Jesus was approachable

JESUS WAS APPROACHABLE
EDITED BY GLENN PEASE
LUKE 15:1 "Then drew near unto him all the
publicans and sinners for to hear him."
THE APPROACHABLENESSOF JESUS
A Sermon
Deliveredon Sunday Evening, May 3rd, 1868, by
C.H. SPURGEON,
At the MetropolitanTabernacle, Newington.
Provided by SpurgeonMinistries, Bath Road BaptistChurch
To: -
"Then drew near unto him all the publicans and sinners for to hear him."
-- Luke 15:1
__________
The most depraved and despisedclassesofsocietyformed an inner ring of
hearers around our Lord. I gather from this that he was a most approachable
person, that he was not of repulsive manners, but that he courted human
confidence and was willing that men should commune with him.

Upon that one thought I shall enlarge, this evening, and may the Holy Spirit
make it a loadstone to draw many hearts to Jesus. Easternmonarchs affected
greatseclusion, and were wont to surround themselves with impassable
barriers of state. It was very difficult for even their most loyal subjects to
approachthem. You remember the case ofEsther, who, though the monarch
was her husband, yet went with her life in her hand when she ventured to
present herselfbefore the king Ahasuerus, for there was a commandment that
none should come unto the king except they were called, at peril of their lives.
It is not so with the King of kings. His court is far more splendid; his person is
far more worshipful; but you may draw near to him at all times without let or
hindrance. He hath set no men-at-arms around his palace gate. The door of
his house of mercy is setwide open. Over the lintel of his palace gate is
written, "Forevery one that askethreceiveth;and he that seekethfindeth;
and to him that knockethit shall be opened."
Even in our own days greatmen are not readily to be come at. There are so
many back stairs to be climbed before you can reachthe officialwho might
have helped you, so many subalterns to be parleyed with, and servants to be
passedby, that there is no coming at your object. The goodmen may be
affable enoughthemselves, but they remind us of the old Russianfable of the
hospitable householderin a village, who was willing enoughto help all the
poor who came to his door, but he kept so many big dogs loose in his yard that
nobody was able to getup to the threshold, and therefore his personal
affability was of no service to the wanderers. It is not so with our Master.
Though he is greaterthan the greatest, andhigher than the highest, he has
been pleasedto put out of the way everything which might keepthe sinner
from entering into his halls of gracious entertainment. From his lips we hear
no threatenings againstintrusion, but hundreds of invitations to the nearest
and dearestintimacy. Jesus is to be approached, not now and then, but at all
times, and not by some favoured few, but by all in whose hearts his Holy
Spirit has enkindled the desire to enter into his secretpresence.

The philosophicalteachers of our Lord's day affectedvery great seclusion.
They consideredtheir teachings to be so profound and eclectic that they were
not to be uttered in the hearing of the common multitude. "Farhence, ye
profane," was their scornful motto. Like Simon Stylites, they stoodupon a
lofty pillar of their fancied self-conceit, and dropped down now and then a
stray thought upon the vulgar herd beneath, but they did not condescendto
talk familiarly with them, considering it to be a dishonour to their philosophy
to communicate it to the multitude. One of the greatestphilosophers wrote
over his door, "Let no one who is ignorant of geometryenter here;" but our
Lord, comparedwith whom all the wise men are but fools, who is, in fact, the
wisdom of God, never drove awaya sinner because ofhis ignorance, never
refused a seeker because he was not yet initiated, and had not any thirsty
spirit to be chasedawayfrom the crystal spring of truth divine. His every
word was a diamond, and his lips dropped pearls, but he was never more at
home than when speaking to the common people, and teaching them
concerning the kingdom of God.
You may thus contrastand compare our Lord's gentle manners with those of
kings, and nobles, and sages, but you shall find none to equal him in
condescending tenderness. To this attractive quality of our Lord I intend, this
evening, as God shall help me, to ask your earnestattention. First, let us prove
it; secondly, illustrate it; and, thirdly, enforce or improve it.
I. First, let us PROVE THE APPROACHABLENESS OF CHRIST,
though it really needs no proof, for it is a fact which lies upon the surface of
his life.
1. You may see it conspicuouslyin his office. Those offices are too many for us
to take them all tonight. We will just cull a handful; say three. Our Lord Jesus

is said to be the MediatorbetweenGod and man. Now, observe, that the office
of mediator implies at once that he should be approachable. A daysman, as
Job says, is one who can put his hand upon both; but if Jesus will not
familiarly put his hand on man, certainly he is no daysman betweenGod and
man. A mediator is not a mediator of one-- he must be akin to both the parties
betweenwhom he mediates. If Jesus Christ shall be a perfect mediator
betweenGod and man, he must be able to come to God so near that God shall
call him his fellow, and then he must approach to man so closelythat he shall
not be ashamedto call him brother. This is preciselythe case with our Lord.
Do think of this, you who are afraid of Jesus. He is a mediator, and as a
mediator you may come to him. Jacob's ladderreachedfrom earth to heaven,
but if he had cut away half-a-dozen of the bottom rounds, what would have
been the goodof it? Who could ascendby it into the hill of the Lord? Jesus
Christ is the greatconjunction betweenearth and heaven, but if he will not
touch the poor mortal man who comes to him, why then, of what service is he
to the sons of men? You do need a mediator betweenyour soul and God; you
must not think of coming to God without a mediator; but you do not want any
mediator betweenyourselves and Christ. There is a preparation for coming to
God--you must not come to Godwithout a perfect righteousness;but you may
come to Jesus without any preparation, and without any righteousness,
because as mediatorhe has in himself all the righteousness and fitness that
you require, and is ready to bestow them upon you. You may come boldly to
him even now; he waits to reconcile you unto Godby his blood.
Another of his offices is that of priest. That word "priest" has come to smell
very badly nowadays;but, for all that, it is a very sweetwordas we find it in
Holy Scripture. The word "priest" does not mean a gaudily-dressed
pretender, who stands apart from other worshippers within the gate, two
steps higher than the rest of the people, who professesto have power to
dispense pardon for human sin, and I know not what beside. The true priest
was truly the brother of all the people. There was no man in the whole camp
so brotherly as Aaron. So much were Aaron and the priests who succeeded
him the first points of contactwith men, on God's behalf, that when a leper
had become too unclean for anybody else to draw near to him, the last man

who touched him was the priest. The house might be leprous, but he talked
with him, and examined him, the lastof Israel's tribes who might be familiar
with the wretchedoutcast;and if afterwards that diseasedman was cured, the
first personwho touched him must be a priest. "Go, show thyself to the
priest," was the command, to every recovering leper; and until the priest had
entered into fellowshipwith him, and had given him a certificate of health, he
could not be receivedinto the Jewishcamp. The priest was the true brother of
the people, chosenfrom among themselves, at all times to be approached;
living in their midst, in the very centre of the camp, ready to make
intercessionfor the sinful and the sorrowful. So is it with our Lord. I read just
now, in your hearing, that he canbe touched with a feeling of our infirmities,
and that he was tempted in all points like as we are, yet without sin. Surely,
you will never doubt that if Jesus perfectlysustains the office of priest, as he
certainly does, he must be the most approachable of beings, approachable by
the poor sinner, who has given himself up to despair, whom only a sacrifice
can save;approachable by the foul harlot who is put outside the camp, whom
only the blood cancleanse;approachable by the miserable thief who has to
suffer the punishment of his crimes, whom only the greatHigh Priestcan
absolve. No other man may care to touch you, O trembling outcast, but Jesus
will. You may be separatedfrom all of human kind, justly and righteously, by
your iniquities, but you are not separatedfrom that greatfriend of sinners
who at this very time is willing that publicans and sinners should draw near
unto him.
As a third office let me mention that the Lord Jesus is our Saviour; but I see
not how he can be a Saviour unless he canbe approachedby those who need
to be saved. The priest and the Levite passedby on the other side when the
bleeding man lay in the road to Jericho;they were not saviours, therefore, and
could not be, but he was the saviour who came to know where the man was,
stoopedover him, and took wine and oil and poured them into the gaping
fissures of his wounds, and lifted him up with tender love and set him on his
own beast, and led him to the inn. He was the true saviour; and, O sinner,
Jesus Christ will come just where you are, and your wounds of sin, even
though they are putrid, shall not drive him awayfrom you. His love shall

overcome the nauseating offensiveness ofyour iniquity, for he is able and
willing to save such as you are. I might mention many other of the offices of
Christ, but these three will suffice. Certainly if the Spirit blesses them, you
will be led to see that Jesus is not hard to reach.
2. Considera few of his names and titles. Frequently Jesus is calledthe
"Lamb." Blessedname!I do not suppose there is any one here who was ever
afraid of a lamb; that little girl yonder, if she saw a lamb, would not be
frightened. Every child seems almostinstinctively to long to put its hand on
the head of a lamb. O that you might come and put your hand on the head of
Christ, the Lamb of God that taketh awaythe sin of the world.
"Oh see how Jesus trusts himself
Unto our childish love,
As though by his free ways with us
Our earnestnessto prove!
His sacredname a common word
On earth he loves to hear;
There is no majesty in him
Which love may not come near."
Again, you find him called a Shepherd: no one is afraid of a shepherd. If you
were travelling in the East, and you saw Bedouins or Turkish soldiery in the
distance, you might be alarmed; but if some one said, "Oh, it is only a few
shepherds," you would not be afraid of them. The sheepare not at all timid
when near the shepherd. O poor wandering sheep, you, perhaps, have come to
be afraid of Christ, but there is no reasonwhy you should be, for this heavenly

Shepherd says, "I will seek out my sheep, and will deliver them out of all
places where they have been scatteredin the cloudy and dark day."
"See Israel's gentle Shepherd stands With all engaging charms."
Timid, foolish, and wandering though you may be, there is nothing in the good
Shepherd to drive you awayfrom him, but everything to entice you to come to
him. Then, again, he is calledour Brother, and one always feels that he may
approachhis brother. I have no thought of trouble or distress which I would
hesitate to communicate to my brother here, for he is so goodand kind. I do
not think I could be in any trouble which I should not expect him to do his
best to help me out of. I never feel that there is any distance betweenhim and
me, nor do you, I hope, feel so with regard to your brothers. Even so, is it with
this Brother born for adversity. Believer, how is it that you are sometimes so
backwardand so coldtowards Jesus? Christ is approachable.
"The light of love is round his feet,
His paths are never dim;
And he comes nigh to us when we
Dare not come nigh to him."
You need not think that your troubles are too trifling to bring to him; he has
an open ear for the little daily vexations of life. Brethren, you cancome to the
goodelder Brother at all hours; and when he blames you for coming, let me
know. He is called, too, a Friend; but he would be a very unfriendly friend
who could not be approachedby those he professedto love. If my friend puts
a hedge around himself, and holds himself so very dignified that I may not
speak with him, I would rather be without his friendship; but if he be a
genuine friend, and I stand at his door knocking, he will say, "Come in, and

welcome;what can I do for you?" Such a friend is Jesus Christ. He is to be
met with by all needy, seeking hearts.
3. There is room enough for enlargementhere, but I have no time to saymore,
therefore I will give you another plea. Recollecthis person. The personof our
Lord Jesus Christ proclaims this truth with a trumpet voice. I say his person,
because he is man, born of woman, bone of our bone, and flesh of our flesh.
The Lord Jesus Christ is God, but if he were God only, you might well stand
at a distance, and shudder at the splendour of his majesty. But he is man as
well as God, and so it comes to pass, as Dr. Watts puts it--
"Till God in human flesh I see,
My thoughts no comfort find;
The holy, just, and sacredThree
Are terrors to my mind.
But if Immanuel's face appear,
My hope, my joy begins;
His name forbids my slavish fear,
His grace removes my sins."
When I see Christ in the manger where the horned ox fed, or hanging on a
woman's breast, or obedient to his parents, or "a Man of sorrows and
acquainted with grief," a poor man without a place whereonto lay his head,
then I feel that I can freely come to him. Think of him as being preciselysuch
as you are, in all and everything except sin, and then you will never have a
thought that he will chide you for drawing near, or drive you awaywhen you
venture to supplicate him. But I want especiallyto sayto you that if you could
but see my Master's personas he was when here on earth, you would have

henceforth and for ever the thought that you might not come to him expelled
from your mind. I know not what may have been his beauties, or what may
have been the appearance ofhis lovely countenance, but of this I am
persuaded, that if he could but come here tonight, and I could vacate this
platform for him whose shoe-latchetI am not worthy to unloose, you who
groanunder a sense ofunworthiness would not run away. If Mosesstoodhere
with his flaming countenance, you would shade your eyes, and ask that if you
must look upon him he might weara veil; but if Christ were here, oh! how you
longing seeking ones wouldgaze upon him! There would be no drooping of the
eyelids, no covering of the face, no alarm, no anguish--his face is too sweetfor
that. And if the Mastershould walk down the aisles, the most timid of you
would long to touch the hem of his garment and to kiss the floor whereonhe
had sethis feet. I know you would not fear to look into that face. And then
that voice, how would you be charmed, you poor trembling seekers, if you
heard him say, "Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me;" you would
discoversuch meekness andlowliness in him, that you would not think of
starting back. Oh! if your eyes could but see him, I feel persuaded that,
graciouslydrawn by his charms, your hearts would hasten to him. Well,
believer, come to him, come to him; come close to him. Come with your
troubles and tell him all about them. Come with your sins and ask to have
them washedawayanew.
"Let us be simple with him, then,
Not backward, stiff, or cold,
As though our Bethlehem could be
What Sinai was of old."
And you, poor trembling sinner, come to him; come to him now, for he has
said, "Him that comethto me I will in no wise castout." Oh! if your eyes were
opened to behold him, you would perceive that the glory of his personlies not
in the splendour which repels, but in the majesty which divinely attracts.

4. If this suffice not, let me here remind you of the language of Christ, He
proclaims his approachability in such words as these, "Come unto me, all ye
that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest." Ye horny-handed
sons of toil, ye smiths and carpenters, ye ploughers and diggers, come unto
me, yea, come all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.
And again, "If any man thirst, let him come unto me and drink." He invites
men to come;he pleads with them to come;and when they will not come he
gently upbraids them with such words as these, "Ye will not come unto me
that ye might have life." And, again, "O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, thou that
killestthe prophets, and stonestthem which are sent unto thee, how often
would I have gathered thy children together, even as a hen gatherethher
chickens under her wings, and ye would not." It is not "I would not," but "ye
would not." Why, the whole of Scripture in its invitations, may be saidto be
the language ofChrist, and therein you find loving, pleading words of this
kind, "Come now, and let us reasontogether:though your sins be as scarlet,
they shall be as white as snow;though they be red like crimson, they shall be
as wool." "Letthe wickedforsake his way, and the unrighteous man his
thoughts: and let him return unto the Lord, and he will have mercy upon him;
and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon." All our blessedLord's
sermons were so many loving calls to poor aching hearts to come and find
what they needed in him. I pray that the Holy Spirit may give an effectualcall
to many of you tonight. It would glad the heart of the Redeemerin the skies if
you would come to him for salvation, for you may come, since there is no
barrier betweenyou and the Saviour of men. What is it keeps you back? I
repeatit with tears, whatis it keeps you back?
The old proverb truly saith that "actions speak louderthan words," and
therefore let us review the generalways and manners of the Redeemer. You
may gatherthat he is the most approachable of persons from the actions of his
life. He was always very busy, and busy about the most important of matters,
and yet he never shut the door in the face of any applicant. Her Majesty's
cabinet have to discuss most important political matters just now, but

compared with the work which filled the Saviour's hands and heart, their
discussions are mere trifles. Our Mastermight wellhave claimed seclusion,
but he did not. He sought it but he found none, save only at midnight, when he
watchedand prayed. No sortof appealfor audience did Jesus frownupon.
There were certain mothers in the land, poor simple-minded women, and they
took it into their heads one day that they would like to have the Master's
hands put upon the heads of their little ones. So they came, bringing their
boys and girls, but some of the disciples said, "The Mastermust not be
disturbed by children; go ye your ways, and take your children back." But
what said he? How different from his followers!he rebuked their harshness,
and said, "Suffer the little children to come unto me, for of such is the
kingdom of heaven." You see he is a child's friend. Dearyoung people, think
of that. Jesus does not drive you away, but though he is so great and glorious
that all the angels ofGod worship him, yet he stoops to hear the prayers and
praises of little children. Seek him now, for those who seek him early shall
find him. Let me tell you another story. There was a womanin the city who
was a sinner. You know the meaning, the dark sad meaning of that title in her
case;I need not explain that. Poorsoul! Her sin had causedher to be despised
and shunned by everyone, but she had been forgiven, and in gratitude she
poured the precious ointment on her beloved Saviour's feet, and then wiped
them with the hairs of her head; and when the Pharisee Simon would have
had her rebuked, the loving Mastersaid, "She loves much because she has
had much forgiven." He is approachable by all, then, even by the worst; even
the harlot need not fearto draw near to him--his touch can make her pure. I
have noted one thing in Christ's life, and noted it with delight. Our Lord was
always preaching, and he often grew weary, as we do, and therefore he
wanted a little retirement, but the multitude came breaking in upon his
solitude, following him on foot when he had sailed awayto escape them; this
was troublesome, and to us it would have been irritating, yet he never uttered
an angry, fretful syllable. There was no rest for him, because ofthe eager
crowd; but did he ever say, "How these people tease me;how they worry
me"? No, never; his big heart made him forget himself. He was approachable
to all at all hours; even his meals were disturbed, but he was gentle towards
those thoughtless intruders. Not once was he harsh and repulsive. His whole
life proves the truth of the prophecy, "The bruised reed he will not break, and

the smoking flax he will not quench." He graciouslyreceives the weak andthe
feeble ones who come to him, and sends none empty away.
6. But, if you want the crowning argument, look yonder. The man who has
lived a life of service, atlast dies a felon's death! Look upon his head girt with
the crownof thorns! Mark well his cheeks whencethey have plucked off the
hair! See the spittle from those scornful mouths, staining his marred
countenance!Mark the crimson rivers which are flowing from his back where
they have scourgedhim! See his hands and his feet which are pierced with the
nails, and from which ensanguinedrills are flowing! Look to that face so full
of anguish, listen to his cry, "I thirst, I thirst;" and as you see him there
expiring, canyou think that he will spurn the seeker?As you see him turn his
head and sayto the dying thief by his side, "Todayshalt thou be with me in
paradise," you dare not belie him so much as to deem that you may not come
to him. You will outrage your reasonif you start back from Jesus crucified.
The cross ofChrist should be the hope, the anchorage offaith. You may come,
sinner, black, vile, hellish sinner, you may come and have life even as the
dying thief had it when he said, "Lord, remember me."
"There is life in a look at the crucified One."
Surely, you need not be afraid to come to him who went to Calvary for
sinners. Why linger? Why hesitate? Why those blushes, sobs, and tears?
"Why art thou afraid to come,
And tell him all thy case?
He will not pronounce thy doom,
Nor frown thee from thy face.

Wilt thou fear Immanuel?
Or dread the Lamb of God,
Who, to save thy soul from hell,
Has shed his precious blood?"
Did I hear a whisper, did anybody say that Christ is now in heaven, and that
he may have changed? Ah, groundless insinuation! Do you know what he is
doing in heavenat this moment? He is exalted on high to give repentance and
remissionof sins. What a help that is to those who are coming to him! This
repentance is the greatestwantof coming sinners, and he from the skies
supplies it. Moreover, "he everliveth to make intercessionfor us." His
occupationin the skies is to plead for those sinners whom he redeemedwith
his blood, and hence he is able to save them unto the uttermost. Since he is the
intercessorforsouls, there is no reasonwhy you should start back, but every
reasonwhy you should boldly come to the throne of the heavenly grace,
because you have a High Priestwho is passedinto the heavens.
"Compell'd by bleeding love,
Ye wandering sheepdraw near;
Christ calls you from above--
His charming accents hear!
Let whosoeverwill now come,
In mercy's breast there still is room."
Here I leave this part of the subject. Some of you little know how heavily this
sermon is hanging on my mind. I preachmy very soul to you this day. I wish I
knew how to preach so as to win some of you for my Lord, this evening; I

should be glad to go even to the schoolof affliction if I might learn to preach
more successfully. But I cando no more. May the Eternal Spirit, in answerto
the prayers of his people, which I hope are going up now, be pleasedto make
you feelthe sweetattractions of the cross ofChrist, and may you come to him,
so that it may be said again tonight, "Then drew near unto him publicans and
sinners."
II. I now shall proceed, with as greatbrevity as I cancommand, TO
ILLUSTRATE THIS GREAT TRUTH.
I illustrate it, in the first place, by the way which Christ opens up for sinners
to himself. What is the wayfor a sinner to come to Christ? It is simply this--
the sinner, feeling his need of a Saviour, trusts himself to the Lord Jesus
Christ. This was the perplexity of my boyhood, but it is so simple now. When I
was told to go to Christ, I thought "Yes, if I knew where he was, I would go to
him--no matter how I weariedmyself, I would trudge on till I found him." I
never could understand how I could getto Christ till I understood that it is a
mental coming, a spiritual coming, a coming with the mind. The coming to
Jesus which saves the soul is a simple reliance upon him, and if, tonight, being
sensible of your guilt, you will rely upon the atoning blood of Jesus, you have
come to him, and you are saved. Is he not, then, approachable indeed, if there
is so simple a way of coming? No goodworks, ceremonies, orexperiences are
demanded, a childlike faith is the royal road to Jesus.
This truth is further illustrated by the help which he gives to coming sinners,
in order to bring them near to himself. He it is who first makes them coming
sinners. It is his Eternal Spirit who draws them unto himself. They would not
come to him of themselves, they are without desires towards him, but it is his
work to castsecretsilkencords around their hearts, which he draws with his
strong hand, and brings them near to himself. Depend upon it, he will never
refuse those whom he himself draws by his Spirit. Restassuredhe will never

shut the door in the face of any soul that comes to feed at the gospelbanquet,
moved to approachby the power of his love. He said once, "Compelthem to
come in," but he never said, "Shut the door in their faces and bolt them out."
I might further illustrate this to the children of God, by reminding you of the
way in which you now commune with your Lord. How easyit is for you to
reachhis earand his heart! A prayer, a sigh, a tear, a groan, will admit you
into the King's chambers. You may be in a very sad frame of mind, but when
you come to him, how soonhe makes your soul like the chariots of Ammi-
nadib. Dark may be your midnight, but as soonas you draw nigh to him your
night is over. "He giveth liberally, and upbraideth not." While he acts thus
with you, the sinner may very well believe that he will receive him too. The
approachablenessofChrist may also be seenin the fact of his receiving the
poor offerings of his people. The very holiestdeeds which you and I cando for
Christ are poor and faulty at the best. As I satstudying at my table last night,
there was before me a little withered flower--a sprig of wall-flower--whichhas
been lying for some weekson my table. It comes from a very, very poor child
of God, many miles away, who gets a blessing from reading my sermons, and
she has nothing in the world besides to give me, but she sends me this flower,
and I value it because it is a tokenof Christian affectionand gratitude. So is it
with our Master. The very best sermons that we preach, and the largest
contributions we give to his treasury, are only just like that poor little
withered wall-flower;but the Masterputs our service in his bosom, and keeps
it there, and thinks much of it because he loves us. Does not that prove how
generous, how condescending, how tender he must be? Believe him to be so, ye
fearful souls, and come to him.
The ordinances wearupon their forefront the impress of an ever
approachable Saviour. Baptism in outward type sets forth our fellowship with
him in his death, burial, and resurrection--whatcan be nearer than this? The
Lord's Supper in visible symbol invites us to eat his flesh and drink his blood:
this reveals to us most clearly how welcome we are to the most intimate

intercourse with Jesus. The heavenof heavens shall afford us yet another
illustration. There are tens of thousands now in the skies who came to Jesus
just as they were, in all the filth and deshabille of the lost estate, andhe
receivedevery one of them into his heart of love and arms of power. There are
many thousands on earth, there are some thousands now in this Tabernacle,
who can testify that they have found Jesus to be a very tender and generous
friend. Now, if he has receivedus, why should he not receive you? Be
encouragedto believe that inasmuch as he has receivedothers he has open
arms for you also.
Let me joyfully remind you that Jesus never has rejecteda seeking sinner.
There is not to be found in all the kingdoms of the universe a single instance of
a sincere seekerafterChrist being castaway, and there never shall be, for he
hath not saidto the seedof Jacob, "Seekye my face in vain," but he has said,
"Him that cometh to me I will in no wise castout." Beloved, if there had been
a single soul castawaywe should have known of it by now. It is eighteen
hundred and sixty-eight years now, and if a solitary penitent had been
rejected, we should have heard of it before now, for I will tell you of one who
would have spread it abroad, and that is the devil. If he could get a single
instance of a soul who had repented and trusted Christ, but found that Christ
would have nothing to do with him, it would be a standing scandalagainstthe
cross which Satanwould delight to publish. I know, poor sinners, what the
devil will tell you when you are coming to Christ--he will describe Jesus as a
hard master, but do you tell him he is a liar from the beginning, and a
murderer, and that he is trying to murder your soul by making you swallow
his poisonous lies.
III. In the third place, we come TO ENFORCE THIS TRUTH; or, as the old
Puritans used to say, improve it.

The first enforcementI give is this: let those of us who are working for the
Masterin soul-winning, try to be like Christ in this matter, and not be, as
some are apt to be, proud, stuck-up, distant, or formal. Oh, dear, dear! the
lofty ministerial airs that one has seenassumedby men who ought to have
been meek and lowly. What a grand setof men some of the preachers of the
past age thought themselves to be! I trust those who played the archbishop
have nearly all gone to heaven, but a few linger among us who use little grace
and much starch. The grand divines never shook hands with anybody, except,
indeed, with the deacons, anda little knot of evidently superior persons.
Amongst Dissenters it was almostas bad as it is in most church congregations,
where you feel that the goodman, by his manner, is always saying, "I hope
you know who I am, Sir; I am the rectorof the parish." Now, all that kind of
stuck-upishness is altogetherwrong. No man can do goodin that way; and no
goodat all comes ofassuming superiority and distance. The best teacherfor
boys is the man who canmake himself a boy; and the bestteacherfor girls is
the womanwho can make herself a girl among girls. I often regretthat I have
so large a congregation;you will say, "Why?" Why, when I had a smaller
congregationat Park Street, there were too many even then, but I did geta
shake of the hand sometimes;but now there are so many of you that I scarcely
know you, goodmemory as I have, and I seldom have the pleasure of shaking
hands with you--I wish I did. If there is anybody in the wide world whose good
I wish to promote, it is yours; therefore I wish to be at home with you: and if
ever I should affect the airs of a greatman, and setmyself above you all, and
separate myself by proud manners from your sympathy, I hope the Lord will
take me down and make me right again. We may expectsouls to be saved
when we do as Christ did, namely, getpublicans and sinners to draw near to
us. Now, that is a practicalpoint which, though you have smiled about it, will
not I hope be forgottenby you.
There is this to be said to you who are unconverted--if Jesus Christ be so
approachable, oh! how I wish, how I wish that you would approach him.
There are no bolts upon his doors, no barred iron gates to pass, no big dogs to
keepyou back. If Christ be so approachable by all needy ones, then needy one,
come, and welcome. Come justnow! What is it keeps you back? You think

that you do not feelyour need enough, or that you are not fit to come--both of
which suspicions are self-righteousness in different shapes. O that you did
know but your need of Jesus, in order to be able even to do so much as feel
your need. You are a poor, miserable bankrupt before God, and Christ alone
can enrich you. Do not talk of fitness;there is no such thing:--
"All the fitness he requireth,
Is to feel your need of him:
This he gives you;
'Tis the Spirit's rising beam."
Come, then. There is such mercy to be had; there is such a hell to be escaped
from; there is such a heavento be opened for you; delay not, but believe at
once. Come, come, come!
"Come, and welcome;
Come, and welcome, sinner, come!"
I stand at mercy's door tonight, and sayto every passerby, in the name of the
Master, "Myoxen and fatlings are killed; come, come, come to the supper!" O
that you would come this very night!
Some of us are coming to the Lord's Table to celebrate his love because we
have first come to himself. I do not ask you who are not savedto come to that
table--you ought not to come;you must first come to Jesus, and then you may
come to this ordinance. Meanwhile, the best thing you can do is to come to
Christ, and let me ask you to remember this, that in proportion as Christ is

accessible,so your guilt will be increasedif you do not come to him. If it be
easyto come to him, what excuse canthere be for you if you refuse to accept
him? I have tried to tell you what the way of salvation is. If I knew how to use
better language, or even coarserlanguage, ifthat would suit you, it should be
alike to me if I might but touch your consciences, break your hearts, and
bring you to Christ. But I protest before you that if you will not come to my
Master, I can do no more. I shall be clearof your blood at the last, and in the
day of judgment your ruin must be upon your own heads. But let it not be so.
Jesus bids you come. O you needy ones, let your need impel you to come at
once, that you may find eternal life in him.
The lastword is--if Jesus be such a Saviour as we have describedhim, let
saints and sinners join to praise him. How marvellous that our dear Lord
should be so condescending to us unworthy ones as to come all the way from
heaven to earth for us! Oh, matchless love that made him stoopto grief and
death! Oh, unspeakable condescension, to come thus to poor sinners' hearts,
bearing mercies in both his hands, and freely giving them to undeserving
rebels! Forthis unspeakable grace letus praise him! You who are coming to
his table, draw near with praises in your mouths. Come praising the
condescending love in which you have participated, and which has savedyou
from eternal death. Even you who sit as spectators, Ido trust will have you
your mind filled with grateful thoughts.
"Jesus sits on Zion's hill;
He receives poorsinners still.
Blessedbe his name, world without end!

The approachablenessofJesus
C. H. Spurgeon.
I. First let us PROVE THE APPROACHABLENESS OF CHRIST, though it
really needs no proof, for it is a factwhich lies upon the surface of His life.
1. You may see it conspicuouslyin His offices. Our Lord Jesus is said to be the
MediatorbetweenGod and man. Now, observe, that the office of mediator
implies at once that he should be approachable. Another of His offices is that
of priest. The priest was the true brother of the people, chosenfrom among
themselves, at all times to be approached;living in their midst, in the very
centre of the camp, ready to make intercessionforthe sinful and the
sorrowful. So is it with our Lord. You may be separatedfrom all of human
kind, justly and righteously, by your iniquities, but you are not separated
from that greatFriend of sinners who at this very time is willing that
publicans and sinners should draw near unto Him. As a third office let me
mention that the Lord Jesus is our Saviour; but I see not how He can be a
Saviour unless He can be approachedby those who need to be saved.
2. Considera few of His names and titles. Frequently Jesus is calledthe
"Lamb." I do not suppose there is any one here who was ever afraid of a
lamb; that little girl yonder, if she saw a lamb, would not be frightened. Every
child seems almostinstinctively to long to put its hand on the head of a lamb.
O that you might come and put your hand on the head of Christ, the Lamb of
God that takethawaythe sin of the world. Again, you find Him calleda
Shepherd: no one is afraid of a shepherd. Timid, foolish, and wandering
though you may be, there is nothing in the Good Shepherd to drive you away
from Him, but everything to entice you to come to Him. Then again, He is
calledour Brother, and one always feels that he may approachhis brother. I
have no thought of trouble or distress which I would hesitate to communicate
to my brother, because he is so goodand kind. Brethren, you can come to the
goodelder Brother at all hours; and when He blames you for coming, let me

know. He is called, too, a Friend; but He would be a very unfriendly friend
who could not be approachedby those He professedto love. If my friend puts
a hedge around himself, and holds himself so very dignified that I may not
speak with him, I would rather be without his friendship; but if he be a
genuine friend, and I stand at his door knocking, he will say, "Come in, and
welcome;what can I do for you?" Such a friend is Jesus Christ. He is to be
met with by all needy, seeking hearts.
3. There is room enough for enlargementhere, but I have no time to saymore,
therefore I will give you another plea. RecollectHis person. The person of our
Lord Jesus Christ proclaims this truth with a trumpet voice. I say His person,
because He is man, born of woman, bone of our bone, and flesh of our flesh.
4. If this suffice not, let me here remind you of the language of Christ. He
proclaims His approachability in such words as these, "Come unto Me, all ye
that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest."
5. The old proverb truly saith that "actions speak louderthan words," and
therefore let us review the generalways and manners of the Redeemer. Yon
may gatherthat He is the most approachable of persons from the actions of
His life. He was always very busy, and busy about the most important of
matters, and yet He never shut the door in the face of any applicant. Notonce
was He harsh and repulsive. His whole life proves the truth of the prophecy,
"The bruised reed He will not break, and the stocking flax He will not
quench."
6. But, if you want the crowning argument, look yonder. The man who has
lived a life of service, atlast dies a felon's death! The cross ofChrist should be
the centre to which all hearts are drawn, the focus of desire, the pivot of hope,

the anchorage offaith. Surely, you need not be afraid to come to Him who
went to Calvary for sinners.
II. I now shall proceed, with as greatbrevity as I cancommand, TO
ILLUSTRATE THIS GREAT TRUTH.
1. I illustrate it by the way which Christ opens up for sinners to Himself The
coming to Jesus which saves the soul is a simple reliance on Him.
2. Thitruth is further illustrated by the help which He gives to coming sinners,
in order to bring them near to Himself. He it is who first makes them coming
sinners.
3. I might further illustrate this to the children of God, by reminding you of
the wayin which you now commune with your Lord. How easyit is for you to
reachHis earand His heart! A prayer, a sigh, a tear, a groan, will admit you
into the King's chambers.
4. The approachableness ofChrist may also be seenin the fact of His receiving
the poor offerings of His people.
5. The ordinances wearupon their forefront the impress of an ever
approachable Saviour. Baptism in outward type sets forth our fellowship with
Him in His death, burial, and resurrection-whatcanbe nearerthan this? The
Lord's supper in visible symbol invites us to eatHis flesh and drink His blood:
this reveals to us most clearly how welcome we are to the most intimate
intercourse with Jesus.

III. In the third place, we come TO ENFORCE THIS TRUTH; or, as the old
Puritans used to say, improve it.
1. The first enforcement I give is this: let those of us who are working for the
Masterin soul-winning, try to be be like Christ in this matter, and not be, as
some are apt to be, proud, stuck-up, distant, or formal.
2. There is this to be said to you who are unconverted — if Jesus Christ be so
approachable, oh I how I wish, how I wish that you would approachHim.
There are no bolts upon His doors, no barred iron gates to pass, no big dogs to
keepyou back. If Christ be so approachable by all needy ones, then needy one,
come and welcome. Come just now!
3. The last word is — if Jesus be such a Saviour as we have described Him, let
saints and sinners join to praise Him.
(C. H. Spurgeon.)
Love Like That – Approachable
Les Parrott
Les Parrott
August 30, 2018

Observe how Christ loved us. Love like that. — Ephesians 5:2
Have you ever felt left out? Excluded? I know I have and it’s painful.
Nothing reaches so deeply into the human personality, tugs so tightly, as being
included. We long to belong. Jesus understoodthis deep and powerful need
like nobody else. It’s why He was intentionally and profoundly and often
shockinglyapproachable. In fact,
Jesus was the most approachable personthat ever lived.
Jesus was tuned into outcasts, people on the fringes — those who were the
most likely to feelleft out or excluded. The Gospels are abundantly clear:
Jesus was shockinglyaccessible to anyone who felt undesirable or unwanted
— Lepers, Gentiles, tax collectors,the poor and persecuted, pagans and
sinners. He wasn’tlike other “holy men” in Judea. His fellow rabbis operated
on the principles of exclusionand isolation. Seeing how imminently
approachable Jesus was made them not just perplexed, but indignant.
Perhaps it was because Jesusknew so much rejectionin His own life. After all
His life was defined by rejection. His neighbors laughed at Him, His family
questioned His sanity, His closestfriends betrayed Him, and His countrymen
eventually tried Him as a revolutionary. Maybe that’s why Jesus was so
inclusive of those who were also rejected, the riffraff fringe who were rarely
included by others. Or maybe it’s because Jesus,the God-man, simply had
immeasurable understanding and insight into our longing for belonging.

Whateverthe reason, make no mistake:Jesus wentout of His way to embrace
the unloved and unworthy. He went out of His wayto be approachable to
everyone.
If you want to love like that you can’t size a person up. You can’t first
determine if they are deserving. You can’t assesswhetherthey meet your
standards before you show them love. You have to be approachable – to
everyone. Here’s the hard truth:
If you want to love like Jesus, youcan’t be exclusive.
But how? In part, it comes downto pride. Pride is the poison of love. And
humility is the antidote. Humility shines a light on the dark corners of our
hearts, exposing our self-centeredplaces and extinguishing impulses of egoism
and superiority. Jesus underscoredthis Himself when He said that He came
not to be served, but to serve. — Mark 10:45
The apostle Pauladded to this focus when he wrote,
Eachof you should be concernednot only about your owninterests, but the
interests of others as well. — Philippians 1:4
When we love like that, feelings of superiority fade and our days are
punctuated with spontaneous breathings of compassion, generosityof spirit,
and kindness. We become approachable to anyone who feels left out or
unwanted. When we love like Jesus, we love without exclusion – we even love
our enemies.

Original editorial by Dr. Les Parrott written for Faith.Full.
Your Turn
Do you feel left out, alone, rejected, excluded? Jesus is with you! He loves you
more than you can possibly imagine! And from that place of being loved, we
can love others as He does. Come share your thoughts with us on our blog. We
want to hear from you! ~ Laurie McClure, Faith.Full
Approachable Jesus
WRITTEN BY BOYD BAILEY
Thoughts from daily Bible reading for today- October18, 2013
Another time Jesus was praying, and when He finished, one of His disciples
approachedHim. Teacher, wouldYou teachus Your way of prayer? John
taught his disciples his way of prayer, and we’re hoping You’ll do the same.
Luke 11:1, The Voice
Jesus is approachable to all who desire His company. God did not create the
earth like a watch, winding it up and then stepping back to let it run without
His intervention. No, the Lord is personaland approachable. He invites His
children to ask honest questions on how to pray, how to love, how to forgive
and how to give. Yes, He loves to engage andinstruct in His ways. Jesus moves
the mind with clearteaching and He captures the heart with riveting and
relevant stories.

A disciple who walkedwith Jesus onearth struggled with his prayers to
heaven. He watchedJesus pray, but the student still neededsome direction in
how to pray. So, even today as we grow in our faith, we still need the Holy
Spirit to revealto us the ways of God. We are disciples who sincerelywant to
know how to live for the Lord. He is not shy in showing us what to sayand
how to serve. Just as we love giving to our children, God loves to give His
Spirit to all who ask.
At Gibeon the Lord appearedto Solomon during the night in a dream, and
God said, “Ask for whateveryou want me to give you.” 1 Kings 3:5
Are you approachable? Do others feel the freedom to seek your counseland
ideas? When people see the fruit of your characterthey want to ask you about
how you live life. As you lovingly lead others, learners will want to know why
you lead so unselfishly. Questions are your opportunity to point people back
to the Lord’s love for you and your reciprocalapproachto leading others. Tell
stories of your struggles to lead in love and how you grew in grace overtime.
Invite questions.
Approachability is the outcome of acceptance.Whenyour children,
grandchildren, friends and co-workersknow you acceptthem for who they
are, they will want to know who you are. Your unconditional acceptanceof
someone is an invitation to love them for Jesus’sake.Lastly, approachthe
Lord often with your fears, dreams and desires. He delights in your prayers
and He unleashes His Spirit to all who call on His name. Humbly approach
Him and expectto be loved!
Let us then approachGod’s throne of grace with confidence, so that we may
receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need. Hebrews 4:16

Prayer: Heavenly Father, thank you for receiving me just as I am and
answering my questions around my struggles.
RelatedReadings:Exodus 20:21; Ephesians 2:18, 3:12; Hebrews 7:19; 1 John
4:17, 5:14
Post/Tweettoday:Jesus moves the mind with clearteaching. He captures the
heart with relevant stories. #approachableJesus
Blessedby these readings?:pray about giving a donation, click…
http://bit.ly/KArLE5
© 2013 by Boyd Bailey. All rights reserved.
10 Bible Verses aboutApproachability
Source:https://bible.knowing-jesus.com/topics/Approachability
MostRelevantVerses
Hebrews 10:19
Verse Concepts
Therefore, brethren, since we have confidence to enter the holy place by the
blood of Jesus,

Matthew 19:14
Verse Concepts
But Jesus said, “Letthe children alone, and do not hinder them from coming
to Me; for the kingdom of heavenbelongs to such as these.”
John 11:1-3
Now a certain man was sick, Lazarus of Bethany, the village of Mary and her
sisterMartha. It was the Mary who anointed the Lord with ointment, and
wiped His feet with her hair, whose brother Lazarus was sick. So the sisters
sent word to Him, saying, “Lord, behold, he whom You love is sick.”
Hebrews 4:16
Verse Concepts
Therefore let us draw near with confidence to the throne of grace, so that we
may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.
Psalm51:1-7
For the choir director. A Psalm of David, when Nathan the prophet came to
him, after he had gone in to Bathsheba.
Be gracious to me, O God, according to Your lovingkindness;
According to the greatness ofYour compassionblot out my transgressions.
Washme thoroughly from my iniquity
And cleanse me from my sin.
For I know my transgressions,

And my sin is ever before me.
read more.
Psalm95:2
Verse Concepts
Let us come before His presence with thanksgiving,
Let us shout joyfully to Him with psalms.
Matthew 11:28
Verse Concepts
“Come to Me, all who are wearyand heavy-laden, and I will give you rest.
Mark 10:46-52
Then they *came to Jericho. And as He was leaving Jericho with His disciples
and a large crowd, a blind beggarnamed Bartimaeus, the sonof Timaeus, was
sitting by the road. When he heard that it was Jesus the Nazarene, he beganto
cry out and say, “Jesus, SonofDavid, have mercy on me!” Many were sternly
telling him to be quiet, but he kept crying out all the more, “Son of David,
have mercy on me!”read more.
Hebrews 9:18
Verse Concepts
Therefore eventhe first covenantwas not inaugurated without blood.
Matthew 12:20

Verse Concepts
“A battered reed He will not break off,
And a smoldering wick He will not put out,
Until He leads justice to victory.
Source:https://bible.knowing-jesus.com/topics/Approachability
Go to the source!Discoverwhatthe Bible says about …
These pages are designedto aid study or investigationfor Christian
discipleship through individual Bible study, Cell groups, Home groups, or
meeting one to one. The questions could be used alone allowing eachperson
to use their own Bible.
Introduction
God is approachable! Look at Jesus, He never turned anyone away, even
when it would seemthere was urgent business, or He was tired, or the people
coming to Him seemedrepugnant. Jesus ‘is the image of the invisible God’.
(Colossians1:15 NIV) If Jesus is approachable, then so is the Father.

Many have a hard time believing God is approachable. Foryears I held two
completely contradictoryviews of God. There was the view of my
preconceivednotions. Then the view as I experiencedHim dealing with my
successes andfailures. The two views were completely at odds. When things
went wrong I would anticipate a harsh response. FromGod however, I
receivedonly gentleness. He would reassure me, help me learn from my
mistakes and move on. It took time to learn that the God who I met was the
real God.
Bible Zone
The zone below looks at three encounters with Jesus. Theydemonstrate how
God responds to different people in situations where one might have expected
a brush off.
Jesus like God - Looking at Jesus is like looking at the Father.
Accepts the unapproachable - a woman consideredto be immoral is accepted.
Approached when busy - Jesus deals with an interruption.
Approached when tired - Jesus has time when too tired to go to town.
Jesus like God

Jesus made some bold claims in His time on earth. This one, that He is like the
Father is essentialto our understanding of the Father, for it puts God in the
human context, and enables us to see how God responds to our very human
challenges.
What claims does Jesus make?
What does this tell you about Jesus and God?
What can you learn about God from looking at Jesus?
John 12:44 Then Jesus criedout, ‘Whoever believes in me does not believe in
me only, but in the one who sent me. 45 The one who looks atme is seeing the
one who sentme.
Accepts the unapproachable
Often those who find it hardest to acceptthat God will acceptthem are those
who know that their lives don’t measure up to who God is. In this example we
see Jesus accepting someone whomeveryone else thought should be rejected.
The passageis Luke 7 . Some questions to help engage withthe text.
Why did people not acceptthe woman?

How confident was the womanof being acceptedby Jesus?
How willing would you have been to acceptthe woman and how she acted?
Why did Jesus acceptthe woman?
Luke 7:36-50 36 One of the Pharisees askedJesusto have dinner with him,
so Jesus went to his home and sat down to eat.*37 Whena certain immoral
woman from that city heard he was eating there, she brought a beautiful
alabasterjar filled with expensive perfume.38 Then she knelt behind him at
his feet, weeping. Her tears fell on his feet, and she wiped them off with her
hair. Then she kept kissing his feet and putting perfume on them.
39 When the Pharisee who had invited him saw this, he said to himself, "If
this man were a prophet, he would know what kind of woman is touching him.
She's a sinner!"
40 Then Jesus answeredhis thoughts. "Simon," he said to the Pharisee, "I
have something to sayto you."
"Go ahead, Teacher," Simonreplied.
41 Then Jesus told him this story: "A man loaned money to two people—500
pieces of silver* to one and 50 pieces to the other.42 But neither of them could
repay him, so he kindly forgave them both, canceling their debts. Who do you
suppose loved him more after that?"

43 Simon answered, "I suppose the one for whom he canceledthe larger
debt."
"That's right," Jesus said.44 Thenhe turned to the womanand said to
Simon, "Look at this womankneeling here. When I enteredyour home, you
didn't offer me waterto wash the dust from my feet, but she has washedthem
with her tears and wiped them with her hair.45 You didn't greetme with a
kiss, but from the time I first came in, she has not stopped kissing my feet.46
You neglectedthe courtesyof olive oil to anoint my head, but she has anointed
my feetwith rare perfume.
47 "I tell you, her sins—andthey are many—have been forgiven, so she has
shown me much love. But a personwho is forgiven little shows only little
love."48 ThenJesus saidto the woman, "Your sins are forgiven."
49 The men at the table said among themselves, "Who is this man, that he
goes around forgiving sins?"
50 And Jesus saidto the woman, "Your faith has savedyou; go in peace."
Approached when busy

Another reasonwhy people don’t think Godwill acceptthem is because He
must be so busy running the universe, what are my needs comparedto that.
Jesus howevermanagedto show care for people even when other matters
were urgently pressing in on Him. The text is Luke 8
Why would you think Jesus might have been too busy for the sick woman?
Why might Jesus have just let the woman be healed and left it at that?
What care was shownto this widow, someone who would have been among
the most marginalized of her society?
Luke 8:41-48 40 On the other side of the lake the crowds welcomedJesus,
because they had been waiting for him.41 Then a man named Jairus, a leader
of the localsynagogue,came and fell at Jesus'feet, pleading with him to come
home with him.42 His only daughter,* who was about twelve years old, was
dying.
As Jesus wentwith him, he was surrounded by the crowds.43A woman in
the crowdhad suffered for twelve years with constantbleeding,* and she
could find no cure.44 Coming up behind Jesus, she touchedthe fringe of his
robe. Immediately, the bleeding stopped.
45 "Who touched me?" Jesus asked.
Everyone denied it, and Petersaid, "Master, this whole crowd is pressing up
againstyou."

46 But Jesus said, "Someone deliberatelytouched me, for I felt healing
powergo out from me."47 When the womanrealized that she could not stay
hidden, she beganto tremble and fell to her knees in front of him. The whole
crowdheard her explain why she had touchedhim and that she had been
immediately healed.48 "Daughter,"he said to her, "your faith has made you
well. Go in peace."
Approached when tired
Our final encounterfinds Jesus and His followers exhausted. Mark 6
What was the physical and emotional state of Jesus and His followers?
How might you have behaved if you were ambushed in this way?
How did Jesus’followers respond?
How did Jesus respondto the people?
Mark 6:31-36 31 Then Jesus said, "Let's go off by ourselves to a quiet place
and rest awhile." He saidthis because there were so many people coming and
going that Jesus and his apostles didn't even have time to eat.

32 So they left by boat for a quiet place, where they could be alone.33 But
many people recognizedthem and saw them leaving, and people from many
towns ran aheadalong the shore and got there aheadof them.34 Jesus saw the
huge crowd as he stepped from the boat, and he had compassionon them
because they were like sheepwithout a shepherd. So he beganteaching them
many things.
35 Late in the afternoon his disciples came to him and said, "This is a remote
place, and it's already getting late.36 Sendthe crowds awayso they can go to
the nearby farms and villages and buy something to eat."
https://www.beingrecreated.org/godapproachable.html
Christ-like Communication: Approachable
Postedon May 9, 2012 —
Jesus'Communication ApproachableJesuswelcomedall people, willing to
engage in conversationwith them. Readthrough the Gospels and you will
find the following aspects ofChrist-like communication:
authoritative
awareness
available
approachable
attentive
authentic

adaptable
applicational
Though God Himself in the flesh, Jesus did not hold Himself aloofbut rather
freely communicated with fallen human beings. He welcomedanyone from tax
gatherers and sinners to the self-righteous religious leaders. At either side of
the spectrum, these were people who were far from God. How He
communicated varied based on who it was but He still permitted all to come to
Him.
Though born a Jew, Jesus engagedin communication with Samaritans and
Gentile people who approachedHim.
Though His ministry primarily focusedon adults, Jesus had no problem
relating with children as well. The disciples were the ones who tried to hinder
them from coming to Him but Jesus said, “Letthe little children come.”
Implications for Us in Ministry:
Positionshould not separate you. Jesus was willing to leave the glories of
heaven behind and humble Himself to come to earth.
If people feelthey can’t talk freely with you because ofyour ministry position,
what might you be doing to give that impression? What can you do to break
through preconceivedideas about certain positions?
Prejudices should not define you. Jesus broke through prejudices and cultural
norms. He could be approachedby anyone without fear of rejection.

If people feelthey can’t approach you without being judged, what might you
be doing to give that impression? What canyou do to break through your
own bents and biases to acceptallpeople regardless ofwho they are or what
they’ve done?
Purpose should not isolate you. Jesus had a primary target group to whom He
ministered but still welcomedothers.
If people feelthey can’t come to you because you have an agenda that doesn’t
include them, what might you be doing to give that impression? What can
you do to break through a narrow view to the big picture perspective of God’s
overall purpose to love Him and love others?
https://mintools.com/blog/approachable.htm
HOW TO BECOME MORE APPROACHABLE THROUGHHUMILITY
By Drs. Les and Leslie ParrottOctober10, 2018 Scripture, SelfReflection
4 Comments
Without a doubt, Jesus was the most approachable personwho ever walked
the Earth. He was tuned into the people on the fringes–those who were most
likely to be outcastand excluded. Jesus was shockinglyaccessible to everyone,
including people who were considered“undesirables”.

He certainly wasn’tlike the other “holy men” of his time. In fact, His
accessibilitymade them livid. That’s because the rabbis and priests of Jesus’s
time operatedon principles of isolationand exclusion, holding everyone at
arm’s length. In contrast, Jesus welcomedeveryone with open arms.
The Greek wordfor approachable is parresia, which means plainspoken,
easy-to-understand, or accessible. Synonyms for this word include friendly
and open. So if we want to love like Jesus, we have to learn how to become
approachable. And one of the most important ingredients to approachability
is becoming humble.
LEAN INTO HUMILITY
To be humble is to make ourselves lowly. God meets us when we’re in a state
of humility. It’s the antidote to pride, which poisons love. And it opens our
eyes to the needs of others. Because whenwe can setour ego aside and stop
believing ourselves to be superior to the people we encounter, we canbecome
truly approachable.
BE INCLUSIVE AND WELCOMING
A prideful, snobbish person believes that human worth is tied to socialstatus.
And unfortunately, we’re all susceptible to believing ourselves superior to
others from time to time. It’s all about being exclusive, only allowing yourself
to interact with people you deem “worthy.”
In contrast, a humble person gets down off their high horse and makes
themselves lowly. Jesus was the exemplary example of humility and, as a
result, inclusivity. He opened His arms to “undesirable” people who were

reviled by the restof society–andif He ever excluded anyone, it was the holier-
than-thou religious elites.
Being humble helps us to realize we’re not above the people we encounter in
our daily lives. This changes our perspective–andour actions–whenit comes
to being more inclusive and welcoming to others.
BE NONJUDGMENTAL
The religious elites were scandalizedwhen Jesus associatedwith sinners, tax
collectors,and even prostitutes like Mary Magdalene,who transformed her
former life to become a disciple of Christ. As the sonof God, Jesus couldhave
arguably been the most qualified judge to walk the Earth. But instead of
judging others, Jesus lovedthem regardless ofwhat sins they’d committed or
laws they’d broken. He was outrageouslyapproachable becausethat was the
essenceofHis love.
LOVE YOUR ENEMIES
Loving our enemies is loving without exclusion. It requires the ultimate
humility.
It’s a given that, to love like Jesus did and be more approachable like He was,
we have to snuff out pride and humble ourselves. However, Jesus takesit one
radical step further: He commands us to love our enemies. And that, for
(probably) most of us, is a hard pill to swallow.
“I tell you,” Jesus says, ‘love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good
to those who hate you, and pray for those who mistreat you and persecute
you.”

Instead of getting even with our enemies, Jesus wants us to love them. He asks
that we turn the other cheek when we’re hurt. And He even expects us to go
above and beyond in our kindness to them. It’s not human nature, but it’s the
nature of God. And with a generous dose of humility, it’s possible to show love
to people who have causedus harm.
https://www.symbis.com/blog/how-to-become-more-approachable-through-
humility/
Be an Approachable Christian
Eachday Christians are put under a microscope to see whether their actions
are consistentwith their beliefs.
There are many in the world who watch a Christian’s every move and listen
to every word to see whetherthey are in line with what the Bible says. Some
examine out of sincerity, while others examine out of a critical mind. Being an
approachable Christian is important because we are the light of the world
(Matthew 5.14-16)and our light will only shine as bright as our faith will
allow. To shine our lights brighter and extend the grace God has offered us to
the world, we must be approachable as Christians.
Being approachable means we must not hide under the guise of being perfect,
but under the reality that through Christ we are being made perfect. Being
able to give an answerconcerning the hope that is in us (1 Peter3.15)implies
that someone is going to ask us about our hope. Going further, for them to ask

us, they are going to approachus. Our lives should be lived in such a way that
we are approachable Christians.
Take a moment and see how you can become an approachable Christian:
Be Genuine – Finding a genuine person is becoming a lostart. So many are
creating an image in public and never showing any faults or mistakes. Our
societyseeksto rise above the reality that everyone is not perfect; in fact, none
of us are.
Pray Daily – Where would eachof us be without constantprayer? If we are
not praying, I almost guarantee someone is alreadypraying for you. (That
might be the reasonyou are where you are.)
Seek Jesus – Stopseeking to be a “superChristian” and seek to be like Jesus.
Jesus is the model for eachof our lives. Since the church is the body of Christ
and Christ is the head, our actions should be made fully known as we follow
the head.
Be Honest – Honesty is the best policy is definitely true when striving to be an
approachable Christian. Just being genuine is a major factor, so is the life of
honesty.
Approach others – To be approachable means you must be willing to
approachothers as well. You must be willing to step up to the plate and
approachsomeone and speak to them. Open yourself up to someone else and
create a sense of openness.
What would you add to the list?
Just some thoughts,
https://preacherspen.org/be-an-approachable-christian/

Being Approachable
By Debbie Holloway
“Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus:Who, being in very
nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped, but
made himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant, being made in
human likeness. And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled
himself and became obedient to death - even death on a cross!” - Philippians
2:5
It is nigh impossible to be wholly truthful and also be universally liked. It is
very difficult to believe strange things and be popular. It is unlikely that one
who lives as a servant will draw fame and admiration from people in high
places.
Thankfully, Jesus calls us neither to be universally liked, popular, famous, or
admirable in the eyes of wealthymen.
But hold it – we can’t just stop there. Beware, lestwe swaggerwith pride in
the knowledge thatbeing disliked, unpopular, and obscure will place us in
high standing with our Lord. God has a distinct mission for us: to reachthe
world with the Gospel(that is, John 3:16). He has also set a distinct example
for us to follow as we live and try to proclaim that gospelthrough our words
and actions. All too often, however, we fall short of his example and become
entirely unapproachable to the exactpeople we should be loving and reaching
with God’s truth and love.

Was Jesus unapproachable? Did his firm stances onGod’s truth leave others
afraid to challenge him, ask questions, or be imperfect in his presence? Let’s
look to Scripture.
1. People were also bringing babies to Jesus to have him touch them. When
the disciples saw this, they rebuked them. But Jesus calledthe children to him
and said, "Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the
kingdom of God belongs to such as these” (Luke 18:15).
Not only does this infer that children were at ease in the presence of Christ,
but that parents were comfortable handing their infants to this man to hold
and bless!If you are a parent, you understand the implications of these verses.
If not, then know: it’s a big deal to give someone your kid. Jesus lived in such
a way that not only did children trust him, but parents trusted him with their
children.
2. While Jesus was having dinner at Levi's house, many tax collectorsand
"sinners" were eating with him and his disciples, for there were many who
followedhim. When the teachers ofthe law who were Pharisees sawhim
eating with the "sinners" and tax collectors, they askedhis disciples:"Why
does he eat with tax collectors and'sinners'?" On hearing this, Jesus saidto
them, "It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick. I have not come to
call the righteous, but sinners" (Mark 2:15).
In this passageJesusattracts both the wickedand the righteous – neither
group seems afraid to approach him. But while the Pharisees consistently
attack Jesus with purposes of trapping or confounding him, the sinners and

tax collectorslove to walk with him, eat with him, drink with him, listen to his
words. His sermons don’t scare them away; his words aren’t lacedwith shame
and guilt-trips. Rather, he speaks ofhow to please God, how to love one
another, and he fascinates themby turning old notions of righteousness upside
down – all in a way that makes people want to listen to him and follow him.
He patiently administers to sinners as a doctor gently aids a sick man.
3. Jesus answered, "Ifyou want to be perfect, go, sell your possessions and
give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me."
When the young man heard this, he went awaysad, because he had great
wealth (Matthew 19:21).
It’s true, people did leave Jesus. People rejectedhim and turned awayfrom
what he had to say. But notice in this passageofthe rich young ruler, Jesus
did not reject him. Jesus did not turn him away – rather the man "sadly" left
Jesus becausehis heart did not truly seek perfectionby God’s standards.
Are you regarded with suspicionin the eyes of others? Do sinners keeptheir
distance, knowing you are not a safe place for them to live imperfectly? Do
you turn people awaybecause of their reluctance to follow Kingdom
standards? If so, you may need to revisit the Jesus ofthe Gospels.
Intersecting Faith and Life: Think of one area in your life that needs a good
dose of humility and servitude, and inject some Jesus into it!

Being Approachable
November 26, 2002 • By Ed Wrather
11.26.02
When He had come down from the mountain, greatmultitudes followedHim.
And behold, a leper came and worshiped Him, saying, ‘Lord, if You are
willing, You can make me clean.’Then Jesus put out His hand and touched
him, saying, ‘I am willing; be cleansed.’ Immediately his leprosy was cleansed.
- Matthew 8:1-3.
Then little children were brought to Him that He might put His hands on
them and pray, but the disciples rebuked them. But Jesus said, ‘Let the little
children come to Me, and do not forbid them; for of such is the kingdom of
heaven.’ - Matthew 19:13-14.
Listening this morning to MichaelCarnealin an interview shown on the
Today Show there was something that struck me as being neededby many;
especiallyChristians. MichaelCarnealwas a 14-year-oldstudent at Heath
High Schoolin WestPaducah, Kentucky where one morning he shot and
killed three fellow students and wounded five others. Those students were
gatheredpraying around a flagpole. It was and is a horrendous, terrible thing
that destroyedlives and changedlives in a devastating way. The words that I
picked up on this morning were that Carnealsaid that he did not have anyone
to talk to prior to the shooting including his parents. At leasthe did not
believe that they would listen. Certainly, that was not a valid reasonor excuse
for shooting someone, but it should make all of us think.

How approachable are you? The word “approachable” is defined in the
dictionary as:“easyto meet or converse ordo business with” and as “capable
of being approached; accessible.” Are we following the example of our Lord?
Jesus was (and is) the ultimate in approachability. Lepers were to have no
contactwith non-lepers and were banned from even their own families.
Lepers had to announce their presence by shouting as they walked“unclean,”
“unclean.” No “clean” personwas to touch the “unclean” or they would also
become “unclean.” Jesus notonly allowedlepers to approach and talk to Him,
He also touched them. The ultimate in cleanness onearth touched the unclean.
Jesus also was approachable notonly by adults but also by children. Jesus
also placedHis hands on the children and prayed for them (Of course the
children were not unclean but consideredby the disciples and others as being
unworthy of attention by a great teacher.). Manyothers consideredoutcasts
by the Jewishsocietywere able to approach Jesus including tax collectors,
adulteresses, womenof ill repute, and Samaritans. Why did Jesus allow
Himself to be approached by people like these? Jesus explains in Matthew
9:10-12, “Now it happened, as Jesus satat the table in the house, that behold,
many tax collectors andsinners came and satdown with Him and His
disciples. And when the Phariseessaw it, they said to His disciples, ‘Why does
your Teachereat with tax collectors andsinners?’ When Jesus heardthat, He
said to them, ‘Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who
are sick.’”
How approachable are you? Would any of these “unclean” people be allowed
to visit in your home? Would any of these people be able to talk with you
outside of your home? Would any of these people be able to call you and talk
with you by telephone? Would you even allow any of these people to
communicate with you by email? Before the spiritually sick will be healed, we
must allow them to have contactwith us. We must be approachable. Are you?

Approachable Jesus
My pastoraskeda question lastSunday that still has me thinking about it. He
asked, “Are you approachable by the world or are you so selfrighteous that
they want nothing to do with you?” His next point was that Jesus was
approachable. So approachable in factthat a prostitute came and washedhis
feet, a tax collectorinvited Him into his house and a Samaritan woman
brought her whole village out to meet Him. His life wasn’t about showing how
much holier He was. It was about showing love to others despite how the
world labeled them.
It’s easyto not want to associatewith certain types of people. It’s become
normal for us to wonder about those who hang out with sinners. Why? I
heard Kirk Franklin say, “If everyone I know loves Jesus, I don’t know
enough people.” I get it. We need to surround ourselves with other believers
and grow in the faith. We also need to make sure we have relationships with
those who aren’t believers.
How can we have influence on someone we don’t have a relationship with?
Jesus taught in the temples on the Sabbath, but the rest of the week He was in
the streets, villages andhillsides building relationships with those who weren’t
in the temple. He left the 99 who were safe in the temple to searchfor that one
who would listen outside. He made Himself available to others. He healed
those who weren’t religious. If He didn’t, why did He often say, “Go and sin
no more”?

We limit God by thinking certain things are only for believers. God wants us
to demonstrate His love to all so that none would perish. I was praying this
week a prayer that I heard from a friend of mine. The prayer he told me he
prays isn’t, “Godshow me your will and I’ll do it.” He said, “I’ve been
praying, ‘God, what are you dreaming of doing? Pick me. I’ll volunteer to
make that dream a reality.'”
As I was praying that this week, IaskedGod, “What do you dream about?”
The answerwas, “Thatnone should perish.” God’s dream isn’t that we have
large churches, debt free buildings or an amazing light show during praise
and worship. Are those things greatto have? Yes. But are we putting our
time, energyand money into building relationships that grow the Kingdom?
That’s where God’s heart is.
Today, think about your life. How approachable are you by those outside the
church? If an unbeliever is around you at work, are you the type of person
they could come to and ask questions about faith? Would you give them the
churchy answer? Or do they know you will be real and transparent about
your faith? None of us are perfect. We just serve a perfectGod and do our
best to be like Him. Build relationships. Win the lost. That’s God’s heartbeat.
https://devotionsbychris.com/2013/04/18/approachable-jesus/
Are You Approachable?
January 1, 2016 Article David Sproule 2016 Bulletin Articles, Bulletin Articles
As Christians, we are “members of one another” (Rom. 12:5), and we have
very specific responsibilities to eachother. Our Father expects us to “greet
one another,” “edify one another,” “comfortone another,” “submit to one

another,” “serve one another,” “bearone another’s burdens” and “confess
[our] trespassesto one another” (Rom. 16:16;14:19; 1 Thess. 4:18;1 Pet. 5:5;
Gal. 5:13; 6:2; Jas. 5:16). Think about these words and considerthis key
quality that you must possessfor these things to be possible—youmust be
approachable! Think about it!
How can others greetyou, edify you, comfort you, submit to you, serve you,
bear your burdens or confess trespassesto you, if you are not approachable?
It would be impossible! Every Christian, without exception, must be
approachable, and some (like preachers and elders) must be even more so.
So, a critical question for you to consideris this, “Am I approachable?” Are
people comfortable in coming to me, talking to me, being around me? Or, are
they hesitant to approach me, feeling uneasy, uncertain or awkward? I must
honestly evaluate myself!
Jesus was the most approachable personwho ever lived, therefore, He is the
perfect standard by which we should measure ourselves.
Being approachable requires humility. Arrogance is such a deterrent, but
Jesus, the Son of God, “humbled Himself” (Phil. 2:8). Am I humble, truly
humble?
Being approachable requires compassion. Whenone’s heart is moved, one will
be moved to appropriate and loving action, as Jesus was (Matt. 9:36). Am I
compassionate, truly compassionate?
Being approachable requires friendliness. Jesus was friendly, even to those
who were not friendly toward Him (John 4:9), and even took time for little
children (Matt. 19:13-15). Am I friendly?

Being approachable requires openness. Jesus openedHimself up to the point
that anyone could approachHim at any time about any matter (Matt. 9). Am
I open and available to my brethren?
Being approachable requires trustworthiness. People openedup to Jesus
about their darkesttroubles, because they knew He could be trusted. Am I
truly trustworthy?
Being approachable requires a willingness to help. People who followedJesus
and heard about Jesus knew that, if nothing else was true about Him, He was
willing to help people out. Am I truly (and obviously) willing to help?
To properly obey the “one another” commands of God, I must be
approachable! How would Jesus grade me?
Jesus:The Approachable God
Postedon September 8, 2016 by bekahbehnke
I have been reading through the life of Jesus and his many miracles. His
friends were the most common people. Simple. His miracles were done in a far
from glamorous way. His feet were dirty. He was thirsty and hungry. His
family thought he was crazy. His friends didn’t always trust him. Religious
leaders had no problem publically disagreeing withhim.

But people still followedJesus everywhere. Theystayed for hours. People
touched Jesus, without asking, to be healed. Father’s chasedhim down.
Women washedhis feet. People invited him into their home. He invited
himself to people’s homes. He became friends with the “lowest”.
Jesus was approachable.
He came to Earth, to be a man who didn’t intimidate those who met him. He
didn’t come to sit on a throne. He came as a humble, approachable man. He
said “Follow me”, “Lets eattogether” and “Sit with me”. Jesus invited people
to be with him, where he was. There was nothing fancy about His invitations.
He simply invited us to be His friend, to feelcomfortable and safe in his
presence.
This teaches me two very big lessons.
#1: Jesus is the same now as he has always been. He is still there, waiting for
us to approachhim. He has no problem meeting us where we are. We have no
reasonto not invite Him into our home, not matter our sin. Jesus wentinto the
homes of many sinners. We can beg him to do amazing things. We canbe
confusedby his timing. We can follow him around. Yes, us common nobodies,
can be used to do greatthings through Him. Jesus is still the approachable
man. His invitation to BE with Him, is still there.
#2: If I want to be like Jesus, I too need to be approachable too. I need to live
humbly. I need to walk my life in a way that invites all people in. Jesus didn’t
seek approvable for important, powerful people. I want my home to be filled
with people of every kind. Jesus lovedgreatly. His love extended an invitation.

My goalshould be the same, to point people to God through an open life. A
simple life. A life like Jesus.
Live and Love Like Jesus
Approachableness
Mark 10:13-22
07-12-2020
MessageSummary
1. Overview of Mark 10 & Approachableness
a. Mark 9 - Jesus was transfigured
b. Mark 10 - they are talking in a crowdedhouse
c. Approachableness is a balance betweenbeing and doing.
d. How you approach Jesus affects how you approach others and ultimately
how
others approach you.
2. How to acttoward others
a. Mark 10:13-16 - the children
i. Jesus saw the children through the crowdedroom and intentionally
approachedthem.
ii. Jesus is approachable because it is in his nature AND he fosters the

characteristic ofapproachability
1. By giving a voice to the voiceless (like the children)
2. By embracing the untouchables (like the lepers)
3. By paying attention to the forgettable (like the disciples)
b. Mark 10:17-22 - the rich, young man
i. Jesus embracesthe man’s earnestapproachdespite the man’s
ignorance.
1. Jesus looked- taking notice of the man
2. Jesus loved- having compassiononhim
3. Jesus was patient - speaking to him and sharing truth
ii. The man could not follow Jesus unhindered.
iii. How do we approachothers - with people unlike us.
3. How to acttoward Jesus (how do you approachJesus)
a. Mark 10:17-22 - the rich, young man
i. Jesus was the last piece of a long checklistfor the man.
ii. Jesus was notTHE Good Teacher, he was A goodteacher.
b. Mark 10:13-16 - the children
i. The children saw Jesus as Abba, Fatherand Lord.
ii. The children, like the lepers and disciples, find their full hope in Jesus.
4. Conclusion
a. How you approach Jesus affects how you approach others and ultimately
how
others approach you.

b. When you approachJesus as Lord, you approach others with sacrificial
love, and
ultimately want to approachyou.
https://calvertgrace.org/wp-content/uploads/sermons/2020/07/07.12.2020-
Message-Summary.pdf
Being Approachable
April 9, 2015 | No Comments
Help spread the word
There are those people in our life that are always so intimidating. Their very
presence makes youuneasy. There are many reasons, sometimeswe’re
intimidated by their intelligence or worried that they will not like our
performance. Sometimes we are afraid to go up to someone who is wellknown
or very successful. These people canbe very unapproachable and can cause
much anxiety.
I am so glad that Jesus, ourLord and Savior, is very approachable. His very
nature is love, mercy, and grace. I really enjoy reading and studying Jesus’
interaction with people. He is always so patient with the humble and broken
in spirit. He is so loving and thoughtful as he teaches his disciples. His rebukes
are even thought out and understandable and we people took them
accordingly.

One of his interactions that I return back to often is when he approaches the
woman at the wellin Samaria. This is found in John 4:4-42. Here is a Jew, a
Rabbi with many disciples, sitting at a well in Samaria. When the woman
comes out in the middle of the day, so she wouldn’t be seenby anyone or have
to interact with anyone, she comes upon Jesus. Ican just imagine Jesus sitting
there watching her slowly walk towardthe well. She is probably wondering if
she should come back later, but she doesn’t. She walks up and Jesus starts
talking to her. He shows her respectand grace. When her sin is brought out
and she feels ashamed, Jesus sows hermercy and forgiveness. It is a beautiful
example of being approachable.
Another greatexample is Jesus’interaction with the lepers. We read the story
in Luke 17:11-19. Tenlepers stood a wayoff from Jesus and shouted out to
him to have pity on them. They were bold to shout out to him, and he healed
them. But one came back and worshipped him and thanked him. Jesus was
moved by this one and he praisedhim. You see Jesus was approachable, even
though he is the Son of God and our Lord and Savior.
You are now wondering where I am going with this. As believers and
followers of Jesus Christ, we are supposedto be Christ-like. We won’t be
perfect at it, but we are to strive to be Christ-like. To be like Christ, one of the
things we must be is approachable. It is amazing the difference an
approachable personis from an intimidating person. Approachable people
put us at ease. We canshare with them and trust them. We are not afraid to
ask them things. Approachable people put others at ease.
Are you approachable or are you intimidating? That’s probably a question
for one or two of your unfiltered friends. I want to encourage youand help
you realize the most important things in life are the relationships we build
with other people. Be approachable, not intimidating. Be patient, not short-

tempered. Be understanding not controlling. Show love, grace, mercy, and
forgiveness to all people. For, as we do to others, it will be done to us.
Be encouraged.
https://www.celllifechurch.org/our-blog/being-approachable/
The approachability of Jesus
Postedon January 31, 2016
There are so many attributes of Jesus Christ than we can praise and ponder.
One of them is His kingliness.
He is King of Kings and Lord of Lords. (Revelation19:16). God has given
Jesus all authority in heaven and in earth (Matthew 28:18), therefore He is
above all authorities anywhere that can possibly be imagined. He is High and
exalted on His throne and He is KING.
On earth few of us have actually been in the presence ofa King or Queen.
There are relatively few royals on earth, comparedto number of the
population of the plebeians like us.
If one is favored enough to visit a royal, there is strict protocol. ABC News
reminds us, regarding a visit with Queen Elizabeth II-

There is a long list of protocols that guides one’s behavior in the presence of
Her Majestyand eventhough the president and the first lady are not required
to abide by all of them, there are certain formalities they do have to follow.
There is the “no-touch” rule…
Wait until the Queen extends her hand to shake it
No gripping her hand or tightly pumping it
No hugs, no kiss on the cheek, no touching the shoulder
Referto the Queen as “Your Majesty” initially then “ma’am” subsequently
Bow upon being introduced
Do not turn your back to the Queen
Wearconservative clothing with not much flesh showing
And so much more.
I remember the HBO mini-series John Adams. It was an excellentseries,
showing the life of our secondPresidentfrom a fiery attorney in his youth
through to old age, in other words, most of his political life.
There came the moment when the Americans had won the Revolutionary war.
Adams had been given the privilege and responsibility as diplomat to begin
relations with The United Kingdom as national co-equals. He was to meet with
the King. The moment was fraught with tensionfor two reasons. He had all of

the future of America resting on his shoulders in how he approachedthe
Monarchthese next few moments. Would the United Kingdom be an enemy
or an ally?
The secondreasonwas protocol. Here was a scrappy lawyer born in 1735 in
British America, (Quincy MA), and was American through and through,
about to meet the most powerful man in the world, King George III.
Americans had not been known to stand on formality and protocol, and
Adams had been strongly tutored for this meeting. Bow three times, once
upon entering, once when halfway to the ‘RoyalPresence’and a third time as
you enter the ‘Royal Presence’.Avert your eyes until standing before the
‘Royal Presence’. Wearsuitable clothing, “something more British.”
Unsuitable clothing has been the undoing of many an Ambassador, we learn.
See how it went, at the link. It’s an extremely memorable cinematic moment
and an incredible piece of acting, as well as a visible punctuation for my point.
I can’t embed, HBO has disabled it.
There have always been strict protocols when meeting royalty. In Esther 4:11
we read,
All the king’s servants and the people of the king’s provinces know that if any
man or woman goes to the king inside the inner court without being called,
there is but one law—to be put to death, exceptthe one to whom the king
holds out the golden scepterso that he may live. But as for me, I have not been
calledto come in to the king these thirty days.
This scene is described in Esther 5:1. The King is holding his scepter.

On the third day Esther put on her royal robes and stood in the inner court of
the king’s palace, in front of the king’s quarters, while the king was sitting on
his royal throne inside the throne room opposite the entrance to the palace.
Wikipedia
Thrones were always higher, setupon a dais in order to visibly indicate the
lowerposition of the person approaching the RoyalPresence. This is a photo
of Napoleon’s throne. Pharaoh is describedas sitting on a throne in Exodus
11:5; Exodus 12:29.
Solomonwrote,
Do not claim honor in the presence ofthe king, And do not stand in the place
of greatmen; 7For it is better that it be said to you, “Come up here,” Than for
you to be placed lowerin the presence ofthe prince, Whom your eyes have
seen.
And yet, another aspectof the uniqueness of Jesus continues. He sits upon His
throne, the highest of the high and lifted up (Isaiah6:1) and yet we may
approach!
Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may
receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need. (Hebrews 4:16)
In him and through faith in him we may approach God with freedom and
confidence. (Ephesians 3:12).

Must we dress in a certain way? Must we wait to be introduced or
summoned? Must we bow in sequential order as we reachcertainspots in the
throne room? Must we avert our eyes until He speaks?No!No!No! No!
Our Lord Jesus is said to be the Mediator betweenGod and man. Now,
observe, that the office of mediator implies at once that he should be
approachable. ~Spurgeon
He is Lord of Lords and King of Kings and yet He has told us we may
approachHim with petitions large and small! He is tremendous. Every time
we pray we approachHim. He is a Godwho sees (El RoiGenesis 16:14)and a
God who hears!
In 1920 Frank Borehamwrote a book titled “A bunch of everlasting;or, Texts
that made history“. His book contains biographies of famous Christians who
came to the saving grace of salvationas the light of one particular verse broke
upon their hearts. John Bunyan met Jesus through this verse in John 6:37,
All that the Father giveth me shall come to me; and him that cometh to me I
will in no wise castout.
From Boreham’s text we read,
In his pitiful distress, there broke upon the soul of John Bunyan a vision of the
infinite approach-ability of Jesus. JohnBunyan’s text-verse was a revelation
to him of this approach-ability.

‘This scripture did most sweetlyvisit my soul; and him that Cometh to me, I
will in no wise castout.” Oh ! the comfort that I had from his word, in no
wise!As who should say, “By no means, for nothing whateverhe hath done.
‘Him that cometh I will in no wise castout!’ Like the gate that swings open on
hearing the magic ‘sesame’;Like the walls that fell at Jericho when the blast
of the trumpets arose;the wall round Bunyan’s mountain fell with a crash
before that greatand golden word. ‘Him that comethto Me I will in no wise
castout!’ The barriers had vanished! The way was open!
Christ is approachable. Praise Him! Approach today, with no worries of what
you must sayor how you must look. He will in no wise castyou out. How
sweetis this knowledge.
https://the-end-time.org/2016/01/31/the-approachability-of-jesus/
Home Youth Leaders Youth Leaders Blogs Be Approachable
Be Approachable
By JoelMayward -November 16, 2011
Jesus seemedto have people approachhim all the time from all sorts of
backgrounds and demographics. From the religious elite to prostitutes to
military officials to foreigners to children, and everyone in between, they all
found a sense of belonging in His presence. This didn’t meant that he didn’t
say difficult things to them–especiallythe Pharisees,who were on the
receiving end of many of Christ’s harshestwords–but that He still embodied a
hospitality that communicated“you canbe with me.” They could talk with
Him, ask questions, and find grace (if they were willing to receive it).

Maybe that’s why He was given the name Emmanuel (God with us).
Jud Wilhite puts it this way in his book, UncensoredGrace:
As the most spiritually mature person to ever live, Jesus stands as the model
for what a spiritual life looks like. He remained approachable to outsiders and
the hurting. His life reveals that the more spiritually mature I am, the more
approachable I am to people who feelfar from God. As spiritual maturity
increases,approachabilityincreases.
Don’t equate approachability with “being nice.” The cultural quality of
niceness has less to do with Jesus and more to do with moralism; it’s almost
Christian. Approachability insteadhas to with recognizing how much grace
I’ve been given in Christ, and allowing that grace to spill over in my attitude,
tone, and demeanor to anyone and everyone around me.
The opposite of approachable is inaccessible and intimidating. The irony of
approachability is that it often requires me to approach others, to welcome
them and begin the conversation
Am I approachable to those around me? Do I have compassion, empathy, and
patience for those who are hurting or in need? And is that compassionclearly
evident to others, especiallythose who are different than me?
JoelMayward

The Word Was God Series
Contributed by JeffStrite on Dec 22, 2019
based on 4 ratings (rate this sermon) | 4,678 views
Scripture: John 1:1-5
Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ
Summary: Why was it important for God to become human? And why
become a human baby?
1 2 3 4 5
Next
WE OPENED WITHVIDEO “O, What A Gift”
(https://www.facebook.com/watch/?v=562729207881472)
“I read the story of a woman who saw her friend at church and then, without
thinking, said: “Happy Christmas!” The problem was… it was Easter. So, she
quickly correctedherselfand said, “I’m sorry. I meant to say, Happy Easter.”
Her friend smiled back and said: “Well, you can’t have one without the
other.” (Cindy Hess Kasper, Our Daily Bread, 4/8/07)
The video we started out with said it this way: “Humbly He came… in a
manger, born to die. Just a babe… fully human; fully God. The Word made
flesh, God’s only Son. Sent to save us… Died on a cross, rose from the grave.
All because He loved us.”

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That phrase: BORN TO DIE caught my attention. You can’t have Easter
without Christmas, and you can’t have Christmas without Easter. There’re
kinda like a matched set. When Jesus was born in the manger, He was
literally “born to die.” That’s why He came.
Now, when preachers do “Christmas Sermons” they rarely use John 1 as their
text. I mean, there’s nothing in the GospelofJohn about shepherds, or
wisemen, or angels. And there’s no mention of Mary and Josephand the
manger. There’s no Nativity Scene atall!!!
But the first chapter of John explains WHY we have Christmas. It explains
why the birth of Christ matters: “In the beginning was the Word, and the
Word was with God, and the WORD WAS GOD.” (John 1:1) The entire
Gospelof John is dedicated to helping us understand that one concept: Jesus
IS God.
Now the other Gospels point to that too. For example, the Gospelof Matthew
1:23 tells us that the angel declared:“Behold, a virgin shall be with child, and
shall bring forth a son, and they shall call his name Emmanuel, which means,
GOD WITH US.”

But John comes out - right out of the box – saying “The Word (Jesus)was
God.” John was telling us that –
THIS IS IMPORTANT… PAYATTENTION!!!!
But WHY is it important?? Well, there’s a couple of reasons thatcomes to
mind. The first is that the idea of God is an abstractconcept. When people
think of God, they have this fuzzy image of what God is like.
ILLUS: A Sunday Schoolteachersharedof the time she askedher students
what God lookedlike: One child said“He’s a human being with heart, feet,
eyes like fire, and He shampoos his hair everyday.” A boy stated “He looks
like my daddy. He wears a jumpsuit on weekends andhas a bald head.” One
of the girls said “I think God has nice eyes. He wears a very pretty robe, and
He has white hair.” Another child said “I think He’s an old man with a long,
gray beard. And He sits on a throne like a king, and drinks all the Dr. Pepper
He wants.” And still anotherchild thought “He looks like whatever you want
Him to look like.” (Calvary Temple in Compton, CA)
Just like those children, lots of folks have a hard time grasping WHAT Godis
really like. But with Jesus it’s different, because… well… Jesus wasGodin
the flesh. Everything about Jesus tells us what God is like. Everything Jesus
said, every healing He did, every kindness He showed… all of that tells us
what God is like.
Explore Christmas Sermon Ideas
ILLUS: There was a famous scientistin 1960s namedOppenheimer who once
said "The best way to send an idea is to wrap it up in a person." In other
words: Ideas are abstract… but people aren’t. Ideas canbe hard to

Jesus was approachable

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