The feasts of the Old Testament are full of gospel. The promised feasts that were coming were overflowing with gospel (Is. 25:6). The Lord’s Supper, now before us, is gospel.
Scripture invites us to think of the Lord’s Table in the category of a feast. Now a feast has many characteristics, but one of them is that feasts are very expensive, both with regard to time and money. “Wisdom hath builded her house, She hath hewn out her seven pillars: She hath killed her beasts; she hath mingled her wine; She hath also furnished her table” (Prov. 9:1–2).
In other words, a feast requires thoughtful preparation and it requires great expense. We see both of these elements in the Table before us now.
First, the thoughtful preparation. When God established the gospel for us, and ordained a ministry to declare it, and grounded a church to gather around both Word and sacrament, He did so in accordance with what? “In whom also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestinated according to the purpose of him who worketh all things after the counsel of his own will” (Eph. 1:11). Every aspect of our salvation was worked out by God beforehand. Every detail was anticipated by Him. He works all things according to the counsel of His own will.
So this was planned, down to the last detail. What did it cost Him? The answer here is that this cost Him the blood of Jesus His Son. We were not redeemed by anything so inexpensive as silver or gold (1 Pet. 1:18), Peter tells us, but by the precious blood of Christ (v. 19).
But the fact that the feast is expensive does not mean that ministers of the gospel are to go out into all the world to sell tickets. No, not at all. This meal is beyond expensive; the price was staggering. But this was so that it might be made free for you. The Spirit and the bride both together invite “whosoever will” to come to the water of life in order to drink freely (Rev. 22:17)
So come, and welcome, to Jesus Christ.
“Don’t need no ticket. You just get on board.”