive him. But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God”.
Our selected text chronicles one of the many times when the Pharisees and Scribes were infuriated by Jesus. They simply could not understand why Jesus would associate with and minister to the despised outcasts of society. I am glad to report that Jesus is still extending grace, mercy, compassion, and forgiveness to outcasts today. Join me as we examine this passage and consider “This Man”.
This chapter of God’s Word contains three parables that describe the lost being found and the rejoicing that follows. These parables (The Lost Coin, The Lost Sheep, and The Prodigal Son) were Jesus’ response to the Pharisees and Scribes who were infuriated by His message and methods. Those self-righteous Jewish religious leaders could not comprehend the reality that the Son of Man had “come to seek and save that which was lost” (Luke 19:10). Furthermore, they refused to even consider the fact that they were among those who were “lost”.
As we set the stage for our study of these “parables of joy” let us examine the anger and opposition that prompted this important conversation between Jesus and the Pharisees. First of all we will consider:
THE IDENTITY OF “THIS MAN”
When reading verse two, you can hear the distain in the voices of the Pharisees and they spoke about “this Man” receiving sinners and eating with them.
Luke’s Gospel account chronicles Jesus’ encounters with various outcasts. Rather than being compassionate, excited, or joyful, the Pharisees constantly found reasons to criticize the life changing works that Jesus was doing in their midst.
In Luke chapter five, Jesus healed a paralyzed man and forgave his sins. Instead of rejoicing over the miracle, the Scribes and Pharisees accused Jesus of blasphemy.
In chapter seven Jesus was eating a meal at a Pharisee named Simon’s home. While there, a certain woman came in with an alabaster flask of ointment “and began to wash His feet with her tears and wiped them with the hair of her head and kissed His feet and anointed them with the ointment” (Luke 7:38). Speaking up in disapproval, Simon said, “If this man were a prophet, He would have known who and what sort of woman this is who is touching Him, for she is a sinner” (Luke 7:39).
Then, in chapter eight Jesus encountered a man severely possessed by demons. “For a long time he had worn no clothes, and he had not lived in a house but among the tombs” (Luke 8:27). Jesus asked him, “What is your name?” And he said, “Legion,” for many demons had entered him” (Luke 8:31). Jesus cast the demons out of the man and when the town’s people arrived they “found the man from whom the demons had gone, sitting at the feet of Jesus, clothed and in his right mind, and they were afraid” (Luke 8:35).
These and many other miracles were not enough to convince the Pharisees that Jesus was the Son of God and the Promised Messiah. In spite of everything He did, they grumbled, complained, and plotted against Him. Now they complain that “This man receives sinners and eats with them”.
What is the identity of “this man”? Well, He is the forgiving Savior, He is The Great Physician, He is a friend of sinners, He is the Great Deliverer; and the remainder of this chapter proves that He is the seeking Savior, the Good Shepherd, and the Forgiving Father. The identity of “this Man” is none other than the Lord and Savior Jesus Christ!
Now that we have considered His identity, let’s move further and examine:
THE INTRIGUE SURROUNDING “THIS MAN”
v1 Then all the tax collectors and the sinners drew near to Him to hear Him.
Jesus was quite popular with the outcasts of society. On this occasion a large group of them gathered to hear the words of the Savior. These people did not just overhear Jesus’ speaking to others because they happened to be in the area, they were drawn to Him.
The outcasts were drawn to Jesus because He offered them acceptance, compassion, and hope for redemption; all things that society denied them. The Lord saw their intrinsic value He personally called them to God's kingdom.
There are several instances in the Book of Luke where “tax collectors” and “sinners” are mentioned in tandem. (see Luke 5:30; 7: 34; 19: 7). Tax collectors were men who collected tolls, tariffs, and customs. In Jesus’ day such men were notoriously dishonest and despised by society. “Sinners” can refer to those who were immoral or those who followed occupations that the scribes held to be incompatible with keeping God’s law. Not only was it Jesus’ practice to associate with sinners and outcasts; it was central to His stated mission from the Father.
All throughout His life and earthly ministry we see the Savior offering God’s forgiveness to those who were despised by the “religious” crowd of His day. He is still doing the same today!
- Now that we have seen His identity and the intrigue surrounding Him, let’s examine:
THE IMPACT OF “THIS MAN”
There is no way to explain or even comprehend the impact of Jesus Christ. But this passage identifies two attributes of the Lord that have been constant since the inception of His earthly ministry. I am referring to the fact that He promotes compassion and He provokes opposition. Notice:
JESUS PROMOTES COMPASSION
The Pharisees objected to Jesus receiving and dining with the outcasts. They would never do such a thing themselves because they were more concerned with optics than they were outcasts. They wanted to be seen as holy at the expense of helping people. However, the very standard of holiness was right there before them and He helped people immediately and eternally. Furthermore, He was teaching and training His Disciples to do the same.
The sinless Savior possessed and extended compassion towards tax collectors, adulterers, prostitutes, and many other outcasts who were morally corrupt and sinful. In doing so, He drew the ire of the “religious elite” of His day. This shows us that Jesus not only provides compassion:
JESUS PROVOKES OPPOSITION
v2 “And the Pharisees and scribes complained, saying, “This Man receives sinners and eats with them.”
The Pharisees and Scribes complained about the way that Jesus ministered to tax collectors and sinners. This was something of a common theme throughout the Gospels. Back in Chapter 5 Jesus astonishingly called Levi (a despised tax collector) to be one of His Disciples. Afterwards, Levi threw a celebration meal in his home and Jesus dined with many other tax collectors and sinners. On that occasion, “their scribes and the Pharisees complained against His disciples, saying, “Why do You eat and drink with tax collectors and sinners?” Jesus answered and said to them, “Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick. 32 I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners, to repentance.” (Luke 5:30-32)
The Pharisees and Scribes were on a constant quest to discredit Jesus, convince the people that His ministry was invalid, cause those who were following Him to turn away, and prevent others from turning to Him.
Throughout the earthly ministry of Jesus, the Pharisees proved that their main concern was not God’s glory. Furthermore, it is evident that the Pharisees possessed no compassion whatsoever for tax collectors, sinners, and the outcasts of society. Thankfully, Jesus did! He is the one who declared, “I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners, to repentance” . In fact, this statement is a perfect segue to the next truth I would like to consider about “this Man”. Let’s examine:
THE INTENTION OF “THIS MAN”
There were several reasons that Jesus came to earth. The Bible tells us that He came to fulfill the Law and the Prophets, to destroy the works of the Devil, to proclaim the Gospel, to provide eternal life, to reveal the Father and bring Him glory, and so much more. One of the greatest truths found in scripture is the fact that:
JESUS SEEKS AND SAVES SINNERS
Jesus came to rescue His people from their sin and the resulting consequences. He has provided us with salvation; something we could never have accomplished on our own. His own name proclaims His purpose; Jesus' name means "the LORD saves" or "Yahweh is salvation".
Scripture shows us that “there is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved.” (Acts 4:12). John 3:17 says, “God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him” . Jesus said in Mark 10:45, “For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.” Speaking to a notable tax collector named Zaccaheus, Jesus proclaimed his purpose, He said, “For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost” (Luke 19:10).
In the remainder of this chapter Jesus illustrates His mission of seeking and saving by sharing parables about a lost coin, a lost sheep, and a wayward son. In each instance, there is seeking, finding, and rejoicing!
There is no question that Jesus came to seek and save the lost, however, His intention for His followers doesn’t end with salvation. There are numerous other scriptures that prove the reality that:
JESUS SANCTIFIES AND SENDS OUT SERVANTS
To “sanctify” means “to set apart”. Along with the tax collectors, sinners, Pharisees, and Scribes was the Lord’s chosen Disciples. Their Master had chosen them, saved them, and sent them apart for a special ministry. Jesus was not just teaching the crowds; He was training His men for the mission they would accomplish after His ascension. They needed to know the importance of compassion and the danger of legalism.
Though the Pharisees and Scribes vehemently opposed Him, the outcasts were drawn to “this Man” and His name is Jesus! Two thousand years later, all over the world men, women, boys, and girls are still being drawn to Him. In fact, this is a supernatural work that is done by the Father. Jesus said, "No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws him”. This reality comes with a great promise to those who will come unto Him; Jesus declared that “I will raise him up on the last day"(John 6:44).Our Lord also declares "Whoever comes to me I will never cast out" (John 6:38).
The people in our selected text were not drawn to a large building with state-of-the-art facilities. There were no amplifiers, colored lights, padded pews, or even air conditioning. It was not exciting events that compelled them to come near. They were not attracted to various programs designed to draw them in. They didn’t come with a desire to hear an uplifting, encouraging, or eloquent oration. It was Jesus’ acts of love, compassion, acceptance, and His message of forgiveness that compelled them to “draw near to hear Him”.
As a church, we can offer everything that the people of this world want; we can implement all of the programs, host all of the events, and participate in all of the worthless gimmicks that the “church growth experts” tell us are necessary and though we may succeed in drawing a crowd, these things are not what change lives! However, if we will get out of the way and ensure that Jesus is the focus of everything we do, God will draw people unto Himself.
When a church is comprised of Christ followers who seek to glorify God, equip Christians, and make disciples who share the Gospel with unbelievers, it may not be the largest or fastest growing assembly but it will be one that experiences the favor of God. This is essential because it is God who adds to the Church those who are being saved!
What was the response of those Jesus who drew near to hear Jesus? Some of them were amazed by His compassion; others were angry because they disagreed with His message. These are the same responses that Jesus’ message produces today.
We are a called and chosen people who have been entrusted with the responsibility of being ambassadors of Christ. As such, we should embody His love, unity, and service to others through compassionate action and upholding biblical truth. The great problem is that we (Christians) often look, act, and live more like Pharisees than Jesus! We forget that we were no different than the “tax collectors and sinners”. We were spiritual outcasts and Jesus came showed us compassion, mercy, grace, and love!
Often, rather than extending these things to others and pointing them to the Savior, we set ourselves up as judge, jury, and executioner. The outcasts that Jesus would receive, we reject. Instead of offering hope, we exhibit judgment and condemnation.
In responding this way, we are no different than the Pharisees who opposed Jesus’ acts of compassion. The Pharisees had countless rules, and rituals that they elevated to the level of scripture. They had no tolerance for anyone who broke one of their manmade traditions; Often we are no different.
If we are honest, many of us would have to admit that we have some of our own legalistic tendences. The story is told of an old preacher who preached against facial hair. A young, bearded man in his church said “preacher, Jesus had a beard”; the preacher responded, “yeah, and I would have thought better of Him if He hadn’t!”
Many Christians have created a Jesus who looks nothing like the Jesus of the Bible! For many, the problem is that they spend more time watching the news and following politics than they do in the Bible and communing with the Savior.
There is no question that Jesus is righteous, holy, and just; in fact, He is the very standard of holiness. However, the Lord does not need us to make people holy; we do not possess such power. We have been saved and sent out by the Master; our job is to point people to Him and He will do the work of sanctification. This is not to say that we forsake our responsibility to teach holiness and model obedience, or to compromise the truths of scripture. But it does mean that we must resist the temptation to judge and condemn others. Instead we should extend compassion to sinners and provide them with the hope that is found in the Gospel of Jesus Christ.
Why did Jesus come to earth? He came to save sinners, change their lives, and send them out to share His message. The Lord does this work and we are privileged to be involved in this process. Let us rejoice in the opportunity and seek to accomplish the mission that has been assigned.
Thus far we have considered the identity of “this man”, the intrigue surrounding “this Man”, the intention of “this man”, and the impact of “this Man”. Before we close we must examine:
THE INTENTION OF “THIS MAN”
The opportunity that Jesus gave the people in this story is still available today. In compassion and love the Savior invites us to follow Him and be saved. Many of us have experienced this glorious salvation. Tragically, many have forgotten where they were when Jesus found them.
Levi was in the tax booth when Jesus found him. The demoniac of Gadara was insane, bleeding, and running around naked in the graveyard when Jesus found him. The woman who anointed Jesus’ feet was still sinful when He found her.
Some of you were addicted to alcohol, drugs, or pornography when Jesus found you. Others were involved in an adulterous or even a homosexual relationship when He called you unto salvation. A great many of you were devoutly religious but completely lost when He called your name.
No matter where you were or what you had done, each of you had “sinned and come short of the glory of God”. As a result, the due “wages” of your sin was death. Thankfully, “gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord”. You have received that amazing gift and Jesus expects you to possess compassion for sinners and share the news of this gift with others.
For those who have never surrendered to Jesus, it is important for you to know that the grace that was experienced by the tax collectors, sinners, and numerous people in this building is available for you. This same Jesus is extending an invitation to you today. He says, “Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest” (Matthew 11:28). In Revelation 3:20 Jesus said, “Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and eat with him, and he with me.” Revelation 22:17 says, “The Spirit and the Bride say, “Come.” And let the one who hears say, “Come.” And let the one who is thirsty come; let the one who desires take the water of life without price.”
The invitation has been extended by Jesus, the question is, “how will you respond?”
Albert B. Simpson wrote hymn that says:
What will you do with Jesus?
Neutral you cannot be;
Someday your heart will be asking,
“What will He do with me?”
The most important decision anyone will ever make is how they ill respond to “this Man”?
01182025
