Invitees to the Table
by Tammy Iund Woodard
Monday 9.21.20
Definition - Service: ready to be of help or use to someone; at one's disposal; to make fit for use; repair; restore to condition for service
I could list one example after another where Jesus went to someone’s house to eat with them, or invited someone to the table and the Pharisees (religious leaders) would get all riled up that he was associating with ‘that’ person. He ate with tax collectors, thieves, and all manner of sinners. He was the Son of God and he didn’t think it beneath him to sit at the table with “those” people.
The great thing about Christ’s ‘rules’ is they just don’t follow the typical ways of this world. As I mentioned last week, the world views coming to the table as a place of power and prestige. Christ brings the lowly in spirit and lowly in life to the table. Christ uses the table as an opportunity to serve, not as a power play. Jesus feasted at the table with Judas knowing full well that Judas was going to betray him. I don’t know that I could have done that.
Invitation to the table as a form of service, challenges us in two ways:
First, are you feeling like “those” people? We all have moments of feeling that way. But God values all of His creation the same. He loves the humans He created so much that He sent His only son to save them, that includes you. We don’t earn that love, we simply accept it.
Second, who are you “allowing” at the table? I must confess, I’ve struggled with this one. Have you found that once we come to Jesus and we begin to understand our identity, we get judgmental of others who have not found their way to Christ yet? They have the same invitation to the table as we did. Are we welcoming them? James 2:8-9 says: Yes indeed, it is good when you obey the royal law as found in the Scriptures: “Love your neighbor as yourself.” But if you favor some people over others, you are committing a sin. You are guilty of breaking the law.
As a Christ Follower, we must now view the table as a place of service and not a place of power. I was thinking about the various service styles at the table. There’s the reception service, which is light appetizers served buffet style. There’s the plated, seated style service – known as the American service. There’s the family style - known as the English service. There’s many more (I didn’t realize there were so many until I looked it up.) but these are the ones we are most familiar with.
Compare these services to the various people in our lives. The appetizer served buffet style – I think about outreach into the community. You may never have a relationship with these folks but you are making an impact. The plated service style known as the American service – I think about inviting others into your home or your life. This can be scary and intimidating. God doesn’t ask us to have everything in our life ‘together’ before we allow others into our life. He asks us to trust him and simply point others to him. When we invite others into relationship with us, it’s the best way to point them to Jesus. The family style known as The English service – I think about opportunities to serve at church. It’s amazing to watch what God will do when we serve in community with other Christ Followers. How will you bring people to a table of service in your life?
Call to Action
Pray and Reflect on: James 2:1-13
Matthew 9:10
Later, Matthew invited Jesus and his disciples to his home as dinner guests, along with many tax collectors and other disreputable sinners.
Reflections
Look up the following songs on YouTube: Come To The Table by the Sidewalk Prophets and To The Table by Zach Williams. Listen to them both in a spirit of worship. What is God speaking to you through the lyrics of these songs?
Do you have people in your life that you are not welcoming to the table…but you should be?
Do you ever feel like one of “those” people?
How would your world change if you viewed the table as a place of service and not a place of power?
