Guess Who's Coming to Dinner Letter

“D’gyaeatyet?”

What? Well it is a Deep South way of saying “did you eat yet” I know it is sort of southern. But I do want to talk to you about eating; it is one of my favorite subjects. Specifically, I want to talk to you about a special meal that Matthew Put together for a few friends in honor of Jesus. The story is told of how Levi, a tax collector, was called to follow Jesus. Let’s read it in Luke 5:27^.

²⁷After this, Jesus went out and saw a tax collector by the name of Levi sitting at his tax booth. “Follow me,” Jesus said to him, ²⁸ and Levi got up, left everything and followed him.

²⁹ Then Levi held a great banquet for Jesus at his house, and a large crowd of tax collectors and others were eating with them. ³⁰ But the Pharisees and the teachers of the law who belonged to their sect complained to his disciples, “Why do you eat and drink with tax collectors and ‘sinners’?”

³¹ Jesus answered them, “It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick. ³² I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.”

The change in Levi was so great that his name was changed to Matthew because Levi, the crooked tax collector, just didn’t fit him any more.  He wanted his other friends to know what Jesus had done for him. So he planned a meal at his house and invited publicans (tax collectors – not too loved by anyone) and Jesus. He spent his money and gave his time to introduce his friends to Jesus. What a wonderful idea!

In a few weeks we are coming together at the Convention Center with The Grace Fellowship of Churches for a joint meeting. Evangelist Junior Hill will give a gospel message, the Grace Fellowship will make a public proclamation of its intention to be a blessing and not a burden to Des Moines and its people, and we will kick off our 40 Days of Community campaign. What a wonderful opportunity for you to bring a friend.

Let me help you bring your friend to a service that will at least plant the gospel seed in his/her heart and may even see them come to Christ the same day:

• Start to pray about the person(s) the Lord would have you invite. We will give you memory jogger next week to help you think of those people.
• Put their name on the possible guest list that we will provide. Pray diligently for them and look for an opportunity to invite them to the Community Service and to lunch.
• Invite them to come with you September 25. Take the two-part invitation for lunch and the community service and prayerfully invite the person or family to the Community Service and to Lunch either at you home, or at a restaurant. If the first person turns you down then just ask another person on your list.
• Let your church family pray with you for your friend. Bring the part that says, “Guess who’s coming to lunch” (dinner) including only the first names of the guest(s) and your full name to the church. Leave the other part with your guest as a reminder of the appointment. At the church we will have in the atrium a four sided “Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner,” display. It will serve as our prayer center for the weeks leading up to the Community Service.
• Let your guest know you are looking forward to dinner with them. As September 25th approaches, we will pray together for your friend or family member and you will make one final contact to make arrangements to get together at the convention center and then dinner afterwards.
• Enjoy the day. After attending the service, you can dine together and of course hopefully have the opportunity to talk about what they heard. There are no evening activities at the church that night so you have the time to spend with your guests!
• Just imagine. Imagine what it will be like if each family brings only one person on September 25. We could easily see 500 first-time guests come to hear the gospel. Would it not be wonderful to see many of our friends and family trust Jesus as their Savior that day!

Here is a wonderful opportunity. Let’s not waste it. I believe this simple meeting and dinner invitation could make the difference in the lives of dozens if not hundreds of individuals. Attempt Great things for God; Expect great things from God – William Carey.

Ephesians 3:20 (NKJ) Now  to Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think,  according to the power that works in us, ²¹ to Him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus to all generations, forever and ever. Amen.

Let’s give God Glory!

Pastor Phil