Rev. Brian Johnson
Scripture: Matthew 11:2-19; Luke 7:36-50
Jesus spent his life with tax-collectors, sinners, and the ritually unclean – those who were rejected by society and looked down upon by the religious and political elites. Jesus got in a lot of trouble for his willingness to share his table with people who were seen as “unclean” and “unworthy.” From the beginning, Jesus and his community were in the business of welcoming outcasts. Part of what it means to follow Jesus is to make space for everybody – especially the powerless and rejected – in God’s community, at Christ’s table. Jesus invites us to make space for outsiders – to practice radical hospitality – AND to remember that we, ourselves, are always welcome at his table, no matter how broken we feel or how many times we’ve screwed up.es …