Sermon
# 184 Series: Isaiah
Title: Free Salvation
Text: Isaiah 55:1
Subject: The Freeness and Fulness of
God’s Salvation
Date: Sunday Evening – July 17, 1994
Introduction:
My
subject tonight is Free Salvation. Everybody wants something for nothing. But everybody is skeptical of anyone who claims to
give something for nothing. We have all
learned that “there is no such thing as a free lunch.” But that which is more
valuable than anything in this world, that which alone shall last when time
shall be no more, is absolutely free.
It must be bought, bought by a deliberate choice and act. But it can only be bought without money and without price. Are you interested in Free
Salvation? If you are turn with me to Isaiah 55:1 and listen, praying that God himself, whose words these
are will give you ears to hear – “He, everyone that thirsteth, come ye to the
waters, and he that hath no money’ come ye, buy, and eat; buy wine and milk
without money and without price.’
Proposition: With these words the Lord God himself calls and
invites poor sinners to come to Christ, offering to all full, free, everlasting
salvation in him.
I. “Ho” – That word means, “Hey,
You!”
Try
to picture this. Here is the Lord God,
Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, standing on the busy street corner of time, at
the intersection of life and death. He
calls out to the passers by – “Hey, You!”
Yes, God himself is speaking to you right now (II
Cor. 5:20-21).
The word “Ho” is expressive of calling and carries in it
an invitation, in which there seems to be a (pity) commiseration of the case of
the persons called; and it is delivered in indefinite terms, and very openly
and publicly; and has in it the nature of a Gospel call or invitation, to
persons described as ‘thirsty.’” – John Gill
II. “Ho, everyone that thirsteth.”
Illus: Christ at the Feast of Tabernacles – (John 7:37).
· John 4:14
· Revelation 21:6
· Revelation 22:17
Are you thirsty? Obviously, the Lord is not talking about the natural thirst of the body for water or the sinful, sensual thirst of the heart for the satisfaction of its lusts; but he is talking about a spiritual thirst a thirst in your soul, a thirst that only his own grace can create. If you are thirsty, this text is speaking to you. If you are thirsty, there is hope for you. You will never drink from the wells of salvation until you’re thirsty. Oh, I pray that God has made you thirsty! This invitation is addressed to “everyone that thirsteth!” Are you thirsty?
A. For the Forgiveness of Sin by the Blood of Christ? – (Isa. 42:25).
B. For Justification before God by His Righteousness? – (Rom. 3:24-26).
C. For Salvation by His Almighty Grace? – (Matt. 1:21).
D. For the Knowledge of Christ the Lord? – (Phil. 3:10).
E. For Peace with God?
If you are thirsty, it is God who created that thirst in your soul; and only God can relieve it. If you are thirsty, listen to this next line –
III. “Come Ye to the Waters!”
What waters? Not the waters of baptism, church membership, and moral reformation, but to the living waters of grace that are found only in the Lord Jesus Christ. He is presented to us as a river of living water flowing from the throne of God to poor; helpless sinners upon the earth.
A. His Blood is a Fountain Opened for Cleansing – (Zech. 13:1).
B. His Spirit is a Fountain, A River of Water to Purify and Revive.
C. Christ is the Rock Smitten, out of whom flows to sinners, The Water of Life.
Who may come to the waters? Read the text and rejoice. “Everyone that thirsteth.” – Not the Jews and Gentiles. Maybe you think, “Well, I cannot come. I have nothing with which to buy.” Oh, you are just the one I am talking to! Read the next line of our text!
IV. “And He that Hath No Money; Come Ye, Buy
and Eat.”
You who have no money are bidden to come, and buy, and
eat! I told you, I am talking about
free salvation. The only person in the
world who can buy it is the one who is so desperately poor that he has no money with to buy. The
poverty the Lord is talking about is…
· Not Physical Poverty!
· Not Natural Poverty! – All men have that too!
· But Poverty of Spirit – A sensed, felt, experienced poverty of soul – “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.” (Matt. 5:2). What are you poor ones to do? The Lord God calls you to…
A. “Come and Buy!”
Though salvation is free, God will never force you to take grace you do not want. You must, by deliberate, personal choice buy it from him!
“Make it your own by an application of the grace of the
gospel to yourselves. Make it your own
upon Christ’s terms, nay, your own upon any terms!” – Matthew Henry.
Note: Though salvation is bought without money and without price, it is bought. You have to give up something to get it. You must…
· Forsake Your Sin! – (Isa. 55:7).
· Throw away your Righteousness! – (Rom. 10:1-4).
· Give Up Your Life! – “He that soweth his life shall lose it!
B. Not only must
you buy Christ, You must eat him too – “Come,
Buy and Eat.” (John 6:54-56).
That is truly and forever yours which you eat and digest. So Christ Jesus portrays faith as the eating of his flesh and the drinking of his blood.
V. Read on – “Yea, Come Buy Wine and Milk.”
I used to be a pretty good salesman when you sell something, you have to convince folks that they need what you are selling. If they do not need it, if they’ve got good sense, they will not buy it. Once you convince them of their need, then you have to sell your product. That is what the Lord God is doing here.
A. He compares the Lord Jesus Christ and the
salvation that is in him to “Wine and Milk.”
1. “Wine maketh merry the heart:” and the Lord Jesus Christ and the salvation that is in him is the one and only thing that will fill your life with joy – (Phil. 4:4-8).
Illus: My Pictures.
2. Milk is the only food in this world that will supply a man with everything he needs for life, and health, and strength.
3. Wine is a rich, pure, old thing – So too the gospel of Christ sets before sinners a treasury of grace, a pure and righteous salvation, that was established of old, in eternity (Eph. 1:3-6).
4. But milk is an ordinary thing that requires nothing but a cow, or a goat, and a tit – any man can get it anywhere. That is a good comparison to the gospel of God’s free grace in Christ.
B. The gospel I am preaching to you is a
gospel of wine and milk. It has
everything necessary for life and all the riches of the everlasting covenant.
1. The Pardon of Sin!
· Full Pardon.
· Present Pardon.
· Lasting Pardon.
2. Complete Justification! (Acts 13:45).
3. Eternal Life! – “Never Perish!”
4. All The Fulness of Grace and Glory!
VI. “Ho, everyone
that thirsteth, come ye to the waters, and he that hath no money; come ye, buy,
and eat; Yea, come buy wine and milk Without
Money and without Price.”
There is the catcher!
Will you meet the price demanded?
Very few people are willing to
come down to this price.
· The Romanist
· The Ritualist.
· The Philanthropist.
· The Deep Experience Calvinist.
· The High Churchman.
· The moralist.
· The Church Goer.
The fact is, we all
naturally want to bring something to Christ.
· Our Feelings!
· Our Repentance!
· Our Prayers!
· Our Works!
· Our Readings!
· Our Righteousness!
· Even our Faith!
But we are to come
to Christ for everything!
Nothing in my hands I bring,
Simply to thy cross I cling.
Helpless, look to thee for grace,
Naked, come to thee for dress.
I to the dear Fountain fly,
Wash me Savior, Else I die!
Illus: Rowland Hill and Lady An Erskine – “I’m going to have an auction. I’m going to sell. Lady An Erskine” – Satan – The World – Lord Jesus, what will you give for her?”