English Sermon (04/11/21) – B.L.E.S.S – Eat Together (Matthew 9:9-13)
Today, we’ll talk about the letter ‘E’ which stands for “Eat Together”. Although eating may seem like a simple thing, it can become a very powerful way to bless other people. Jesus exemplified this in his life by eating for the glory of God. Not only did he eat with others but the food itself was also central to many of his miracles (i.e- water to wine, feeding five thousand, last supper, communion). In Matthew 9, Jesus called Matthew, a tax collector hated by many, to follow him and immediately after that they shared a meal together (for context, eating with someone in those days was a sign of approval and association). To add to that, many other tax collectors and ‘sinners’ also came to sit and eat with Jesus at that meal. Through eating, Jesus brought these people who were far away from God to become closer to God. Luke 7:34 says that Jesus was known as a FRIEND of tax collectors and sinners. How does this apply to us? In both secular and Christian contexts, eating together is a way of networking and connecting with people. Jesus was a missional eater, and as his followers, we also learn how to be missional eaters that work to bring the Gospel to others.
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