TD Jakes - An Uncomfortable Invitation
Several years ago, in 1967, a very popular movie came out. It starred a cast that included Spencer Tracy and Sidney Poitier, along with Katharine Hepburn and her niece, Katharine Houghton. It was a very interesting film, and you have to understand that the year was 1967. In 1967, this was a big deal; it depicted a distinguished upper-class white family whose young daughter had fallen in love with a distinguished, intellectual young Black man played by Sidney Poitier. To the family's surprise, they had a dinner guest coming, but they did not know that the guest would be Black. You can imagine the tension in the room when they opened the door and in walked this handsome, striking young Black man. The tension was palpable; you could feel it. There was discomfort and an attempted polite conversation, but the social and cultural realities of the time would not allow for a comfortable environment because, quite frankly, the parents were shocked.
Now, this dramedy—a mix of drama and comedy—was designed for us to have a humorous look at ourselves, and often art imitates life so that we can learn from it how to better navigate human interactions. The tension around the table serves as a poignant example: when Jesus is invited to this supper with the Pharisees, it is unquestionable that he is not genuinely welcomed. I'm going to say that again: everyone who invites you may not be glad that you came. I know that sounds crazy, but as a preacher, I have noticed throughout my youth that some people invite me to preach while secretly hoping I fail. I've had invites where I sensed I wasn't wanted; you know how it is. If you are a sensitive, spiritually discerning person, you can tell when you're not welcome. You don’t even need to be invited to preach to recognize the atmosphere—a certain stench in the room that communicates, "We don’t want you here."
Such was the case with Jesus. He had been invited into the influential house of a Pharisee—not just any Pharisee, but a highly educated and charismatic leader within the Pharisaic movement. While sitting around the table, the Bible notes that he was being watched carefully. When you’re not looking, people often look at you; you look up, and they quickly look away. Jesus was there, but the atmosphere was wrong. You must understand why it felt wrong: the Pharisees had said many hideous things about Jesus. They fought him tooth and nail; they were intimidated by him. They did not accept him, wanted to reject him, and sought to ostracize him, yet they still invited him to dinner.
If you’ve ever been invited to an event where you were not welcomed, you would understand the internal turmoil—sitting there while trying to say something pleasant, all while feeling uncomfortable. I want you to grasp the discomfort Jesus felt while sitting at the table, being scrutinized by the very people who invited him—like being in a department store, observed as you wander down the aisles. They say, "May I help you?" but we knows they're not genuinely asking; they’re watching you.
The author, Luke, has a unique flair for delivering truths, often embedding profound concepts in the backdrop of food, which is strange yet true. He repeatedly uses meals as settings for deeper discussions. For instance, in Luke 7:34, Jesus' critics referred to him as a glutton and a winebibber. Luke notes that when Jesus came eating and drinking, they insulted him, calling him a friend of tax collectors and sinners. They used any excuse to demean him, and Luke uses food to spark conversation about the attitude behind such judgments. The food itself is merely the canvas that Luke paints upon.
In Luke 7:36 and 11:37, Jesus is again pictured dining with the Pharisees, but this time, it's an especially influential Pharisee. It's not the first time Jesus has eaten with the Pharisees, but it is significant because of the specific company present. You know that song that mentions being in the room where it happens? Jesus was in the room that matters. Luke also recounts how Jesus performed a miracle for a hungry crowd using two fish and five loaves of bread, feeding thousands.
Luke consistently invites us back to the table in his narratives. Jesus dines with his disciples in Luke 22:14-20, where he transforms bread and wine into a Eucharist. He presents the bread and wine, giving a new theological understanding of his body, and he did it all at the table. Look at someone in your house and say, "It happens at the table."
In Luke 24, we learn that on the road to Emmaus, Jesus walked and discussed scriptures, yet he did not reveal himself to the disciples until they were at the table. When he sat down with them, they recognized him in the breaking of bread. It is at the table that God performs some of his best work. The psalmist reminds us, "Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies."
While at the table, Jesus notices a man with dropsy. When Jesus sees this man, He wants to minister to him. Oh, to be at the table with Jesus! I'd rather be sick at the table with Jesus than well outside the room, for if I can get close to him, maybe he will notice me. While they stare at Jesus, he focuses on the man, understanding his need. Worship brings us to the table, into the presence of the Lord where anything is possible. Whether crippled, lame, afflicted, depressed, or discouraged, he was at the table.
Somebody this morning needs to get to the table. Stop making excuses for your condition! The man with dropsy easily could have stayed home, lamenting his sickness. Dropsy causes swelling of the joints and limbs, making it visibly painful; yet he came to the table. Sometimes you have to press your way through discomfort to reach the table, recognizing that the benefits of being with Jesus outweigh the desire for comfort. I’m concerned about a comfortable church—so many won't go if they don't feel just right.
But God is searching for someone desperate enough to encounter Him, even if it means stepping out of their comfort zone. The man with dropsy must have taken twice as long to arrive at the table due to his swollen limbs, yet he knew if he got near Jesus, perhaps he would look upon his situation and heal him. Half the battle is showing up for the fight.