Pastor Marshall Ochs | April 14, 2024
In this message, Pastor Marshall teaches from Luke 15. This chapter covers the Pharisee critique that Jesus is receiving sinner and eating with them. The theme of meals has surfaced multiple times in Luke. It speaks to the primary vehicle Jesus used for spreading the Kingdom, and informs how we should view evangelism today. To answer the Pharisee’s criticism Jesus teaches three parables to expose the hearts of the Jewish leaders and address issues we continue to struggle with today.
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As we journey with Jesus toward Jerusalem, the final destination of His earthly ministry, we encounter a series of events and teachings that reveal the heart of God and His kingdom. Among these narratives, the theme of meals and dining emerges prominently.
Jesus, in His infinite wisdom and love, dines not only with the religious elite but also with those deemed as sinners. Through His actions, He challenges the norms and invites us to reconsider how we view hospitality and evangelism. For Jesus, the dinner table becomes a space where the kingdom of God is shared, relationships are formed, and lives are transformed.
In Luke's Gospel, we witness Jesus using meals, tables, and homes as primary settings for His ministry. He teaches in synagogues, but His most profound teachings often occur outside the walls of formal worship.
This emphasis on dining with sinners is not accidental. It is a deliberate demonstration of God's heart for the lost and broken. Jesus' parables of the lost sheep, the lost coin, and the prodigal son illustrate God's relentless pursuit of those who have wandered away. The joyous celebration accompanying their repentance reflects the heart of the Father, who longs for reconciliation with His children.
Yet, amidst these stories of grace and redemption, we encounter the resistance of the Pharisees. Their inability to rejoice over the repentance of sinners exposes their own hearts hardened by self-righteousness and legalism. They fail to understand the essence of the kingdom, which is marked by repentance, forgiveness, and extravagant love.
As we reflect on these narratives, let us examine our own hearts. Are we like the Pharisees, focused on rule-following and comparison rather than on extending grace and mercy? Are there lost individuals around us whom we need to pursue with the love of Christ? How can we use our own dinner tables as instruments of God's kingdom, inviting the lost and broken to experience His grace?
Reflection Questions:
1. How does Jesus' approach to dining with both Pharisees and sinners challenge our own understanding of hospitality and evangelism?
2. Reflect on the significance of Jesus teaching primarily in homes and around meals. How does this impact your view of ministry and sharing the good news of Jesus?
3. In what ways can we use our own dinner tables as vehicles for sharing the hope that we have in Jesus Christ?
4. Consider the parable of the lost sheep, the lost coin, and the prodigal son. How do these stories reveal God's relentless pursuit of the lost and His joy in their repentance?
5. Reflect on the attitudes of the Pharisees depicted in these parables. How do their attitudes towards sinners and repentance challenge us to examine our own hearts?
6. Are there lost individuals around us whom we need to pursue? How can we extend hospitality and offer meals as a means to share the gospel?
7. Consider your own position in relation to the characters in these parables. Are you the lost sheep, the prodigal son, the bitter older brother, or perhaps even a Pharisee? How might God be calling you to repent and come home?