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What brings us joy: Living like Jesus

Jesus’ life was marked by joy. He died for us and His sacrifice was intense. He also knew God and received joy from Him and from spending time with those He loved. 

He spent a lot of time around tables, hosting and attending dinner parties! In fact, He spent so much time enjoying parties that in he had earned a bit of a bad reputation because of it. Wouldn’t you like to have a reputation for having a good time like Jesus? Eating and partying was part of Jesus’ strategy! His invitation was not just to the table, but to the Kingdom of Heaven, which is less about rules and regulations, and more about righteousness, peace and joy! 

Jesus joined people at feasts because He wanted them to join Him in heaven. Throwing a great party—one marked by joy and peace, one where we invite others to know Jesus—is a way to find Jesus’ secret to joy. 

Tips we can learn from Jesus about dinner parties:

1. Invite outsiders – Jesus often partied with those from the wrong side of the tracks, those who didn’t know Him. He was strategic about who He invited. He was inclusive! Read Luke 14:12-14 and think about who you can invite to your next dinner party. While Christmas dinner is often a precious time with family, there are many people who are left out. Could you take a step and invite an outsider to Christmas dinner this year?

2. Leave a seat empty for Jesus – This might sound funny, but people in the early church would literally leave a seat empty for Jesus at their parties. This was to remind them that He was with them! Make room to talk about Him. Pray before you host parties and try to cultivate the expectancy that Jesus will be present and do some amazing things for those you’re reaching out to. He doesn’t want to miss the party!

3. Just do it – It’s easy to get overwhelmed by watching MasterChef and thinking you need to provide a banquet before you can invite people. Don’t let preparations stop you from partying! Try to identify the roadblocks that stop you from hosting and think about how you can work around them! Innovate: if it’s food, get someone else to come help prep. If it’s tidiness, plan time earlier in the week to tidy. Don’t miss out on the party because of overwhelming expectations! People need to be invited to meet Jesus at the table. Remember, a welcoming home is far more important than the décor!