The Feast of the Lord

Charles Spurgeon’s teaches that, unlike Satan—who gives “the good wine first, and afterward that which is worse”—Christ always saves the best for last, making the Christian life sweeter as it goes. He explains that God’s earliest promises, like “the seed of the woman shall bruise the serpent’s head,” were small sips of comfort compared to the richer blessings revealed in Christ, and even these present joys are only a foretaste of the glory to come. Spurgeon shows how suffering believers—whether poor, sick, or burdened—will one day rise healed, strong, and overflowing with joy, saying, “You have kept the good wine until now,” while even the most blessed saints like Paul still await greater knowledge, fellowship, and rest in heaven. He describes heaven as a place of perfect peace, perfect company with saints like Moses and David, perfect knowledge when Christ breaks open the “sealed book,” and perfect communion with Jesus Himself. Spurgeon says Christ delays the best wine to sharpen our appetite through trials, to glorify Himself through our perseverance, and to give us more to praise Him for in eternity. Finally, he urges believers not to envy the world, not to complain about present hardships, and to “travel homeward” joyfully—growing in faith, love, and service—because every step brings them closer to the feast where Christ pours the richest wine at last.Sermon delivered on November 28th, 1858.