A foodie is a person who loves and has a refined interest in food.  Foodies eats food not only out of hunger but also as a hobby.  Jesus is a foodie because he uses meals to engage people teaching important lessons at the table. 

In Jesus’ time the promise land that God had given the Jews had been taken over by the Romans.  The Romans commissioned Jews to be tax collectors, and these Jews took advantage of the people collecting the taxes due plus a surcharge to line their own pockets. 

Jewish tax collections were considered outsiders and just as much as an enemy as the Roman occupiers.   So, for Jesus who claimed to be the Son of God to have a meal with a tax collector would be like Volodymyr Zelenskyy the President of Ukraine having a Big Mac with Vladimir Putin, the President of Russia. 

But you know what the foodie Jesus did?... He had a meal with a tax collector named Levi.  The Pharisees and the teachers of the law complained saying “Why do you eat and drink with tax collectors and sinners?”   The response of Jesus the foodie was I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.”

Join us tomorrow at Greater Bethel as we examine more stories of Jesus with food in a teaching from Luke 15:1-3 entitled “He Eats With Sinners.”

Worship in person with us at 140 Rose Street in Athens or our YouTube Channel or Facebook page. The early sermon is available on our social media platforms at 10:00 PM ET tonight and again at 7:00 AM ET and 9:00 AM ET on Sunday.  Don’t forget our youth gathering with food, fun and faith will be held in person right after church.

So, until tomorrow, blessings, peace, and love