Welcome To God's Easter Feast
Christ is risen He is risen indeed! That is what we celebrate today, and we rejoice to hear in Isaiah 25:6-9 from the prophet Isaiah, Welcome To God's Easter Feast. April 12, 2009.
The king was mighty and brave. He was the only hope for the people of his land because they could not on their own withstand the fierce enemy who had attacked them. There they were, huddled, dirty, and chained in the enemy’s prison. The king went to war and won! But in the final battle he was mortally wounded and died. The people could hardly rejoice. Oh, yes, they were grateful for his victory. But how could they sing songs of joy and celebrate if the king remained dead and gone? But what if what if by some miracle their king came back to life? What if they woke up one morning, looked longingly to the battlefield where he had died, and saw him standing tall and strong on top of the hill, then watched in jaw-dropping amazement as he strode toward them and called his servants to prepare a lavish banquet? Can you imagine the joy? Can you imagine the celebration?
Our king Jesus is mighty and brave. He is the sinner’s only hope because we cannot on our own withstand the old evil foe. There we were, huddled, dirty, and chained in the devil’s prison of sin. Our king went to war and won! But in the final battle he was mortally wounded and died. How can sinners rejoice? Oh, yes, we’re grateful for his victory won on the cross. But how can we sing songs of joy and celebrate if our king remained dead and gone? But what if – No, not “what if”! This is Easter, and we proclaim facts – not fables or fanciful stories, not myths or “maybes.” Christ is risen He is risen indeed! That is what we celebrate today, and we rejoice to hear from the prophet Isaiah, Welcome To God’s Easter Feast.
It is Elegant
The victorious king spared no expense. He prepared for his people an elaborate banquet of tender lean meat, fresh vegetables, sweet fruit, and bread still warm from the oven.
In the twenty-fifth chapter of his book, Isaiah described just such a lavish, rich feast. “On this mountain the LORD Almighty will prepare a feast of rich food.” In prophet-talk on this mountainis picture language for God’s church, the gathering of believers. Wherever God’s people gather, the Lord prepares for them and offers them an elegant banquet to feed their souls. He spared no expense. It cost the lifeblood of his own Son to spread out before us the spiritual meat of forgiveness and the spiritual wine of his love. The most nourishing food for our souls is here in his holy Word and in his promises under the cover of bread and wine in the Lord’s Supper.
This feast of saving love for our souls is not BYOW, bring your own worthiness, nor do we have to cook up any ideas on how to get this heavenly food, nor do we have to worry about what to wear. The Lord simply invites us, “Come as you are. Bring your shortcomings and shame, your faults and foibles, your goof-ups and guilt, and dine from the rich and lavish menu of full and free forgiveness.” When you are feeling guilty because you know you have done wrong and not only hurt someone else but also offended God, and you hunger for just a morsel of forgiveness, can you think of anything more delightful than to hear, “Come! Let me feed your soul with mercy”? When you are low and feel drained and empty from your situation in life, can you think of anything more satisfying than to hear God himself say, “Come! Let me fill you with the rich food of my love”? That is what God is saying to you today through the prophet, “Welcome to my Easter feast!” The richest, most elegant spiritual food is ours to enjoy! And it’s true because our king came back to life.
It is . . . Energizing
You could hardly imagine an Israelite getting an invitation from the king to attend a feast and then worrying, “Do you think it’s free? Do you think it’s for me? Do you think it’s a hoax!” Worse yet would be a cold-hearted reaction, “I don’t like the king. I don’t need his food. So, I’m not going to his feast!” That may sound silly, but that’s exactly how many Israelites reacted to God’s invitation to the banquet of his love. “Who needs God?” they said, “We’re doing fine without him. We don’t need any rescue, any saving, any forgiveness.” By such stubbornness they robbed themselves of true joy, and then they wondered, “How come we are having such a hard time coping with enemy armies on the outside and guilt on the inside?”
Isaiah had to tell them the truth. “You people are stubborn and cold-hearted. You deserve God’s judgment. You have covered yourselves with a shroud, a burial cloth, of death. You have cloaked yourselves with the disgrace of sin.”
Fortunately, for those who took his words to heart and sensed, “Our sins have put us in trouble, big time,” Isaiah also announced the truth about God’s love. “He will destroy the shroud that enfolds all people, the sheet that covers all nations the Sovereign LORD will wipe away the tears from all faces; he will remove the disgrace of his people from all the earth.” Like a loving parent wiping away tears of a frightened child, the Lord wipes away tears from the eyes of his people. But remember, if a child is frightened by a ferocious dog, the parent does not just wipe the tears away. He also removes the dog. When people are frightened by the consequences of sin, namely, the dog of death, God does not just dry tears. He destroyed the shroud of death that covers us by replacing it with the blanket of Jesus’ perfect life. He removed the disgrace of sin, namely, guilty sinners trudging to hell, by taking the sting out of death and marching alongside us on the path to heaven.
We scratch our heads in amazement that anyone would refuse God’s invitation. We know there are people who come for spiritual food at Easter and think their soul doesn’t need any more nourishment till Christmas. But today the question is not, “What do others do with God’s invitation?” Today the Lord invites you, and he invites me, “Welcome to my Easter feast!” What’s your reaction? Let your heart be filled with joy. Nourish that joy every day! We don’t have to wonder, “Is this feast free?” Isaiah said, “The LORD Almighty will prepare a feast.” If the Lord has prepared it, then it’s done, and it’s free. Nor do we have to wonder, “Is it for me?” Isaiah said, “The LORD Almighty will prepare a feast for all people.” If the Lord invites all, then surely it is for you and for me. Nor do we have to wonder, “Is this a hoax?” Isaiah said, “The LORD has spoken”. If the Lord invites, then it’s true because our king came back to life.
It is . . . Eternal
When an Israelite was invited to the king’s victory feast, he knew that stomachs would get full. Eyes would grow tired. It would be time for a nap. Then it would be time to pack up and live and head back to the daily routine. The feast would eventually end
Think of the best Easter dinner you ever had. When you finished eating, you pushed away from the table and said, “Oh! That was good! I couldn’t eat another bite!” You enjoyed the meal, but it came to an end, and you had to return to your daily routine. That’s the way life is. Good times end. You have a great day at work, and the next day you’re getting hollered at. You look at your spouse and can’t imagine being more in love, and the next day you can’t stand the tension. You go out with your friends and have a memorable evening, and the next day they’re stabbing you in the back.
Isaiah opens our eyes to the grandeur of God’s Easter feast which gives us the spiritual nourishment and strength to climb out of the pits and to restore broken relationships. But this feast is not only elegant. It is not only energizing. It is also eternal, and it will never give us unwanted calories or make us feel over-stuffed. The LORD has swallowed up death forever. God says, “Welcome to my Easter feast! It’s yours forever!” And it’s true because our king came back to life.
Did you ever drive down the street in a different town looking for a place to eat? You pass by a restaurant and wonder, “Is this a greasy spoon, or is it a quaint, mom-and-pop place? What’s on the menu? Is the food fresh? Is it well-served?” You just don’t know, so you drive on by. Today our God is inviting us to a feast that can’t be beat. Did you come today in your Easter finest, covering up a heavy heart or a guilty conscience? What about the week ahead? What about next month, next year? The feast of God’s mercy and love is just what we need each and every day. Listen to God’s invitation, “Welcome to my Easter feast!” and join with Isaiah in singing, “Surely this is our God; we trust in him, and he saved us let us rejoice and be glad in his salvation.” Christ is risen He is risen indeed! Alleluia! Amen.
Preached at Grace Lutheran Church, Milwaukee, WI (http://www.gracedowntown.org/) on April 12, 2009
Related Sermons
Put the Pieces Together
Often, the pieces of our life just don't seem to fit together, even though we want them to. Luke 24:36-49 shows how Jesus, through his work, Word, and world, "Put the Pieces Together" for us. April 22, 2012. Read on
Finally, You Have To Say Something
In Acts 26:19-29, we see a Christian named Paul "go at" proclaiming God's Word. There are lots of lessons for us to learn from this lesson, not the least of which is that, "Finally, You Have To Say Something." April 15, 2012. Read on
Easter Is Something God Does
In 1912, the Titanic was declared to be "unsinkable," but it wasn't. Just like the Titanic, all people are sinkable, except for oneJesus, who died and came back to life to save us. Isaiah 25:8-9 shows us that "Easter Is Something God Does." April 8, 2012. Read on