Come and Dine

Have you ever dine somewhere where everything was so elegant? Somewhere where you feasted on the most delicious meal?  It is so much fun to be invited to dine for a special feast.  But today I want to invite you to come and dine – not with real food, but the feast of the Word of God.  Let’s dine on wisdom today. The main meal on my menu today is wisdom.

 

“Wisdom has built her house; she has hewn her seven pillars.  She has slaughtered her beasts…she has also set her table.  She has sent out her young women to call from the highest places in the town, ’Whoever is simple, let him turn in here!’  To him who lacks sense she says, ‘Come, eat of my bread
and drink of the wine I have mixed.  Leave your simple ways, and live,
and walk in the way of insight.’” (Proverbs 9:1-6 ESV)

 

On my menu today is wisdom – the wisdom of God.  God’s wisdom is like a feast; wisdom is a delight.

 

#1: Wisdom’s house or home (verse 1): “Wisdom has built her house.”  Eternal wisdom is what this home is built on.  Not the wisdom of the world.  Sometimes we have to move to another house.  The times and places in our lives are ever changing.  When we have God’s wisdom, we are always at home – no matter where we live.

 

#2 Wisdom’s hospitality (verse 2): “She has slaughtered her beasts; she has mixed her wine; 
she has also set [furnished] her table.”  The Lord says eat of my bread, my words.  His wisdom is what sustains us.  Wisdom is getting the food ready and getting the table set, and we have to take it and eat of what the Lord provides for us in Him.  Wisdom has also sent maidens out to cry out in high places.  Wisdom is calling out to you and me to listen and partake of the Lord’s wisdom.

 

Wisdom prepares a place but it sends out maidens to invite others to their tables for fellowship.  We share fellowship with Christ.  “ And they continued steadfastly in the apostles’ doctrine and fellowship, and in breaking of bread” from house to house, did eat their food with gladness and singleness of heart. (See Acts 2:42)  It was real in their life.  They shared Jesus from house to house.

 

#3 Wisdom’s happiness:  “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, and the knowledge of the Holy One is insight.  For by me your days will be multiplied, and years will be added to your life.” (Proverbs 9:10-11 ESV)  The fear of the Lord is true happiness and it comes from the Lord.  Knowledge of Him, serving Him, listening and feasting on His wisdom causes us to realize His plan for our lives.  He will increase our days and we will have true happiness in Christ.

 

“But we preach Christ crucified, a stumbling block to Jews and folly to Gentiles, but to those who are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God.” (1 Corinthians 1:23-24 ESV)

 

I Corinthians 1:30 says, “And because of him you are in Christ Jesus, who became to us wisdom from God, righteousness and sanctification and redemption.” (ESV)

 

Christ is wisdom and power for our lives. Christ is the wisdom we dine and feast after.

 

Come and dine with Him.  Feast on His words.

 

Make wisdom your home.  Let God build your house.  Make wisdom, hospitality in your life, fellowship with Him – make Christ’s wisdom your happiness.   Live in the fear and knowledge of a Holy God who loves and cares for you.  Let us fellowship around His table.

 

I would like to leave you with an old gospel hymn written in 1906 by Charles B. Widmeyer that he wrote to go with a sermon he was preparing on John 21:12a: “Jesus said to them, come and dine…”

 

Jesus has a table spread


Where the saints of God are fed,


He invites His chosen people, “Come and dine”;


With His manna He doth feed


And supplies our every need:


O ’tis sweet to sup with Jesus all the time!

 

Refrain

“Come and dine,” the Master calleth, “Come and dine”;


You may feast at Jesus’ table all the time;


He Who fed the multitude, turned the water into wine,


To the hungry calleth now, “Come and dine.”

 

The disciples came to land,


Thus obeying Christ’s command,


For the Master called unto them, “Come and dine”;


There they found their heart’s desire,


Bread and fish upon the fire;


Thus He satisfies the hungry every time.

 

Soon the Lamb will take His bride


To be ever at His side,


All the host of Heaven will assembled be;


O ’twill be a glorious sight,


All the saints in spotless white;


And with Jesus they will feast eternally.