It has been the custom of most kings to signalise a princely wedding by levying a fresh tax, or demanding an increased subsidy from their subjects. You rosy come as you are to the gospel feast, for the only wedding dress required is freely provided for you. Just as you are, you are bidden to believe in Jesus. All their lives long they would say, “I was at his wedding, and saw all the splendor of the marriage festival.” Probably some of them had never before enjoyed such a feast as the luxurious potentate had prepared for that day, and had never before been in such good company.
The persons who came to the wedding were more grateful than the first invited might have been if they had come. The richer sort had a good dinner every day. Those farmers could always kill a fat sheep. And those merchants could always buy a calf. Thus the wedding was furnished with guests who expressed their joy enthusiastically. How the provisions were relished! It does one good to see a hungry man eat his food. To him even every bitter thing is sweet. To gather in poor men off the streets, laboring men and idle men, bad men and good men to the wedding of the Crown Prince, this was a new thing under the sun. Everybody talked of it. There were songs made about it and these were sung in the King's honor where none honored kings before. Thus is the feast made more glorious than it otherwise would have been and the wedding is furnished with guests.
He is the God of Peace and He has, on His part, prepared everything that is necessary for a perfect reconciliation. He bids us, His ministers and, indeed, all His servants, each according to his opportunity, experience, knowledge, ability and Grace, to go abroad among the sons of men and exercise "the ministry of reconciliation," to labor to bring men into harmony with God, that they may be willing to accept what God has prepared. He "has committed unto us the word of reconciliation" because we can, in this matter, speak from experience. When we talk about being at peace with God and speak of the joy which this reconciliation brings, we can say, "We know it is so, for we have felt it." And we want that reconciliation to be worked at once by the power of the Holy Spirit.
It does us good to remember, especially some of you, my dear Brothers and Sisters, that are now a long way on the road, it does you good to remember what peaceful hours you had at first. O, what lively joy you had then! Well, I daresay you have purer joy now, deeper peace, more unruffled calm. There was a good deal of flesh about you then. But still, for all that, as a man never will forget the honeymoon, so can we never forget that honeymoon with Christ. There was a certain exquisite sweetness in it that lingers on our souls still. It does us good to listen as well as to talk when the mighty arm and the gracious hand of God, stretched forth on our behalf, furnishes the theme of conversation.
Good news from Heaven for saints is like cold waters to a thirsty soul. That, surely, is good news from a far country! I hope it may be so with you and your good news from Heaven! Yet God is permitting that to happen for your good. The bitter medicines you have to take are nauseous to you, but they are to work together with other things for your good, therefore, be of good cheer! The next piece of good news is that Jesus is pleading for you. There is good news for you! Is it not like cold waters to a thirsty soul? Remember, too, what a good God He is! He makes the sun to rise on the evil as well as on the good. The rain falls upon the lands of the blasphemer as well as upon the fields of the devout.
It is a glorious gospel, the feast is good. He is a glorious king, the Host is good. He is a blessed Savior, he who is married, he is good. It is all good, and you shall be made good too, if your souls accept the invitation of the gospel which is given to you this day. He that comes to a wedding feast has nothing to do but to eat and to drink. Give your mind up to this delightful exercise. Take the food which God provides you. You shall do good works afterwards!