The drawing power of the Saviour

A few years ago, a close friend of mine sent me a calendar. Every month there was a fresh picture of the gates of a UK prison! What occurred to me as I looked at these unwelcoming entrances was the similarity to the doors of the great cathedrals of our land, with their dark wood and secure bolts. Then I thought about the tabernacle in the wilderness, surrounded by a boundary of fine white woven linen, and at the entrance was a beautiful gate,

“For the gate of the court there shall be a screen twenty cubits long, woven of blue, purple, and scarlet thread, and fine woven linen, made by a weaver” (Exodus 27:17).

Everything about the court and, especially the gate, was attractive and drew in the onlooker, leading them to the God who dwelt amongst His people.

In Luke chapter 15, the Saviour presents the matchless grace of God in three simple yet profound parables. The chapter begins “Then all the tax collectors and the sinners drew near to Him to hear Him”. We see the power of Christ to draw those who were so far from God into a place of nearness.

The tabernacle and temple, for all their beauty, splendour and attractiveness, witnessed to the distance between God and people. These buildings looked on to the revelation of Jesus Christ. When Jesus came, there was nearness. Jesus expressed this nearness as He embraced the smallest child, touched and healed the blind, deaf, speechless, the dead, cleansed lepers, delivered the demon-possessed, went into the homes of sinners, and was crucified next to criminals.

The priests, Pharisees, scribes and rulers sought to magnify themselves by their self-righteousness and walked by on the other side when confronted by the lost. But Jesus drew close to the abandoned. His presence attracted those with the deepest needs. Even the disciples at times acted as self-appointed gatekeepers, steering away those who wanted to be close to the Saviour. They didn’t perceive that in the jostling crowd one diseased woman who believed “If only I may touch His clothes, I shall be made well” (Mark 5:28).

The challenge to us is to present the Person of Jesus both in word and action. Nearness to Christ leads to salvation but does not stop there. Paul was a man who was so far away from the Saviour when the Lord appeared to Him from glory and redeemed Him. Afterwards, his abiding spiritual ambition was “that I may know Him”. He wanted to reflect the Saviour who loved Him and in doing so attract others to Christ. May God give each of us the same vision.