A few thoughts that I would like to share

Luke 19:1-7 New Living Translation (NLT)<?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" />
 
1 Jesus entered Jericho and made his way through the town. 2 There was a man there named Zacchaeus. He was the chief tax collector in the region, and he had become very rich. 3 He tried to get a look at Jesus, but he was too short to see over the crowd. 4 So he ran ahead and climbed a sycamore-fig tree beside the road, for Jesus was going to pass that way.5 When Jesus came by, he looked up at Zacchaeus and called him by name. “Zacchaeus!” he said. “Quick, come down! I must be a guest in your home today.”6 Zacchaeus quickly climbed down and took Jesus to his house in great excitement and joy. 7 But the people were displeased. “He has gone to be the guest of a notorious sinner,” they grumbled.
 
Zacchaeus led Jesus to his home that day with Great EXCITEMENT and JOY, because the shared table symbolized to the Jewish culture the shared life! By wanting to share a meal with Zacchaeus, Jesus was stating in his actions, “I want to be your friend”.
 
One of the activities that I most admire about Central Full Gospel, is the weekly lunch that is shared together. Some of you may not have realized what a Christ-like activity that is. In fact, Jesus shared meals with others so often that he was accused of being a glutton and a drunkard (Luke 7:34).
 
But Jesus did not enjoy meal sharing simply to be accepting and nice. Rather it was his expression of mission and message, which was to liberate people.
 
Next week I’ll share a few thoughts on how lives were changed, simply because Jesus took the time to join others for a meal.