There’s Room at the Table
Scripture: Matthew 15:29–31
If you’ve ever been to an Australian barbecue, you’ll know the invitation: “Bring a plate!” It’s our way of saying, “Come along. There’s food to share, and there’s room for you.”
But we also know what it feels like to be left out. To hear the laughter, smell the barbecue, and realise the invitation never came. Few things sting quite like feeling you don’t belong.
Matthew 15 gives us a beautiful picture of Jesus welcoming people who might never have expected a place near Him. Jesus climbed a mountain, and the crowds came. The blind, the lame, the mute, and many others were brought to His feet. These were people carrying burdens they couldn’t resolve themselves. Some may have been carried physically; all came with a need.
And what did Jesus do? He healed them.
Notice what He didn’t ask. He didn’t demand their credentials, inspect their backgrounds, or require them to prove their worthiness. He simply welcomed them and met them in their need. That’s a wonderful picture of grace. We don’t come to Jesus because we have everything together. We come because we don’t. The gospel isn’t an invitation to impress God with our goodness; it’s an invitation to bring our need to the One who alone can save us.
Perhaps you’ve been keeping your distance from God, convinced you need to sort yourself out first. You don’t. Come as you are, with your questions, failures, fears, and burdens.
Jesus is not repelled by the person who knows they need Him.
Reflect: What burden do you need to bring to Jesus today?
Pray: Lord Jesus, thank You that Your invitation is grounded in grace, not my worthiness. Help me come honestly to You and trust You with what I cannot fix myself. Amen.
Watch the sermon: There’s Room At The Table