The Great Supper [Tract]

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A certain man made a great supper and invited many. And he sent his servant at suppertime to say to them that were invited, Come, for all things are now ready.

These words are from one of those beautiful and instructive parables in the Bible; they were spoken by the Lord Jesus (Luke 14:16-24). He was illustrating the grace of God toward men. This “certain man” is a picture of God Himself who has prepared a great feast for man.

God is love, and in the goodness of His heart He has prepared a great supper. He invites poor sinners to come and partake of His rich provision. This feast was prepared at a very great cost to Himself, yet it is provided free to all who will accept.

Before God could send out an invitation for men, women and children to come to Him and be happy in His presence, something had to be done about the question of sins. He who is love is also light and holiness— He cannot have any sins in His presence. It was absolutely necessary that some provision be made to remove people’s sins before God could say, “All things are now ready” (Luke 14:17). In order to do this, He sent His beloved Son into this world: “God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life” (John 3:16).

That blessed One who never did sin was taken outside of Jerusalem and nailed to a cross in a place called Calvary. He was despised and rejected of men; He was cast out of this world after coming into it in grace. But, blessed be God, in those three hours of darkness on the cross, He was made a sacrifice for sin. The Holy One was there punished so that God could offer forgiveness of sins to every repentant sinner—so He could say to you, “Come; for all things are now ready” (Luke 14:17).

Those who accept this loving invitation can say: “He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities: and the chastisement of our peace was upon Him” (Isaiah 53:5). “He hath made Him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in Him” (2 Corinthians 5:21).

But to return to the parable: When this man sent out his servant with the unqualified invitation to come, the people to whom he was sent began to make excuses for not accepting. “They all with one consent began to make excuse” (Luke 14:18). Sad and strange indeed! They pleaded that they had other things to do that were more important. They were not bad things either—one man preferred his real estate, another his cattle, and another his wife. It was foolish, for accepting the great supper would not deprive them of these blessings. This same scene is being enacted throughout the world today. God is still beseeching all to come to Him and be saved, have eternal life, and be happy in the enjoyment of the feast He has prepared, but people, now as then, are placing great value on the fleeting things of this world and have no time to consider their eternal welfare.

God is waiting in patient love, but His mercy and goodness are being neglected, if not openly despised and rejected.

Are you saved? Have you tasted that the Lord is gracious? If not, what is it that you place a greater value on than God’s gift and your own soul’s welfare? He says to you today, “Come; for all things are now ready” (Luke 14:17).