An Invitation for Everyone, Through Jesus
Scripture: John 6:35; Romans 10:12–13
One of the most striking features of Matthew 15 is the location of the miracle. Jesus is in the Decapolis, a predominantly Gentile region. The people gathered around Him were outsiders to the religious world in which His disciples had grown up. Yet Jesus welcomed them, healed them, and fed them.
The disciples may have wondered whether His compassion extended this far. Jesus answered by setting a table for thousands.
Here is the wonderful truth of the gospel: no one is disqualified from coming to Christ because of their background, nationality, history, or social standing. The invitation is genuinely wide. As Romans 10:13 declares, “whoever calls on the name of the LORD shall be saved.”
But there is something else we must understand. Although the invitation is open to everyone, salvation is found through Jesus Christ. He is not merely one option among many. He declared, “I am the bread of life” (John 6:35).
That’s not an invitation to religious superiority. It’s an invitation to humble dependence. Nobody at Jesus’ table earned their meal. Nobody arrived with a résumé of good deeds. Everyone depended on what He provided.
We come empty-handed, trusting in His death for our sins and His resurrection from the grave. Our confidence rests not in what we have done for God, but in what Christ has done for us.
Perhaps you have felt too far away, too broken, or too different to belong. Hear the invitation of Jesus afresh: come to Him.
And if you already know Him, remember that His table is not a private dining room for people like us. We are called to share the invitation with others.
Reflect: Is there someone you assume would never be interested in Jesus? What might happen if you invited them to hear about Him?
Pray: Father, thank You for making a way for sinners to come to You through Jesus. Give me confidence in the gospel and a heart that welcomes others to hear it. Amen.
Watch the sermon: There’s Room At The Table