CPYPRESSWOOD CHURCH OF CHRIST

November 20, 2005

CONTINUE TO PETITION FOR THE FOLLOWING:

Our congregation                                                                 Various friends, relatives and co-workers

Our students                                                                         Our nation, military and leaders

David and James in the military                                         Holiday travelers

HAPPY THANKSGIVING!

WE WILL NOT MEET ON WEDNESDAY THE 23RD.

DINNER WITH A PERFECT STRANGER

“One Sabbath, when Jesus went to eat in the house of a prominent Pharisee, he was being carefully watched” (Luke 14:1).

What would it be like to have dinner with Jesus?  David Gregory has written a book with the above title, imagining what it would be like to receive an invitation to dinner with Jesus and how the conversation would develop with one person.  A fellow named Nick Cominsky receives an invitation to dinner with Jesus.  At first he thinks it’s a prank from fellow co-workers.  Since he is a work-a-holic, he has been having trouble in his marriage, and work hasn’t been that good either.  He goes and meets a very strange man who knows much more about him than anyone.  The conversation is about today’s philosophical and theological outlooks.  Comments come from both a modern and postmodern perspective.  It’s a fast read and interesting in its approach.  Peter Kreeft and Ravi Zacharias have also written books with similar themes; how Jesus would interact with philosophers, politicians, dictators, and religious leaders.

What would a dinner be like with Jesus and you or me?  We get some glimpses into this idea from scripture. The first “dinner” we see Jesus at is a wedding in Cana in which He turns water into wine (John 2:1-12).  Cana was a small town and weddings were a community event, a celebration that often lasted several days.  We often picture Jesus with a dour look but here it is clearly a celebration and Jesus was enjoying Himself.  We see Him in other texts feeding four thousand and five thousand men, which means there were many more, because of His concern for their well-being. 

Luke in particular emphasizes the idea of table fellowship, of people coming around a table to eat.  Jesus heals Peter’s mother-in-law who then promptly begins to wait on them (4:31-37).  When Jesus calls Levi (Matthew) to be a follower, Levi throws a banquet and invites friends to it to hear Jesus (5:27-39).  It is here that He is criticized for “eating with” tax collectors and sinners.  This then leads to a lesson on fasting and new wineskins.  At dinner with a Pharisee named Simon, a “sinful woman” comes into the dinner, anoints Jesus with oil, wets His feet with her tears, and dries them with her hair (7:36-50).  We find out that the common courtesies of the day were not accorded to Jesus; something to wash His feet with or the greeting of a kiss.  We find a special friendship developing when Jesus spent time at the house of Mary and Martha (Luke 10:38-42), whose brother was Lazarus.  Martha was preparing food for the guests and Mary was listening to Jesus teach.  At another dinner with a Pharisee, we see Jesus very forcefully criticize the attitudes of the Pharisees and teachers of the Law (11:37-54), angering them enough to seek to kill Him.  At another dinner with a Pharisee on the Sabbath, Jesus noticed how they vied for seats of honor, leading to teachings concerning the poor and preparation to follow Him (14).  Jesus joins the tax collector Zacchaeus at dinner in which Zacchaeus states that if he cheated anyone, he would repay four times to that person.  Jesus said that salvation had come to his house that day (19:1-10).  We see Him celebrating the Passover (22) the night before He was betrayed and died.  At first it is a celebration, following the Law concerning the remembrance of the Exodus.  Then it turns very serious as He announces that He would be sacrificed and that the bread and wine represents His body and blood.  After His resurrection, He appears to two disciples on the road to Emmaus (24:13-35).  They did not recognize Him as He joined them in their walk teaching them.  When evening came they gathered around a meal and when He “broke the bread” their eyes were opened and they recognized Jesus.  The two returned to Jerusalem that evening and told the other disciples what had happened.  Then Jesus appeared in their midst, and to convince them that He was real, asked for and at a piece of broiled fish (24:36-49).

Dinner was always an interesting experience with Jesus as we look at these texts.  Sometimes it was just a time of joy, reflection and rest.  Most of the time it was a time of teaching either individuals or groups, friend and foe.  He had no problem eating with anyone, tax collector, sinner, friend, or Pharisee.  Sometimes strong words were clearly spoken, at other times parables were told and the meaning left to think about.  In one of the parables, a meal becomes the catalyst to the challenge (Luke 15).  The lost son has returned and the father throws a party.  The older brother is offended and refuses to be involved in the celebration.  The parable ends with us wondering, how does the older brother respond? 

What would it be like to have dinner with Jesus?  The skeptical would probably ask questions much like the one in the book mentioned above or some did in the Gospels.  Show us a sign or miracle.  How can God allow suffering, especially of the innocent?  Are not all religions paths to the same end?  Those are questions asked and dealt with in Mr. Gregory’s book.  Others would be listening to Him speak, amazed at His words and His understanding.  They would ask personal questions concerning themselves or the meaning of certain texts of scripture.  Questions might involve understanding of nature or how God works, or why He does this or that.

What would you ask or discuss with Jesus?  I’m not talking about bowing down and worshipping Him, though that would be involved.  Rather, in a casual conversation at a table, what would you want to discuss with Him?  What was the Star of Bethlehem?  What happened to this person or that one?  Why am I here at this place?  Or would we simply say, “Teach me for I am willing to listen and follow.”  Of course there were those who had that attitude but had other things they had to do first (see Luke 9:57-62). 

If your interested in such a conversation, pick up Mr. Gregory’s book.  Ravi Zacharias has written several in a series of his, currently conversations with Islam, Hitler, and philosophers.  He is a native of India, well traveled teacher who approaches today’s world with wit and wisdom.  His books can be found at most Christian bookstores.  Peter Kreeft is a Boston University philosophy professor who has written imaged conversations between Jesus and various philosophers.  One fascinating one was between three famous people who all died on the same day and year, John F. Kennedy, Aldous Huxley, and C. S. Lewis. 

The Lord’s meal that we talk so much about is maybe meant more for such conversations than we have thought about or would allow.  That is something to think about.

                                                                                                                                George B. Mearns