There's Room At The Table | Herbert Fontnette | Sermon Notes — Hello Pastor

Sermon Notes

There's Room At The Table

Herbert Fontnette

Strong Tower Ministries • Sep 27, 2026 • 80 min

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Take this message with you through a journey of Scripture, reflection, and prayer.

Summary

Jesus does not wait for us to clean ourselves up or reach perfection before He comes into our lives; He meets us right in the middle of our flaws and imperfections. In Mark 2, Jesus called Levi the tax collector and dined with outcasts and sinners, showing that His grace reaches down to the broken and rejected. While Jesus accepts us exactly as we are when we come to His table, His transforming love ensures that we do not leave the same way. As believers, we are called to take God's presence outside the four walls of the church and extend His invitation to everyone.

Themes

Grace and SalvationRepentance and TransformationSelf-Righteousness vs. True FaithEvangelism and OutreachDiscipleship and Sacrifice

Key Points

1.
Jesus does not wait for you to get your life right before He comes to you; He meets you in the middle of your imperfections.
2.
God sees past our immediate faults and looks at who we are going to become through His redeeming power.
3.
Levi was a despised tax collector considered unclean by religious leaders, yet Jesus went directly to him at his tax booth.
4.
Following Jesus requires dropping everything, leaving things behind, and being willing to make real sacrifices.
5.
Jesus transformed Levi's house into a sanctuary, reminding us that holiness and godliness must not be restricted to the four walls of a church building.
6.
There is room at God's table for everyone—regardless of their background or current struggle—but no one stays the same after truly encountering Jesus.
7.
Religious self-righteousness creates a stench before God because God looks at the condition of the heart, not outward appearances or religious attire.
8.
Jesus came as a Spiritual Physician not for those who think they are healthy and righteous, but for those who recognize their sickness and need for a Savior.

Sermon Moments

“Jesus does not come to you when everything is looking good. He comes to you just when you need him the most.”

“He looks past your faults, and not only does he look past your faults, but he sees you not as you are, but he sees you as who you're going to become.”

“If God was God enough to save somebody like you and I with the thoughts that you just thought about, what makes you think that he can't save to the uttermost?”

“If you want to follow Jesus, you got to be willing to give some things up... leave some things behind.”

“Notice they didn't go in the church, but Jesus turned the house into a sanctuary. It needs to get to a point where our holiness and godliness is not restricted to the four walls.”

“When you get to the table, you going to come one way. But when you leave the table, you will not be the same way that you came.”

“You cannot predicate your life on the opinions of other people.”

This Week

Reflect intentionally on where God brought you from in order to cultivate deep gratitude and empathy for others who are struggling.

Identify any self-righteous attitudes or judgments you hold toward people outside the church and repent of them.

Actively look for ways to share God's love outside the church building—at work, in your neighborhood, or in daily errands.

Examine your heart's true condition during life's storms to see whether your daily walk with God relies on internal spiritual power.

Surrender the desire for human approval and stop basing your self-worth or life decisions on the opinions of other people.

Be willing to give up habits, places, or attachments that hinder your full commitment to following Jesus.

Extend a warm invitation to someone who feels unworthy or outcast, assuring them that there is room for them at God's table.

Remember This

Jesus meets us in our imperfections and welcomes us to His table as we are, but His love guarantees we will not leave the same.

A Challenge for You

Give God praise knowing that He made room at His table for you just as you were, and extend that same open invitation to everyone around you throughout the week.

These are personal sermon notes shared to help you remember the message — not a replacement for Scripture, your church, or your pastors.