Guilty as charged
Sermon by Pr. Michelle Seving on the Twelfth Sunday after Pentecost, Lectionary 22 + Sunday, August 31, 2025.
Guilty as charged. That’s how I felt when reading the scriptures for today. Guilty of preferring the places of honor and privilege–at tables, at sporting events, concerts and plays. I mean, who doesn’t like having access to the good seats, amiright?
Guilty of wanting to hang with my friends and loved ones, instead of strangers, or worse…people I do know, but don’t like. This scenario played out for real recently at a clergy meeting where several friends were excited to find a table in the corner, with the perfect mix of people we enjoy spending time with. And then, without an invitation, another person who typically wouldn’t be included in this circle of friends, comes over and joins the group at the table. The dynamics changed and we weren’t so eager to welcome her to a place of honor at our table. And these are people who know this parable well, and are likely preaching on it this weekend! Guilty!
Has that ever happened to you or am I the only one guilty of sticking with my own people, excluding others or getting upset when an outsider comes into the circle?
In today’s Gospel reading, Jesus is at a dinner party and the religious leaders are “watching him closely,” perhaps to catch him doing something wrong on the sabbath. But Jesus is noticing things too, watching guests scramble for the best seats, the seats of honor and status. Jesus tells them a parable with the strong message to sit in the lowest place, so that they may be lifted up. And then he adds, “When you throw a party, don’t just invite your friends and relatives and rich people. Invite the poor and the outcast –people you don’t know, people you usually avoid, people who can never return the favor.”
Jesus gives a new vision for life in the kin-dom of God and critiques the social and political practices of that time, when the culture was built on relationships that would allow some who have honor and status to climb the ladder, while others remain stuck at the bottom living in shame. As preacher Amy Starr Redwine says in her sermon, “Jesus admonishes those present to try something unusual, even radical. Instead of playing by the rules of privilege and status and honor, they should go outside the circle of influence and include people who can never return the favor, who could never – at least by cultural standards – adequately express their gratitude.”
Jesus calls us to transform whatever metaphorical tables we are included in and be part of the radical restructuring that is inclusive of everyone, regardless of status, power or privilege. Because not all of our tables are in dining rooms, kitchens or banquet halls.
Consider those gathered around boardroom tables or city council tables, where high level decisions are made about business or housing, or policing. Who’s not there that needs to be invited into the decision making power–women, people of color, those without high level jobs or million dollar banking accounts?
Consider the courtroom table, where some are accused of a crime, or facing deportation, pleads for their life or for mercy or for fairness, and deserves to be fairly represented?
Could this parable be about a lunch room table at school or the potluck table at church where we sit only with the ones we know and like, instead including those who are different from us, yet who may have a fresh new perspective on life and love, grace and compassion.
Imagine the tables in visitation rooms at prisons or mental health units, when time with another person from the outside is precious as people sit across a small table, confessing their failings, sharing their love and striving to be transformed into newness of life.
What are the tables you’ve sat at that have needed Jesus’ radical vision of transformation, that have needed inclusion, that have cried for justice and mercy.
Tables are where we get to practice receiving and giving God’s grace. We practice and practice, trying to get the basics right, yet knowing that there is nothing resembling expertise that exists in the Christian Life. How can you become an expert at receiving the totally undeserved mercy of God on a daily basis. There’s a reason we speak meaningfully of practicing the faith. It’s all practice.
Thankfully God has invited us imperfect guests to be a part of an incredible banquet hosted each week by the Holy One; where all of God’s people come together. And Jesus calls us to do more than just show up and say thank you for the invitation. Jesus calls us to live our gratitude to God by reaching out to those who cannot return the favor and sharing the good news that they are invited into this community of practice as well.
According to Jesus there is always more room at God’s table and no one, not one person, is to be left out of this feast. Inviting other people to join us at God’s table means we must be willing to transform the pyramid of power and privilege into a table where everything is served family style, passed around from one person to the next in a continual dance of receiving and giving, of accepting God’s gracious gift and paying it forward.
We practice this dance weekly at the Eucharistic feast where there are no best seats, no vying for who gets honored or welcomed the most. Refreshed, renewed, forgiven and freed by this meal we are sent into the world to practice the radically inclusive, table transforming love with the whole world. Thanks be to God! Amen.
