10/12 Vine Worship

Today’s gathering centered on the radical, boundary-breaking hospitality of Jesus, especially as seen in his table fellowship with those considered outsiders. The story of Jesus calling Matthew, a tax collector despised in his community, and then sharing a meal with him and other “sinners,” challenges us to reconsider who we believe deserves a seat at the table. Jesus doesn’t wait for Matthew to clean up his act or prove his worthiness; instead, he invites him as he is, seeing not just who he has been, but who he can become. This invitation is not just for Matthew, but for all of us, and it’s a call to extend that same mercy and welcome to others.

Tables are more than places to eat—they are places of transformation. When we gather with others, especially those we might otherwise avoid or judge, we open ourselves to the possibility of real relationship and mutual growth. Jesus models a kind of holiness that is not about separation or purity by exclusion, but about presence, togetherness, and grace. He sits with those who are hurting, those who are lost, and those who are different, not to condone every action, but to embody God’s mercy.

The religious leaders of Jesus’s day, the Pharisees, struggled with this. They believed holiness meant keeping their distance from “sinners,” but Jesus turns this on its head, quoting the prophet Hosea: “I desire mercy, not sacrifice.” God is not interested in empty rituals or performative religion if our hearts are cold and closed off to others. True faithfulness is measured by our willingness to move toward those in need, to extend compassion even when it’s messy or uncomfortable.

We are reminded that the church is not a museum for saints, but a hospital for sinners. If we forget our own need for grace, we risk becoming critics who justify withholding love and generosity. Jesus’s invitation to “follow me” is ongoing homework for us all: to be people who are covered in the dust of our rabbi, living out mercy in tangible ways. Holiness often looks like hospitality—a willingness to say, “This seat is for you. You and I belong together.” As we come to the communion table, we remember that Jesus sets the table for all, and we are called to do the same.

Key Takeaways

• 1. Jesus Sees Potential, Not Just Past Jesus calls Matthew not because he has already changed, but because he sees who Matthew can become. This challenges us to look at others—and ourselves—not through the lens of past mistakes, but through the hope of transformation. The invitation to follow is not based on worthiness, but on grace. We are called to extend that same vision and hope to those we might otherwise write off. [26:10]
• 2. The Table as a Place of Transformation Sharing a meal is more than an act of hospitality; it is a sacred space where barriers are broken and hearts are changed. Jesus’s willingness to eat with tax collectors and sinners demonstrates that real change happens in relationship, not in isolation. The table is where we encounter both the humanity and the sacredness of others, and where we ourselves are shaped by grace. [30:01]
• 3. Holiness Is Presence, Not Exclusion The Pharisees believed that holiness meant keeping separate from those deemed unclean, but Jesus redefines holiness as bringing God’s presence into messy, complicated lives. True holiness is not about maintaining purity by exclusion, but about embodying grace and mercy in the midst of brokenness. We are called to bring light, not to retreat from darkness. [32:47]
• 4. Mercy Over Ritual—The Heart of God God desires mercy, not empty religious performance. Rituals and sacrifices are meaningless if they are not rooted in compassion and love for others. Mercy is not passive pity, but active movement toward those in need, even when it disrupts our comfort or challenges our assumptions. This is the kind of faithfulness that reflects the heart of God. [39:34]
• 5. Hospitality as a Spiritual Practice Holiness often looks like hospitality—a willingness to make space for others, especially those who feel excluded or unworthy. The church is called to be a place where all are welcomed, not because we approve of every action, but because we refuse to withhold love. Our rituals, prayers, and songs are just noise if they are not matched by a radical, inclusive welcome at the table.
  
  ** [46:36]

Youtube Chapters

• [00:00] - Welcome
• [00:59] - Worship: Bless the Lord, O My Soul
• [04:48] - Worship: Worthy of Every Song
• [07:20] - Worship: My Hope Is Built
• [10:38] - Opening Prayer
• [11:16] - Introduction: Tables and Belonging
• [13:42] - Interfaith Lessons: Sharing Grape Leaves
• [15:39] - The Table as a Christian Symbol
• [16:54] - Reading Matthew’s Story
• [18:46] - Jesus Calls Matthew
• [21:12] - Jesus Eats with Sinners
• [24:20] - Radical Welcome and Human Struggle
• [26:10] - Jesus Sees Who We Can Become
• [30:01] - The Table as a Place of Transformation
• [32:47] - Holiness: Presence Over Exclusion
• [39:34] - Mercy, Not Sacrifice
• [46:36] - Hospitality and the Church’s Mission
• [50:59] - The Invitation: Follow Me
• [51:32] - Communion Invitation
• [54:16] - Communion Prayer and Sending

Bible Reading

Matthew 9:9-13 (ESV) — _As Jesus passed on from there, he saw a man called Matthew sitting at the tax booth, and he said to him, “Follow me.” And he rose and followed him. And as Jesus reclined at table in the house, behold, many tax collectors and sinners came and were reclining with Jesus and his disciples. And when the Pharisees saw this, they said to his disciples, “Why does your teacher eat with tax collectors and sinners?” But when he heard it, he said, “Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick. Go and learn what this means: ‘I desire mercy, and not sacrifice.’ For I came not to call the righteous, but sinners.”_

Observation Questions

1. What was Matthew doing when Jesus called him, and how did Matthew respond? (Matthew 9:9)
2. Who else was present at the meal in Matthew’s house, and why was this significant? (Matthew 9:10)
3. How did the Pharisees react to Jesus eating with tax collectors and sinners? What question did they ask? (Matthew 9:11)
4. According to Jesus, who needs a doctor, and what does this reveal about his mission? (Matthew 9:12-13)

Interpretation Questions

1. The sermon pointed out that Jesus saw Matthew not just for who he was, but for who he could become. What does this suggest about how Jesus views people, including us? [26:10]
2. Why do you think sharing a meal was such a powerful act in Jesus’s ministry, especially with people considered outsiders? [30:01]
3. The Pharisees believed holiness meant separation from “sinners.” How does Jesus’s approach to holiness differ, and what does that mean for us today? [32:47]
4. Jesus quotes Hosea, saying, “I desire mercy, not sacrifice.” What does this reveal about what God values most in our faith and practice? [39:34]

Application Questions

1. The sermon asked, “Who are the Matthews of our time?” Who are the people you tend to avoid or judge as unworthy of a seat at your table? What would it look like to see them through Jesus’s eyes? [27:27]
2. Think about a time when you felt like an outsider or unworthy. How did someone’s welcome (or lack of it) impact you? How might you offer that kind of welcome to someone else this week? [46:36]
3. Jesus’s table was a place of transformation, not just comfort. Is there someone you sense God nudging you to invite into your life, even if it feels uncomfortable or messy? What’s holding you back? [30:01]
4. The Pharisees justified withholding generosity and love. Are there ways you find yourself making excuses not to extend mercy or hospitality? What’s one step you could take to move past those excuses? [35:10]
5. The sermon said, “Holiness often looks like hospitality.” What is one practical way you can make space for someone who feels excluded—at church, at work, or in your neighborhood? [46:36]
6. Jesus’s invitation to “follow me” is ongoing homework for all of us. What does following Jesus look like for you this week, especially in how you treat people who are different from you? [50:59]
7. The church is not a museum for saints, but a hospital for sinners. How does remembering your own need for grace change the way you interact with others who are struggling? [36:25]