November 2, 2025

Some feel unwelcome or unfit for faith communities. They are seen as outsiders, judged, or irrelevant. Jesus overturns these barriers. He eats with Levi and others considered unworthy, extending grace and belonging where it was denied. Join us as we reimagine church as a table where everyone is invited and honored.

READ

Mark 2:13–17

When the scribes of the Pharisees saw that Jesus was eating with sinners and tax collectors, they said to his disciples, “Why does he eat with tax collectors and sinners?” When Jesus heard this, he said to them, “Those who are well have no need of a physician but those who are sick; I have not come to call the righteous but sinners.”

REFLECT

1. How does fear, prejudice, or past hurt create invisible walls in your own heart, keeping you from fully welcoming others?
2. Who are the people or groups you have unconsciously written off as “outsiders” or unworthy? What keeps you from seeing them as Jesus sees them?
3. How does Jesus’ example challenge the assumptions, hierarchies, or unspoken rules in your life and your community?

RESPOND

1. Look at patterns in your community, organization, or church—rituals, hierarchies, or assumptions—that prevent people from participating fully. Ask God for insight and practical steps to change them.
2. In conversations, intentionally suspend judgment and assumptions, listening deeply for God to reveal hidden gifts, stories, and truths about the other person.
3. Ask God’s Spirit to cultivate boldness in you—to move beyond passive awareness into acts that embody Jesus’ inclusion, even when it feels uncomfortable or risky.

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