The Banqueting Table

The title of this banqueting table, that's what this teaching is called

and I'm looking forward to teaching it because

it's kinda new for me.

Song of Songs chapter 2 verse 4 says

Song of Solomon 2:4

He brought me to his banqueting house

and Psalm 23 verse 5 says

Psalms 23:5

You prepare a table for me in the presence of my enemies

or you prepare a banquet for me or the message says

you prepare a six course dinner for me in the presence of my enemies

so the point is okay so why does God say in

Song of Songs chapter 2 verse 4 I'm bringing you into my banqueting table

Song of Solomon 2:4

where you can

be refreshed with the feast I have set for you. Why does He say

that I'll prepare a table for you in the presence of my enemies?

I want us to grasp this table that awaits

us every morning or every afternoon

let's just go with morning for now. I want us to begin to grasp

this table that awaits us every morning and this table is there regardless of the

previous night and the incidents that may have happened

this table is there regardless of the approaching afternoon and what that might

look like.

This banqueting table that God sets

is there waiting for you man. I want us to just examine and grasp what this

table means.

It's almost like soul food guys

it's almost like soul food that sustains,

refreshes, satisfies. One of the words that came to me while I was thinking of it is

you have that phrase on cereal boxes the breakfast of champions

that's what we're talking about here. We're talking about the breakfast of

champions

set on this table which will be refreshing which will

be able to sustain and which will be able to

satisfy and the intent is to make you aware of it

so that you'll seek it and come ready

to sit at this table. This is the thing guys sometimes I go into

I remember going into this really fancy restaurant

and at this restaurant I had no idea

that breakfast was free. It was one of those five-starish kind of places

and I thought you gotta pay big bucks for the breakfast so

I just thought I'll have a muffin or something because I really didn't want to spend

30-40 dollars eating that amazing breakfast

but what I didn't know was the room that I had booked

came with the breakfast and so till you're aware

that you have this table waiting for you

you won't go to sit at it and if you don't sit at it you won't eat it

and it was only on the third day that I found out

that there was free breakfast and that third day I was leaving early in the

morning

for the airport and I don't like eating a full breakfast before I fly

and so throughout the flight I was just regretting it

so the intent is to make you aware of it so that you'll seek and come ready to

sit at this table and then like Elijah

in 1 Kings 19 8 you'll find that once you become aware

of this banqueting table that God sets for you every morning

when you're aware of this breakfast of champions that you can partake in

when you're aware that there is food to be had for your spirit and soul that can

sustain

refresh and satisfy you what will happen then is just like in 1 Kings 19 8

with Elijah angels will feed you man

and you'll be strengthened to travel 40 days and 40 nights

until you reach Horeb which is the mountain of God what am I talking about

remember that scene where

Elijah is sleeping and an angel comes and wakes him up and says

arise and eat and feeds him and says you've got a long ways to go and he gets up

and he's sustained and strengthened and now he goes for another 40 days and 40

nights

to the mountain of God called Horeb and so

what I'm trying to do is introduce to us this amazing

thing called the banqueting table that we can partake of

so what's this banqueting table like

and why should I attend and how should I respond to the invitation

that's what we'll be talking about so the first thing about this table

is guys it's breathtaking it's breathtaking

so Jacob what am I supposed to do with this after you tell me

you're supposed to awaken every morning and say

there's a banqueting table waiting for me I'm gonna sit at it

and eat because it'll give me the strength to go through this day

and another 40 days and nights if necessary fed by the angels

as I climb up the mountain of God and what is the mountain of God

the mountain of God is the place where God dwells we'll talk about that

another day

Zion and stuff like that we've already talked about regardless

it's breathtaking this banqueting table is breathtaking how do you know that

first Kings 10 4

first Kings 10 4

first Kings 10 4 these are parallels that we need to draw guys

first Kings 10 4

it's a beautiful scripture it says there

and when the Queen of Sheba had seen

all the wisdom of Solomon the house that he had built

the food at his table the seating of his officials

the attendance of his servants and their clothing his cup bearers and his burnt

offerings

that he had offered at the house of the Lord there was no more breath in her

talk about actual breathtaking scenes breathtaking is when

you gasping for breath because it took your breath away man and this was the

Queen of Sheba who wasn't poor by the way

she was pretty with it too and so she comes to Solomon's palace

and sees the table man sees the food on the table

the guys who served the officials who sit the arrangement and it's breathtaking

I wanna say to you that the table that we're talking about the banqueting table

that we're talking about

it's breathtaking it's extravagant it's lavish

it's bountiful it's abundant

it's generous when was the last time you got up in the morning thinking

hmm there's a table waiting for me that is lavish

extravagant generous abundant and bountiful

not too often that we wake up like that

that's what's waiting for you we're just scratching the surface

it is beginning so

what does the food on this table look like guys it's fascinating

this table has wisdom this table has insight

this table has counsel this table has plans to prosper you

this table has I'll repeat the whole thing this table has the ability to

fatten your neck

so that no yolk fits on it this table has healing

did you know that healing is the bread of the children

that healing is the bread of the children of God healing is the bread

of the children of God and this table provides it can you imagine getting up

every morning

going and approaching this banqueting table that God says

I have called you into my banqueting house and I prepared a table for you in

the presence of my enemies

come and eat and father can you please pass the bread which bread son

the bread of healing which is for children yes about

there's healing at this table there's repentance at this table there is new wine

at this table

there is the washing of feet at this table there is the leaning on Jesus's

bosom like John at this table

there's the breaking of the alabaster flask of perfume at this table

all that happened in the context of a meal guys

this is the kind of banqueting table we're being called to

let me repeat that again this table

Reebs do you want to put it off I know you're there but you can listen if you

want to

my sister's on the phone and she doesn't know

guys this table has wisdom it has insight it has counsel

plants to prosper you fatten your neck

there's healing at this table repentance new wine what new wine

new ways of thinking that completely change the way you function

there's a washing of feet at this table that happened in the context of a meal

there's a leaning on Jesus's bosom as John did there's a breaking of the

alabaster flask of perfume

as the woman who poured it over her head so there's exchange at this table

and let me tell you something else that's there at this table which we

probably don't think should be at this table

there's correction at this table correction

is one of the rarest delicacies found on this table

it's a delicacy served by the king's cup bearers

never look at correction as look at correction as

boy this is tender meat

a table which does not have correction is a table that

is has a huge ingredient missing thank God

for cup bearers in your life who have the audacity

to come up and say to you you're wrong you need to be corrected

we never see them as people who are

who you necessarily always like but correction

is so vital to your life and mine

if you don't have someone who corrects you you're poor

you're poor

I'm not talking just about your spouse

that sometimes comes with salt and pepper

I'm talking about genuine correction cup bearers of the king of kings

to correct you thank God for them so my question is guys

what did you eat and drink this morning with God at his banqueting table of

delight

you go to the table of delight you go up and say father

breakfast of champions I'm here banqueting table of the king what did you

eat and drink with him today

at his table of delight remember guys

I've said this in different ways and I'm saying it again today it's a line that I

that is in the song of songs but it's also a line that John Piper came up with

God is most glorified in you

when you are most satisfied with him

God is most glorified dynasty when you are most satisfied with him

it's so naturally when God is

when you are most satisfied with God that is when he's most glorified in you

when you're not satisfied with him it shows

Boy, it shows when you're not happy with your wife.

But when you're happy with her, it's a whole different ballgame, man.

He is most glorified in you when you are most satisfied with him.

In him. That's the song we sang, eh?

That's why I kept going back to that line.

We delight ourselves at your table, oh God.

You do all things well, just look at our lives.

Isn't that cool?

You do all things well, just look at our lives.

What a measure, man.

Like I said, one of the greatest compliments you can give the father is

just so you know, oh God, you're a great shepherd.

I'm really satisfied with the management of my life.

What a statement to make.

And we can feel the love of God in this place.

I believe your goodness.

I receive your grace.

We delight ourselves at your table, oh God.

You do all things well, just look at our lives.

I love that line.

Just look at my life.

If you want to see how well God is doing, that should be our statement.

The second thing about this line is that

the second thing about this banqueting table is that it offers protective hospitality.

It offers protective hospitality.

Crazy word, protective hospitality.

Guys, in the ancient Near East, where most of the Old Testament stories are set,

when a traveler was received by his host,

what the host would do is his host would spread food before him.

And in setting the table with food before him,

not only was the host meeting the guy's hunger and being hospitable,

but he was also guaranteeing immunity from any enemy who attempted to harm him.

Let me say that again.

In the ancient Near East, where most of the Old Testament stories happen,

when a host invited you home and set food before you,

what he was saying is, listen, I want to be hospitable to you.

But the moment I set food before you,

I also want you to know that I guarantee immunity from anybody who comes as an enemy to harm you.

Look at Genesis 19, verses 6 to 8.

Genesis 19:6–8

And so, Lord takes them inside his house and shuts the door.

And they start knocking on the door.

And Lord comes out and says, listen, I have set a table before these men.

I have invited them into my house.

I am their host.

And I've set a table before them.

You cannot touch them because now they are under my protection.

I'm even willing to send my daughters out to you, but you can't touch my guests.

I mean, look at Genesis 19, verses 6 to 8.

Genesis 19:6–8

Genesis 19, 6 to 8.

Lord went out to the men at the entrance, shut the door after him and said,

I beg you, my brothers, do not act so wickedly.

Behold, I have two daughters who have not known any man.

Let me bring them out to you and do with them as you please.

Only do nothing to these men for they have come under the shelter of my roof.

As twisted and perverse as that sounds, the point I'm trying to make is something else.

That once you spread out food before your guests as a host,

you were saying, I guarantee immunity from any enemy who attempts to harm.

This is what God is saying when he says to David,

I now set up a table before you in the presence of my enemies.

God is saying, I'm the host.

You're my friend and you're my guest.

And I'm going to spread out a table before you.

And in spreading out that table, I'm making an announcement

that you are now under my protection and my immunity.

You are in my house and nothing shall harm you.

And depending on how generous and how powerful the host was,

the greater the immunity that the guest had.

And the fact is my host whose name happens to be Yahweh

is the ruler of the entire world and this is my father's world.

And therefore, his unlimited control and power is a display

when he says, Jacob, I invite you to sit at a table in the presence of your enemies.

Because in doing that, I'm giving you protective hospitality.

Come and eat at this table every morning.

The breakfast of champions is true.

When you sit at this table, you come knowing, hmmm,

He just spread out the food before me and in spreading out the food,

he's declaring to me that he's guaranteeing me immunity from the enemy.

Isn't that cool?

Any questions before we go on?

Move on?

Okay.

Next one, guys.

2 Samuel 9, 7, kindness.

2 Samuel 9, 7.

If I can remember my Greek, I think kindness comes from a Greek word called Crestotis.

Are you impressed?

Thank you.

I practiced that line many times at home this morning.

2 Samuel 9, 7.

2 Samuel 9, 7.

Samuel after kings or before kings?

2 Samuel 9, 7.

So David said to him,

Do not fear, for I'll surely show you kindness for Jonathan's sake,

for your father's sake,

and I will restore you all the land of Saul your grandfather,

and you shall eat bread at my table continually.

Guys, one of the things you need to realize about this banqueting table

is that it's a table of kindness.

And this word kindness cannot be separated from a Hebrew word

which is not something that Jason knows about.

The Hebrew word is called Chesed, a Chesed.

Well, Chesed.

Chesed means loyal covenant love or a loving kindness.

That's what Chesed means.

And kindness cannot be separated from it.

And so when we talk about this table being a table of kindness,

you're talking about a table where God's loyal love.

I love the, you know, when we say loving kindness,

it's so alien to our vocabulary

because we don't tell our spouses,

I got great loving kindness towards you.

It doesn't work.

But you're talking about something called loyal love.

This table is a table of loyal covenant love.

And you hear about it in Exodus 34, 6

when Yahweh reveals his name to Israel,

he says, I am slow to anger, full of mercy.

And then he uses this word Chesed,

which basically says I'm a God who keeps loyal covenant love with you.

And why is this important to recognize about this table?

Because guys, his kindness is not dependent on kindness being returned.

His kindness is not dependent on kindness being returned.

And in fact, his kindness is often tested by my hostility,

by my coldness, by my brazen defiance.

And yet at this table, around this table,

the host doesn't go around trying to spot my deficiencies

or reminding me of the times I've been unkind to him.

Why does, why is it important to recognize

Why does, why is it important to know that?

Because every morning I can come to this table

regardless of what happened last night,

regardless of what may happen this afternoon,

I can come every morning to this table

knowing that here is a table

where loyal love and kindness will be poured out on Jacob.

Where the host is not looking to spot deficiencies,

but the host is willing to have me sit at this table and eat with him.

If there was anyone who didn't belong at that table,

it was Mephi-Bosher, Jonathan's son.

Because Saul had a house that had raved against David

and tried to kill him multiple times.

But David goes looking, he goes looking.

He's not even passive about it.

He says, I've become king.

Find me someone who I can show kindness to from the house of Saul.

Find me someone who I can show kindness to from the house of Callahan,

from the house of Venkatesh, from the house of Gough,

and even the Mebs and the Pantans.

Show me someone.

Bring them to the table.

That's the kind of banqueting table it is.

Kindness, kindness, morning to start at the morning.

Do you understand why David said,

Oh father, every morning I will experience your loving kindness

and the evening I will speak of your faithfulness.

What a way to start the day.

Soaked in the kindness, in the loyal love of God.

Great is your faithfulness.

The first part of that scripture is,

Oh God, great is your loving kindness every morning

and your faithfulness every night.

Imagine going out into the world baked and soaked

in the loyal love and the kindness of God.

And when you sit around this table,

what happens is you get transformed

and now you stop spotting people's deficiencies too.

You don't whitewash them,

but your attitude changes.

Your attitude is not one who's looking for deficiencies.

But when you see them, you don't pretend they don't exist either.

Because that's the other side of Christian niceness.

I love the next point, man.

I love the next point.

You know, look at 2 Samuel 9.13.

So Mefi Boshet, the last verse in chapter 9,

So Mefi Boshet lived in Jerusalem,

for he ate always at the king's table.

Now he was lame in both his feet.

Now, so Mefi Boshet lived in Jerusalem,

for he always ate at the king's table.

He ate always at the king's table

and now he was lame in both his feet.

Guys, here is someone who has been crippled in his feet.

Long ago we did a study on what lame feet mean.

Lameness is an inability to walk in the purposes of God.

Lameness is an inability to walk in your birthright.

Here was a boy who was born to be king.

And yet his family no longer exists.

His father, his grandfather and his brother,

his uncles have been killed.

He was swept away by his maid and broke his legs.

No longer a king.

Lost his birthright.

No longer serving the purpose that he was born for.

And yet what happens next?

He is brought to this table in the royal house.

And guess what?

When you sit at a table and someone comes from outside,

your lameness is covered.

You see someone sitting at the king's table

but you don't see his lameness.

Because your lameness is covered under a table.

You sit at a table, they can't see your lameness, man.

At this banqueting table, your lameness is covered.

What is your lameness?

Your inability, your failure, your past,

your gaps, your deficiencies are covered.

Your gaps, your deficiencies are covered at this table.

I love that about God.

I mean, I know you've heard this before

but it's worth reminding.

I remember once going to this church

and really messing up what I was supposed to teach.

And I come back and I was too vain

to ask anybody how I did.

Because I thought they'll think,

boy, this guy wants someone to praise him.

I really wanted someone to praise me and no one did.

And so I can't ask anybody,

so I come home and I'm stewing,

oh God, this was a big church,

you gave me an opportunity,

I messed it up big time.

And I'm just stewing, man, I'm regretting it.

And this went on from about 8 in the evening

to about midnight, man.

I was doing things and again it would come up.

Finally I turned to God and I said,

Father, I mean, no one said anything

and I know I messed up,

but I want to hear what you have to say about it.

I said, Father, I want to hear what you think.

What do you think of how I did?

And as clear as daylight, even though it was night,

He said, go out to your balcony

and I went up to my balcony and I said, look up.

And I looked up.

And as I looked up,

it's a typical Vancouver night

with open sky and clouds, open sky and clouds.

And as I'm looking, there's this open sky.

And as I'm looking, the clouds begin to cover that open sky

and it completely blots it out.

And then another gap

and the clouds come and cover that.

And as clear as day, I hear the Lord saying,

Jacob, always remember this for the rest of your life.

I will always cover the gaps for you.

I will always cover the gaps for you.

And I was standing in the balcony and weeping saying,

because what was my question to Him?

Father, how did you think I did?

I messed up.

What do you think of it?

And He said, I'll always cover the gaps for you.

Doesn't matter how inadequate you are.

Doesn't matter how you may have messed up your birthright

and squandered it.

Doesn't matter that your purpose is to do something

and doesn't matter that your purpose fell apart

because you messed up.

Doesn't matter that you're deficient in what you have done.

When you come and sit at this banqueting table,

the very tablecloth on that table

covers your legs and your lameness is covered.

It covers my lameness.

And I particularly say that to people here who are getting older.

That you may be thinking that my purpose, what purpose?

I'm already in the second or the third quarter of my life.

What purpose can I serve?

I've got enough problems to carry.

I'm saying to you, take this home tonight.

That your lameness is covered at this table.

It is the sweetest form of restoration.

Sweetest form of restoration.

Where your lameness is covered and your purpose is still fulfilled

by virtue simply of where you are seated.

Of where you are seated.

That's what God is saying.

Come son, sit at my table.

I'll cover your lameness.

Can you understand the difference it will make

when you decide every morning that I'm going to go sit at this table

this morning because I know my lameness will be covered

and my inadequacy will be covered.

The gaps will be covered.

Go ahead.

When my lameness is covered, I now begin to function at the royal table.

Suddenly it's like, yeah, I squandered my birthright

and my purpose was undone and I cannot walk well in the vision

God had set for me.

But guess what?

I was born into a royal family and I was supposed to be king

and I still eat at the royal table for the rest of my life.

I still am able to function because I'm being restored.

Not only is my lameness covered, now the one I'm sitting with begins to heal my legs.

Some of us are so beaten down that all we can see are crippled legs.

Someone needs to cover these legs so that we can stop looking at them

and look at the one seated across and say,

I'm sitting next to someone who is king and who has the power to heal.

Once I stop looking at my crippledness,

I'll start seeing and beholding the face of him who can change me from glory to glory,

from faith to faith, from greater purpose to greater purpose.

Restores me, man. It restores me.

Because we are so used to seeing our crippledness.

All of us.

I invite you to this table. Not I.

I'm just the invitation handler, hand around.

Hand out, or however it works.

The next thing about this table, guys.

Guys, understand the difference it will make if you sit at this table and make it part of your life every day.

Man, it will change the way you function.

The next thing about this table is there's sumptuous grace at this table.

Sumptuous grace.

John 6 53.

John 6 53.

John 6 53 is a scripture that turns so many people off.

It's crazy. Half of Jesus' followers or more left at this scripture.

John 6 53.

And here's what John 6 53 says.

It says,

Truly, truly I say to you,

unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink His blood, you have no life in you.

And once He said that,

verse 60, when many of His disciples heard it, they said, this is a hard thing. Who can listen to it?

And soon, go to verse 66, after this many of His disciples turned back and no longer walked with Him.

And yet Jesus deliberately knowing that this scripture will affect people,

still goes ahead and does not add any sugar to it and says,

very truly I tell you, unless you eat of the flesh of the Son of Man and drink His blood, you have no life in Him.

Guys, I call this a table of sumptuous grace because this is a table where we gather to eat His flesh.

This banqueting table is a table where we gather to eat His flesh.

And don't worry Maya, I'll explain it.

This is a table where you gather to eat His flesh.

What do you mean by eating His flesh?

It means we partake of His very substance.

Your mom will explain that to you better.

But it's not what you think it is.

So let me say that again.

This is a table where you gather to eat His flesh or to partake of His very substance or the sum total of His person.

And what is the sum total of His person?

It's hidden in John 1.14 where it says,

And the Son of God came down to the earth and was made manifest in flesh and dwelt among men full of truth and grace.

The substance of God is truth and grace.

The substance of God is truth and grace.

So when we eat of His flesh, what we are saying is we come to eat of the substance of God.

We come to eat of the sum totality of His person.

And what is the sum totality of His person?

What is the substance of God?

It is this thing called grace where He was impoverished on the cross so that all sufficiency in all things comes to be through this amazing thing called grace.

Listen to this line again and again.

If you have one of these things that can keep rewinding, listen to it.

Because it will hit you like a ton of bricks one day and then like a huge boulder another day.

And it will either crush you or you will stumble over it.

Both are good things to happen.

Matthew 6.11 says, Give us this day our daily bread.

What are you saying?

Oh God, besides the food that you will supply anyways,

what I am asking you is give me this day the grace, the very substance of yourself that is available to me because you were impoverished on the cross.

Give me this day grace that I may have all sufficiency.

I come to you helplessly to eat of your flesh, to eat the bread of grace at your table.

Tell me something in your life that is not a product of the grace of God.

Give me anything in your life that is not a product of the grace of God.

One thing, one thing, challenging you.

One thing in your life that is not a product of the grace of God.

You are hearing these words, it's the grace of God.

He gave you ears and an ear drum.

You are nodding your head, it's the grace of God.

He put the muscles in your neck together.

You are laughing now, it's the grace of God.

You are laughing now, it's the grace of God.

Because you realize the truth in what I am saying and you have 48 muscles in your jaw that allow you to smile.

Actually it's 54.

And that could be the truth or it could not.

But the point is there is nothing in your life that is not by the sheer grace of God,

where He impoverishes Himself so that you have all sufficiency.

And the greater your helplessness, the greater the grace that you dwell in.

The more full you are of yourself, the less you will eat at this banqueting table guys.

I remember once I went somewhere for dinner and they brought out watermelon in the beginning.

And I chomped away at the watermelon and the watermelon was really sweet.

So I am just consuming the watermelon.

Finally when the dinner came out, there was no space man.

Because my stomach was full of watermelon.

And when I saw what was spread before me, there was this hatred against watermelon that began to develop that day.

It was like, what a waste.

It's water.

It's water.

And so if you want to eat at this banqueting table, know this that the more hungry and helpless you are,

the more you partake of grace.

The more full of yourself you are, the less you partake of sumptuous grace that is put on this table.

Come helplessly every morning.

Come helplessly saying, Father, I want to eat of your flesh.

I want to eat of your flesh.

I want to eat the substance of who you are.

And I know that you said that the substance of you is truth and grace.

I want to eat of it.

How do I eat of it?

By coming to you and saying, I am helpless.

I need all sufficiency and it's your being empty that provides me that today.

So I am asking for it.

How do I eat of your truth?

I'll eat of your truth by delving into your word and devouring it.

For in the breaking of the word, Judas and John in your heart will be revealed.

Do you know that?

I've said that here before.

It is in the breaking of the word that the Judas in your heart and the John in your heart will be revealed.

Both sit right next to Jesus.

One is leaning on his bosom and one is waiting to dip his bread with Jesus into the bowl to go and betray him.

In the breaking of the bread, both will be revealed in your heart.

This is why the word has the ability to sift and go deep in through marrow and bone right into your spirit and expose who you are before the Creator.

I love what the word does.

This is why I said correction is one of the most wonderful, pricey delicacies that you can eat at this table.

Second Timothy 3.16.

The word of God is sent to rebuke, to admonish, to correct.

Enjoy it.

Let Judas be revealed and you can chase him out.

Let John be revealed and let him recline on Jesus' chest.

In the breaking of the word, this happens.

Avoid it and you won't recognize John and Judas.

Surprising thing is both of them sit on both sides of Jesus.

It's a table that binds, guys.

It's a table that binds in the sense that when you eat at this table, you rarely sit alone at this table.

You don't sit alone at this table.

When you come to this banqueting table, you eat at this table.

You eat at this table.

You don't sit alone at this table.

When you come to this banqueting table, you eat with others in the presence of Yahweh.

It's a table that binds.

Meaning this is not a table where you eat alone.

Know that there around this table are others like you who have found the Father.

And they sit around this table and eat with Yahweh.

Go to Exodus 24.

I love that scripture.

Exodus 24.

If there was one time in the Old Testament I'd have liked to participate or been in a scene,

this would be a scene that I'd really like to be in.

These were ordinary people, but it blows my mind that this happened.

Exodus 24 verses 9 to 11.

Exodus 24:9–11

Then Moses and Aaron, Nadab and Abihu and the 70 of the elders of Israel went up.

What did they see when they went up?

They saw the God of Israel.

There was under His feet as it were a pavement of sapphire.

Sapphire stone, like the very heaven for clearness.

And He did not lay His hands on the chief men and the people of Israel.

And then look at what it says next.

And they beheld God and they ate and drank with Him.

These are people in the Old Covenant.

These are people who went up the mountain and ate and drank and beheld God.

The living God.

Don't know what they saw, but it did say they saw.

And when you see God, regardless of how He turns up, it's going to be very unmistakable.

Don't worry about that one.

And there was sapphire like stone beneath His feet and they ate and drank with God.

What I'm trying to say is this is a banqueting table that you can come to

knowing that when you eat at this table you don't sit alone.

But you eat with others in the presence of Yahweh as they did in Exodus 24.

At this table guys you engage in koinonia, which is another Greek word as our resident scholar will tell you.

Which means fellowship and participation.

It's a partnership kind of participation.

Where at this table you engage in that kind of partnered participation

where we are bound to one another in Christ, sharing one loaf.

If we were doing communion today, that's what we would understand.

That listen, I'm coming to a banqueting table where I don't come as an individual and go home as an individual.

I asked this question at the Bible study this week.

How many of us came here this morning with this eager excitement that I'm going to the

I'm going to be part of a body of believers and I wonder how I'm going to mutually benefit someone else today.

Or did we come here to have 40 individual experiences?

I know that I didn't come here this morning expecting an individual experience.

If it happens, it happens as a byproduct.

I came here to share in a common experience called Christ.

I came here to share in a common experience called Christ.

Unlimited in session amongst the people.

And I came here thinking how can I benefit the rest of the body today?

So we come here not thinking of 40 individual experiences,

but come to sit at a table together where someone says pass me the mustard, pass me the pepper.

And this really is tasty and you join together.

It's a tie that binds at this table where there's actual partnered participation.

Participation and fellowship where we are bound to one another in Christ sharing one loaf.

A banqueting table around which there are different expressions, different giftings, different personalities.

My God look at Wayne and then look at Matt and then look at Kamal.

Talk about different personalities.

A banqueting table around which there are different expressions, different giftings, different personalities, different styles, different forms of ministering.

But drawing from a common experience of the spirit for the benefit of one another.

The longer we go into the future guys, the less this church should have one expression, one ministry, one gifting that comes from Jacob.

And unless I begin to focus on that deliberately, you'll end up having this church only function in slow worship songs or medium fast worship songs.

In prophetic, in going to the nations, you will never see the light of rap or hip hop in this church.

You won't see other gifts.

You won't see any other form of worship. Why?

Because Jacob has a certain personality, a certain gifting, a certain way of expression, a certain way of ministry.

While in the first five to seven years that is important to set the basis.

If that is what continues, then I rob the spirit of God from bringing to the forefront in this church.

The various expressions that sit here.

This is the period of time when the one who founded the church has to begin to step back so that other gifts begin to come up.

Otherwise we will all end up looking more or less like the gifts and the personality and the expressions that Jacob has.

I can't imagine doing a hip hop song here for you during worship.

You don't have to smile Ryan.

I can't do one of those rap thingies that James occasionally does because I don't let him do it too often.

That's the kind of table we are talking about guys.

A banqueting table around which different expressions, different giftings, personalities, styles, forms, ways of ministering before man and God drawn from the common experience of the spirit for the benefit of one another starts flourishing.

If I had a choice, let's not go there.

Moving on, let's end with table manners.

So we are called to this banqueting table, but how do we approach this table?

Is table manners required?

Is there a dining etiquette to this banqueting table?

So what is the dining etiquette expected at this banqueting table if you are to benefit from it and if you are to sit at it and eat well?

First guys, it's in 1 Corinthians 10.21 and I love the way the message puts it because it ties right into what we are saying.

Here's the way the message says it.

So Jacob, you can't have it both ways.

Banqueting with the master one day and slumming with demons the next.

You can't have it both ways.

Banqueting with the master one day and slumming with demons the next.

Besides, the master just won't put up with it.

Love the directness of that.

1 Corinthians 10.21 from the message.

You can't have it both ways.

You can't banquet with the master one day and go slumming with the demons the next.

Besides, the master just won't put up with it.

What is it trying to say?

Guys, if you want to eat at this table, you can't pursue God and pursue the demonic.

And what do you mean by pursuing the demonic?

Pursuing outright habitual enjoyable sin.

Can't banquet with God and slum with the demons.

And some of us do that occasionally and some of us do that regularly.

Can't do that.

You cannot benefit from this table by banqueting at it and slumming with the demonic.

And slumming with demons seems such a harsh way to put it.

But that's what I do when I decide that I want to pursue sin.

Notice my words.

I'm not saying when you sin occasionally.

I'm talking about the pursuit of sin.

The pursuit of sin is when someone who is married chooses deliberately that I am going to pursue an affair.

I'm going to start an affair with someone other than my spouse.

And I'm going to pursue it.

I've set my heart to it.

You know there are times when we set our heart to sin.

Can you believe that?

I've done that.

The second thing that on the side, this is just a side point that I felt I needed to bring up.

Guys, just as the Lord's table as in communion, the breaking of bread.

Just as the Lord's table binds us to one another in Christ.

You understand that?

When we eat of the bread and drink of the cup.

When we break bread here in church.

When we come to the Lord's table, it binds us to one another in Christ.

In the same way, you need to be aware that you bind yourself to those...

One of the things we need to understand is when we partake in a religious meal of some other religion.

You are binding yourself to those whose meals are consecrated to idols or demons.

That is one of the reasons I often, if you were to call me and ask me, would tell you.

Do not participate in someone else's religious meals.

Because just as we bind ourselves to each other in Christ.

So when you partake in a religious meal dedicated to some other God.

Even though it's not God and even though Paul says it's demonic.

What you are doing is you are binding yourselves to them in their devotion to another God.

Same principle applies.

Which is why Paul told the Corinthians to watch out.

That's just a side point.

Second one.

Guys, Daniel 1.12.

Daniel 1.12.

Daniel 1.12.

But Daniel purposed in his heart that he would not defile himself with the king's delicacies.

Nor with the wine which he drank.

Another table manner is that when you come to participate at this banquering table.

Then don't partake in the king's delicacies.

The king as in the king of Babylon's delicacies.

Don't mix your wines.

Don't refuse to substitute or to adulterate your values for the sake of some temporary gain.

Because that way the food on this table called the banquering table of God won't taste the same.

I mean one of the things I get quite upset about often is when I go take a chunk of meat or fish and find out it's tofu.

I mean it really gets me.

And you don't realize it.

And sometimes it looks so good that you take three, four pieces of it, plonk it on your table and then you eat it as tofu.

That sinking feeling when you know the same what it looked like.

I mean I'm just telling you my problem with tofu.

I got nothing against tofu.

Yeah.

It's the same thing guys.

Where we substitute or we adulterate real things with pretend things from the king's deities or king's delicacies.

And Daniel said no to that.

It was not a question of the pursuit of sin or the non-pursuit of sin.

It is a question of there are certain values that I come with and I eat of this table called the banquering table of God.

And I will not leave this banquering table and go and compromise those values.

Or go and adulterate those values.

Or go mix my drinks.

Or go substitute my values once I leave this table.

I'm sitting at this table and at this table I'll eat.

And when I leave this table I go with my stomach full, satisfied, refreshed, sustained.

Third thing we need to understand in terms of table manners at this table is guys.

Hey Lynn.

Good to see you.

Good thing you didn't say the tofu thing.

No, I think tofu is good as long as you label it tofu.

Yeah.

My problem is when I don't know it is tofu.

Guys, thank God I'm not some famous guy who can cause tofu sales to plummet.

Like when Oprah said something about beef.

Okay.

The third thing in terms of table manners guys at this banquering table is don't come as beggars.

Don't come as a beggar or as a sluggard expecting crumbs when you come to this table.

Don't come as a beggar to this table.

Don't come as a lazy sluggard to this table who comes and sits at the table and has the elbow on the table and says,

Feed me because you can't put your hand into the bowl and move it to your mouth.

Yeah, it happens Maya.

I mean I remember one of the things my dad and mom had to teach me was I wouldn't move my elbow from the table when I was eating.

So instead of my and I wouldn't move my face from the table.

So a lot of things would spill because I wouldn't lift my elbow off the table and I'd go this way and in between it would spill because the elbow would always rest on the table.

And my dad had to teach me how not to place my elbows on the table so that every part of my body is movable while eating.

Why was it convenient to keep the elbow on the table?

Because it's a lazy sluggard.

You cannot come to this table as a sluggard, as a lazy one.

Unfortunately, many of us will not be able to fully participate in this table because we come to this table as lazy sluggards.

Where it's all there but feed me.

You've got to move your arm man, you've got to get your elbows off the table.

And second don't come to this table like a beggar.

Even the Syrophoenician woman knew that.

Jesus says to her, but it's the dogs that eat the crumbs.

Dogs and beggars like me and I am not scared of that.

And I'm just saying that if you don't eat the crumbs and you're not being careful with your body,

Syrophoenician woman knew that.

Jesus says to her,

but it's the dogs that eat the crumbs.

Dogs and beggars survive on crumbs.

When I come to this banqueting table,

I'm not coming there and saying,

I can wait here and perhaps you can throw me some crumbs.

No, no, no, you've been invited as a son.

You've been invited as someone God desperately

wants to show kindness to.

You've been invited by the host of hosts

as an honored guest, as he says in Isaiah 43,

that you are an honored guest

who's being given immunity and protective hospitality.

You've come to a table that's breathtaking,

not to watch from a distance while you salivate,

but someone who can partake of that table.

So do not come to this table as a beggar or as a sluggard

because both will cause you to survive on crumbs.

And there are many, many Christians

who come to this table lazy,

who come to this table lazy.

I got stuff in my cupboards, guys,

that people gave me long, long ago

that should be thrown out now because it's expired

because it involves cutting and chopping and mixing.

It involves cutting and chopping and mixing.

The point being, I'm too lazy to do that.

Is that stuff good?

Yes, it is, but it involves work.

Can't be like that at this table.

No cutting and chopping and no chopping.

They come to the table because I'm trying to eat.

Yeah, and praise the Lord, the two knives I had disappeared.

I brought them to the banquet here

and someone got rid of them,

so the little chopping that used to happen has stopped too.

I mean, I used to cut my sausages on Saturday mornings.

Even that has stopped now.

No, thanks.

If you want to stay, my friend.

Guys, so come to this table as expectant, eager children

because it's an honor that's given to you

and you should not despise it or squander it like Esau.

Hey, the clock is wrong, right?

It's not the clock.

It's the clock.

It's the clock.

It's the clock.

It's the clock.

It's the clock.

It's the clock.

It's the clock.

It's the clock.

The clock is wrong, right?

Yeah.

Okay, we are done in three minutes.

I thought we had a lot of time.

Yeah, so don't despise or squander your invitation to this table.

Guys, the next thing is come dressed.

Come dressed.

There was a banqueting table that was spread for people

in Matthew 22 verses 11 and 12.

Matthew 22:11

And they went and called people from the streets, from the byways and the highways.

And they all came and there was one man sitting there and he wasn't dressed.

And the guy who called them to the banquet says,

what are you doing here?

How come you're not dressed?

And he threw him into the outer darkness.

What does it mean to come dressed to the table?

To come dressed to the table is to come not in earned righteousness or self-effort.

Many times we come to God and eat well of Him.

Once we've had three or four days where we've done stuff or we've accomplished stuff

or we have a sense of great righteousness or things that have worked out well.

I'm a champion for God.

No, no, no, no, no.

You come to this table not with self-effort or with earned righteousness

or with a track record of good days.

But you come to this table wearing the garment of God's righteousness.

How do we know this?

Because in Revelation 19, 6 to 8 it says,

And there was a huge wedding feast, the marriage supper of the Lamb

that was spread out for the saints.

And how did the saints come dressed to this marriage supper?

They came dressed in the robes of righteousness.

That's what it says.

So what does this come dressed mean?

To come dressed means come wearing garments that are righteous

but are dusty because you walked a mile in it.

Hello, did you hear that?

I'm not talking about coming in the garment of righteousness of God.

Just that. It should have dust on it.

Your clothes, your garments of righteousness should be dusty

because you've been walking in them.

You know how to live out righteousness.

Too many of us come because there's a church service or something.

We come dressed in these beautiful white righteous robes.

And that's wonderful. That's where you start.

But don't leave them back here. You're not in a choir

where you leave those gowns and go home.

Go walking in them. When you come back next Sunday,

let me scrape the dust off your robes of righteousness

because you walked many miles in them.

It's called practical righteousness.

May your righteous garments be dusty.

Jesus' garments were dusty.

He wouldn't spend all his time sitting in the temple

and then come out and give a sermon and go back.

His garments and his feet were always dusty.

May my righteous garments be dusty

because I walked miles in them.

Living out righteousness.

Yes, it is a righteousness that comes from God.

But now I live it out.

Come dressed to this table and you will have

the ingredients in this banquet go deep into wherever it needs to go.

It'll enrich you.

Finally guys, last point.

When you come to this banqueting table,

chase vultures away.

Chase vultures away.

Chase vultures away.

Chase vultures away.

What I mean by that,

God set a banquet for Abraham in Genesis 15.

A banquet of sorts. It was more a sacrifice.

And it was lying there.

A carcass is cut in two.

Birds cut in two.

Waiting for a torch from God to pass through.

And nothing was happening.

And birds of prey began to descend.

And Abraham went around chasing these vultures away.

Chasing little foxes away as it says in the Song of Songs.

The point being guys,

when you come to this banquet,

chase deceptive doctrine away.

Chase discouragement away.

Chase demons away.

Chase human decoys away.

That would distract you or contaminate or steal

from your right to eat at this banquet.

Chase it away.

Because there'll be mornings when you get up

and there'll be deceptions waiting for you.

Human decoys who,

before you even get to this table,

trip you up.

There'll be doctrines that are wrong,

that come up in your mind that you learned many years ago.

There'll be discouragement and sometimes depression that comes up.

Thinking, ah forget it.

And on days like that,

chase these vultures away.

Because they're trying to steal your right to sit at that table.

They're trying to contaminate the food on that table.

Chase them away.

Because this banqueting table is yours to eat at.

Turn up every morning.

So tomorrow as you wake up,

or today, I mean if you want to wake up,

you can go and sleep this afternoon and wake up too.

So tomorrow or this afternoon as you awaken,

may you hear the word of Song of Songs,

Song of Solomon 2 · chapter mention

chapter 2.

It says, arise my darling,

my beautiful one, come with me.

Let me bring you into my banqueting house.

Let me spread my banner of love over you 이게

Let me refresh youtone do you feeding with me on

me and savor my love.

Let me read that again.

Arise my darling,

my beautiful one,

come with me.

Let me bring you into my banqueting house.

Let me spread my banner of love over you.

Let me refresh you Vice

you feast on me

and how do you feast with me and save

May your reply be, to you I will run my beloved.

You've captured my heart.

Eat well guys, eat well.

I'll see you on the 24th.

I actually like you guys.