The Sinner's Guest by E. Hilliard

Pacific Press Publishing Association · Mountain View, California · May 26, 1914

FromSigns of the Times, Vol. 41, No. 20.

The Sinner's Guest

By E. Hilliard

Law of Association

THE selfish Pharisees could not understand why Christ associated with those whom they disdained. They did not comprehend our Saviour's mission to this sinful world, and in their perplexity they asked His disciples, "Why eateth your Master with publicans and sinners?"

Jesus overheard them, and replied: "They that be whole need not a physician, but they that are sick. . . . I am not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance."

When one of the family is taken violently ill, the fleetest horse is saddled and spurred to his utmost speed to call the physician. Everything is done that can be done to check the disease and save the patient.

It is far more essential that every possible effort should be made to save those who are afflicted with the malady of sin. The poor sinner who, through the violation of the moral law, has sunk in the depths of iniquity, should not be cast off as a hopeless case; but earnest, repeated appeals should be made to the great Physician for pardon and help. He will never turn a deaf ear to the call of one penitent, helpless sinner.

The more deeply seated the malady of sin, the more urgent should be the cry for heavenly aid. It is the perishing, helpless ones that Jesus came to save.

Our Saviour knew that the most successful way of reaching the hearts of men is through the law of association. The Pharisees cared to associate only with those whom they deemed righteous. The poor and the helpless they concluded were under the censure of Heaven, and also any one who favored or in any way served the Romans, whether rich or poor.

Little Zacchæus, who climbed the sycamore-tree to see Jesus as He passed by, was not left unnoticed by the sinner's Guest, but was invited to come down and entertain the world's Redeemer in his home. This displeased those unsympathetic Pharisees, and they murmured, saying "that He was gone to be guest with a man that is a sinner."

How glad we are that Jesus is still the guest of sinners! He does not even wait for an invitation from us, but calls in the tenderest tones to every troubled, afflicted soul, "Come unto Me, all ye that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest."

No higher compliment can be paid to sinful men than to have Jesus for their guest. "Behold," says the heavenly Visitor, "I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear My voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with Me."

E. HILLIARD.