Weekly Devotion
July 13, 2025

Christ Is the Host

Rachel Held Evans (1981–2019) retells one of Jesus’ parables as an expansive invitation to come to God’s table.

Jesus once met with a group of religious leaders at the home of a prominent Pharisee. “When you give a banquet,” Jesus said to his host, “invite the crippled, the lame, the blind, and you will be blessed.” He told them a parable about a man who prepared a banquet and invited many guests. When those on the guest list declined to attend, the man instructed his servant to go into the streets and alleyways in town and bring back the poor, the hungry…. The servant obeyed, but told his master there was still room at the table. “Then go out to the roads and country lanes and compel them to come,” the master said, “so that my house will be full” (Luke 14:12–23). This is what God’s kingdom is like: a bunch of outcasts and oddballs gathered at a table, not because they are rich or worthy or good, but because they are hungry, because they said yes.

And there’s always room for more.

My father lived by this principle. He was an evangelist by spiritual gift: he was led by the Spirit to speak to many about Christ, and many turned in faith to Christ to save them from sin and the old direction they had been headed. A book was written about him and my mother by Westwood’s own Hedy Durksen with the title “Along Highways and Hedges” taken from this parable. It really didn’t matter what kind of background a person had, my father truly loved them in the name of Christ. People felt that, and were drawn to Christ as a result.

Evans also comments on Christ’s transformative presence in the bread and wine. I don’t know exactly how Jesus is present in the bread and wine, but I believe Jesus is present. So it seems counterintuitive to tell people they have to wait and meet him someplace else before they meet him at the table. If people are hungry, let them come and eat. If they are thirsty, let them come and drink.

It’s not my table anyway. It’s not my denomination’s table or my church’s table. It’s Christ’s table! Christ sends out the invitations, and if he has to run through the streets gathering up the riffraff to fill up his house, then that’s exactly what he’ll do….

The gospel doesn’t need a coalition devoted to keeping the wrong people out. It needs a family of sinners, saved by grace, committed to tearing down the walls, throwing open the doors, and shouting, “Welcome! There’s bread and wine. Come eat with us and talk, and let’s follow Jesus together.”

This isn’t a kingdom for the worthy; it’s a kingdom for the hungry.   

Written by
David Wiebe