Metropolitan Tabernacle Pulpit · Sermon No. 2092
Delivered on Lord’s Day Morning, June 30, 1889
“Incline your ear and come unto Me: hear and your soul shall live. And I will make an Everlasting Covenant with you, even the sure mercies of David.” Isaiah 55:3.
THIS very memorable chapter may be called God’s own Gospel sermon. In reading it we forget Isaiah and only remember Jehovah. He speaks not here by the Prophet but in the first Person. God Himself says, “Incline your ear and come unto Me.” Now, we value every single word of Holy Writ, but especially those words which come directly from the mouth of God Himself—not so much spoken for Him as by Him. Take heed that you turn not away from Him that speaks from Heaven. These are not my words but the Words of the living God—it is not I that invite your attention to myself. It is your Maker, your God, saying to you, “Incline your ear and come unto Me: hear and your soul shall live. And I will make an Everlasting Covenant with you, even the sure mercies of David.”
From the very beginning, this chapter is a loving pleading with sinners—it is a lifting of stumbling blocks and a clearing away of objections. Perhaps someone laments thus—“Who am I, that I should come to God? I am a poor, penniless sinner.” The Lord forestalls the lament, by saying, “He that has no money. Come you, buy and eat. Yes, come, buy wine and milk without money and without price.” If you have no merit, if you have no claims, still come. Free Grace sounds its golden harp and mercy sings to it these words—“Without money and without price.”
If you stand back because you look upon your past life with sorrow and you say, “Alas, my God, I have wasted much time in another service,” He tells you that He knows your past folly and He calls you to cease from it, saying, “Wherefore do you spend money for that which is not bread? And your labor for that which satisfies not?” He bids you now receive the substantial gifts of His Grace. For these will satisfy the soul.
If anyone cries, “My needs are exceedingly great. I want the largest and richest mercies, or else I am lost.” The Lord God admits that necessity but meets it with a full supply, saying, “Hearken diligently unto Me and eat you that which is good and let your soul delight itself in fatness.” He knows that nothing but great mercy will serve your turn. But great mercy is ready for you. He has not brought you anything lean or mean but “fat things full of marrow,” a fullness of delight.
If there are any who feel timorous in the Presence of such astounding Grace and are ready to cry, “Lord, we cannot think that You would give so great a salvation to us, for we deserve destruction and wrath,” see how He meets that doubt by the fourth verse. The highest proof of God’s love to men is this, “God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son.” He points to His dear Son and says, “Behold, I have given Him! In the manger, behold, I have given Him. On the Cross, in the sepulcher, in His resurrection, in His enthronement, behold, I have given Him!” What further proof of Divine love do you require? What surer proof can you imagine? Come without distrust and believe that since God spared not His own Son, but freely delivered Him up for us all, He will also, with Him, freely give us all things.
Furthermore, lest anyone should say, “I am a poor Gentile but the Old Testament was written for the chosen people, the Jews.” The Father speaks to His dear Son, and cries, “Behold, You shall call a nation that You know not and nations that knew not You shall run unto You because of the Lord Your God and for the Holy One of Israel. For He has glorified You.” To whatever race or nation you may belong, Christ calls you to run to Him and the likes of you shall run to Him. May that promise be fulfilled this very day in all the unconverted who hear these words!
Beloved, I have no need to preach this morning. I have only to follow the line of God’s own Word. I do so with much confidence in the power of that Word. Gladly will I simply enlarge on what the Lord says and give you none of my own suggestions. My word? Ah, it is weakness itself! But the Lord’s Word is potent as when it said, “Let there be light,” and
light flamed forth and scattered primeval night. It is as potent as when He made this dead, dull earth to teem with grass and afterwards with cattle and placed man over all. Speak, Lord, Your fiat. Where Your Word is, there is power.
Still, there may be some who say, “We feel ourselves to be with no strength and incapable.” The gracious Lord meets you there by laying upon you no heavy yoke—the precepts which He puts before you are simple and easy. He has given you ears and He bids you use them, saying, “Incline your ear and come unto Me. Hear and your soul shall live.”
I. Here are TWO SAVING PRECEPTS, which are pressed upon you at this time. For the Holy Spirit says in all His commands, “Today if you will hear His voice, harden not your hearts.” These precepts are of simple character. The first is, “Incline your ear.” This is placed in another form, “Hearken diligently unto Me. Hear and your soul shall live.” You have ears to hear with, therefore hear. Some of you would hear fast enough if the faintest jingle of a guinea should invite you to gain it. Oh that you would now hear the voice of God!