Delivered on Lord's-day Morning, February 12th, 1871 by
C. H. SPURGEON,
At the Metropolitan Tabernacle, Newington
"The kingdom of heaven is like unto a certain king, which made a
marriage for his son, and sent forth his servants to call them that
were bidden to the wedding: and they would not come. Again, he sent
forth other servants, saying, Tell them which are bidden, Behold, I
have prepared my dinner: my oxen and my fatlings are killed and all
things are ready: come unto the marriage."–Matthew 22:2,3,4.
IF GOD GRANT ME STRENGTH I hope to go through this parable, but at this
present we shall confine our thoughts to the opening scene of the royal
festival. Before, however, we proceed further, it is most fitting that
we give expression to our deep gratitude, that it has pleased the
infinite mind to stoop to our narrow capacities, and instruct us by
parable. How tenderly condescending is God to devise similitudes, that
his children may learn the mysteries of the kingdom! If it be sometimes
marvelled at among men that great minds are ever ready to stoop, what a
far greater marvel that God himself should bow the heavens and come
down to meet our ignorance and slowness of comprehension! When the
learned professor has been instructing his class in the hall in
recondite matters of deep philosophy, and then goes home and takes his
child upon his knee, and tries to bring down great truth to the grasp
of his child's mind, then you see the great love of the man's heart:
and when the eternal God, before whom seraphim are but insects of an
hour, condescends to instruct our childishness and make us wise unto
salvation, we may well say, "herein is love." Just as we give our
children pictures that we may win the attention, and may by pleasing
means fix truth upon their memories, so the Lord with loving
inventiveness has become the author of many a charming metaphor, type,
and allegory, by which he may gain our interest, and through his Holy
Spirit enlighten our minds. If he who thunders till the mountains
tremble, yet deigns to speak with us in a still small voice, let us
gladly sit in Mary's place at his gracious feet, and willingly learn of
him. O that God would give to each one a teachable spirit, for this is
the greatest step towards understanding the mind of God. He who is
willing to learn, in a childlike spirit, is already in a considerable
measure taught of God. May we all so study this instructive parable as
to be quickened by it to all that is well-pleasing in the sight of God,
for after all true learning in godliness may be judged of by its
result; upon our lives. If we are holier we are wiser, practical
obedience to the will of the Lord Jesus is the surest evidence of an
understanding heart.
In order to understand the parable before us we must first direct our
attention to the design of the "certain king" here spoken of. He had a
grand object in view; he desired to do honor to his son upon the
occasion of his marriage. We shall then notice the very generous method
by which he proposed to accomplish his purpose; he made a dinner, and
bade many: there were other modes of honoring his son, but the great
king elected the mode which would best display his bounty. We shall
then observe, with sad interest, the serious hindrance which arose to
the carrying out of his generous design–those who were bidden would
not come. There was nothing to hinder the magnificence of the festival
in the riches of the prince–he lavished out his stores for the feast;
but here was a hindrance strange and difficult to remove, they would
not come. Then our thoughts will linger admiringly over the gracious
rejoinder which the king made to the opposers of his design; he sent
other servants to repeat the invitation, "Come ye to the marriage." If
we shall drink deep into the meaning of these three verses, we shall
have more than enough for one meditation.
I. A certain king of wide dominions and great power designed to give a
magnificent banquet, with a GRAND OBJECT in view. The crown prince, his
well beloved heir, was about to take to himself a fair bride, and
therefore the royal father desired to celebrate the event with
extraordinary honors. From earth, look up to heaven. The great object
of God the Father is to glorify his Son. It is his will "that all men
should honor the Son, even as they honor the Father." (John 5:23.)
Jesus Christ, the Son of God, is glorious already in his divine person.
He is ineffably blessed, and infinitely beyond needing honor. All the
angels of God worship him, and his glory fills all heaven. He has
appeared on the stage of action as the Creator and as such his glory is
perfect, "For by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and
that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or
dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by
him, and for him." He said, "Light be," and it flamed forth. He bade
the mountains lift their heads, and their summits pierced the clouds.
He created the water-floods, he bade them seek their channels, and he
appointed their bounds. Nothing is lacking to the glory of the Word of
God, who was in the beginning with God, who spake and it was done, who
commanded, and it stood forth. He is highly exalted also as the
preserver, for he is before all things, and by him all things consist.
He is that nail fastened in a sure place, upon which all things hang.
The keys of heaven, and death, and hell, are fastened to his girdle,
and the government shall be upon his shoulders, and his name shall be
called Wonderful. He hath a name which is above every name, before
which all things shall bow, in heaven, and earth, and under the earth.
He is God over all. He is blessed for ever. To him that is, and was,
and is to come, the universal song goeth up.
But there is another relation in which the Son of God has graciously
been pleased to stand towards us. He has undertaken to be a Savior, in
order that he might be a bridegroom. He had enough glory before, but in
the greatness of his heart, he would magnify his compassion even above
his power, and he therefore condescended to take into union with
himself the nature of man, in order that he might redeem the beloved
objects of his choice from the penalty due to their sins, and might
enter into the nearest conceivable union with them. It is as Savior
that the Father seeks to honor the Son, and the gospel feast is not for
the honor of his person merely, but for the honor of his person in this
new, yet anciently purposed relationship. It is for the honor of Jesus
as entering into spiritual union with his church, that the gospel is
prepared as a royal entertainment.
Brethren, when I said that here was a grand occasion, it certainly is
so in God's esteem, and it should be so in ours; we should delight to
glorify the Son of God. To all loyal subjects in any realm, the
marriage of one of the royal family is a matter of great interest, and
it is usual and fitting to give expression to congratulations and
sympathies by suitable rejoicings. In the instance before us the
occasion calls for special joy from all the subjects of the great king
of kings. For the occasion in itself is a subject for great delight and
thankfulness to us personally. The marriage is with whom? With angels?
He took not up angels. It is a marriage with our own nature, "he took
up the seed of Abraham." Shall we not rejoice when heaven's great Lord
is incarnate as a man, and stoops to redeem humanity from the ruin of
the fall? Angels rejoice but they have no such share in the joy as we
have. It is the highest personal joy to manhood that Jesus Christ who
thought it not robbery to be equal with God, was made in the likeness
of men that he might be one flesh with his chosen. Arise ye who
slumber! If there was ever an occasion when ye should bestir your
spirits and cry "wake up my glory, awake psaltery and harp" it is now,
when Jesus comes to be affianced to his church, to make himself of one
flesh with her, that he may redeem her, and afterwards exalt her to sit
with him upon his throne. Here were abundant reasons why the invited
guests should come with joyful steps, and count themselves thrice happy
to be bidden to such a banquet. There is overwhelming reason wily
mankind should rejoice in the glorious gospel of Jesus and hasten to
avail themselves of it.
Beside that we must consider the royal descent of the Bridegroom.
Remember that Jesus Christ our Savior is very God of very God. Are we
asked to do him honor? It is right, for to whom else should honor be
given? Surely we should glorify our Creator and Preserver! Wilful must
be the disobedience which will not pay reverence to one so highly
exalted and so worthy of all homage. It is heaven to serve such a Lord.
His glory reacheth unto the clouds; let him be adored for ever and
ever; O come let us worship and bow down, let us cheerfully obey those
commands of God which aim at the honor of his Son.
Remember also the person of Immanuel, and you will desire his glory.
This glorious Son, whose fame is to be spread abroad, is most certainly
God–of that we have spoken, but he is also most assuredly man, our
brother, bone of our bone, and flesh of our flesh. Do we not delight to
believe that he, tempted in all points as we are, has never yet
submitted to be stained by sin? Never such a man as he, head of the
race, the second Adam, the everlasting Father–who among us would not
do him reverence? Will we not seek his honor, seeing that now he lifts
our race to be next to the throne of God.
Remember, too, his character. Was there ever such a life as his? I will
not so much speak of his divine character, though that furnishes
abundant reason for worship and adoration, but think of him even as a
man. O beloved, what tenderness, what compassion, yet what holy
boldness; what love for sinners, and yet what love for truth! Men who
have not loved him have nevertheless admired him, and hearts in which
we least expected to see such recognition of his excellence have
nevertheless been deeply affected as they have studied his life. We
must praise him, for He is "chief among ten thousand, and altogether
lovely." It were treason to be silent when the hour has come to speak
of him who is peerless among men and matchless among angels. Clap, clap
your hands at the thought of the marriage of the King's Son, for whom
his bride hath made herself ready.
Think, too, of his achievements. We take into reckoning whenever we do
honor to a prince all that he may have done for the nation over which
he rules. What, then, has Jesus done for us? Rather let me say what has
he not done? Upon his shoulders were laid our sins; he carried them
into the wilderness, and they are gone for ever. Against him came forth
our foes; he met them in shock of battle, and where are they now? They
are cast into the depths of the sea. As for death itself, that last of
foes, he has virtually overcome it, and ere long the weakest of us
through him shall say "O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is
thy victory?" He is the hero of heaven. He returned to his Father's
throne amidst the acclamations of the universe. Do we not, for whom he
fought, for whom he conquered, do we not desire to honor him? I feel I
speak with bated breath upon a theme where all our powers of speech
should be let loose. Bring forth the royal diadem and crown him! Is it
not the universal verdict of all who know him? Ought it not to be the
cry of all the sons of men? East and west, and north and south, ought
they not to ring the joy bells and hang out streamers on his marriage
day, for joy of him? Is the King's Son to be married, is there a
festival in his honor? O then let him be great, let him be glorious!
Long live the King! Let the maidens go forth with their timbrels, and
the sons of music make sweet melody–yea, let all creatures that have
breath break forth with his praises. "Hosanna! Hosanna! Blessed is he
that cometh in the name of the Lord."
II. Secondly, here is a GENEROUS METHOD of accomplishing the design. A
king's son is to be honored on the day of his marriage, in what way
shall it be done? Barbarous nations have their great festivals, and
alas, that men should have sunk so low; on such occasions rivers of
human blood are made to flow. To this very day, on the borders of
civilisation, there is found a wretched tyrant whose infernal customs,
for I dare not call them by a less severe term, command the murder of
hundreds of his fellow creatures in cold blood, on certain high days
and festivals. Thus would the monster honor his son by acting like a
fiend. No blood is poured forth to honor the Son of heaven's great
King. I doubt not Jesus will have honor even in the destruction of men
if they reject his mercy, but it is not so that God elects to glorify
his Son. Jesus the Savior, on his wedding-day with manhood, is
glorified by mercy, not by wrath. If blood be mentioned on such a day,
it is his own by which he is glorified. The slaughter of mankind would
bring no joy to him, he is meek and lowly, a lover of the sons of men.
It has been the custom of most kings to signalise a princely wedding by
levying a fresh tax, or demanding an increased subsidy from their
subjects. In the case of the anticipated wedding of our beloved Queen's
daughter, the dowry sought will be given with greater pleasure than
upon any former occasion, and none of us would lift a whisper of
complaint; but the parable shows that the King of kings deals with us
not after the manner of man. He asks no dowry for his Son; he makes the
marriage memorable not by demands but by gifts. Nothing is sought for
from the people, but much is prepared for them, gifts are lavishly
bestowed, and all that is requested of the subjects is, that they for
awhile merge the subject in the more honorable character of the guest,
and willingly come to the palace, not to labor or serve at the table,
but to feast and to rejoice.
Observe, then, the generous method by which God honors Christ is set
forth here under the form of a banquet. I noted Matthew Henry's way of
describing the objects of a feast, and with the alliteration of the
Puritans, he says, "A feast is for love and for laughter, for fullness
and for fellowship." It is even so with the gospel. It is for love; in
the gospel, sinner, you are invited to be reconciled to God, you are
assured that God forgives your sins, ceases to be angry, and would have
you reconciled to him through his Son. Thus love is established between
God and the soul. Then it is for laughter, for happiness, for joy.
Those who come to God in Christ Jesus, and believe in him, have their
hearts filled with overflowing peace, which calm lake of peace often
lifts up itself in waves of joy, which clap their hands in exultation.
It is not to sorrow but to joy that the great King invites his
subjects, when he glorifies his Son Jesus. It is not that you may be
distressed, but that you may be delighted that he bids you believe in
the crucified Savior and live. A feast, moreover, is for fullness. The
hungry famished soul of man is satisfied with the blessings of grace.
The gospel fills the whole capacity of our manhood. There is not a
faculty of our nature which is not made to feel its need supplied when
the soul accepts the provisions of mercy; our whole manhood is
satisfied with good things and our youth is renewed like the eagles.
"For I have satisfied the weary soul, and I have replenished every
sorrowful soul." To crown all, the gospel brings us into fellowship
with the Father and his Son Jesus Christ. In Christ Jesus we commune
with the sacred Trinity. God becomes our Father, and reveals his
paternal heart. Jesus manifests himself unto us as he doth not unto the
world, and the communion of the Holy Ghost abides with us. Our
fellowship is like that of Jonathan with David, or Jesus with John. We
feast on the bread of heaven, and drink wines on the lees well refined.
We are brought into the heavenly banqueting house where the secret of
the Lord is revealed to us, and our heart pours itself out before the
Lord Very near is our communion with God; most intimate love and
condescension does he show to us. What say you to this? Is there not
here a rich repast worthy of him who prepares it. Here all your
capacious powers can wish, O sinner, shall be given to you; all you
want for time and for eternity God prepares in the person of his dear
Son, and bids you receive it without money and without price.
I have already told you that all the expense lies with him. It was a
very sumptuous festival, there were oxen, and there were fatlings, but
none of these were taken from the pastures, or stalls of the guests.
The gospel is an expensive business; the very heart of Christ was
drained to find the price for this great festival; but it costs the
sinner nothing, nothing of money, nothing of merit, nothing of
preparation. You rosy come as you are to the gospel feast, for the only
wedding dress required is freely provided for you. Just as you are, you
are bidden to believe in Jesus. You have nothing to do but to receive
of his fullness, for to "as many as received him, to them gave he power
to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name." You
are not asked to contribute to the provision, but to be a feaster at
the divine banquet of infinite compassion.
How honorable, too, is the gospel to those who receive it. An
invitation to a regal marriage was a high honor to those who were
bidden. I do not suppose that many of us are likely to be invited to
the Princess's wedding, and, if we were, we should probably be greatly
elated, for we should most of us feel it to be one of the great events
of our lives. So was it with these people. A king's son is not married
every day, and it is not everybody that is bidden to the monarch's
entertainment. All their lives long they would say, "I was at his
wedding, and saw all the splendor of the marriage festival." Probably
some of them had never before enjoyed such a feast as the luxurious
potentate had prepared for that day, and had never before been in such
good company. My brethren nothing so honors a man as for him to accept
the gospel. While his faith honors Christ, Christ honors him. It is no
mean thing to be a king's son, but those who come to the marriage feast
of God's own Son shall become King's sons themselves–themselves
participators in the glory of the great heir of all things. While I am
speaking of this generous method my heart glows with sacred ardor, and
my wonder rises that men do not come to the banquet of love which
honors all its guests. When the banquet is so costly to the host, so
free to the guests, and so honorable to all concerned, how is it that
there should be found any so unwise as to refuse the favor. Surely here
is an illustration of the folly of the unrenewed heart, and a proof of
the deep depravity which sin has caused. If men turn their backs on
Moses with his stony tables, I do not marvel, but to despise the loaded
tables of grace, heaped up with oxen and fatlings–this is strange. To
resist the justice of God is a crime, but to repel the generosity of
heaven, what is this? We must invent a term of infamy with which to
brand the base ingratitude. To resist God in majesty of terror is
insanity but to spurn him in the majesty of his mercy is something more
than madness. Sin reaches its climax when it resolves to starve sooner
than owe anything to divine goodness. I feel I must anticipate the
period for delivering my message, and as I have described to you the
way in which God honors his Son, I must at once proclaim the
invitation, and cry to you, "Come to the wedding feast. Come ye, and
glorify Jesus by accepting the provisions of grace. Your works will not
honor him, if you set them up as a righteousness in competition with
his righteousness. Not even your repentance can glorify him, if you
think to make it a rival to his precious blood. Come, guilty sinner, as
you are, and take the mercy Jesus freely presents to you, and accept
the pardon which his blood secures to those who believe in him."
Methinks when the messenger went out from the King and first of all
marked signs of neglect among those who were bidden, and saw that they
would not come, he must have been mute with astonishment. He had seen
the oxen, and seen the fatlings, and all the goodly preparations, he
knew the King, he knew his Son, he knew what joy it was to be at such a
feast; and when the bidden ones began to turn their backs on him, and
go their way to their farms, the messenger, repeated his message over
and over again with eagerness, wondering all the while at the treason
which dared insult so good a Being. I think I see him, at first
indignant for his Master's sake, and afterwards melted to pity as he
saw what would surely come of such an extravagance of ingratitude, such
a superfluity of insolence. We mourned that his fellow-citizens whom he
loved should be such fools as to reject so good an offer, and spurn so
blessed a proclamation. I, too, am tossed to and fro in soul, with
mingled but vehement feelings. O, my God, thou hast provided the
gospel, let none in this house reject it, and so slight thy Son and
dishonor thee, but may all rejoice in thy generous way of glorifying
Jesus Christ, the Bridegroom of his church, and may they come, and
willingly grace the festival of thy love.
III. We now advance to our third point, and regretfully remember THE
SERIOUS HINDRANCE which for awhile interfered with the joyful event.
The king had thought in his mind, "I will make a great feast, I will
invite a large number. They shall enjoy all my kingdom can afford, and
I shall thus show how much I love my son, and moreover all the guests
will have sweet memories in connection with his marriage." When his
messengers went out to intimate to those who had received previously an
express invitation that the time was come, it is written, "They would
not come;" not they could not, but they "would not come." Some for one
reason, some for another, but without exception they would not come.
Here was a very serious hindrance to the grand business. Cannot the
king drag his guests to the table? Yes, but then it would not
accomplish his purpose. He wants not slaves to grace his throne.
Persons compelled to sit at a marriage-feast would not adorn it. What
credit could it be to a king to force his subjects to feast at his
table? No for once, as I have said before, the subject must be merged
in the guest. It was essential to the dignity of the festival that the
guests should come with cheerfulness to the festival, but they would
not come. Why? Why would they not come? The answer shall be such as to
answer another question–Why do not you come and believe in Jesus! With
many of them it was an indifference to the whole affair. They did not
see what concern they had in the king or his son. Royal marriages were
high things and concerned high people; they were plain-speaking men,
farmers who went hedging and ditching, or tradesmen who made out bills
and sold by the yard or pound. What cared they for the court, the
palace, the king, the prince, his bride, or his dinner! They did not
say quite that, but such was their feeling; it might be a fine thing,
but it was altogether out of their line. How many run in the same
groove at this hour? We have heard it said, "What has a working man to
do with religion?" and we have heard others of another grade in life
affirm that persons who are in business cannot afford time for
religion, but had better mind the main chance. The Lord have mercy upon
your folly! Here is one great obstacle to the gospel, the stolid
indifference of the human mind concerning this grandest of all
conceptions–God's glorifying his dear Son by having mercy upon
sinners.
At the bottom the real reason for the refusal of those in the parable
was that they were disloyal, they would not come to the supper because
they saw an opportunity for the loyal to be glad, and not being loyal
they did not wish to hear the songs and acclamations of others who
were. By staying away they insulted the king, and declared that they
cared not whether he was a king or not, whether his son was a prince or
not. They determined to disavow their allegiance by refusing the
invitation. They said in effect, "Anyhow, if he be a king and his son a
prince, we will do him no honor, we will not be numbered with those who
surround his board and show forth his splendor. No doubt a feast is
worth having, and such a feast as there will be provided t'were well
for us to participate in, but for once we will deny our appetites that
we may indulge our pride. We proclaim a revolt. We declare we will not
go." Ah, ye who believe not in Jesus, at the bottom of it your unbelief
is enmity to your Maker, sedition against the great Ruler of the
universe, who deserves your homage. "The ox knoweth his owner, and the
ass his master's crib," but ye know not, neither do ye consider; ye are
rebels against the Majesty of heaven.
Moreover, the refusal was a slight to the prince as well as to his
father, and in some cases the gospel is refused mainly with this
intent, because the unbeliever rejects the deity of Christ, or despises
his atonement. O sirs, beware of this, I know of no rock more fatal
than to dishonor Christ by denying his sonship and his deity. Split not
upon it, I beseech you–"Kiss the Son, lest he be angry, and ye perish
from the way when his wrath is kindled but a little." Indifference
covered the refusal in the text, "they made light of it," but if you
take off the film you will see that at the bottom there was treason
against the majesty of the king, and distaste to the dignity of his
son.
No doubt some of them despised the feast itself. They must have known
that with such a king it could not be a starveling meal, but they
pretended to despise the feast. How many there are who despise the
gospel which they do not understand, I say which they do not
understand, for almost invariably if you hear a man depreciate the
gospel, you will find that he has scarcely even read the New Testament
and is a utter stranger to the doctrines of grace. Listen to a man who
is voluble in condemnation of the gospel, and you may rest assured that
he is fond because he is empty. If he understood the subject better he
would find, if he were indeed a man of candour, that he would be led at
least to be silent in admiration if he did not become loyal in
acceptance.
Beloved friends, the feast is such as you greatly need, let me tell you
what it is. It is pardon for the past, renewal of nature for the
present, and glory for the future. Here is God to be our helper, his
Son to be our shepherd, the Spirit to be our instructor. Here is the
love of the Father to be our delight, the blood of the Son to be our
cleansing, the energy of the Holy Spirit to be life from the dead to
us. You cannot want anything that you ought to want, but what is
provided in the gospel, and Jesus Christ will be glorified if you
accept it by faith. But here is the hindrance, men do not accept it,
"they would not come." Some of us thought that if we put the gospel in
a clear light, and if we were earnest in stating it our hearers must be
converted, and God forbid we should ever try to do otherwise than make
it plain and be earnest, but for all that the best ministry that ever
was, or ever could be, will be unsuccessful in a measure; yea, and
altogether so, unless the effectual work of the Spirit be present.
Still will the cry go up, "Who hath believed our report?" Still will
those who serve their Master best, have reason to mourn that they sow
on stony ground, and cast their bread on thankless waters. Even the
prince of preachers had to say, "Ye search the scriptures, for in them
ye think ye have eternal life, but ye will not come to me that ye might
have life." Alas, alas, that mercy should be rejected and heaven
spurned.
IV. So now we must close with the most practical matter of
consideration, THE GRACIOUS REJOINDER of the king to the impertinence
which interfered with his plans. What did he say? You will observe that
they had been bidden, and then called; after the Oriental custom, the
call intimated that the festival was now approaching, so that they were
not taken unawares, but knew what they did. The second invitation they
rejected in cold blood, deliberately, and with intent. What did the
monarch do? Set their city in a blaze, and at once root out the rebels?
No, but in the first place, he winked at their former insolent refusal.
He said in himself, "Peradventure they mistook my servants,
peradventure they did not understand that the hour was come. Perhaps
the message that was delivered to them was too brief, and they missed
its meaning. Or, if perchance, they have fallen into some temporary
enmity against me, on reconsideration, they will wish that they had not
been so rude, and ungenerous to me. What have I done that they should
refuse my dinner? What has my son done that they should not be willing
to honor him by feasting at my table. Men lone feasting, my son
deserves their honor–why should they not come? I will pass over the
past and begin again." My hearers, there are many of you who have
rejected Christ after many invitations, and this morning my Lord
forgets your former unkindnesses, and sends me again with the same
message, again to bid you "come to the wedding." It is no small
patience which overlooks the past and perseveres in kindness, honestly
desiring your good.
The King sent another invitation–"all things are ready, come ye to the
marriage," but you will please to observe that he changed the
messenger. "Again he sent forth other servants." Yes, and I will say
it, for my soul feels it, if a change of messengers will win you, much
as I love the task of speaking in my Master's name, I would gladly die
now, where I am, that some other preacher might occupy this platform,
if thereby you might be saved. I know my speech to some of you must be
monotonous. I seek out images fresh and many, and try to vary my voice
and manner, but for all that one man must grow stale to you when heard
so often. Perhaps my modes are not the sort to touch your peculiarities
of temperament–well, good Master, set thy servant aside, and consider
him not. Send other messengers if perchance they may succeed. But to
some of you I am another messenger, not a better, but another, since my
brethren have failed with you. Oh, then, when my voice cries, "Come
unto Jesus, trust in his atonement, believe in him, look to him and
live," let the new voice be successful, where former heralds have been
disregarded.
You notice, too, that the message was a little changed. At first it was
very short. Surely if men's hearts were right, short sermons would be
enough. A very brief invitation might suffice if the heart were right,
but since hearts are wrong God bids his servants enlarge, expand, and
expound. "Come, for all things are ready. I have prepared my dinner, my
oxen and my fatlings are killed, all things are ready, come to the
marriage." One of the best ways of bringing sinners to Christ is to
explain the gospel to them. If we dwell upon its preparations, if we
speak of its richness and freeness, some may be attracted whom the
short message which merely tells the plan of salvation might not
attract. To some it is enough to say, "Believe in the Lord Jesus Christ
and thou shalt be saved," for they are asking, "Sirs, what must I do to
be saved?" but others need to be attracted to the wedding feast by the
description of the sumptuousness of the repast. We must try to preach
the gospel more fully to you, but we shall never tell you of all the
richness of the grace of God. As high as the heavens are above the
earth, so high are his thoughts above your thoughts, and his ways above
your ways. Forsake your sins and your thoughts and turn to the Lord,
for he will abundantly pardon you. He will receive you to his heart of
love, and give you the kiss of his affection at this hour, if, like
prodigal children, you come back and seek your Father's face. The
gospel is a river of love, it is a sea of love, it is a heaven of love,
it is a universe of love, it is all love. Words there are none, fully
to set forth the amazing love of God to sinners, no sin too big or too
black, no crime too crimson or too cursed for pardon. If you do but
look to his dear crucified Son all manner of sin and of blasphemy shall
be forgiven you. There is forgiveness. Jesus gives repentance and
remission. And then the happiness which will be brought to you here and
hereafter are equally beyond description. You shall have heaven on
earth and heaven in heaven; God shall be your God, Christ shall be your
friend, and eternal bliss shall be your portion.
In this last message the "guests were pressed very delicately, but
still in a way which if they had possessed any generosity of heart at
all, must have touched them. You see how the evangelist puts it, he
does not say, "Come, or else you will miss the feast; come, or else the
king will be angry; come, come, or else you will be the losers." No,
but–he puts it, as I read it, in a very remarkable way. I venture to
say–if I be wrong, the Master forgive me so saying–the king makes
himself the object of sympathy, as though he were an embarrassed host.
See here, "My dinner is ready, but there is no one to eat it; my oxen
and fatlings are all killed, but there are no guests." "Come, come," he
seems to say, "for I am a host without guests." So sometimes in the
gospel you will see God speaks as if he would represent himself as
getting an advantage by our being saved. Now we know that herein he
condescends in love to speak after the manner of men. What can he gain
by us? If we perish what is he the loser? But he makes himself often in
the gospel to be like a father who yearns over his child, longing for
him to come home. He makes himself, the infinite God, turn beggar to
his own creatures, and beseeches them to be reconciled. Wondrous stoop;
for, like a chapman who sells his wares, he cries, "Ho, every one that
thirsteth, come ye to the waters; and he that hath no money, let him
come." Do you observe how Christ, as he wept over Jerusalem, seems to
weep for himself as well as for them. "How often would I have gathered
thy children together." And God, in the prophets, puts it as his own
sorrow, "How can I set thee as Admah, how can I make thee as Zeboim,"
as if it were not the child's loss alone, but the father's loss also,
if the sinner died. Do you not feel, as it were, a sympathy with God
when you see his gospel rejected? Shall the cross be lifted high, and
none look to it? Shall Jesus die, and men not be saved by his death? O
blessed Lord, we feel, if nothing else should draw us, we must come
when we see, as it were, thyself represented as a host under our
embarrassment, for lack of guests. Great God, we come, we come right
gladly, we come to participate of the bounties which thou hast
provided, and to glorify Jesus Christ by receiving as needy sinners
that which thy mercy has provided.
Brethren and sisters since Christ finds many loath to honor him, my
exhortation is to you who love him, honor him the more since the world
will not. You who have been constrained to come, remember to sing as
you sit at his table, and rejoice and bless his name. Next go home and
intercede for those who will not come, that the Lord will enlighten
their understandings, and change their wills, that they may be yet
constrained to believe in Jesus; and as for those of you who feel half
inclined this morning by the soft touches of his grace to come and
feast, let me bid you come. It is a glorious gospel–the feast is good.
He is a glorious king–the Host is good. He is a blessed Savior, he who
is married, he is good. It is all good, and you shall be made good too,
if your souls accept the invitation of the gospel which is given to you
this day. "He that believeth and is baptised shall be saved: he that
believeth not shall be damned." "Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and
thou shalt be saved." The Lord send his Spirit to make the call
effectual, for his dear Son's sake. Amen.
PORTION OF SCRIPTURE READ BEFORE SERMON–Matthew 21.