Table Talk: Dinner’s On Me Week Three
DINNER’S ON ME: Our Place at Jesus’s Table
Here’s a short description of our current sermon series.
We will journey through the Gospel of Luke, exploring the profound significance of meals in Jesus' ministry. More than just moments of sustenance, these shared tables became powerful settings for divine encounters, transformative teachings, and radical grace. From dining with outcasts to revealing his resurrected presence, Jesus consistently used meals to break down barriers, challenge societal norms, and demonstrate the heart of God. Through these stories, we'll discover how Jesus' invitations to the table reveal his heart for the marginalized, his commitment to meeting both physical and spiritual needs, and his desire for intimate fellowship. This series invites us to reconsider our own tables, prompting us to ask: How can we extend radical hospitality, engage in meaningful conversations, recognize the presence of Jesus in our midst, and bear his presence to others? We’ll discover together how these ancient meals can transform our understanding of grace, service, and the very nature of God's kingdom.
Spiritual Practice: Meaningful Meals
We believe that Jesus’ teaching is more than just knowledge for our minds (though it is certainly that). It should transform our actions. By living out - or practicing - the ways of Jesus, we are being shaped into a people who look more and more like Him.
Gathering around the table is a consistent and significant practice from some of the first pages of Scripture to some of the last. But in our hurried, busy lives, meals can become something we squeeze in between activities or quickly check off our list. How would it change our family relationships, friendships, communities, and inner lives if we saw meals through the eyes of God? What if we took time to recognize God’s gift to us in both the provision of food and the provision of community? This summer, we want to grow in the practice of Meaningful Meals. Here are some ways to start, or deepen, this practice:
Gather: Increase the amount of time you spend gathered around the table. If you rarely eat with your family, friends, or small group, begin by scheduling one meal per week when you will intentionally sit down to eat with others. If you are already doing this, try increasing the number of times you gather with others to eat.
Set aside distractions: Put away phones. Turn off the tv. Remove whatever distractions you can. Take this time to be present with one another and open to God’s goodness and blessing.
Thank God together: Take a few moments at the beginning of your meal to thank God for his provision, and ask Him to help you see the time together through His eyes. You could allow each person to share a way God blessed them that day.
Listen to one another: Cultivate meaningful conversations. Take your time to really listen without rushing to the next activity. If you need some conversation starters, you could use those listed in this guide for each week, or there are a multitude of mealtime conversation starters available online.
BONUS PRACTICE: Invite others: Ask a friend, relative, co-worker, or acquaintance to join your family/group for a meal.
Prayer
You can pray this prayer daily during the sermon series, or use it as a closing for table conversations each week.
Jesus, You came to show us how to live a full and abundant life. We are created with bodies that need to be fed and with souls that need to connect with You and with others. Jesus, You took time to gather around the table with friends, outcasts, and seekers, to connect deeply with them and to show them your love. Help us to see one another through Your eyes and to pour out on one another the same love that You have freely given to us. Transform our understanding of grace, service, and Your Kingdom through the experience of gathering around the table together. In Your name, we pray. Amen.
SERMON SUMMARY Luke recounts Jesus feeding a crowd of over 5,000 who had gathered to hear him speak. He was under no obligation to provide for their physical needs; his disciples suggested sending them away. However, Jesus felt compelled to address their hunger, demonstrating a God who performs the impossible in our moments of desperation. Jesus, empowered by God, empowered his disciples to satisfy the hungry. How does this alter our perspective on God's power, our own needs, and our responsibility to others?
Conversation Starters
KIDS When you’re really hungry, who do you go to for food? What do they usually give you? How does it feel when you finally get to eat after waiting a long time? God is able to meet all of our needs. We can ask Him to provide for us when we are hungry, sad, tired, or need a safe place to rest.
STUDENTS The crowds were clear: “We’re hungry. We need food.” The disciples were cear: “We don’t have enough food to feed them. We need help.” Have you ever been in a situation where you came to the end of your own resources or ideas, and it wasn’t enough? The problem was too big, and you couldn’t fix it on your own? How did you react? Jesus was both powerful and generous. How does it feel to know that His power and generosity can flow through you to a broken world?
ADULTS Take a moment to imagine being part of this story. What does it feel like to be in a crowd of 5,000 people outside in the sun? What does it smell like? What do you hear? As you imagine the story, which person or people do you identify with? Are you with the people who have been listening to Jesus all day, and are now hungry for food? Are you waiting to see how Jesus will provide for your needs? (Maybe you’re wondering if He can, or if He even wants to.) Are you among the disciples, seeing a humongous need and feeling helpless to meet it? Maybe you are angry at Jesus for putting this responsibility on your shoulders? Are you standing next to Jesus, confident in His provision? When we imagine ourselves as part of the story, it can reveal the state of our own heart in this season of life. What does your own imagining reveal about your heart today?
