The other day I had a member lament a large building project he’s overseeing. He had hired a crew to frame the walls for the building. When he looked at their progress, he noticed that their walls were not straight. Straight walls are rather important. When he mentioned it to the foreman, the foreman said it would be fine.
Our member rightly said that it would not be fine. And he had the crew tear down the walls and start over.
That’s what the hymn “Jesus Sinners Does Receive” teaches us. We are like the crew and the foreman who make mistakes … and then refuse to admit those mistakes, own up to them, or correct them. We would much rather overlook them, hide them, or blame the mistakes on others. But our Hymn of the Day places the blame squarely where it belongs … on us.
Verse one: Jesus sinners does receive; oh, may all this saying ponder who in sin’s delusions live and from God and heaven wander. Here is hope for all who grieve: Jesus sinners does receive.
None of us enjoys correction. Yet, when we admit that sin has deluded us and caused us to wander from God, our attitude changes to accept that correction. We are blessed to have a Savior who still receives us.
Verse two: We deserve but grief and shame, yet his words, rich grace revealing, pardon, peace, and life proclaim; here their ills have perfect healing who with humble hearts believe: Jesus sinners does receive.
Because of our sinful nature, our accidental sins, our purposeful sins, our sins of omission (what we fail to do right), and our sins of commission (what we do wrong), we deserve grief and shame, death and hell. Yet the Lord promises in Psalm 103: “The Lord is compassionate and gracious, slow to anger, abounding in mercy. He will not always accuse. He will not keep his anger forever. He does not treat us as our sins deserve. He does not repay us according to our guilty deeds” (Psalm 103:8-10). He is the God who “pardons all your guilt and who heals all your diseases” (Psalm 103:3).
Verse three: Sheep that from the fold did stray are not by the Lord forsaken; weary souls who lost their way are by Christ, the Shepherd, taken in his arms that they may live: Jesus sinners does receive.
We are like the sheep that Jesus describes in the Gospel lesson for this Sunday in Luke 15. We wander from the rest. We stray from the Shepherd. We fail to remain with the flock. Yet Jesus leaves the rest of the sheep in the wilderness to go after the one that was lost until he finds it. “And when he finds it, he joyfully puts it on his shoulders and goes home. Then he calls together his friends and his neighbors, telling them, ‘Rejoice with me, because I have found my lost sheep’” (Luke 15:5-6).
Verse four: I, a sinner, come to you with a penitent confession. Savior, show me mercy, too; grant for all my sins remission. Let these words my soul relieve: Jesus sinners does receive.
In Psalm 32, King David describes how he felt while living as an impenitent hardened sinner. He says that his strength was sapped like in the heat of summer. He felt like his body had withered to the bones and all the moisture was sucked out of him. Yet, when he came to God with penitent confession, his Savior showed him mercy and granted the remission of his sins. Then he describes feeling blessed that his rebellion was forgiven, blessed that his sin was covered, and blessed that the Lord did not charge his guilt against him (Psalm 32:1-2).
Verse five: Oh, how blest it is to know, were as scarlet my transgression, it shall be as white as snow by your blood and bitter passion, for these words I do believe: Jesus sinners does receive.
When we unburden our sinful conscience by admitting our mistakes and giving our sins to God, then we receive a wonderful promise from God. “Though your sins are like scarlet, they will be as white as snow. Though they are as red as crimson, they will be like wool” (Isaiah 1:18).
Verse six: Now my conscience is at peace, from the law I stand acquitted. Christ has purchased my release and my ev’ry sin remitted. Naught remains my soul to grieve: Jesus sinners does receive.
When your conscience torments you, take whatever is bothering you to Jesus. Admit your mistakes. Profess your accidental sins. Acknowledge your willful sins. Give them all to Jesus. He receives people whose consciences are weighed down. He delights in those who come to him with nothing but the admission that they’ve done wrong. He forgives. He fixes. He washes. He covers. He bleeds, dies, and rises from the dead to turn guilty sinners into righteous saints. Remember, Jesus sinners does receive.