Who's Dining at Your Table?

Austin Keller

Meals with Jesus • Sermon • Submitted 21 days ago • Presented 24 days ago

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In Luke, Jesus invites Levi to follow him, and in return, Levi invites Jesus and others to dine together, bridging the gap where lost people can encounter the Son of Man. It is this practice of table fellowship where evangelism happens, and we, the church, must begin inviting others in so we can share what Jesus has done for us.

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I. Series Introduction Meals with Jesus

A Meal with Jesus: Discovering Grace, Community, and Mission around the Table Introduction: The Son of Man Came Eating and Drinking

There are three ways the New Testament completes the sentence, “The Son of Man came . . .” “The Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many” (Mark 10:45); “The Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost” (Luke 19:10); “The Son of Man has come eating and drinking . . .” (Luke 7:34).

The first two are statements of purpose. Why did Jesus come? He came to serve, to give his life as a ransom, to seek and save the lost. The third is a statement of method. How did Jesus come? He came eating and drinking.

A Meal with Jesus: Discovering Grace, Community, and Mission around the Table Introduction: The Son of Man Came Eating and Drinking

Robert Karris concludes: “In Luke’s Gospel Jesus is either going to a meal, at a meal, or coming from a meal.”6

A Meal with Jesus: Discovering Grace, Community, and Mission around the Table Introduction: The Son of Man Came Eating and Drinking

But this is how Luke describes Jesus’s mission strategy: “The Son of Man came eating and drinking.”

This theme is so prevalent that in Luke's book, we see ten scenes where Jesus is living communal worship through hospitality. Wherever food is given and received, a relationship is formed and strengthened. In this series, we are exploring how we are to become a community that gathers around the fellowship table to draw ourselves and others into the life of Jesus Christ. We pray you'll be stretched and challenged to become more than door-and-dash believers but, instead, Christians who dine together with a purpose.

[Announce text] We turn to the first meal scene with Jesus and others in Luke chapter 5:27-39.

[Scripture introduction] Here, Luke writes about the call of Levi and his dinner integration with the Jewish teachers of his era. Now, we can begin our series meals with Jesus.

[Reannounce and read text] Let’s turn to Luke 5:27-39.

[Prayer for illumination] Lord, share your grace and table with us while we sit under your Word. We pray in Jesus’ name, Amen.

[Introduction] Last Sunday, Easter we hung out with family and shared a great meal. It was comfortable, filling and relational. Its easy to chat with people when they are sitting at a table. There’s no place to go!

But when we’re not at gatherings, church potlucks, food banquets, who are we sitting with normally?

[FCF] Who should be dining at your table?

[Scripture bond] For Jesus, the people at his table still need changing. Luke tells us about the dining experience of this eventful day with one man’s heart change for the kingdom. Others who miss out and Jesus’s mission on inviting everyone to his table.

[Proposition] Jesus dines with sinners, and so should you.

[Main point 1] Your table is the best tool for evangelism. (Luke 5:27-29)

[Explanation] Levi follows, creates, and invites everyone to dine so they can know Jesus.

[Illustration] There many forms of evangelism, but Levi choose food as the method of bring lost souls to Christ.

[Application] We prepare the tables of our home for hospitality and we invite the sinner before the saint.

[Main Point 2] You should invite the unrepentant to dine with you. (Luke 5:30-32)

[Explanation] The Jews were offended by Jesus method. Repent then join the group. Jesus does it oppositely.

[Illustration] We dine because it the way of Jesus.

The Gospel Comes with a House Key" is a Christian book by Rosaria Butterfield. “Let God use your home, apartment, dorm room, front yard, community gymnasium, or garden for the purpose of making strangers into neighbors and neighbors into family. Because that is the point—building the church and living like a family, the family of God.”

[Application] Invite those who have no faith because God can save them.

[Main Point 3] Your hospitality is the old, good thing of God. (Luke 5:33-39)

[Explanation] Radically hospitality is the way forward. It should be fun! Lots of food and drinks are needed!

[Illustration] Our Amish table...

[Application] Be the host that everyone wants.

[Conclusion] Come to Jesus. Fix your table, and let the world experience his salvation.

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