James Nisbet's Church Pulpit Commentary
Luke 14:22
WHERE AND FOR WHOM THERE IS ROOM
‘Yet there is room.’
The language of the text reminds us that there is abundant provision in the counsels of God, and a gracious welcome in the heart of God, for all who need the Gospel and who are willing to comply with its requirements and accept its blessings.
I. Where there is room.
(a) In the heart of the Father. His desire is that all men should be saved, and should come to the knowledge of the truth. His appeal to men is, ‘Ho! every one that thirsteth, come ye to the waters.’ His entreaty and expostulation is, ‘Why will ye die?’
(b) In the covenant of Christ. He died for all. He was lifted up to draw all men unto Himself. His blood was shed for many.
(c) In the spiritual kingdom. The greatness of a kingdom lies largely in the number of the subjects. No right-feeling man can do other than rejoice in the inclusion of multitudes in the kingdom, which is righteousness, peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost. Our Saviour Himself foretold that the tree shall grow and that the leaven shall spread.
(d) In the heavenly mansions. There are many abodes, and, to people these, many shall come from the east and from the west. No limitation, no exclusiveness there, but room for men of all nations, kindreds, and tongues.
II. For whom there is room.
(a) For the indifferent. There is room for those whose possessions and preoccupations too often render them indifferent to the Gospel invitation. The wealthy, the busy, and the festive, who, in the parable referred to, respond to the summons, are not excluded, save by their own folly.
(b) For the indigent. There is room for the spiritually indigent, who are sensible of their wants; those who may be represented by the poor, the maimed, the halt, the blind.
(c) For the outcast. There is room even for the outcast and the despised, who are abandoned by men, and who have given themselves over to despondency. And if there be any others, with human hearts and human wants, there is room for them.
Yet, thus far, even now, there is room. But the hour shall come when the Master shall arise and close the long-open door.
Illustration
‘The parable had primary reference to the Jewish nation; the first and second invitations were confined to the city, rich and poor; its ultimate reference was to the Gentiles; the third and last notices were outside the city, far and unbounded. Now the characteristic feature of our age is that the Gospel is penetrating into the back places of the world. Thus God’s House, His Church, His Kingdom, has for generations been filling, sometimes by hundreds, sometimes by thousands; and not a moment passes but some soul responds to that call. Still the heralds call; still His privileged servants pass to and fro, with the glorious cry, “Yet there is room.” Alas! that there should be narrow minds which invent narrow systems, which teach that Christ died only for the few, making His kingdom a little place, and heaven a very narrow room. And Satan likes to have it so, for it leads men to that condemning sin—limiting the Holy One of Israel—and then it drives them to despair.’
(SECOND OUTLINE)
THE LARGENESS OF GOD’S LOVE
There is no passage in the Bible which sets forth more vividly the largeness of God’s grace and the infinity of His love, contrasted with the narrow mind of man, shut up with his possessions, his business, and his new connections. It is the saddest consequence of sin, that it contracts man’s heart till it is incapable of a conception of God’s nature and of His love.
I. The largest thing in God’s universe is the heart of Jesus, that sacred heart which is the home of homes of all His people. No one ever came to Christ and found Him too fully occupied to hear his prayer or supply his wants; they came to Him, in all the diversity of their distracted griefs, by multitudes; and not one was sent away unsatisfied; nay, not one without more than he had dared to ask or expect. ‘Yet there was room’—room for the blind, halt, room for all, body and soul! no crowds could fill Him; still there was fullness of grace, and mercy to the utmost.
II. Mark the fullness and freeness of His words, the comprehensiveness, the catholicity of His offer, the infinity of His finished work. Malachi had predicted all this—‘Prove me now herewith, saith the Lord of Hosts, if I will not open you the windows of heaven and pour you out a blessing, that there shall not be room enough to receive it.’ His own words more than endorsed it—‘Come unto Me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.’ ‘Whosoever believeth on Me shall not perish, but have everlasting life.’ And the voice still sounds from heaven—‘The Spirit and the Bride say, Come; and let him that heareth say, Come; and let him that is athirst come; and whosoever will, let him take the water of life freely.’
III. Look at the power of that love.—Round the Cross for all, with all their sins, there is room—‘Yet there is room.’ It is the Will of God. Heaven has no circumference—as yet; it can be filled by nothing but the Presence, the Will of God; and this is the Will of God—the salvation of the world—to have His house filled. Behold the love of God, planning through all eternity, through an infinite Saviour, to fill an infinite heaven. Why shall we not all be saved? Some—many are gathered in; yet there is room. Be not then straitened in Him. Cast your sins, no matter how great the burden, before His mercy-seat; knock loudly at the gate of heaven; lift up your plea, ‘Lord, Thou hast said it—“Yet there is room.” ’ And press that plea for all you love; hold it as true for them as for yourself. Do not doubt for any living man. Bring each—bring all, again and again; for, wide as your utmost love can reach or your imagination soar, there is a space, an infinite space, beyond it—‘Yet there is room.’ ‘Yet there is room.’
—Rev. James Vaughan.