Metropolitan Tabernacle Pulpit · Sermon No. 1354
Delivered on Lord’s-Day Morning, May 13, 1877
“Come, for all things are now ready.” Luke 14:17.
THIS invitation was first of all made to the Jews, but it seems to me to have a peculiar appropriateness to ourselves. It is later in the day than when first the Lord was here and, therefore, the supper time is evidently closer at hand. The shadows lengthen, the sun of the present dispensation is nearing its setting—by nearly 1,900 years has its day been shortened since first the Lord sent forth His servants at supper time. The fullness of time for the marriage supper of the Lamb must speedily arrive and, therefore, it behooves us to be more than ever earnest in delivering the message to the invited guests. And if all things could be said to be ready, even in our Savior’s day, we may say it with still greater emphasis now, for when He delivered this parable, the Holy Spirit was not yet given.
But Pentecost has now passed and the Spirit of God abides with us to accompany the Word, to fill it with power and to bless our souls as we feed upon His Truth. Very emphatically, then, at this time all things are now ready and the supper awaits the guests! I pray you do not begin to make excuses, but be prepared to follow us when we bid you come, to go with us when we seek to bring you in, or at least to yield to our entreaties when, with all the sacred violence of love, we would compel you to come in. We will not grudge the use of all the three increasing modes of persuasion so long as you are but led to “Come, for all things are now ready.”
There are two things clearly in the text and these have a close relation to one another. A plain invitation—“Come,” and then a forcible argument—“for all things are ready.” The argument is fetched from the Divine preparations, gathered from among the dainty provisions of the royal feast. “My oxen and My fatlings are killed, come to the supper.” The readiness of everything on God’s part is the argument why men should come and partake of His Grace—and that is the point upon which we will dwell at this time—the readiness of the feast of mercy is the reason why men should come to it at once.
I. We will begin our meditation by laying down the first statement which shall make our first division of discourse, namely that IT IS GOD’S HABIT TO HAVE ALL THINGS READY, whether for His guests or His creatures. You never discover Him to be behind in anything. When the guests come, there is not a scramble to get the table arranged and the food prepared, but the Lord has great forethought and every little point of detail is well arranged. “All things are ready.” It was so in creation.
He did not create a single blade of grass upon the face of the earth until the soil and the atmosphere had been prepared for it and until the kindly sun had learned to look down upon the earth. Imagine vegetation without a sun, or without the alternation of day and night! But the air was full of light, the firmament upheld the clouds and the dry land had appeared from out of the sea—and then all things were ready for herbs and plants and trees. Nor did God prepare one single creature that has life, nor fowl that flies in the midst of Heaven, nor fish that swim the seas, nor beast that moves on the dry land until He had prepared its habitat and made ready its appointed food.
There were no cattle before there were meadows for their grazing. There were no birds till there were trees for their nests, no, nor even a creeping insect till its portion of meat had been provided. No creature had to wait in a hungry mood while its food was growing—all things were ready—ready, first, for vegetation, and then afterwards for animal life. As for Adam, when God came to make Him as His last and noblest work of creation, all things were ready. The garden was laid out upon the banks of flowing streams and planted with all kinds of trees. The fruits were ripe for his diet and the flowers in bloom for his delight.
He did not come to an unfurnished house, but he entered into a home which his Father had made pleasant and agreeable for his dwelling. The world was first fitted up and then the man who was to govern that world was placed in it.
“All things are ready,” the Lord seems to say, “Spring up, O herbs yielding seed.” And then, “All things are ready, come forth you roes and hinds of the field!” And then, “All things are ready, stand forth, O man, made in My own image!” In later times we may gather illustrations of the same Truth of God from the ways of God with men. The Ark was first of all built and the various creatures were gathered into it, with all their necessary food for that strange voyage which they were about to take. And then the Lord said to Noah, “Come you and all your house into the Ark.” “All things are ready, come,” was His voice to the chosen eight as they entered into the Ark. There was no need to tarry any longer. Every preparation was made and, therefore, God shut them in. Everything is done with punctuality and exactness by the only wise God. The same day that a thing is needed, it is prepared.