10 Lessons from Jesus' Table
In the Book of Luke alone, there are 10 stories of Jesus dining with various people. Let’s look at each of these meals and what they could mean for you.
1. Dining With the Enemy — Luke 5:27-32
In Jesus’ time, tax collectors were pretty much hated by the people. These were Jews who were taking advantage by collecting Rome’s taxes plus a surcharge to line their own pockets (Luke 19:8). To many, they were considered “outsiders” and just as much enemies as the Romans. Jesus eating a meal with a tax collector would be like you having dinner with a loan shark. How would your friends and family react to that?
We know that Jesus wasn’t just responding to an invitation; He sought Levi out and had a purpose in mind:
“Later, as Jesus left the town, he saw a tax collector named Levi sitting at his tax collector's booth. ‘Follow me and be my disciple,’ Jesus said to him” (Luke 5:27, NLT).
Jesus wanted this man — this enemy of the people — to be saved. Each of us, before coming to Christ, was an enemy of God (Romans 5:10). But God loved us so much that He not only wanted to make us friends, but He also wanted to make us family (Ephesians 1:5).
From Enemy to Advocate: How God Transformed Elvis’ Heart
Elvis, from the Central African Republic, had no interest in God. As a committed atheist, he took pride in debating his wife, mocking her faith and trying to convince her that God didn’t exist. His words often brought her to tears, but she never stopped praying for him.
When his plans for higher education fell through, Elvis began searching for ways to use his teaching skills in the community. This unexpected detour led him to a Bible translation training course in Gbeya, his own language. At first, he saw it as nothing more than an academic challenge.
But as he worked through the meaning of each passage, wrestling with how to express it clearly in Gbeya, something unexpected happened — God’s Word began working in his heart. He shared:
The one who once mocked his wife’s faith became a Christian. Today Elvis is the national director for ACATBA, leading Bible translation and literacy efforts across the Central African Republic.
Just as Jesus called Levi, He called Elvis — an enemy of the faith — into His family. And He is still calling people today.
2. The Uninvited Guest — Luke 7:36-50
Have you ever hosted a dinner party only to have someone unexpected (and possibly unwanted) show up?
Jesus went to Simon the Pharisee’s house for a prestigious dinner, where topics of the day were to be discussed. Since the dining areas in the homes of the elite were often partially open to the street, the public could listen to the conversations.
Enter the “sinful woman” (Luke 7:37). She crossed the invisible barrier into the invited, elite space and shocked all in attendance with her actions.
Although self-righteous Simon was indignant, Jesus welcomed her because He saw her heart. She was coming to seek forgiveness.
Jesus was often interrupted in His ministry — from those who called out for help from the sidelines or touched Him in a crowd. He wasn’t angry with any of them for messing with His agenda. Instead, He had compassion and stopped to meet their needs.
3. Feeding the Hungry — Luke 9:10-17
In Luke’s account, Jesus fed 5,000 people (not including women and children) who had come to hear Him speak. He didn’t have to feed them. After all, they were getting fed truth. Wasn’t that enough?
Jesus knew they also had physical needs. In Matthew 25 Jesus reveals that those who truly know Him serve others in very real ways, such as feeding the hungry and giving a drink to the thirsty. This can apply to serving food to the homeless or simply finding out if someone who’s visiting you might be thirsty.
Meeting the basic physical needs of people often ministers more than words and ultimately gives you a kind of integrity that can lead to a deeper conversation. But hunger isn’t always just physical — there’s a spiritual hunger too.
Feeding the Soul: Satisfying Spiritual Hunger Through God’s Word
The Sihanaka people of Madagascar understand this spiritual hunger deeply. At the dedication of the Sihanaka Bible, Pastor Njato Rakotobe described what it was like for his community to finally have God’s Word in their own language:
Just as Jesus met both the physical and spiritual hunger of the crowd that day, God is doing the same for people around the world through Bible translation. When people finally receive Scripture in a language they clearly understand, it nourishes their souls in a way nothing else can.
4. Smell the Roses — Luke 10:38-42
Just like us, Jesus had friends. Siblings Lazarus, Mary and Martha were dear to Him, and no doubt He enjoyed getting together with them. Martha — the hostess — was working hard to prepare a good meal for Jesus.
When Martha complained about her sister, who was just sitting and listening to Jesus, she was probably surprised when He rebuked her. Essentially, He said that Mary’s choice to sit and listen to Him was better than all the work she was doing.
The problem wasn’t the work. It was that she was so busy she was going to miss the purpose: spending time with Jesus.
Whether you’re having friends over for dinner or serving at church, make time to enjoy the people you’re serving. Consider taking that five-course meal down a notch, because it’s the laughs and the meaningful moments that are most memorable.
5. Wash What Matters — Luke 11:37-53
Life is messy. In Jesus’ time, walking dusty roads meant arriving at a meal with dirt on your feet. When Jesus dined with a Pharisee, He was criticized — not for poor hygiene but for failing to follow their ritual washing. But Jesus wasn’t concerned with outward cleanliness; He exposed the deeper issue:
“You Pharisees are so careful to clean the outside of the cup and the dish, but inside you are filthy — full of greed and wickedness! Fools! Didn’t God make the inside as well as the outside?” (Luke 11:39-40, NLT).
The Pharisees focused on appearances, but God looks at the heart. When we welcome others, are we judging by what we see?
True holiness isn’t about how someone looks but about a heart transformed by God. Instead of focusing on outward impressions, let’s ask Him to cleanse us from the inside out so we can love others as He does (Ephesians 5:26).
Transformed by the Word: True Cleansing Comes from God
Jacqueline Huggins once wanted nothing to do with God. After a painful childhood, she became an “anti-evangelist,” actively trying to convince others that God didn’t exist. To her, Scripture was meaningless — until one night, a personal crisis led her to cry out to God, “If You exist, You ought to be able to see me now; You ought to be able to hear me. If You’re there, prove it!”
A voice in her mind urged her to find a Bible she had forgotten about. Skeptically, she obeyed and opened it to Romans 2:4c (NLT):
At that moment, Jacqueline’s heart was cleansed — not by rituals but by the power of God’s Word. The Bible she once dismissed became the foundation of her faith, and she dedicated her life to sharing it with others.
Years later, on April 19, 2008, Jacqueline made history as the first African American woman to complete a New Testament translation, helping bring God’s Word to the Kagayanen people of the Philippines. Alongside a team of faithful coworkers, she helped provide the Kagayanen people with Scripture in their language for the very first time.
Just as Jesus called out the Pharisees for focusing on the outside rather than the heart, Jacqueline’s story reminds us that God’s Word cleanses and transforms us from within. The Kagayanen people now have that same opportunity — to experience true renewal through Scripture in their own language.
6. Consider Your Conversation — Luke 14:1-24
When Jesus accepted a dinner invitation to the home of a Pharisee, He came prepared to speak on the hot topics of the day: working on the Sabbath, places of honor (at the table) and who gets to sit at God’s banquet table. Controversial topics and touchy subjects still come up at the dinner table today. How do you deal with them?
When Jesus had a point to make on a difficult subject, He didn’t go into a long, drawn-out monologue. He asked well-thought-out questions that engaged people and told interesting stories (parables) to make a complex subject understandable.
His words were grounded in a solid understanding of the Word and a deep desire to bring people into right relationship with God.
7. Invite Yourself Over — Luke 19:1-10
Zacchaeus was curious about Jesus but only expected to observe Him from afar. The “wee little man” of Sunday school fame couldn’t see over the crowd, so he climbed a tree to catch a glimpse. He was probably surprised when Jesus noticed him. As the chief tax collector, he was even more surprised — and excited — when Jesus wanted to have a meal at his house.
Zacchaeus, a “sinner,” was not going to reach out to Jesus, the respected rabbi. He didn’t know he needed salvation, and he likely had little hope of acceptance in the community. It might seem ironic that Zacchaeus’ name means “pure” or “innocent.” But not when you consider that Jesus came to make us white as snow; He saw Zacchaeus’ potential.
Welcomed by God: The Jita People Encounter Scripture in Their Language
Like Zacchaeus, some people don’t expect to be pursued by God. They may feel distant from Him or assume Christian faith isn’t for them. But when they encounter God’s Word in a language they understand, everything changes.
On July 31, 2024, the Jita people of Tanzania celebrated the dedication of their New Testament with singing, dancing and joyful worship — all in their own language. One phrase echoed throughout the celebration:
For the Jita, Scripture in their language is more than a spiritual milestone — it’s a way to preserve their identity and faith for future generations. Even those who once resisted the gospel now cherish the Bible because it reflects their heritage. As they begin reading, many come to faith in Jesus.
One elderly blind man, hearing the celebration from town, was so overwhelmed with joy that he made his way to the dedication just to shake the hands of those who translated God’s Word.
Pastor Samamba, a local pastor, no longer has to preach from a language he doesn’t understand. Before, he had to translate God’s Word from Swahili as he spoke. Now he can read directly from the Jita New Testament, and his people can fully understand God’s message.
Just as Jesus sought out Zacchaeus, God is drawing people to Himself through His Word. Now the Jita people know, without a doubt, that God speaks their language and welcomes them into His family.
8. Put Your Guests First — Luke 22:14-38
Jesus’ Last Supper — the Passover meal — with His disciples is filled with meaning. The scene that is set reveals that Jesus is the Lamb of God, that in Christ there is a new covenant, and that we are to remember His sacrifice through communion (Luke 22:14-38). Jesus is clearly the center of this meal.
His death and resurrection were going to change their lives and the world itself. He could have talked about His terrible suffering to come, but instead He focused on what they would need to remember from that night.
9. Disciple Over Dinner — Luke 24:28-32
After His resurrection, Jesus appeared to two of His followers on the road to Emmaus. With His identity cloaked by God, He talked with them about all that had happened and explained the significance through the Scriptures: “Then Jesus took them through the writings of Moses and all the prophets, explaining from all the Scriptures the things concerning himself” (Luke 24:27, NLT).
They couldn’t get enough of what He was saying and implored Him to continue at dinner. As soon as He gave thanks for the bread and broke it, as He had at the Last Supper (Luke 22:19), their eyes were opened. They were dining with the risen Savior! Not only that, but they had been taught to understand the Scriptures in a way that made sense to them.
Clarity changes everything. When Jesus opened His disciples’ minds to understand the Scriptures, their entire perspective shifted. God continues to do this today as people encounter His Word in a language they understand.
From Darkness to Light: The Power of Scripture in Bringing Clarity
In Chad, a pastor named Clément experienced this firsthand when he received the New Testament in Guley, his own language. Before that, he relied on translations in French or Ngambay — languages spoken in the region but not ones that truly resonated with the people. Preaching often felt like trying to explain difficult concepts with the wrong tools.
But when he finally read Scripture in Guley, everything changed:
Just as Jesus illuminated the Scriptures for His disciples, God is opening minds and hearts through His Word in languages that speak to people deeply.
10. Serve Comfort Food — Luke 24:36-43
When the two from Emmaus went back to tell the disciples, suddenly Jesus appeared. They were very afraid — they thought they’d seen a ghost! But Jesus reassured them with a simple gesture; He sat down and ate with them. Then Jesus “opened their minds to understand the Scripture” (Luke 24:45, NLT).
By eating, Jesus wasn’t just proving that He wasn’t a ghost. He was doing something familiar to put their minds at ease. Like the ultimate comfort food, Jesus was ministering to His disciples’ weary hearts. Meals still can work that way, melting away a frazzled work day or soothing an aching heart.
His example provides you with an opportunity to invite friends, outcasts and even enemies to know God’s story of love and salvation.
There are millions in this world who have yet to receive Jesus’ invitation because they don’t have any of God’s Word in their own language. As you give thanks over your meals, would you pray for them?
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