Lunch With The Lord Series

Old Testament Encounters with Christ

Part 9: Lunch with the Lord

Genesis 18:1-15

Sermon by Rick Crandall

Grayson Baptist Church - Jan. 18, 2012

*Jesus loves to sit down and eat with people. Luke’s Gospel shows the Lord sharing meals with people ten different times. (1)

*Luke 5:27-31, for example, tells us about a feast in the home of Matthew the tax collector, who was also called Levi:

27. After these things He went out and saw a tax collector named Levi, sitting at the tax office. And He said to him, "Follow Me.''

28. And he left all, rose up, and followed Him.

29. Then Levi gave Him a great feast in his own house. And there were a great number of tax collectors and others who sat down with them.

30. But their scribes and the Pharisees murmured against His disciples, saying, "Why do You eat and drink with tax collectors and sinners?''

31. And Jesus answered and said to them, "Those who are well do not need a physician, but those who are sick.

*That’s the kind of Savior we have, a Savior who is willing to meet sinners right where they are. Jesus is willing to sit down to supper with sinners like us:

-So that He might heal us spiritually forever...

-And so that He might transform us like He transformed the corrupt tax collector, Matthew into the disciple who wrote the first book of the New Testament.

*Jesus likes to eat with people. And in tonight’s Scripture, the pre-incarnate Christ sat down to eat with Abraham.

-This is very relevant to us, because the Lord wants to break bread with you, too.

-He wants to sit down and meet with you.

*Think of the Lord’s Supper we will share Sunday morning, Jan. 29th. The Lord will be right here with us. Think of the “Marriage Supper of the Lamb we believers will share in Heaven one day. And listen to Jesus in Rev 3: 20, where He said, “Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and dine with him, and he with Me.”

*The Lord wants to break bread with you. And Abraham can help us tonight, because he teaches us how to handle lunch with the Lord.

1. First: Give the Lord your hospitality. -- Give Jesus your generous hospitality.

*This is what Abraham did starting in vs. 1-4:

1. Then the Lord appeared to him by the terebinth (or oak) trees of Mamre, as he was sitting in the tent door in the heat of the day.

2. So he lifted his eyes and looked, and behold, three men were standing by him; and when he saw them, he ran from the tent door to meet them, and bowed himself to the ground,

3. and said, "My Lord, if I have now found favor in Your sight, do not pass on by Your servant.

4. Please let a little water be brought, and wash your feet, and rest yourselves under the tree.

*The other two men were the angels that God would send to rescue Lot from Sodom. Somehow Abraham immediately recognized that the other man was the LORD God.

*Notice how eager Abraham was to welcome the Lord:

-In vs. 2, this 99-year-old man ran to the Lord.

-Then he bowed all the way to the ground in humble worship

-In vs. 3, Abraham pleaded with the Lord to stay a while, and confessed that he was the Lord’s servant.

-In vs. 4 he wanted to make sure his guests were rested and refreshed.

*Then in vs. 5, Abraham began to offer them food: “And I will bring a morsel of bread, that you may refresh your hearts. After that you may pass by, inasmuch as you have come to your servant.” And they said, “Do as you have said.”

*Notice again in vs. 6-8 how eager Abraham was to be hospitable to the Lord:

6. So Abraham hurried into the tent to Sarah and said, "Quickly, make ready three measures of fine meal; knead it and make cakes.''

7. And Abraham ran to the herd, took a tender and good calf, gave it to a young man, and he hastened to prepare it.

8. So he took butter and milk and the calf which he had prepared, and set it before them; and he stood by them under the tree as they ate.

*In all of these things we see that Abraham was eager to give God the best he could, as quickly as he could.

*Now God wants to break bread with you. What are you preparing for Jesus?

-Give Him your best.

-Give the Lord your hospitality.

2. And give Him your hope. -- Put all your hope in the Lord. Trust Him with all your heart.