AtomA Place at the Table for All
Luke 14:1,7-14
When I got home from worship last Saturday, my family was watching “The Princess Diaries” on television. It is a cute show and I was quickly drawn into the story as I had been when it first came out. Some of you know how it goes. It is a kind of “ugly duckling turned into beautiful swan” kind of show, even though the 15-year-old young woman in the story isn’t really ugly. She’s just not a part of any of the “in crowds” at her school, or even the “out crowds.” In fact, she sees herself as pretty much invisible to the others in her school and this is confirmed by the fact that in the first part of the movie people run into her, sit on her, move her around and out of the way, basically because they don’t see her. She is the kind of young person that would never get invited to the big party where all the popular kids go. But all that changes when she discovers that she is descended from European royalty and is in line to inherit the throne – and all the prestige and riches of such a position. Suddenly everyone sees her and everyone wants to be seen with her. The most popular boy in school dumps his girlfriend to invite “the princess” to come to the big beach party. But there are two scenes in particular that stand out in my mind.
The first is when she is “in training” to take on her new role. She knows nothing about being royalty and so must be taught how to dress, how to walk, even how to eat properly at a fine state dinner where honored guests from other countries will be present. Of course such a dinner party happens and ends up to be quite a fiasco as she blunders her way through the meal, spilling things, crawling under the table for a fork, tripping another guest who falls into a waiter and spills food all over several other distinguished emissaries from foreign countries.
Why am I telling you all this? Because I was reminded of it when I read today’s lesson. Today’s lesson is about a dinner party and about proper conduct at the table. Proper conduct is important at state dinners; it’s important when you are meeting your girlfriend’s parents; it’s important in our life as followers of Christ. That last might be surprising, but it shouldn’t be.
In fact, if you have been following along in Luke’s gospel in recent weeks it may seem as if Jesus just moves from one dinner party to the next. Meals are of great significance in the Gospels, especially in Luke. And little wonder…the people of Israel believed that the coming of God’s Messiah, God’s Son, would be like a great and wonderful banquet where everyone, especially the poor and left out, could come and eat their fill. In Isaiah 55, God says,
“Ho, everyone who thirsts, come to the waters; and you that have no money, come, buy and eat! Come, buy wine and milk without money and without price.”
In a society where many were extremely poor, where many wondered daily where their next meal would come from, it was the most wonderful image of God’s kingdom that one could imagine – heaven as a great banquet where all are welcome and where all would have enough to eat and more!
So, what would make more sense than Jesus, God’s Messiah, spending a good part of his time at banquets and a doing a good part of his most profound – and controversial – teaching around the table. Even after the resurrection, when the disciples did not recognize the risen Jesus, Luke tells us, “He was made known to them in the breaking of the bread.” (Luke 24:35) As they sat eating together, they recognized in his table manners that he was the Lord!
Fascinating! I believe that Jesus would remind us today, that what happens at the dinner table is at the very heart of the Christian faith – particularly when it comes to finding your place at God’s Table
Now, where you find your place is no small thing, even in earthly experience. A major Whitehouse position in our nation’s capital is the “Chief of Protocol,” whose job is to determine where people sit at state dinners. More than one international crisis has occurred when some dignitary was seated in the wrong place. That’s how important seating can be. People from various classes mix freely in the classroom, on the playing field, or in the Laundromat, but at a banquet – where the table is spread – social barriers rise and the position of the place cards – where you sit – becomes important. It tells you how important you are to the gathering. Even in our own experience. Perhaps you have been to a groom’s dinner or wedding reception where someone was seated in the wrong place, or horror of horrors, didn’t have a place? Somebody forgot to seat Uncle Bill and Aunt Judy with the family and there was quite a stir. Having a place is important – even the right place.
Well, Jesus is watching the scramble at the dinner party to which he has been invited – the scramble for the right place—and he isn’t liking what he is seeing. Even though this is proper social protocol, Jesus speaks up and turns convention on its head. He is always doing that, isn’t he? In fact, I sometimes wonder why people keep inviting him over. He almost always stirs things up, challenges the host or the guest. In fact, I sometimes wonder why you keep coming back week after week. To be sure, Jesus comforts us, meets our deepest needs, but Jesus almost always has something to say to stir us up, too – to challenge us, to make us think differently about ourselves or about what is important. And so here. Jesus stirs things up. Jesus says, “Look, finding your name at the head table is not all that important. What is important is making sure everyone has a place – especially those who are usually left out. At least that’s how God sees it. And that’s how I see it.” Indeed.
I’m not so sure that we always do a good job as a church in representing Jesus in these things. We miss people. They don’t always feel welcome at our gatherings. I’ll never forget Marilyn who moved into town with four little kids. She moved in because someone provided her with a trailer house that she could afford and she lived mostly off what the government provided her. Life was anything but luxurious. Her husband wasn’t around much and when he was, he was usually more a hindrance than a help. As a church we tried to help. We sent food baskets at Thanksgiving and at Christmas presents of warm clothing. And…we tried to include them in the life of the church. Neighbors invited them to church and the youngest, Randy and Janelle came to Sunday School and Confirmation. But somehow we never could make them a part of our community.
There was one Vacation Bible School in particular that comes to mind, where, after a week of learning about Jesus and lots of fun, we had a program and then our church picnic. Marilyn made sure that the kids were there, but when I tried to get her in and invited her to stay for the dinner, she said, “No, I can’t. I don’t have the right clothes. I don’t feel right about it.” Up to that point I had never noticed that we had a dress code for church or that one had to “look a certain way.” I guess we did – at least informally. Marilyn didn’t feel good enough to come in. I tried to convince her, but she wouldn’t come, and it has left me wondering ever since.
How good are we as a church at welcoming others into our midst, especially those who don’t look like us, or who come from different racial, social, or economic backgrounds? How do we open doors in such a way that all will feel that if they come inside there will be a place for them here? I listen to these words of Jesus and wonder when he says, “When you have a party, don’t invite your friends and neighbors, the ones who will invite you back. Go out on a limb. Invite someone not like you, someone who can’t pay you back.” In Jesus’ world, these folks were the left out ones, the invisible ones, the poor. Many were his followers! There was nothing to be gained socially from inviting them. They wouldn’t be able to bring a dish to share, they wouldn’t be able to carry their weight in the community. And I think, “How do we welcome as Jesus does?
There are a couple of ways. We offer Sunday School here at First without charge. You encouraged us to do this several years ago. And many of you have given particular gifts to make that possible, so that all are welcome to be nourished at the table of God’s Word.
Another invitation to the table would be Christmas at Our House.” For several years now, we have served a meal on Christmas day to some of those that get forgotten in this community. It is a good thing. I hope we are able to do this as long as we are a congregation in this community. But maybe Jesus is calling us to something more regular than once a year. Pastor Dan Babine at Trinity, and president of our ministerial here in Detroit Lakes is inviting us as a community of churches to consider a monthly meal of welcome, where we would take turns providing a meal for those who have few resources or just want to be with someone. I like it. I believe we should look at it seriously. But I also believe that the welcome has to start outside the walls of the church…in the places where we spend most of our week…but out there where Jesus calls us to genuinely take interest in those who might otherwise be invisible. “Open our eyes Lord, help us to see…”
Now I need you to help me out here. You know the people in your neighborhoods—in your apartment houses—who wonder if they really have a place to belong. Maybe they’ve had problems. Maybe they’ve dropped out of touch with God and they don’t know how to get back. Maybe they’ve lost a spouse. I’ve heard those who have lost spouses say that the loneliest place for them to come after the death is to come to church and sit by themselves. Maybe they need to come with you. But maybe they need something more…maybe Jesus is saying to us today, “If you want to invite them to meet with your God…you need to invite them first to your table.” Sharing a meal together or even a cup of coffee says something powerful about the love of God.
And young people, help me out. When you go back to school this year…Tuesday…it is so easy to spend all your time wrapped up with your friends. It will be good to see them again. They are important to you. That’s good. You care for them. They care back. If they’re popular it’s good to be seen with them. If you are popular, it’s good to be seen with you. But there are also some kids in your classes who don’t really know where they belong and wonder if they really have friends. I think of some of the new kids who have moved into the community since last spring. But they aren’t the only ones. There are others who have been going to school with you ever since you started. I would also bet that from time to time, some of you have been the new kids at some gathering. How good it is when someone takes notice when someone says, “Would you like to join us?” When you’re eating your lunch, when you’re headed for class, or hanging out after school, ask the new kid to go with you, the one who might be feeling pretty invisible, like they don’t have any place to belong. I have to believe it’s what Jesus would want you to do.
I didn’t tell you yet about the second scene that caught my attention in the movie, the “Princess Diaries.” It comes at the very end where there is a big reception to honor the princess’ “coming out” as the future queen. She invites as her special guest a young man who is the brother of her one friend from school. He too is pretty invisible. He works after school at a local car repair shop. So, when she is lifted up and honored as “royalty,” and includes him, he says to her, “Why me? Why did you choose me instead of the most popular guy in the school who wanted to be seen with you?” And she says, “Because you noticed me when I was invisible.”
There is something like the gospel there, like the gospel in this lesson, the good news that goes deeper than just hearing Jesus admonish us to be more inclusive here at the church and in our social circles. It goes to the very heart of the good news. Jesus tells a story here that reveals to us once again what our God is like. When it comes to God’s banquet table, all of us are among those who would be left out. Who of us can really repay God for the invitation? Who of us believes that we have the right to be on God’s guest list, let alone sit at the head table? We are beggars all…hoping to find a place at the table.
And God sets a place for us…the poor, the maimed, the limping, the blind. God sets a place for us…poor in our response to God’s call, maimed in our attitude toward others, limping in our service, blind to the presence of God in our neighbor. God sets a place for us, those of us who are invisible, those who seem to never get noticed, those who aren’t picked first for any team…and God says, “Come and eat, come and be filled. Come without money and without price. You can’t pay for this…it has already been paid for. And I’ve got a place set for you with your name on it.” Come and dine…and as you do, remember that as you have been invited, so God calls you to invite. Come and dine, but don’t come alone! Let’s pray…
Seeking and welcoming God, we thank you that none of us is invisible to you, but that you welcome us to your table that we might freely receive of your forgiveness and life. Thank you that you have set a place for us in the name of your Son Jesus. Help us in our thankfulness to open our eyes and hearts to those who might be invisible to us so that we might be a part of Your welcome into the family. Amen.
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