"A church I served developed a clever evening of fellowship called 'Guess Who's Coming to Dinner?'," begins the Reverend Amy Starr Redwine, pastor and head of staff at First Presbyterian Church, Richmond, Virginia. "The way it works is that someone offered to host dinner for a certain number of people, but the host/hostess did not know who was going to show up until they showed up at their door. But she says it was a small church, so there was no chance of someone unknown showing up at the door.

The religious leader who invited Jesus to a dinner party with his friends in Luke 14:1, 7-14 knew of Jesus, but they are "trying to figure out who he is and what he is all about." Jesus does not disappoint! He offers a radical critique of social and political practices of that time and place.

What might happen if you throw a "dinner party" and invite those least expected to attend, those outside your normal circle? What could that look like in contemporary culture? How can we "pay it forward"? Listen as Redwine teaches how to practice our faith and live out our gratitude toward God.

This sermon is from A Sermon for Every Sunday, a series of lectionary-based video sermons designed for use in worship, Bible study, small groups, Sunday school classes or for individual use.

For more sermon preparation help, check out Pulpit Resource, Will Willimon's weekly lectionary-based sermon resource, available online and through a print subscription.