How would you complete the sentence: “The Son of Man came . . .”? The Son of Man came to preach the Word? The Son of Man came to establish the kingdom of God? The Son of man came to die on the cross?
There are three ways the New Testament completes the sentence, “The Son of Man came . . “The Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many” (Mark 10:45); “The Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost” (Luke 19:10); “The Son of Man has come eating and drinking . . .” (Luke 7:34).
The first two are the purpose of His coming. He came to serve, to give His life as a ransom for my sins and to seek out and save the lost. The third statement is His method. He came to eat and drink with people.
In his book “Eating Your Way through Luke’s Gospel” Robert Karris says, “In Luke’s Gospel Jesus is either going to a meal, at a meal, or coming from a meal.”
Luke’s Gospel is full of stories of Jesus eating with people:
In Luke 5 Jesus eats with tax collectors and sinners at the home of Levi
In Luke 7 Jesus is anointed at the home of Simon the Pharisee during a meal.
In Luke 9 Jesus feeds the five thousand.
In Luke 10 Jesus eats in the home of Martha and Mary
In Luke 11 Jesus condemns the Pharisees and teachers of the law at a meal.
In Luke 14 Jesus is at a meal when he urges people to invite the poor to their meals rather than their friends.
In Luke 19 Jesus invites himself to dinner with Zacchaeus.
In Luke 22 we have the account of the Last Supper.
In Luke 24 the risen Christ has a meal with the two disciples in Emmaus, and then later eats fish with the disciples in Jerusalem.
“But wisdom is proved right by all her children.” Luke 7:35 NIV. This is the next verse that tells you that the proof His methods worked was the radical change or transformation of the people He was eating and drinking with.
One of the best examples is Zacchaeus. We have no idea what was said over lunch, but Zacchaeus was completely transformed into a new individual when lunch was over.
“But Zacchaeus stood up and said to the Lord, “Look, Lord! Here and now I give half of my possessions to the poor, and if I have cheated anybody out of anything, I will pay back four times the amount.” Luke 19:8 NIV
“Then Jesus said to his host, “When you give a luncheon or dinner, do not invite your friends, your brothers or sisters, your relatives, or your rich neighbors; if you do, they may invite you back and so you will be repaid. But when you give a banquet, invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, the blind, and you will be blessed. Although they cannot repay you, you will be repaid at the resurrection of the righteous.” Luke 14:12-14 NIV
Jesus is trying to tell you and me that the best way to share is not in a sermon, preaching, condemnation, fear of damnation or exclusion. It is eating and drinking with people.
Effective discipleship and outreach do not require complex programs, just a table, food, and an open seat. Prioritize listening and genuine presence. You are not there to talk about yourself.
By eating with tax collectors, outcasts, and acknowledged sinners, Jesus offered tangible acceptance and forgiveness which then brought about a complete transformation. Dining together acted as a living picture of God’s banquet, showing that outsiders were welcomed into God’s family, which irritated the religious elite of the day.
Jesus’s method of evangelism and ministry centered heavily on sharing meals and table fellowship with people from all walks of life.
Is your heart and house open to allowing the Holy Spirit to work through you to transform others. People don’t want to be invited to your church to be introduced to God. They will be happy to attend a church where they have a friend.
“You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies.” Psalm 23:5 NIV. Even in the presence of darkness and evil, Jesus wants to eat and drink.
Remember it is not a religion it is a relationship.
Today open your house and share God with others by your friendship of eating and drinking.
Prayers for all.
Larry
