Meals with Jesus

A Piece of Fish and Death Undone

April 27, 2025 • Jon Morales • Luke 24:36–43

History is comprised of moments that have altered the course of humanity – singular yet pivotal events that have redefined our reality.   Even in our lifetimes, we’ve experienced the horror of 9/11, the shockwave of a global pandemic, and the victory of technological breakthrough, each of which has forced us to cope with an ever-changing world. And yet, no single moment throughout all of human history compares to the one when death itself was undone.   Join us this Sunday as our upcoming message, “A Piece of Fish and Death Undone,” brings us face-to-face with the realities of life after death. Surely, as the old adage goes, life will never be the same.

The First Meal of the New Creation

April 20, 2025 • Jon Morales • Luke 24:28–35

They Stood at a Distance

April 18, 2025 • Jon Morales • Luke 23:49

Join us on Good Friday as we come together in reflection and reverence to remember the sacrifice our Savior made for us on the cross. It will be a time of worship, gratitude, and remembrance of the hope we have because of His death.

The Table of Risk

April 13, 2025 • Jon Morales • Luke 22:14–30

Meals can be some of the most memorable events in our lives, especially when they are centered around important events. For God’s people of Israel, there was one meal in particular that was celebrated every year with the purpose of looking back and remembering. The Passover was the greatest act of deliverance in the Old Testament, and the annual feast of remembrance afterward was a monumental celebration where the whole country packed into Jerusalem to partake in it together. Jesus participated in this meal with His disciples just before He was arrested, and what took place during that feast forever changed God’s people.

Little Man, Big Change

April 6, 2025 • Blaine Dennison • Luke 19:1–10

A study performed in 2021 by the Pew Research Center revealed that 41% of Americans have experienced some form of harassment online, with 75% of those saying the abuse took place on social media. It’s clear that communication between humans has been impacted significantly by the internet, and not always in the best way. Online interactions don’t allow human connection because the person at the other end of the sentence is just a screen. When humanity is reduced to an object, then anything goes. During His earthly ministry, Jesus looked into eyes, touched with His hand, held with His arms, and spoke with His voice. Today He speaks into our hearts through His word, and now we are His hands and feet that deliver His message to others. The Word of Life breaks barriers and defenses and invites outsiders to come in and sit at His table.

Joy at the Father's Table

March 30, 2025 • Jon Morales • Luke 15:11–32

It can be a very intimidating experience walking into a new place for the first time, whether it’s a church, classroom, work, gym, party, etc. The anticipation creates a highly anxious state of mind because one of the top questions on our mind is, “What will they think of me?” We feel like the outsider, as though everyone else is in on some secret that we don’t know. But suddenly someone offers a big smile and waves you over to sit next to them, and your whole mood changes. Suddenly you feel a sense of belonging. Jesus knows that all of us are outsiders; we all have a deep longing to feel welcomed and loved, to be brought in and feel secure in our place. But – the danger of belonging is that we can stop remembering when we were outsiders.

The Man Who Eats with Sinners

March 23, 2025 • Brent Buttermore • Luke 15:1–10

A 3-year-old little girl lost her beloved Muddles one day. She was in tears, heartbroken when it was time for her nap and her sweet stuffed kitten Muddles wasn’t there to comfort her. Assured by her mother that they would find Muddles, the toddler eventually fell asleep while the mother frantically tore through every inch of the house looking for the priceless toy. Hours turned to days and Muddles still wasn’t found. A week later, the little girl prayed for Jesus to help her find her lost kitten, and when she woke up from her nap, she opened a box in her closet and saw Muddles looking up at her. If Muddles were a person, how loved she would have felt knowing that the little girl and her mother were stopping at nothing to find her. Day after day, they didn’t give up. We are that little lost toy, and Jesus is relentless in His pursuit to find us and bring us home.

There's Still Room

March 16, 2025 • Jon Morales

If you have ever thrown an event that requires a guest list and invitations, there are two lists running in your mind: the guests you want to come, and the guests who you hope can’t make it. The former are the ones that you are close with, or you know will be the life of the party; the latter are maybe the ones who make you feel awkward or are hard to talk to. But—what if everyone on the first list said no? What if they said they were too busy for you and your celebration? God enrobed Himself in humanity and became God with Us, to deliver His people and invite them into His kingdom. But when He arrived, they rejected both His invitation and His kingdom. Thankfully the story didn’t stop there; the King extended the invitation to all who would believe.

Seating Charts and Guest Lists

March 9, 2025 • Jon Morales • Luke 14:7–14

Ancient Rome utilized the dining table as a means for gaining social, political, and economic advantages. The host of an opulent dinner party would be an elite Roman citizen, and their goal was to showcase their wealth and sophistication by bringing out the best in class from food to entertainment. Their guest list was a who’s who of influential society, and the seating arrangement around the central table was no mere coincidence. Places of prominence were reserved for those guests who offered some kind of gain for the host, be it political or financial. When Jesus attended dinner parties of the prominent Pharisees, He was surely rubbing shoulders with people of means and power. He frequently called out their motives and lack of humility because their dinner parties were no different than their Roman counterparts. Jesus has a much different guest list in mind for us, however, and in this message, we will walk through His instructions for us.

Tension at the Dinner Table

March 2, 2025 • Blaine Dennison • Luke 14:1–6

Stubbornness is a character quality that can be a strength or weakness, but in most situations it’s a stumbling block. Frederick Nietzsche said, “Many are stubborn in pursuit of the path they have chosen, few in pursuit of the goal.” In other words, the way something is done is more important than the final outcome. Once someone sets their mind on what they perceive is the right way to do something, it is difficult to convince them otherwise. The Pharisees found themselves clashing with the path that Jesus laid before them. They had convinced themselves that what they were doing was right, so anything different than their way had to be wrong, even if God Himself said it. It’s shocking to think they were bold enough to oppose God to His face, and it should cause us to pause and check our own hearts. In this message, we'll learn about a time when Jesus encountered this kind of stubbornness, and how we can equip our own hearts to prevent repeating that same mistake.

Jesus Our King and Host

February 23, 2025 • Caleb Middleton • Luke 12:35–48

Here is, perhaps, an all-too familiar scene: you have left your teenaged children at home while you and your spouse attend an event together. You wrote down specific instructions on chores they were expected to do while you’re out, and that when the chores are finished, they can play. But what actually happens? They immediately play and forget all about the chores until they receive your text at the end of the night: “Coming home.” Now they’re in a panicked state as they hurry around to get the house in order before the door opens. Jesus has left us with similar instructions; He’s told us what to do, and when He returns, He wants to see that we haven’t procrastinated or forgotten! In this message, we'll hear the Word of our Lord on how we can get ready for His return.

A Person of Peace

February 16, 2025 • Jon Morales • Luke 10:5–7

When you look up the word peace, the first definition given is: “freedom from disturbance; tranquility.” This can be applied in a lot of ways, but one area it relates to is the people around us. Our American culture can be pretty hostile when it comes to certain controversial topics; a common mindset is, “If you’re not with me, you’re against me.” That kind of thinking creates such a disturbance in our mental and emotional state, the very opposite of peace! With ever-increasing defensive postures and hostile comments, there is a great temptation to want to stick within a certain bubble and keep out the negativity. But Jesus sent out His disciples anyway, and He wants to send us out too. In this message, we will hear some very encouraging news from the Lord about when we are out in the world and who we might encounter.

From Five to Five Thousand

February 9, 2025 • Jon Morales • Luke 9:10–17

Watching a cat’s absurd overreaction to normal objects is a pastime many people enjoy on social media. For whatever reason, the smallest movement of a stick or paper can send the cat flying an impressive distance at unfathomable heights. As soon as they land and look back at what made them jump, you can almost see their expression thinking, “Oh. I might’ve overreacted.” How many times does this happen when we’re startled by something the Holy Spirit wants us to do? We jump in fear, we fumble around with excuses, we might even try running away. But when it’s over we can look back and say, “Oh. I might’ve overreacted.” Jesus isn’t out to scare us or sabotage us with impossible tasks and heavy burdens. Just the opposite! His yolk is easy, and His burden is light. When He calls us to do something, He is working in and with us. In this message, we'll see just how tender He is when He has big plans for us.

A Love Story!

February 2, 2025 • Jon Morales • Luke 7:36–50

Financial debt is something most Americans are well-acquainted with. Forbes conducted a survey and found that 77% of Americans currently have some level of debt, with 72% reporting they were likely to continue accumulating more. Debt brings a host of problems with it, the most being the emotional strain it puts on us and our relationships: 86% of those surveyed reported that their debt was hurting their closest relationships in some way. Imagine the relief these people would feel if they received a notice in the mail tomorrow stating that their debt was 100% erased? This is exactly the relief that Jesus offers to everyone and their debt of sin. In this message, we will hear of two ways we can respond to this incredible offer, and it will impact those around us.

Fasting and the Bridegroom

January 26, 2025 • Jon Morales • Luke 5:33–34

When you are invited over for dinner at a friend’s house, the proper etiquette is that no one eats until everyone has been served, right? Imagine the scene: a long dining table with friends and family crammed all around. The table is adorned with a spread of steaming dishes, bowls of gravy, plates stacked with biscuits, a juicy roast. The smells alone are enough to send you into a frenzy. But—you cannot take a single bite until every person has their plate. So, what happens in the waiting? Your anticipation and longing for the feast grows exponentially. Right now, we are in a season of waiting; we await Jesus returning in His glory, and once He does, we will feast like never before! Until then, however, our longing and anticipation of His arrival grows daily. In this message, you'll hear about how that longing can drive us into a deeper relationship with Jesus.