Table Talk: Dinner’s On Me Week Nine
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 After his resurrection, Jesus joined two disciples on the road to Emmaus. With his identity concealed, he explained the Scriptures to them. Their hearts burned with understanding, and they urged him to stay for dinner. As he blessed and broke the bread, mirroring the Last Supper (Luke 22:19), their eyes were opened, and they recognized the risen Savior. They were not only dining with him, but they also had their minds opened to the scriptures. Jesus revealed himself through conversation and a meal. How does this shape our perspective and practice?
LUKE 24:13-35
Conversation Starters
KIDS How does it feel to learn something new or suddenly understand something that you didn’t before? The Bible says that some of Jesus’ friends didn’t recognize him when He rose from the dead, but when he sat down to eat a meal with them, they suddenly realized it was Him! What do you think that was like for them? How do you think they felt?
STUDENTS The disciples didn't recognize Jesus at first, even though they knew his story. Sometimes we can be familiar with something but not really get it. How can we move beyond just knowing about Jesus to actually understanding him and recognizing his work around us and in us?
ADULTS Jesus’ broke bread with the Emmaus road disciples, and they suddenly recognized who He was. Was this shared ritual important in recognizing and experiencing Christ's presence? If so, how? Are there shared experiences like this in your own journey of faith? What role has baptism, communion, gathering for worship, serving together, etc. played in your own life?
