“Throwing a party might be one of the most natural things a Christ-follower can do. It might be one of the most spiritual things a Christ-follower can do. . . . What kind of party? A party with a purpose. A party that points people to Jesus. . . . that brings joy to people one at a time.”- Kyle Idleman
“Then Levi held a great banquet for Jesus at his house, and a large crowd of tax collectors and others were eating with them.”- Luke 5:29 (NIV)
Kyle Idleman continues Chapter 7 of One At a Time as he notes that Jesus received invitations to parties, accepted them, and brought joy to the party (emphasis Kyle’s). When Jesus and His disciples attended a weeklong wedding party in Cana, the party ran out of wine on the third day. Above all, in first-century culture, running out of wine at a wedding was a big deal. Because, in Jewish culture, wine symbolized joy.
Therefore, Pastor Idleman observes, Jesus began His ministry by bringing joy to a wedding party. And Jesus’s miracle served as a tangible expression to one person: the bride. Jesus modeled the one at a time approach to life with His first miracle.
Furthermore, in Luke 5 Jesus spotted a tax collector named Levi sitting at his tax booth. Yet, even though religious leaders refused to allow Levi access to the temple, Jesus invited Levi to follow Him as His disciple. Not only did Levi leave everything to follow Jesus, but he also held a great banquet at his house for Jesus. Most significantly, Levi invited a large group of friends who were far from God.
In conclusion, Pastor Idleman exhorts:
“[Jesus’s] ministry lasted a little more than three years, and yet he accepted invitations to weeklong parties. He made time to have fun with other people. . . . Too often Christians can stay in the comfort of their Christian bubble, avoiding situations that might be awkward. I get it. I’ll choose comfortable over awkward every time. But that’s not the choice Jesus made, and I choose to follow Jesus.”
Today’s question: Have you ever thought about throwing a party with a purpose? Please share.
Tomorrow’s blog: “What leads heaven to throw a party?”
