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A Christmas lunch becomes a gospel reflection on hospitality, banquets, and grace—inviting readers to accept God’s lavish welcome, clothed in Christ’s righteousness, and come ready to celebrate.

It was my great privilege to be invited to the home of a couple, whom I hardly knew, for Christmas lunch.

Others who might otherwise be on their own at this special time were also invited. What a feast we had! Roast turkey, glazed ham, potatoes baked in duck fat, other roasted vegetables and salads. Desert was a magnificent cheese cake, Christmas pudding, custard, meringues and fruits.

Around the table, we shared our stories. Coincidentally, five of us had been born in England and were immigrants to New Zealand. We laughed, we prayed for the less fortunate, thanked God for his abundant blessings and ate our fill. It was a beautiful and memorable time as we celebrated and remembered the birth of baby Jesus.

Hospitality and celebration

Hospitality and celebration are woven into the very fabric of our Scriptures. We are taught to remember the Lord’s goodness through a meal, the most important of which is Communion. Jesus instituted Communion as part of the Passover meal – His last meal with His disciples.

We are urged to practice hospitality and welcome strangers, who just might happen to be angels (Hebrews 13:2).

The first miracle Jesus performed was at a wedding banquet. On my many visits to Cana, I have witnessed many pilgrims celebrate the renewal of their wedding vows in Cana. Others purchase choice wine to take home. We remember Jesus’ compassion, kindness and generosity to bless the wedding banquet. What a deep insight into His character!

The Return of the Prodigal

Probably most of us have a prodigal in our family. The young adult, searching for meaning in their life, who tears away from family tradition, culture and the safety of home, to make their own mark on the world. Maybe, even now, you are praying for such a one.

Jesus makes it plain: our Heavenly Father is always on the lookout for us to return to Him. He scans the horizon to see if we are coming. When He sees us, He runs towards us with open arms. Then He invites us to His banquet.

“And bring the fattened calf and kill it, and let us eat and celebrate. For this my son was dead, and is alive again; he was lost, and is found.” And they began to celebrate. (Luke 15:23-24)

Come suitably dressed

Before going into the banquet, the Father made sure the prodigal was suitably attired. He dressed him with a robe, a ring and sandals.

The robe symbolises honour. The wayward child is declared righteous and is accepted as a full member of the family.  The robe denotes total salvation. Jesus clothes us in the robe of His righteousness, and we are adopted into God’s family. He covers our shame and guilt, and gives us a new identity. The father’s lavish and extravagant welcome shows God’s immense love and grace, forgiving our sins. It demonstrates His mercy rather than condemnation.  The father didn’t love and forgive the son because he came back or said the right things. He forgave and loved the son because he was his child.

The ring showed he was given authority, and considered trustworthy to be a ‘signature’ for the family’s affairs. Just like, as born-again believers, we become Christ’s ambassadors, charged with representing Him and bringing the Kingdom of God to earth through our transformed lives.

The sandals signified he had the full status of a free man. Although in his prepared speech, the son anticipated coming back as a servant, the father gave him no opportunity to enunciate it. Instead, he is embraced and fully integrated, both to the family and the community. His dignity is restored. The son’s action of returning signified his repentance. His heart was already primed to receive the father’s full forgiveness with immense gratitude. He will now represent the family with newly acquired wisdom because he has experienced the overwhelming love of the father.

Your banquet invitation

In the well-known parable of the wedding feast (Matthew 22:1-14), the King tells his servants to bring in the guests. Many make excuses, they have more important things to do. We might think this is rude, until we examine our own hearts and are surprised by the excuses we harbour there.

But something more shocking is revealed in this parable. One of the guests present at the banquet is unsuitably dressed. It seems unfair, since the servants went to the highways and byways to invite them. So what does it mean?

What ‘clothing’ is required to be a guest at the King’s feast? Outward appearance is not good enough. Just being present doesn’t qualify. We must be clothed in ‘Christ’s righteousness’. We cannot enter the wedding feast prideful at our own efforts, on our own merit, or because we think we live a good life. The heart of the matter is a matter of the heart.

Our entry ticket is only valid if we are washed in the blood of Jesus and reborn as His beloved child.

What gift can I bring?

On receiving the invitation to Christmas dinner, I asked the host: ‘What can I bring?’

‘Oh, you need bring nothing, everything is already prepared,’ I was assured.

I thought: It’s such a generous offer, I have to bring something. I picked a few nice flowers and made a posy. I had not been to this home before, but on entering the driveway, I saw the most beautiful garden, full of all kinds of flowers, fruit trees, bushes and ferns. My posy wilted in my hands.

When we accept the invitation, we can only come with humble adoration to share in the greatest banquet ever given.

I am reminded of a favourite Christmas carol by Christina Rossetti:

What can I give Him, poor as I am?
If I were a shepherd, I would bring Him a lamb
If I were a Wise Man, I would do my part
Yet what I can I give Him, give my heart

That is all He wants. Our hearts. There is nothing we can bring to the King of Kings, the Lord of Lords, our Saviour and Friend. Each day, the invitation is issued afresh. Just accepting His blood-bought freedom, clothed in His righteousness, qualifies us.

Are your wedding clothes ready?

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Image courtesy of Adobe.