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 – "Ho, 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."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).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).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…
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…
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).
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!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.
Illus: Rowland Hill and Lady Ann Erskine – "I'm going to have an auction. I'm going to sell. Lady Ann Erskine" – Satan – The World – Lord Jesus, what will you give for her?"
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