For many of us, people know about us by the company we keep and the time we spend eating and drinking with family/friends/neighbours. Although it's still two months away, you may already have begun thinking about who will cook/host/travel/etc on Christmas Day! In Jesus' day, meals were important, and some had great significance - for example the Seder meal with which Jewish people commemorated the Passover (and still do).

At St John's we are currently doing a series on some of the best-known meals that Jesus shared with people, and the conversations, surprises and controversy which often followed. I recently found myself thinking about a meal which Jesus had with the tax collector Matthew. In those days, tax collectors often had booths alongside major roads and were widely regarded as collaborators with the occupying Romans - very unpopular and not the sort of people for a respectable Israelite to hang out with. So, when Jesus called Matthew to be one of his first disciples, it was no surprise that some people thought this was outrageous (see Matthew chapter 9 if you'd like to learn more).

I sometimes meet people today who think they're somehow 'unworthy' to be friends and followers of Jesus. Maybe you feel like this yourself? If so, I want to encourage you that he's always pleased when people follow him. Just think about the cross - he cares for you that much.