The Banqueting Table, Part I

Isaiah 55:1-2 - Invitation to the Lord’s Salvation

1 “Is anyone thirsty?  Come and drink— even if you have no money!  Come, take your choice of wine or milk— it’s all free! 2 Why spend your money on food that does not give you strength?  Why pay for food that does you no good?  Listen to me, and you will eat what is good.  You will enjoy the finest food. 

Psalm 34:8

8 Taste and see that the Lordis good. Oh, the joys of those who take refuge in him!  

Spiritual Food Groups?!

• Dairy

1 Peter 2:2 Like newborn babies, you must crave pure spiritual milk so that you will grow into a full experience of salvation. Cry out for this nourishment,3now that you have had a taste of the Lord’s kindness. 

• Proteins

Hebrews 5:13 For someone who lives on milk is still an infant and doesn’t know how to do what is right.14Solid food is for those who are mature, who through training have the skill to recognize the difference between right and wrong.[Line Break]

• Grains

John 6:30  They answered, “Show us a miraculous sign if you want us tobelieve in you. What can you do? 31 After all, our ancestors ate manna while they journeyed through the wilderness! The Scriptures say, ‘Moses gave them bread from heaven to eat.’”

32 Jesus said,“I tell you the truth, Moses didn’t give you bread from heaven. My Father did. And now he offers you the true bread from heaven.33 The true bread of God is the one who comes down from heaven and gives life to the world.”

34 “Sir,” they said, “give us that bread every day.”

35 Jesus replied,“I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never be hungry again. Whoever believes in me will never be thirsty. 36 But you haven’t believed in me even though you have seen me. 37 However, those the Father has given me will come to me, and I will never reject them. 38 For I have come down from heaven to do the will of God who sent me, not to do my own will. 39 And this is the will of God, that I should not lose even one of all those he has given me, but that I should raise them up at the last day. 40 For it is my Father’s will that all who see his Son and believe in him should have eternal life. I will raise them up at the last day.”

• Vegetables

Proverbs 15:17 A bowl of vegetables with someone you love is better than steak with someone you hate. 

(Okay, so this one doesn’t have a Biblical application like the others, but a parallel idea here is that much as vegetables supply important nutrients, so do our relationships with others in Christ nourish and sustain us)

• Fruits

Galatians 5:22 But the Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, and self-control. There is no law against these things! 

• Salt

Mark 9:50 Salt is good for seasoning. But if it loses its flavor, how do you make it salty again? You must have the qualities of salt among yourselves and live in peace with each other.” 

• Water

Luke 7:37 On the last day, the climax of the festival, Jesus stood and shouted to the crowds,“Anyone who is thirsty may come to me! 38 Anyone who believes in me may come and drink! For the Scriptures declare, ‘Rivers of living water will flow from his heart.’”  39 (When he said “living water,” he was speaking of the Spirit, who would be given to everyone believing in him. But the Spirit had not yet been given, because Jesus had not yet entered into his glory.)