This message, which goes by the title “The Table” is actually one long sermon. While I will present it as three sermons, a trilogy of sorts, it is one sermon. Certainly a long sermon, but it only has one theme, which is why it is one sermon. The theme is the kingdom of God is about hospitality. When we practice it we are the disciples of Jesus, when we do not practice it we are religious frauds.

The western expression of Christianity has morphed in 400 years from Puritans to Evangelicals. The emphasis in the past, and as far as I can tell, has been about conversion. Moving people from places of no faith to a place of faith in Christ. This seems to me to a fair reading of both scripture and history. The Puritans warned people to turn from sin to repent. The evangelicals warn people to flee immorality and find God.

Concentrating of conversion is like concentrating on making good grades. Everybody wants to make good grades; the right question is not “Do you want to make an A?” The right question is ‘Do you want to do the work to make an A?” We prefer question one because we know the answer is acceptable. They will say “yes” and we will be at peace. Do people need to be saved? Yes, any God fearing disciple replies. The tougher question is “Do we want to do what is necessary for all people, us included, to find a way into God’s light?” We don’t ask this because we know the truthful answer might be. No.

The traditional method has been for us to preach “go” and then “sit.” A pastor goes to a church in view of becoming the pastor. The committee is insightful and warm. The potential pastor asks, “Are you interested in doing whatever needs to be done to reach people.” The response is, “Certainly, our concern is the reach people for Christ.” After the pastor arrives he ask some folks to join him in visiting the unchurched on Sunday afternoon, three people show up. So then he tries to change the music in worship to reach a different group, but this is quickly reversed because it offends those present. He continues to try one thing and then another and he is usually greeted with, “Pastor that’s not the way we do things.” They would have been better off saying during the interview process, “We are looking for a chaplain, we have no concern for anyone other than those who already worship here.” But over the years we have learned to say what we think should be said to sound like we care. The truth is we do care about people but not to the point that we will suffer through new ways of doing things or ways which we require our own involvement.

Here I sit at a table. Jesus did a lot of his living around a table. There is the table where Jesus shared his last meal before his crucifixion. There is the table where he ate with his new friends on the road to Emmaus. Then there is this table

Then Levi gave a huge dinner for Jesus at his house. A large crowd of tax collectors and others were eating with them. But the Pharisees and their teachers of the law complained to Jesus' disciples. They said, "Why do you eat and drink with tax collectors and 'sinners'?"

Jesus answered them, "Those who are healthy don't need a doctor. Sick people do. I have not come to get those who think they are right with God to follow me. I have come to get sinners to turn away from their sins.
                --Luke 5:29-32 (New International Readers Version)

Jesus was the invited guest. The other guest as well as the host were of questionable character. Where did they meet? Around a table. Who we eat says something about who we are.

As a rule we try to eat with our friends not our enemies. But most of us have few enemies, what we do have is a lot of strangers. The fear of the stranger has a long history in our society. The stranger represents the unknown. So we try to keep our distance from the stranger.

It’s not that the stranger is bad or dangerous it’s just the stranger is well . . . strange. Jesus extended hospitality by offering his presence to strangers. Jesus has a way of turning strangers into believers.

Consider the story of Zacchaeus. Quite a character, that man. Too short to see over the crowd, Zacchaeus climbed a tree to see Jesus walk by, and to his amazement, Jesus stopped, looked up at him and said, "Zachaeus, come down immediately. I must stay at your house today."

The Bible reports that Zacchaeus climbed down and welcomed Him gladly. Hospitality is a reciprocal relationship but not in the sense that "we had them over last; it's their turn to invite us now." Jesus offered hospitality to Zacchaeus by recognizing, acknowledging and calling Zacchaeus by name. His treatment of Zacchaeus said, "I see you. You matter to me." Zacchaeus, once noticed, offered hospitality by receiving Jesus into his home.

Hospitality means looking in the eye of the observer who is on the fringe and calling that person by name. It means stepping into that person's world—into his or her center—when they don't feel comfortable in ours. When we step into another person's world with Christ at our centre, we bring hospitality with us. We offer the hospitality of grace, acceptance and presence.

Hospitality is not always easy. Jesus left the center of His followers to risk including an outsider. The followers could choose to join Jesus at the edge, or they could criticize. And criticize they did. The Bible says, "All the people saw this and began to mutter, 'He has gone to be the guest of a sinner'." Muttering and criticizing is how we try to maintain social order, saying in effect, "But Jesus, it just isn't done!"

In the Roman world of Jesus day there were four defined groups which offered a philosophical home. The Pharisees, they removed themselves from people who did not follow the law. The immoral were punished by God. The Sadduccees, were wealthy aristocrats. The poor were being punished by God. The Zealots, believed in the nation of Israel and God punished all who submitted to Roman rule. The Essenes believed the rest were well-meaning but lost, they retreated to the wilderness and lived ascetic lives. They believed God punished anyone not in their group. Sinners, of course were anyone not attached to one of these groups

All of these “others” had a table to gather around. The sinners naturally hung out together. Jesus not being a part of one of the other unions finds himself sitting at the sinners table. Jesus, however, would break bread with anyone including a Pharisee.

Luke saw as he was collecting the Jesus stories, several stories about Jesus at the table. In the 14^th chapter of his gospel Luke finds a way to merge these stories into one well defined story about the necessity of hospitality.

One time when Jesus went for a Sabbath meal with one of the top leaders of the Pharisees, all the guests had their eyes on him, watching his every move. Right before him there was a man hugely swollen in his joints. So Jesus asked the religion scholars and Pharisees present, "Is it permitted to heal on the Sabbath? Yes or no?"

They were silent. So he took the man, healed him, and sent him on his way. Then he said, "Is there anyone here who, if a child or animal fell down a well, wouldn't rush to pull him out immediately, not asking whether or not it was the Sabbath?" They were stumped. There was nothing they could say to that.

He went on to tell a story to the guests around the table. Noticing how each had tried to elbow into the place of honor, he said, "When someone invites you to dinner, don't take the place of honor. Somebody more important than you might have been invited by the host. Then he'll come and call out in front of everybody, 'You're in the wrong place. The place of honor belongs to this man.' Red-faced, you'll have to make your way to the very last table, the only place left.

"When you're invited to dinner, go and sit at the last place. Then when the host comes he may very well say, 'Friend, come up to the front.' That will give the dinner guests something to talk about! What I'm saying is, If you walk around with your nose in the air, you're going to end up flat on your face. But if you're content to be simply yourself, you will become more than yourself."

Then he turned to the host. "The next time you put on a dinner, don't just invite your friends and family and rich neighbors, the kind of people who will return the favor. Invite some people who never get invited out, the misfits from the wrong side of the tracks. You'll be—and experience—a blessing. They won't be able to return the favor, but the favor will be returned—oh, how it will be returned!—at the resurrection of God's people."

That triggered a response from one of the guests: "How fortunate the one who gets to eat dinner in God's kingdom!"

Jesus followed up. "Yes. For there was once a man who threw a great dinner party and invited many. When it was time for dinner, he sent out his servant to the invited guests, saying, 'Come on in; the food's on the table.'

“Then they all began to beg off, one after another making excuses. The first said, 'I bought a piece of property and need to look it over. Send my regrets.'

"Another said, 'I just bought five teams of oxen, and I really need to check them out. Send my regrets.'

"And yet another said, 'I just got married and need to get home to my wife.'

"The servant went back and told the master what had happened. He was outraged and told the servant, 'Quickly, get out into the city streets and alleys. Collect all who look like they need a square meal, all the misfits and homeless and wretched you can lay your hands on, and bring them here.'

"The servant reported back, 'Master, I did what you commanded— and there's still room.'

"The master said, 'Then go to the country roads. Whoever you find, drag them in. I want my house full! Let me tell you, not one of those originally invited is going to get so much as a bite at my dinner party.'"
                                                Luke 14:1-24 (The Message)

Jesus’ fascination with the table was that it was a great place to talk and listen. It was a wonderful place to be heard. This is what we are loosing. This is not a western civilization concern alone, it is all over the world. We find ourselves in peril because we do not talk. We do not talk because we do not eat together.

I’m not so sure when Jesus said “go” that he did not have in mind, “go eat together, welcome one another.” As with Zacchaeus, change is possible but we must be using forks instead of guns.

We are in short supply of tables that welcome the stranger. We are in danger of even using tables which welcome friends. In a society which prizes youth we risk pushing the seniors away from the table. Where is the welcome home for the child who has been away from their parents all day. Or the welcome home for the spouse who has given their day to the company. Then we become strangers. Strangers to our spouses and children. Not to mention strangers to each other. When we loose hospitality we become strangers and it’s not hard to forget or even do harm to a stranger.

Maybe this is why Jesus gathered at the table. Maybe the table was Jesus’ way of reaching out. Instead of a track or a bible Jesus offered bread and wine. Instead of creating an environment where it is “us” against “them” Jesus created a place where “we” was created. Jesus welcomes us to this table. We are not invited because we are better than anyone. We are invited because the better ones would not come.

I’m concerned that we believe what is needed is more technology. I enjoy technology as much as anyone, but than answer is not more flat panel television screens or more computer stations. Neither is the answer more tables. The answer is more people welcoming people to the table.

So now we are posed with a question. As disciples of the one who welcomed the stranger and befriended the lonely, do we welcome the same? I don’t mean are they welcome to come and join us. I mean do we do what is necessary to be hospitable? Do we ask people to join us on Wednesday nights who we do not know? Do we introduce ourselves to people we have not meet in worship? Do we offer people more than the customary “It’s good to see you.” Jesus of course would have. Jesus made room for us at the table are we making room for others?

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