A few weeks ago Jim spoke a bit about learning to party like Jesus and God is continuing to teach us what parties look like in His Kingdom. You see it’s not only that we have something to celebrate that sets our parties apart, God’s guest list doesn’t look like you might expect. In Luke 14 Jesus tells the story of man that was preparing a great feast. As everything was ready, he sent out one of his guys to bring the guests along. Each of them gave a different excuse, maybe one had just bought a new house and wanted to settle in, another was keen to try out his new PS3, yet another had just been married and wanted to spend time with her husband. When he heard this the man who was throwing the party was pretty peeved. He told his guy, go find the poor, the marginalised bring them to my party.

I am constantly amazed when I look into the gospels to see Jesus’ inability to relate to his core demographic! If I was Jesus and I got to throw a party I would probably invite the movers and the shakers, Kings, Presidents and pop stars, people with influence. I start to wonder how it makes sense to target the no-hopers, the freaks and the losers, you could probably make more of a difference in the lives of the poor if you got Bono along, or got Madonna to splash some cash. But then He gently reminds me for the upteenth time, "would I get invited to my own party?" (Self-knowledge is a powerful thing). Last week, Aideen sent me this video from Tony Campolo - you know that God is tells you something in three or four different ways you better sit up and listen - in the video Campalo tells a story about the "kind of church that throws birthday parties for whores at 3 o'clock in the morning". Now I don't know about you, but that's the sort of church I long to be a part of!

Last Sunday something beautiful happened! There was a church World Cup BBQ, burgers, beer and the football! Somehow twenty homeless guys found out that it was going on and they rocked up at our little warehouse! You just know that God is up to something when twenty guys many of whom have drug or alcohol addictions turn up for a little church BBQ! He likes to remind us from time to time exactly who is in control (believe me it’s not us!).

This is what it looks like to party in the year of the Lords favour. It’s not just the content and the reasons that are distinct, God’s got His own guest list.

Could it be you that hosts Jesus’ next party? If so, I dare you to leave the guest list to God!