Come Sit at the Table

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Pastor Jerry read today from Luke 14: 1-14, regarding Jesus healing and doing good on the Sabbath as lawful.  Because so many were full of pride and arrogance, He gave an illustration about seats at the feasting table.

Luke 14:7-10 He told a parable to those who were invited, when He noted how they chose the best places, saying to them: “When you are invited by anyone to a wedding feast, do not sit down in the best place, lest one more honorable than you be invited by him; and he who invited you and him come and say to you, ‘Give place to this man,’ and then you begin with shame to take the lowest place.

Think back to the play ground and the swings, when you said, “Look at me.  See how high I can go.”  This is the American way as we live in a mobile society.  We are self seeking, upward to success. 

“Lift yourself up by the bootstraps, because here in America, even the lowest can become President of the United States.”  The desire to rise up is good, to better ourselves.

We seek Education, a good job, and then Retirement.

As a child many of us sat at the family dinner table, where there was often discussion and sometimes arguments.

We are so busy, to sit as a family at the table is no longer the norm.  Yes, there is the occasional hospitality, holiday dinners and celebrations.

Jesus points us in a different direction,  He is always counter cultural.

Jesus said, not to invite family and friends, but to invite the stranger, the poor, those in need, the crippled and the lame to your table.  Invite those who can’t repay.  This was a bizarre guest list.  Jesus flips everything upside down and rebukes the polite rules.

Much was said by Jesus around meals as this was the culture of the table; when he fed the multitude, turned the water into wine, and he often dined with sinners.

Today is communion Sunday.  The Pastor is not the Host, nor the deacons, but Christ is the Host.

May we lay aside our pride, our social climbing, our backgrounds, racial culture, our judgments, and instead see ourselves as barren, poor and needing to feast today at the table with our Host Christ Jesus.  His invitation is to ALL and He says welcome!

In order to reach out and take the bread and the cup, we must release our grip on possessions and ambition, and come empty to the table where we may be filled with joy and life everlasting.

 

This post is shared with Charlotte’s Spiritual Sundays

This post is also Linked with Michelle’s Hear it on Sunday Use it on Monday