Table Fellowship
A friend of mine and I were discussing Jesus' use of table fellowship a few days ago and it was very eye-opening. To me it shows Jesus putting Matt 22:36-40 into practice. He ate with everyone. When I read the comments Jesus made about his dinner companions it leads me to believe that Jesus asked everyone he ate with to follow him. Not all did, but many did. How could he do it? He ate with the well respected and the not respected of society. We have trouble even asking people just like us to follow Jesus. How can we change? The concept that keeps coming back to me is "Love God and love others as I have loved you."
Everyone knows this quote and it has been used so much it has become almost trite. (It shouldn't as it has hasn't lost its power.) Maybe one problem is that we don't really feel like we have experienced God's love. Knowing that God loves you is such a subjective feeling, especially if you have experienced little or any love from people you can actually touch and feel. The Father says he loves us, the Son says he loves us, but how do we know? For me I know the same way I know anyone loves me, what he/she has done and is doing for/with me.
Let me bring this back around to the original idea of, "table fellowship and following Jesus." When we recognize the love God has for us, then we have reason to love others enough to invite them to follow Jesus.
Everyone knows this quote and it has been used so much it has become almost trite. (It shouldn't as it has hasn't lost its power.) Maybe one problem is that we don't really feel like we have experienced God's love. Knowing that God loves you is such a subjective feeling, especially if you have experienced little or any love from people you can actually touch and feel. The Father says he loves us, the Son says he loves us, but how do we know? For me I know the same way I know anyone loves me, what he/she has done and is doing for/with me.
Let me bring this back around to the original idea of, "table fellowship and following Jesus." When we recognize the love God has for us, then we have reason to love others enough to invite them to follow Jesus.
posted by Johnny | 1:12 PM
1 Comments:
John, I remember that people sometimes get worked up when we use things like self-esteem and loving ourselves. It seems that if we do not have or receive love how can we give it away.
Especially if someone grew up as a child without love and affection. Then they come to Christ and we call them to serve others and empty themselves. What do they have to give? Maybe we should start with how wonderful they are and then they will have a storehouse of treasure to give.
Maybe this is why so many Christians suffer burnout.
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