Some time ago I visited a manufacturer who was a Christian. In the course of our conversation we spoke of a gospel preacher named Roger, who years before had labored with blessing in the city. Then the Christian business man told me this story.
“Many years ago,” said he, “I came here as an unconverted young man. As was our custom we went “to church” every Sunday. Isn’t it wonderful how God works! At first Roger’s preaching was very boring to me. One Sunday it was especially irksome. I sat turning the pages in the hymn book to kill time. As I carelessly went through the book my attention was drawn to a certain hymn hitherto unknown to me: “This Man Receiveth Sinners.” As I looked over the hymn, not even reading it, I said to myself, ‘Isn’t it odd that the hymn writer would repeat that sentence so many times?’ Through the eight stanzas I counted ten times, “This man receiveth sinners.’ But why this verse had been so real to the writer was of little interest to me.
“At last the preaching was over and I went home. All day that verse, ‘This Man receiveth sinners,’ would not leave me alone. I tried everything to banish it from my mind, but it was no use. On Monday morning I went to my usual work. I was employed in a new building painting doors, and was all alone, when suddenly and strangely the verse came again: ‘This Man receiveth sinners.’ I became so angry I threw down my brush, rushed out of the building, slammed the door and ran away.
“In spite of all this I was not soon converted. However, through this hymn God had sown the “good seed” which eventually drew me to His Son. Then to my joy, I experienced the precious truth of that verse: “This Man receiveth sinners, and eateth with them.” Luke 15:22And the Pharisees and scribes murmured, saying, This man receiveth sinners, and eateth with them. (Luke 15:2).
Christ receiveth sinful men,
Even me with all my sin;
Purged from every spot and stain,
Heaven with Him I’ll enter in.
Sing it o’er and o’er again;
Christ receiveth, sinful men;
Make the message clear and plain:
Christ receiveth sinful men.
ML 05/05/1968