GOD’S OWN GOSPEL CALL – Charles Spurgeon
GOD’S OWN GOSPEL CALL
God’s Invitation to All
“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.”
God’s Universal Gospel Invitation
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, “Why 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!
I. The Saving Precepts
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.”
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. What does it mean—this “Incline your ear”? It means, consider and think upon eternal things. It is the fault and folly of worldlings that they reckon eternal things to be second-rate and unworthy of their immediate thought. Even from the Cross, our Lord complains, “Is it nothing to you, all you that pass by? Behold and see if there is any sorrow like unto My sorrow, which is done unto Me, wherewith the Lord has afflicted Me in the day of His fierce anger.” The greatest event that ever happened in time or in eternity was the death of Jesus to save men from eternal woe. And yet this prodigy of love is disregarded.
When you read, “Incline your ear,” it means, think about Divine matters as God sets them before you. In these days, those who judge themselves to be wise disdain to be taught by the Revelation of God but elect to follow the conjectures of their own minds. God has spoken—we are to learn from His Words rather than from our own thoughts. Especially when He speaks only for our good.
The second precept grows out of the first: “Incline your ear and come unto Me.” This is to be the outcome of your inclining your ear. Come unto God. What does it mean to come to God? Come to Him at least by thinking much of Him. When you have come to Him in thought, then come by your desires. Come to God by confession of sin. Come to God in humble, believing prayer. Ask Him to save you and believe that He that asks receives.
II. The Saving Promises
Here are two promises corresponding to the two precepts.
First, “Your soul shall live.” What? Live through hearing? Yes, live as the result of hearing. If any man would give himself diligently to the study of the Revelation of God and the hearing of loving, earnest, spiritual preaching, he would not fail to find life for his soul. The Divine life comes through the Word, attended by the Holy Spirit.
The second promise is even more wonderful: “I will make an Everlasting Covenant with you, even the sure mercies of David.” The Lord promises condescending intercourse. God will enter into a binding contract with you, supplying you with all manner of mercies between here and Heaven. The covenant is everlasting and sure.
III. The Saving Pleas
Lastly, let us consider God’s own saving pleas.
First, God Himself speaks to you. It is He that says, “Incline your ear and come unto Me.” Refuse not Him that speaks from Heaven.
Second, your day of mercy is not ended. “Seek you the Lord while He may be found, call you upon Him while He is near.” God may be found. He is not far from any of you. Call upon Him while His ear is inclined toward you.
Finally, God promises abundant pardon. “He will abundantly pardon.” Such abundant pardon should melt every heart.
God’s thoughts are higher than ours, and His ways higher than ours. If you hearken to Him, you will find a joy and peace that surpass all understanding. May His Spirit lead you to incline your ear, come to Him, and live forever under His everlasting covenant of mercy and grace.
Charles Spurgeon