Come for all things are now ready

Sermon notes from Sunday 10 March 2019

Luke 14 verse 1, 15 - 24

There are a number of significant things that Jesus says in this Pharisee`s house on this day.  One of the lessons is taken from a parable - "a certain man made a great feast."  He then sent out invitations to come to that feast,   This was spoken in response to someone that said something to him that day.  Verse 15 "blessed is he that shall eat bread in the kingdom of God."  Jesus took time to explain what it really meant to enjoy bread in God`s house.  He reminds us of the great feast, of the importance of acceptance of the invitation and of the danger to ignore the invitation.

There is a great supper - verse 16 "a certain man made a great supper."  He prepared a banquest, a great feast, a celebration beyond the ordinary, something very special.  We discover in verse 17 "all things are now ready."  All the preparations which had taken many days were now ready.  The only thing left to do was for the people to come and enjoy what had been prepared.  God is the certain man in this story.  He has made a great salvation supper for the souls of men and women.  It is ready for people to come and enjoy it for themselves.  The provision of salvation is all laid before us to secure us a place in the kingdom of God.  We however have yet to come.  Someone has described God`s salvation as a "funeral to be feared but a feast to be enjoyed."

It is great in its planning.  It takes a long time to prepare for the meal so that all things are ready, so that people can come and enjoy it.  It was planned for a long time.  God`s feast of salvation is great.  It was not planned on earth but in heaven.  It was not planned in the world but from the foundation of the world.  It was not planned in the heart and mind of man but in God`s.  Matthew 13 verses 34 and 35 "All these things spake Jesus unto the multitude in parables; and without a parable spake he not unto them. That it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophet, saying I will open my mouth in parables, I will utter things which have been kept secret from the foundation of the world."  God`s salvation is great because it was planned from the foundation of the world, in the heart and mind of God himself.  God has planned our salvation.  Genesis 3 records the fall of Adam and Eve.  The consequence of sin is found in Romans 5 verse 12 "wherefore as by one man sin entered into the world and death by sin and so death passed upon all men, for all have sinned."  In Genesis 3 God revealed his plan through Jesus and the shedding of his blood on Calvary.

It is great in its price.  A great feast does not come cheap.  This certain man would have spent a lot of money.  God`s salvation is not in terms of silver or gold to purchase it but in terms of God`s love, in his willingness to give his son, to leave his father`s bosom to come into the world as a babe in a manger.  The price of God`s salvation is seen when we look at what he went through, he grew up to be a man, to take on himself your sin and mine on the cross, he laid down his life to purchase for you and me our great salvation.  We are found guilty of breaking God`s laws.  We know we have sinned and should be punished.  Jesus stepped in to take our punishment.  God demanded justice and Jesus took it all because of his great love for us.  "He was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities, the chastisement of our peace was upon him and with his stripes we are healed." (Isaiah 53 verse 5)    

It is great in its provision.  There was a great supply of food.  There is no point in going to a great meal and not having enough to eat.  There were loads of food.  Anyone who came would not be disappointed.  There was something to satisfy everyone`s needs.  God`s feast of salvation is great because in it God has provided for every man, woman, young person, child, whatever their needs are for life and for all eternity, no matter what the need is in our lives.  God has made provision in Jesus, no need to be hungry or disappointed for the soul.  Psalm 23 verse 5 "thou preparest a table before me in the presence of my enemies."  There is provision for the sins of life are many.  There is provision to pardon them all at the table God has prepared.  Provision for peace in the storms of life.  Storms come violently in our lives, marriages, families, relationships.  Great provision in God`s table of salvation to give you peace the world cannot give or take away.  Provision for peace from the storms of life and the challenges of life.  Life can be challenging.  Many feel that weakness to cope with those things and naturally so and to keep going.  There are an increasing number of people who cannot cope.  There is provision at the table of God`s salvation, that inner strength to face the challenges of life that sometimes might get worse.  "He that cometh to me shall never hunger."  He that believeth on me shall never thirst."  It is great in its provision for the end of life.  Catherine Booth said at the end of her life "the waters are rising but so am I, I am not going under, I am going over."  She was rising on the promises of God, that death for the Christian is absent from the body but present with the Lord.  "Whosoever believeth in him shall not perish but have everlasting life."  Have you tasted and seen the great feast prepared for you?

The invitation that is made.  There are 2 stages of it - verse 16.  The man had to send out invitations well in advance of the feast.  These would be replied to.  The replies would come back and from that the man could work out who would come.  Verse 17 the second invitation has now been made.  The servants were sent out at supper time to tell all the invitees to come and take their place at the feast for it was ready.  The servants called the people invited to come and they all with one consent began to make excuses.  When put under pressure they all decided not to come.  We discover some of the excuses - one had bought a piece of ground and needed to go and see it.  Verse 18 the second had bought more oxen and needed to go and prove them.  In verse 19 the third one said he had just got married and there was more on his mind than come to a feast.  Verse 20 the invitation went out "come for all things are now ready."  The response was met with excuses.  Jesus was no doubt referring to the invitation God had sent to the Jews and they were refusing to accept it.  It was also referring to the invitation given to many to come to the feast of God`s salvation.  It is not for next week, next month or next year but now.  It is an invitation to experience God`s provision, peace and power to cope with life`s struggles.  You have intended to come for some time but you are still making excuses.  Excuses come in all sorts of ways - what is stopping you from coming now to Christ?  It is either a worldly excuse, a working excuse or a domestic excuse.  What has the devil been using as excuses tonight?  Come right now.  What is it that is stopping you from taking your seat at God`s table, to give you pardon, peace, power and promises at the end of life?

There is a great warning - verses 21 - 25.  In verse 21 the man who prepared the feast is now angry.  He tells his servants to go out into the streets and lanes of the city and invite the poor, maimed, halt and blind.  The servant does so but there is still room.  The man tells him to go out again and invite all to come in.  He wants his house full that night.  This is a prophetic warning to the Jewish nation - they were refusing to come to Christ so he invited the Gentile nation.  It can also be applied to the gospel invitation generally too.  God invites us to come to Christ.  We refuse that invitation.  There is a solemn warning - "none of these which were bidden shall taste of my supper."  When we reject the invitation to come to Christ we miss the opportunity to sit down at God`s table and enjoy it.  "He that being reproved hardeneth his neck, shall suddenly be destroyed and that without remedy." (Proverbs 29 verse 1)  God is inviting you to "come for all things are now ready."  God is warning of the danger of making excuses.  How long have you been making excuses?  You intend to come but you haven`t come and you will not come.  Unless you stop making excuses to come now the devil will see to it that excuses will continue to keep you back.  There is a danger and death in that delay.  There is nothing more important than that you are saved and sitting at God`s great feast of salvation.  The table is spread out, Jesus invites you to come and sit down, he wants you to take that seat now.  It is a great table to sit at.  There is no fear there.  Don`t leave your chair empty.  "Come for all things are now ready."