A Meal Means More Than You Think

A Meal Means More Than You Think

I’ve just finished reading a small book by Tim Chester entitled A Meal With Jesus.  I highly recommend it. (It's in the Westwood bookstore)

In one chapter Chester recounts the movie/short story Babette’s Feast. Babette’s Feast is the fictional account of an 18^th century Christian community in Denmark that has lost its love and lost its way, becoming joyless and legalistic.  Babette, a refugee from Paris comes to live with two sisters and for twelve years serves as their housekeeper.  She prepares the food they are used to, which is boring, bland and tasteless.  The tale turns when Babette wins ten thousand francs in the French lottery.  The sisters expect Babette to leave and return to Paris.  Instead she asks for and receives permission to prepare a special meal in honor of the birthday of the sister’s deceased father.

Babette uses her winnings to buy and prepare the most lavish and exquisite meal the village has ever seen.  The villagers are apprehensive and reserved at first, but as they  taste the amazing food and fine wine feuds are ended, sins are confessed, relationships are restored and the evening ends with the community hand-in-hand around the village fountain singing hymns. 

Babette, unknown to everyone in the village, was in her former life in Paris a professional chef.  She spent all she had and used her skills to bring life and healing to a dead and joyless community.  Her sacrifice and service serve as a beautiful picture of grace lived out for the benefit of others.  Her story illustrates the power of a meal and the place hospitality can have in reaching people.    

In his book A Meal With Jesus Chester writes, “Jesus didn't run projects, establish ministries, create programs, or put on events.  He ate meals.  If you routinely share meals and have a passion for Jesus, then you’ll be doing mission.  It’s not that meals save people.  People are saved through the gospel message.  But meals create natural opportunities to share that message in a context that resonates powerfully with what you are saying.  Hospitality has always been integral in the story of God’s people. “

So what stops us from showing hospitality when the Bible clearly expects it from us?  Chester gives these three reasons/excuses:

It’s Too Scary.  What if they don't like our house?  What if it’s not clean enough? “How will they evaluate our cooking, cleaning, décor, or parenting?”  Chester writes: “Craving other people’s approval or fearing their censure is what the Bible calls “the fear of man”.  The Bible’s antidote is “the fear of the Lord.”  When God’s opinion matters most  - the God who smiles on us in His grace – then we’re liberated to serve others out of love, rather than gain their good opinion. 

It’s Too Costly.  Yes, food costs money (unless you grow it yourself). Preparation takes time.  Things may get broken. But things don’t have to be elaborate.  Leftovers will do nicely.  Chester writes: “above all remember the cost of the messianic banquet: the blood of Jesus.  The cross is our motive and our model.”

I’m Too Busy.  “Perhaps you’d love to offer more hospitality, but when?  Your life already feels full.  When you do have a spare evening, all you’re fit for is to slump on the sofa.”  Perhaps you’re too busy because you’re dong more than God ever intended for you to do.  Perhaps you’re trying to do more than He ever expects. 

Hospitality is what God extends to us.  We are strangers and aliens.  He adopts us and brings us into His family.   He puts before us an exquisite meal, an eternal heavenly banquet that is bought, paid for and prepared by His Son. 

He shows us His kingdom in the ministry of His Son.  In the Bible the meals of Jesus represent a new world, a new kingdom, a new outlook.  They are more than food and drink.  They are social occasions.  They are snapshots of God’s kingdom.  They represent friendship, community, and welcome. 

Growing up in my parent’s home I was privileged to witness a constant model of hospitality.  You never knew who would be at Glenn and Betty Ann’s table.  Someone was always coming home with us from church and sharing what we had, which sometimes was only beans from the garden and a tomato sandwich.  But our home was always open and what we had was always shared.  I’m thankful for that picture of grace.  I’m thankful for that portrait of Jesus. 

I pray that’s what people say about us here at Westwood.  

Ya’ll come on over and have a bite!