For the love of God and people like me
“Christ is the head of the home, the unseen guest of every meal, the silent listener to every conversation.”
The above lines used to hang on the wall in the old vicarage living room, in days of simplicity. I haven’t seen that quote anywhere recently, and I think to myself,
‘hardly any wonder?’
🤔
I thank God that St Paul wrote the lines; “God has chosen the base things of this world, the things that this world counts as nothing, to show forth his glory”
If there is any truth in the claim that Christ walks among us unseen, then we need a wake up call that gives the established church hernia of the eardrum.
I often hear a mischievous voice in my head when I watch, “Songs of praise” on TV when the minister calls out, ‘Let us pray” I hear, ‘Let us play!’
Chris Pitts likes to say things that show off his, ‘EGO’ ‘insensitivity’, and ‘Calls down Judgment on himself’, why? Because he is so pig sick of stilted middle class platitudes especially, when it comes to congregations that are so certain that, “We have got it right!” The base lower working class in this country need action now and more important, to be really understood by ministers who know the hopelessness and squalor of their lives.
They don’t want:
‘Christian?’ TV, Radio,
Music industry,
‘Christian?’ stardom, capitalist interest,
‘Christian?’ business consortiums, where, ‘Christians?’ hire and fire each other,
breaking hearts,
I say (And will continue to say) bxxxxxk to the lot of it.
Time to turn over tables and get real.
If Christ is the ‘Unseen Guest’ then as with the church of Laodicea, he needs a bucket to be sick in.
CHRIST IS THE HEAD OF THE HOME,
THE UNSEEN GUEST IN EVERY MEAL,
THE SILENT LISTENER TO EVERY CONVERSATION.
基督是家庭的头，
Jīdū shì jiātíng de tóu,
是每餐饭中看不见的客人，
shì měi cān fàn zhòng kàn bùjiàn de kèrén,
是每场对话中默默聆听者。
shì měi chǎng duìhuà zhōng mòmò língtīng zhě.
KRISTUS ADALAH KETUA RUMAH TANGGA,
TETAMU GHAIB DALAM SETIAP JAMUAN,
YANG MENDENGAR SETIAP PERBUALAN.
CHRIST EST LE CHEF DE LA FAMILLE,
L'INVITÉ INVISIBLE À CHAQUE REPAS,
L'ÉCOUTEUR SILENCIEUX DE CHAQUE CONVERSATION.
கிறிஸ்து வீட்டின் தலைவர்,
Kiṟistu vīṭṭiṉ talaivar,
ஒவ்வொரு உணவிலும் காணப்படாத விருந்தினர்,
ovvoru uṇavilum kāṇappaṭāta viruntiṉar,
ஒவ்வொரு உரையாடலையும் அமைதியாகக் கேட்பவர்.
ovvoru uraiyāṭalaiyum amaitiyākak kēṭpavar.
God Is Love, Let Heaven Adore Him
A hymn that reminds us that God’s love is the source of all creation.
(Song lyrics):
¹ God is Love: let heav’n adore him;
God is Love: let earth rejoice;
let creation sing before him,
and exalt him with one voice.
He who laid the earth’s foundation,
he who spread the heav’ns above,
he who breathes through all creation,
he is Love, eternal Love.
² God is Love: and he enfoldeth
all the world in one embrace;
with unfailing grasp he holdeth
every child of every race.
And when human hearts are breaking
under sorrow’s iron rod,
then they find that selfsame aching
deep within the heart of God.
³ God is Love: and though with blindness
sin afflicts the souls of all,
God’s eternal loving-kindness
holds and guides us when we fall.
Sin and death and hell shall never
o’er us final triumph gain;
God is Love, so Love for ever
o’er the universe must reign.
( Click here to listen or learn to sing here)
Music by Cyril Taylor (1907-1991)
Words by Timothy Rees (1874-1939)
If Jesus Was a Guest at Your Thanksgiving Table…
Jesus was a regular guest in other people’s homes. Jesus ate with those who were important (Luke 7:36, 11:37, 14:1), those who were his disciples and followers, (Luke 10:38), and those who were considered outcasts in society (Matthew 9:10, Luke 19:1-5).
When we can think of Jesus being a guest in our homes, a popular quote might come to mind. Perhaps it hangs as a plaque in your dining room. It says “Christ…the unseen guest of every meal, the silent listener to every conversation.” Yet, as seen in the Gospels, Jesus was far from silent during the meals he attended. He used these times to minister, teach, and wisely admonish. At some meals, we learn how people reacted to Jesus. Other times we are left not knowing and wondering how they took his words.
As we look at who Jesus ate with, we can consider how we would respond if Jesus were a guest at our table this Thanksgiving. But first, it is helpful to be aware of some of the cultural details associated with meals in Jesus’ day.
Background information can help us understand some of the aspects that seem unusual to us, and the cultural similarities and differences from our own mealtimes today.
Just as today, shared meals were an important part of culture and community life in Jesus' time, probably even more so then without other forms of communication. Invitations would be sent out in advance to guests, especially for bigger occasions. However, rarely did whole families dine with the guests. Instead, only the head of the household would be present at the table.
Instead of sitting at a table, meals would be taken by reclining on couches. The couches were arranged around three sides of a low table. The left elbow rested on cushions while the right hand was free for eating from shared dishes. It was customary for shoes to be removed and feet to be washed. Guests would not have random positions around the table, instead those to the right of the servers were considered the most important and in the places of honor. Those to the left of the servers were in the least important positions.
There would be no specific room for dining, instead meals were given in rooms that had multiple functions, and even in outdoor courtyards. This meant meals were often open to the street and so could be seen by the public and passersby.
Within this context, Jesus ate with three distinct groups of people: sinners, Pharisees, and his disciples.
Jesus’ Meals with Sinners
“Sinners,” in the Gospels, is a title given to a category of Jews who did not keep the Mosaic law and traditions as set out by the Pharisees. Therefore, they were considered to be ceremonially unclean. Within this group were also the morally unclean. One other group included with sinners were tax collectors. Responsible for collecting taxes and tolls on behalf of the Roman government, and within a system open to corruption, the tax collectors were often dishonest. They over-taxed their own countrymen, thus lining their own pockets.
It is with these people that Jesus, from the beginning of his ministry, chose to spend his time (Matthew 11:19). Normally, for someone in Jesus’ position as a rabbi, he would have been expected to keep Himself separate from those who were ceremonially and morally unclean. As did the Pharisees who would not have considered sharing a meal with anyone from this group.
Jesus, however, had a specific mission. Jesus’ ministry and time on earth was one of celebration. At the beginning of his ministry, he announced the time of God’s favor to earth — he had come to bring good news (Luke 4:16-21). Eating meals with sinners symbolized God’s message of forgiveness for all people. These people might not have been accepted by the society of their day, but they were welcomed into God’s kingdom.
When Jesus ate with sinners, lives were transformed. Sins were forgiven, faith was commended, peace was bestowed (Luke 7:44-50), lives were saved, and attitudes and behaviors were changed (Luke 19:1-10) These people reacted to Jesus with an outpouring of heart-felt gratitude shown through emotions and actions (Luke 7:38, Luke 19:8).
If Jesus were at our table this Thanksgiving, we too can react with joy and gratitude. When we feel like outcasts, Jesus is willing to commune with us. However unacceptable we feel, Jesus' offer of love and forgiveness is real. Whatever we may have done, Jesus does not condemn but freely offers a fresh, new start.
The meals Jesus shared with sinners stand in contrast to the meals Jesus shared with Pharisees.
Jesus’ Meals with Pharisees
The Pharisees are not described in a good light in the Gospels. On reading about them, none of us would like to be labeled a Pharisee, or a sinner for that matter.
The Pharisees were a Jewish sect and an influential group recognized as religious leaders. They promoted piety according to the Mosaic law for the lives of ordinary people. Their traditions came with numerous regulations that had to be followed. This led to their own self-importance and self-righteousness, while judging the sinfulness of others. They also appeared to be blind to who Jesus was.
It seems that many of them clashed with Jesus and were critical of his behavior and teaching in relation to their own standards and conduct (Mark 7:1-5). (However, in John 3:1-21, Nicodemus shows that it was not all of them.) But, at the same time they regarded Jesus as their equal (John 3:2). They rebuked Jesus and his disciples for breaking the rules regarding the Sabbath (Matthew 12:12), mixing with sinners (Matthew 11:19), and having the authority to forgive sins (Luke 5:21)..
In return, Jesus warned the people of the Pharisees’ hypocrisy — “for they do not practice what they preach” and “they tie up heavy, cumbersome loads and put them on other people’s shoulders, but they themselves are not willing to lift a finger to move them” (Matthew 23:3-4). Yet still, when invited, Jesus went to dine in the homes of Pharisees.
On one hand, the Pharisees treated Jesus like an equal, but on the other hand their invitations gave them an opportunity to question Jesus.
On one occasion, Jesus was invited to have dinner with a Pharisee named Simon (Luke 7:36-50). We learn that Simon did not wash Jesus' feet before dinner, greet Him with a kiss, or anoint Him with oil as was the custom. These were the local culture in Jesus' era. It would be the equivalent of not meeting our guests at the door, shaking their hands or giving a hug, or taking their coats when they arrived. These small gestures show hospitality and kindness. And Jesus noticed the way he was treated by Simon.
It appears that Simon was watching Jesus carefully and critically (Luke 7:36-50): “If this man were a prophet, he would know who is touching him and what kind of woman she is — that she is a sinner.”
Jesus' rebuke of Simon is spoken in kindness through a parable (Luke 7:41-42): “Two people owed money to a certain moneylender. One owed him five hundred denarii, and the other fifty. Neither of them had the money to pay him back, so he forgave the debts of both. Now which of them will love him more?” As the Pharisee could consider his own love for God, we too can think carefully how much we have been forgiven and examine our own gratitude and love for Jesus.
On another occasion, Jesus gave a stern rebuke to the leaders present at a meal (Luke 11:37-54). Jesus' reaction can seem surprising and shocking, but at the same time, we see God’s heart is for these leaders to practice justice and love (Luke 11:42).
If Jesus were at our table this Thanksgiving, perhaps we would have an opportunity to remember the importance of God’s love and justice, rather than seeing the Christian life as a list of dos and don’ts.
Jesus’ Meals with His Followers and Disciples
Jesus’ disciples included the twelve men that he specifically called to be apostles, singled out to learn from Him: “Simon (whom he named Peter), his brother Andrew, James, John, Philip, Bartholomew, Matthew, Thomas, James son of Alphaeus, Simon who was called the Zealot, Judas son of James, and Judas Iscariot, who became a traitor” (Matthew 10:2-4).
There were also many other men and women who were committed to Jesus and considered as disciples. They included those who were his companions as he traveled around, and who supported Him financially (Luke 6:13-17, Luke 8:1-3, Luke 10:1). These men and women were with Jesus from the beginning of his ministry until after his death to care for his body (Mark 15:43, Mark 15:46, Mark 16:1).
The most well-known story of Jesus being a guest of one of his followers is the account of Martha opening her home to Jesus and his disciples (Luke 10:38). We sense that on this occasion, Jesus and his disciples, as well as Martha and Mary, are comfortable in each other's company (John 11:5).
There is the ease with which Mary sat at Jesus’ feet and listened to Him (Luke 10:39). Her enthusiasm and passionate desire to learn from Jesus are apparent. She had the freedom to sit as a student, whereas normally a woman would not have been able to learn from Jewish teachers.
Then there is the uninhibited way in which Martha complained to Jesus about the lack of help she got from Mary with the preparations (Luke 10:40). If Mary hung onto every word that Jesus said, then Martha could use the authority of Jesus to tell Mary what she really should be doing, helping Martha with the meal.
And then we have Jesus’ tender response to Martha: “’Martha, Martha,’ the Lord answered, ‘you are worried and upset about many things…’” (Luke 10:41). Although those words could be taken as a rebuke, the double use of her name gives emphasis, but implies Jesus’ love for his friend.
The most significant meal, and Jesus’ final meal, he had with his disciples. It was a meal that Jesus Himself hosted. He made the arrangements. It was not just a human plan but with supernatural knowledge and authority (Luke 22:7-13). This was the Passover meal before Jesus’ death, known as the Last Supper.
During this meal, Jesus instructed his disciples on how to remember and celebrate Him, which we follow today in our own communion services (Matthew 26:17–25, Mark 14:12–21, Luke 22:7–13, John 13:1–30).
Yet, as solemn as the occasion was, the disciples seemed to fail to recognize the significance of Jesus’ words, and an argument broke out about who among them was the greatest (Luke 22:24).
And so, if Jesus were a guest at our Thanksgiving table, even when we are followers of Jesus, we are reminded He knows the best and the worst of us. Yet, we are invited to come before Him in humble adoration and remember the death he died for us and the hope we have of a future with Him.
The Son of Man came eating and drinking, and they say, ‘Here is a glutton and a drunkard, a friend of tax collectors and sinners.’ But wisdom is proved right by her deeds.”
He went to Nazareth, where he had been brought up, and on the Sabbath day he went into the synagogue, as was his custom. He stood up to read, and the scroll of the prophet Isaiah was handed to him. Unrolling it, he found the place where it is written: “The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because he has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind, to set the oppressed free, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.”
Then he rolled up the scroll, gave it back to the attendant and sat down. The eyes of everyone in the synagogue were fastened on him.
He began by saying to them, “Today this scripture is fulfilled in your hearing.”
Then he turned toward the woman and said to Simon, “Do you see this woman? I came into your house. You did not give me any water for my feet, but she wet my feet with her tears and wiped them with her hair.
You did not give me a kiss, but this woman, from the time I entered, has not stopped kissing my feet.
You did not put oil on my head, but she has poured perfume on my feet.
Therefore, I tell you, her many sins have been forgiven—as her great love has shown. But whoever has been forgiven little loves little.”
Then Jesus said to her, “Your sins are forgiven.”
The other guests began to say among themselves, “Who is this who even forgives sins?”
Jesus said to the woman, “Your faith has saved you; go in peace.”
Zacchaeus the Tax Collector
Jesus entered Jericho and was passing through.
A man was there by the name of Zacchaeus; he was a chief tax collector and was wealthy.
He wanted to see who Jesus was, but because he was short he could not see over the crowd.
So he ran ahead and climbed a sycamore-fig tree to see him, since Jesus was coming that way.
When Jesus reached the spot, he looked up and said to him, “Zacchaeus, come down immediately. I must stay at your house today.”
So he came down at once and welcomed him gladly.
All the people saw this and began to mutter, “He has gone to be the guest of a sinner.”
But Zacchaeus stood up and said to the Lord, “Look, Lord! Here and now I give half of my possessions to the poor, and if I have cheated anybody out of anything, I will pay back four times the amount.”
Jesus said to him, “Today salvation has come to this house, because this man, too, is a son of Abraham.
For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost.”
As she stood behind him at his feet weeping, she began to wet his feet with her tears. Then she wiped them with her hair, kissed them and poured perfume on them.
That Which Defiles
The Pharisees and some of the teachers of the law who had come from Jerusalem gathered around Jesus and saw some of his disciples eating food with hands that were defiled, that is, unwashed.
(The Pharisees and all the Jews do not eat unless they give their hands a ceremonial washing, holding to the tradition of the elders.
When they come from the marketplace they do not eat unless they wash. And they observe many other traditions, such as the washing of cups, pitchers and kettles. )
So the Pharisees and teachers of the law asked Jesus, “Why don’t your disciples live according to the tradition of the elders instead of eating their food with defiled hands?”
Jesus Teaches Nicodemus
Now there was a Pharisee, a man named Nicodemus who was a member of the Jewish ruling council.
He came to Jesus at night and said, “Rabbi, we know that you are a teacher who has come from God. For no one could perform the signs you are doing if God were not with him.”
Jesus replied, “Very truly I tell you, no one can see the kingdom of God unless they are born again. ”
“How can someone be born when they are old?” Nicodemus asked. “Surely they cannot enter a second time into their mother’s womb to be born!”
Jesus answered, “Very truly I tell you, no one can enter the kingdom of God unless they are born of water and the Spirit.
Flesh gives birth to flesh, but the Spirit gives do you not understand these things?
Very truly I tell you, we speak of what we know, and we testify to what we have seen, but still you people do not accept our testimony.ól
I have spoken to you of earthly things and you do not believe; how then will you believe if I speak of heavenly things?
No one has ever gone into heaven except the one who came from heaven—the Son of Man.
Just as Moses lifted up the snake in the wilderness, so the Son of Man must be lifted up,
15 that everyone who believes may have eternal life in him.”
For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.
For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him.
Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because they have not believed in the name of God’s one and only Son.
This is the verdict: Light has come into the world, but people loved darkness instead of light because their deeds were evil.
Everyone who does evil hates the light, and will not come into the light for fear that their deeds will be exposed.
But whoever lives by the truth comes into the light, so that it may be seen plainly that what they have done has been done in the sight of God.
How much more valuable is a person than a sheep! Therefore it is lawful to do good on the Sabbath.”
The Son of Man came eating and drinking, and they say, ‘Here is a glutton and a drunkard, a friend of tax collectors and sinners.’ But wisdom is proved right by her deeds.”
The Pharisees and the teachers of the law began thinking to themselves, “Who is this fellow who speaks blasphemy? Who can forgive sins but God alone?”
So you must be careful to do everything they tell you. But do not do what they do, for they do not practice what they preach.
They tie up heavy, cumbersome loads and put them on other people’s shoulders, but they themselves are not willing to lift a finger to move them.
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