A Sermon by John Macdonald
Luke 14:17. Come, for all things are now ready.
We are an assembly of perishing men and women. We have sinned; we have provoked the Almighty to anger against us; we have destroyed ourselves, and lie helplessly exposed to eternal misery, on account of our sin.
The matter of salvation is consequently the most important that can occupy our attention; and it ought ever to appear most relevant to us when we meet together in the house of God. Let us never cease to preach, to hear, to read, to pray and to inquire about what concerns our eternal peace so much.
Do we all need to be saved? Yes, for “all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God”. Here then is a subject for the whole world, and for every church, and for each individual.
Must all men be saved in the same way? Yes, for there is but one name given under heaven by which we can be saved. Sin is one, and salvation is also one.
Whence does salvation come, from man or from God? From God only. Against Him is sin committed. His anger is the evil resting on us; He only can save us.
On what principle does God save? Of justice or of grace? Both – of justice to Himself and of grace to us – in such a way that man is blessed by mercy, and God glorified by righteousness.
Through what medium does salvation come? Through that which is both human and divine, through a Mediator who is true man and true God – the Lord Jesus Christ. He has magnified the justice of God by suffering the penalty of death and fulfilling the claims of the law, and He manifests the mercy of God by now saving men on that ground from sin and hell.
How does man receive this Saviour unto salvation? By believing with the heart on Him, by accepting of Him, by relying on Him, and applying to Him for salvation – that is, by faith.
What is the ground or warrant of such faith on the part of a sinner? The divine testimony of truth, seen in all its divine evidence when it is addressed in the gospel to sinners as such – this is the ground on which a sinner stands, and stands unshaken, when he believes in Christ for salvation.
But what is this gospel, or testimony of God for salvation, which is sent unto all men so that it may be believed? We might occupy this discourse with
1The substance of a discourse, taken with slight editing from A Pastor’s Memorial. Macdonald (1807-47) was a Church of Scotland minister in London before he left for the mission field in Calcutta. He was a son of the “Apostle of the North”.
quotations to show what the gospel is, or with illustrations to exhibit its meaning: but what words can we find more appropriate than the words of our text, or what ideas more suitable for illustration than those of the context in which it stands? “Come, for all things are now ready.” And come to what? To a supper or “feast”, a feast of mercy, given by God to man, in His Son’s name.
We need not now dwell on the parable; neither shall we confine ourselves to it in our illustration of the text. Suffice it to say that it is evidently descriptive of the gospel dispensation as applied to several classes: to sinners, believers, unbelievers and hypocrites, and it shows the consequences of hearing, rejecting or receiving the gospel of salvation – or of professing to receive it, whilst yet rejecting it.
Let us consider: 1. The gospel, as an invitation. 2. The grounds assigned, in this gospel invitation, for its acceptance.
1. The invitation. The gospel is not a message of barter and exchange, in which a man is asked to a feast for which he is expected to pay a price or to give another feast in return; neither is it the advertisement of an exhibition, at which men may look but of which they may appropriate nothing. A mere exhibitory preaching of the gospel profits little; although, alas, this seems to be its most prevalent form in our pulpits. But the gospel is an invitation in all its characteristics. It is:
(1.) Free. It claims no return in the way of recompense; it simply asks for acceptance. It provides for man’s inability and unworthiness and offers him the grace of salvation. As the sun, as the light, as water, as the manna, as the brazen serpent, as a feast given by a rich man to the poor – so is Jesus Christ, with His salvation, freely given in the gospel. “Whosoever will, let him take of the water of life freely.” Faith is the unconditional acceptance of a free invitation.
(2.) Personal. It is sent to individuals, to “every creature”, that whosoever believes may be saved. Any man, every man, who hears the invitation has it for himself, and it is intended that he should accept it. Faith is thus the personal acceptance of a special invitation, for every man is alike present to that Lord, who invites the whole world to His feast.
(3.) Simple. Its terms are intelligible to all. The gospel is framed on a level with the lowest capacity, yet it is sublime to the highest capacity. Look, hear, believe, trust, eat, drink, receive, come – these are the terms employed to express the invitation of the gospel. “Hear, and your soul shall live.” “Come unto Me, and I will give you rest.” What child is shut out? What savage need misunderstand? Faith is the equally simple acceptance of this simple invitation. “Lord, I come,” is the word of faith.
(4.) Complete. It omits nothing necessary; all the provision, the whole
feast, is included. The circumstances of the party invited are all included. The sinner, in all his sinfulness, is invited to the whole salvation in Jesus Christ. He can make no discoveries concerning his own guilt which the Divine Inviter did not know and did not include in the invitation; neither can he mention any portion in the divine feast that is not free to him by the word of the Lord. The work of faith is, in all our wretchedness, to accept the invitation to all this happiness.
(5.) Attested. There is no room for doubt. Christ, who has proved Himself to be the Son of God, has given the invitation; and the Holy Spirit of God has so sealed it by many other words and works, divine in their character, so that no one who knows God can dispute its origin. It carries the impress of God’s image, the style of His mind and the special glory of His procedure, so that all who desire to know God may find Him in the sublimity of the invitation and in the grandeur of its contents. Faith receives this testimony, and has the witness of the invitation in itself, saying: I know, O Lord, that this is from Thee. Here the Spirit of God works, imparting the nature of God in the heart, so that His glory may be discerned in His Word, so that faith becomes simply the power of God in man’s soul, causing him to lay hold of the truth of God in the gospel. How mighty is such faith!
(6.) Authoritative. It admits of no trifling. God, our superior – yea, the supreme Being – invites us to a feast of reconciliation. Acceptance, in this case, is a test of allegiance; to come is to submit; to eat is to be reconciled; to refuse is to decline authority and to reject mercy; to excuse is to justify rebellion and to commend a lie; to be indifferent is to be sullen against the Almighty. The claims of the gospel are the claims of God; therefore “he that believeth . . . shall be saved, and he that believeth not shall be damned”. To this, faith responds, saying: “What! Shall a man refuse his Sovereign’s invitation? Shall a sinner reject the love of his Judge?”
(7.) Affectionate. The message is one of pure and generous love. It is not a form; neither is it in the usual course of events. It is without precedent or example; it is the very substance of love. The gift of Christ, and the death of Christ, attest the love of God, in all its sincerity and extent; and the vast resources of blessing which He has prepared prove how unlimited is the affection of God towards man, for he is invited to bliss which is endless as the very existence of God. “God so loved the world, that He gave His only-begotten Son, that whosoever believeth on Him should not perish, but have everlasting life.” He who believes that the invitation is the message of divine affection towards the miserable and unworthy will yield at once, saying: “Authority is enough, but affection is more. Who can resist the Son of God when He dies to love and lives to bless?”
(8.) Instant. This invitation brooks no delay. There can be no sufficient reason for not immediately being reconciled to God; every moment of delay is a moment of sin and guilt. Believe now; repent now; be converted now. Time is the Lord’s; not to make good use of time is an evil against Him. Instant compliance leads to instant salvation; for the feast is now ready; the provision is now waiting.
2. The special ground of the invitation contained in the text: “all things are now ready”. Present readiness is here the leading idea and constitutes a present or immediate claim. This is one grand characteristic of the Christian dispensation, rising above the Jewish: then it was known, on the authority of God, that all things would be ready; but now it is known that they are ready, for it is so declared. Christ Himself has made that fact the basis of this weighty parable.
The revelation of God’s will concerning man’s salvation is now complete. Nothing may be added, nothing altered, under the threat of a fearful curse. There will be no more written provision, no more divine warrant. The promises, invitations, precepts are all sealed until the end of the world. Let no one delay; for there will be no more revelation of the will of God. The gospel is complete; the Bible is finished. Therefore “come”.
The manifestation of God’s love is complete. God has already given His Son; and His Son has appeared in the world. This work of love is finished; it will never be renewed. What more do we wait for? Can there be more love than this? Wherein can more be shown?
The Mediator has returned to heaven. He has finished His whole work of redemption; and He has ascended to the Father, to return no more until the end of the world. He is not again to sojourn with men, but is now perfected in heaven as the Saviour. Will you not then come to Him who has finished His work, returned to His rest and now waits to save?
The sacrifice of atonement has been offered up. After being long prefigured – by thousands of slain lambs, from the days of Abel – the “Lamb of God” has been sacrificed for sin. His blood has been shed; His body has been broken for sin. He said, “It is finished”, and yielded up the ghost. He that was dead has risen again, in token that His sacrifice was complete, sufficient and accepted. And He is now in the midst of the throne of God as a “Lamb that was slain”. What more do you need than this to induce you to come and be saved, by faith in His name?
The intercession of the High Priest has begun. He appears for sinners in the heavens, with His own blood and invested with His own righteousness, interceding or acting for transgressors. The great Advocate has begun His plea – He has opened the brief of His merits – and waits for His miserable,
perishing clients to present their cases to Him. Sinners, have you such an Intercessor now engaged in the very work and will you not come and plead?
Reconciliation is now being administered to the enemies of God. They have been coming in from their rebellion, and are now coming in, on the basis of the gospel scheme. God is now “in Christ, reconciling the world unto Himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them”. If so, then come and share in this reconciliation, for what is done to others will be done to you. Press in for your pardon; all is ready; the record is now filling up with the names of the reconciled. Set down yours, now.
Blessedness is now stored up, waiting for receivers. Blessedness, for sinners; life, for the dead; sight, for the blind; joy, for the miserable; peace, for the condemned; hope, for the helpless; liberty, for the captive; honour, for the degraded; and eternal bliss, for the slaves of sin and the heirs of hell. All this blessedness is in the invitation; it waits to be received by you – yea, it goes forth and cries, saying, “Come, for all things are now ready”.
Eternal glory, even heaven itself, is now ready. The gate is open; multitudes have gone in and entered upon the joy of their Lord. Every day heaven is being filled; men, women, and even children, are passing into it, as they one by one die in the Lord. Come then and join them, for this glory is given to you if you will but receive it.
Once more, the ministration of the Holy Spirit is in full operation. He has come forth from the Father and the Son to convince men of sin, righteousness and judgement; and He is now applying the gospel to the hearts and minds of them who hear. The Spirit dwells in the Church and accompanies the preaching of the gospel, so as to save men by it. There is no limit to His influence; He is gracious as Christ is gracious, merciful as God is merciful. The abundance of His grace is open, free to prayer, without reserve. What more do you then need? Here you have an internal power, corresponding with the external message – so that, in opening your heart to the one, you are immediately embraced by the other! “The Spirit and the bride say, Come.” Everything is for you; omnipotence is with you; weak, lame, blind, diseased, there is a power to carry you. The Spirit has begun to minister, and now does minister abundantly, in working both to will and to do of God’s pleasure in the hearts of them who are invited to the supper of the Lamb.
Blessed are the people who know this joyful sound: “Come, for all things are now ready”. We beseech you to hear it this day, and accept it. Consider your sins, how many, how aggravated they are – yet you are asked. Do not refuse, for this will but seal up your sin into sure wrath. But now admire the grace that invites the sinner to his Sovereign’s communion. Unfitness and unworthiness are reasons for accepting this invitation, not for refusing it;
because it is of grace – grace based on God’s perfect foreknowledge of all that makes you unfit and unworthy. Hear, O Pharisees and Sadducees, publicans and sinners, drunkards and harlots, transgressors of every sort and of every rank. Hear this invitation and come to the Lord Jesus for mercy, and He will introduce and reconcile you to the eternal Father! You will find everything you need at this moment, perfectly provided, for your complete salvation.
Hear also, O backsliders; hear this word of the Lord. We cannot leave you behind, for our commission is to “every creature”. We must urge you also, for the Lord says, “I will heal your backslidings; I will love you freely”. Remember your first love and repent and come, for all things are now ready.
And you believers, rejoicing in your Master’s love, remember the old and first invitation of grace – accept it again and come. There is a daily feast for you and a perpetual invitation. “The Lord will give grace and glory” and will withhold “no good thing” from you. Let us all arise and come unto the Lord our God, now. And may the love of God and the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ and the communion of the Holy Ghost be with us all. Amen and Amen.