DIGGING DEEPER
WEEKEND OF FEBRUARY 28 & MARCH 1, 2026
SERMON NOTES
Invited to the Table
Follow Me to the Table
Scripture: Luke 5:27–32
Big Idea: Hospitality begins with Jesus, who welcomes us before we ever welcome others.
What is biblical hospitality?
The Greek word philoxenia literally means “love of strangers.”
Before Levi ever invites anyone to a table, Jesus invites Levi to belong.
Tim Chester -Meals with Jesus
When Jesus eats with people, He isn’t just being nice, the meal itself becomes the message. The table becomes a living picture of grace, community, and mission.
The win is trying. The win is opening your life a little wider. The win is one small, faithful step.
Challenge:
Pray for that person by name and look for one natural opportunity to connect—coffee, a meal, or a conversation.
DIGGING DEEPER
Read Luke 5:27–28
What stands out to you about how Jesus calls Levi? What might that have cost him socially, financially, or relationally? What will it cost you to do the same?
Verse 31–32: Jesus says He came for the sick, not the healthy. What does this reveal about the heart of Jesus? Where do you personally struggle to believe you are welcomed as you are?
Hospitality begins with receiving Jesus’ welcome before offering it to others.
How does forgetting that order turn hospitality into pressure or performance?
Have you ever felt like you had to “clean yourself up” before coming to Jesus?
How does Levi’s story challenge that mindset?
What’s the difference between social hosting (inviting friends who fit) and biblical hospitality (philoxenia — love of the stranger)?
What fears or excuses most often keep you from opening your life to others?
Be honest — is it busyness, insecurity, control, comfort?
Is there someone God may already be putting on your heart to notice or move toward?
What would it look like for your LifeGroup to practice “shabby hospitality” together, something simple, reproducible, and real?
Looking for questions based on a past sermon?