There’s nothing I enjoy more than gathering around the table with my family. There’s something special about a shared meal with the ones we love. It’s a time to connect, catch up, discuss topics of the day, laugh, and simply enjoy each other’s company. Have you ever noticed in the Bible that eating at Jesus’ table was a way for Him to do the same thing? He connected with people on a human level and fed them amazing spiritual food.
Studying the story of Christ Jesus coming to the home of Mary and Martha to enjoy their hospitality started me thinking about all the times we see Jesus sitting around a table, eating, teaching and enjoying His guest’s company.
There are many stories of Jesus offering deep nourishment as He dined with guests from all walks of life. I will pare it down to a few instances, but it would make a great topical study!
Matthew’s account of the story of Jesus Christ calling him out of his tax collector’s booth to follow him immediately continues with Jesus attending a dinner party at Matthew’s house. (Matthew 9:9-13) His dinner guests were tax collectors and “sinners.”
Matthew’s friends and social group were people like himself- as it is for most people. So, it seems natural he would invite fellow tax collectors to have dinner and meet Jesus.
The “sinners” in this instance (aren’t we all?) probably meant a person not adhering to the strict rules of the religious leaders. They also may have been living an immoral lifestyle; a cheating tax collector, or anyone with a sketchy reputation.
Matthew left behind his material fortune for a fresh life of forgiveness and life with Jesus. He immediately told his friends and invited them to hear Jesus’ words of life.
Matthew teaches us a great lesson- we don’t have to be “spiritually mature” or have a degree in theology to share our faith!
What a beautiful picture of the inclusiveness of Jesus, the power of the Holy Spirit, and the heart of God. He loved each one who came to the table that night and shared the transformative power of His love and message.
*Regardless of your reputation or past behavior, Jesus loves you and wants you to come sit at His table.*
Last Supper
Jesus’ last meal before He made the ultimate sacrifice was with His inner circle of disciples. He still had so many things to teach his beloved disciples and so little time left in His earthly ministry.
You’ll find the entire story in the Gospel of Luke 22:14-23.
Jesus shared many meals with his precious disciples. This last one was important and spoke of even greater banquets to come.
Even though He knew His disciples would betray, disown, and desert Him, He rose from the table to wash their feet. This was a job for the lowliest slave, and Jesus took it upon Himself. What a beautiful example of servant-hood He gave us.
If you knew it was your last day on earth, would washing other’s feet be your activity of choice?
*When you come to His table, the King of Heaven serves you.*
In this upper room and last Passover meal, Jesus teaches His disciples foundational truths that will forever change lives. The bread and wine would now symbolize His body and blood. He spoke of His new covenant, His own life and blood, shed for forgiveness of sins.
Every time we celebrate communion, it is as if we are spiritually at the table with Jesus. He wants us to remember why He sacrificed Himself. He values each one of us with a love we cannot fathom.
Each time you come to Jesus’ holy communion table, make it personal. Let His love speak to your spiritual needs and inspire and awe you.
John 21 records a tender and restorative reunion between the resurrected Jesus and Peter.
The disciples had spent all night fishing in the Sea of Galilee and had come up empty. Early in the morning, Jesus appeared on shore and called out to them.
Impulsive Peter jumps out of the boat, fully clothed, and swims/runs about 100 yards to meet Jesus. As he emerges from the water, he sees and smells that Jesus has prepared a breakfast meal for them.
John uses the word to describe this breakfast charcoal fire, which is found in only one other place in Scripture – the fire that Peter used to warm himself as he vehemently denied knowing Jesus three times.
Did Peter have a flashback of his denial at this breakfast table? No matter, Jesus still invites Peter to “come and have breakfast.” v12.
He then asks Peter 3 times if he loves him.
The three questions Jesus asked contrast with Peter’s 3 denials. While it hurt Peter’s feelings, it gave him the gift of restoration and renewal for his important commission.
Jesus wanted to make sure that Peter knew He forgave him, loved him, and had work for him to do.
*We can all find strengthened connections and a sense of belonging and restoration at the sacred space of Jesus’ table. Come! *
Jesus’ Table
We will never go hungry or thirsty at Jesus’ table. God’s Word shows us many instances of His abundant care and feeding.
At the wedding in Cana, Jesus instructs the servers to fill the water jars to the brim. He turns the water into an excellent wine, saving the family great embarrassment.
To run out of wine would break the unwritten law of hospitality. This first miracle of Jesus is about His abundant goodness to us and the hospitality of God.
He fills us to the brim with His excellent, absolute best.
Jesus took 5 small barley loaves and two small fish and made it feed the whole crowd-over 5000 people (with leftovers!) Nothing is impossible at Jesus’ table of plenty!
This story is also a beautiful example of what we call “table fellowship”! Before He physically fed the crowd, He taught them truth, healed the sick, and gave them hope and confidence through His love and care for them.
He continues to feed us today in the same way- in abundance and with truth, hope, and love.
Jesus was just beginning His ministry when He revealed Himself to the Samaritan woman at the well. He had sent His disciples into town to buy food while He rested in the well’s shade.
He spoke with this poor, outcast, sinful woman and helped her understand who He was. She ran with excitement back into town to spread the word that the Messiah had come!
The confused disciples returned just then and urged Him to have something to eat.
“But He said to them, ‘I have food to eat that you know nothing about.’” John 4:32.
Still confused, the disciples asked each other if someone else brought him food??
Jesus did His best to explain the splendid meal that had filled Him to the brim. “My food is to do the will of him who sent me and to finish his work.” v34.
The “food” Jesus was describing was the spiritual nourishment He had received when the Samaritan woman came to understand who He was and accepted His offer of eternal life.
Perhaps Jesus saw her response as just the beginning of the millions who would follow in her footsteps and enter the kingdom of God. Doing His Father’s work had filled and satisfied Him in a way that physical food could not.
I had never thought of Jesus’ humanity in this way. I assumed He knew what her response would be. (And maybe He did…) But to read His emotional response brought tears to my eyes.♥
What spiritual nourishment are you taking in? Bible study, prayer, and doing His will bring you more satisfaction than any food you eat!
When our Lord Jesus offered “living water” to the Samaritan woman, she would have been familiar with Old Testament verses that spoke of thirsting after God (Psalm 42:1, Isaiah 55:1, Jeremiah 2:13)
When Jesus claimed to have this living water that would forever quench her thirst, He was claiming to be the Messiah. To believe in Him meant eternal life for her.
“Let anyone who is thirsty come to me and drink. Whoever believes in me, as Scripture has said, rivers of living water will flow from within them.” John 7:37-38.
Jesus also boldly declared, “I am the bread of life.” John 6:35.
When we believe in Him, we never need to be spiritually thirsty or hungry. Jesus Himself is all we truly need.
How “filling” it would be if we spent time in personal reflection on these stories.
*We eat bread and drink water to satisfy our physical needs. But at Jesus’ dinner table, He gives us spiritual food and living water.*
As God’s people, it is just as essential that we partake of these two things each day as it is for physical food and water. Jesus nourishes our spiritual life every time we spend time with Him.
All are welcome at Jesus’ table. He calls to each of us to come and dine with Him. He wants to fill us to the brim and feast on who He is.
Jesus has saved each of us a seat at the Communion table to reflect with thankfulness on His sacrifice.
He promises permanent satisfaction, inner peace, and an abundant life that overflows into those around us. What an eternally satisfying meal!!
Come to the table!
Blessings!
AnnMarie
All Scripture is taken from the NIV unless specified otherwise.
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