Who Are Your Dinner Guests?

So often in our Christian/Church culture we refer to our numerous events of "fellowshipping" with the saints which the Word of God encourages us to do, but Jesus also recommended another group for us to consider on our social agendas.  That group would be the sinners for whom Jesus died and with whom He spent much of His time with.

If we aren't careful, we find ourselves being overly discriminant about our guests or the company we keep as did the scribes and Pharisees in Luke 5.

After Jesus healed and delivered the man sick with the palsy on that momentous day ( vs. 26 ), He did something that simply infuriated the religious spirit.

"And after these things he went forth, and saw a publican, named Levi, sitting at the receipt of custom: and he said unto him, Follow me.  28. And he left all, rose up, and followed him. 29. And Levi made him a great feast in his own house:  and there was a great company of publicans and others that sat down with them.  30. But their scribes and Pharisees murmured against his disciples, saying, why do you eat and drink with publicans and sinners? 31. And Jesus answering said unto them, They that are whole need not a physician; but they that are sick.  32. I came not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance" ( Luke 5:27-32 ).

Of course, publicans were Jewish tax collectors for the ancient Romans which automatically made them an enemy to their own people.

What is the ratio of sinners to saints at most of your dinner parties when you are hosting the Bishop or the Apostle or the Presiding Prelate of your organization at your home?  

Do you include the crooked politician in your town?  What about the drug dealer that you have been witnessing to?  What bout your promiscuous neighbor?  Possibly these "unsavory" guests would greatly benefit from all of the anointing and wisdom and love in the room.

If this is not the most comfortable setting for your " not yet saved" acquaintances, then just invite them to a poetry reading session with refreshments, or a backyard Bar-B-Q or a movie night at your home with your Christian friends.

Respect and human consideration play a great part in expressing the love of God to the lost.

Personally, I enjoy the candor and the thought provoking questions and conversations that take place in these gatherings.  My humanity and motives are always challenged in view of how the unchurched see us.  And of course, there is always the possibility of planting or watering a seed of the Gospel...believing God to give the increase at the appointed time if not on these occasions.

Let's check our dinner guests lists to see if they meet Jesus' approval.