Hospitality is at the heart of the
Gospel. The practice of hospitality in the early church pervades the themes and
language of the New Testament. Implicit in the stories of Jesus and the New
Testament descriptions of human relationships is a clear ethic of hospitality.
It is required and commended throughout the Scriptures. Although there is no
word for hospitality in the Hebrew vocabulary, the practice is evident in the
welcome, food, shelter, protection, and asylum that guests received in Old
Testament times. Commands to care for strangers attest to the importance of
hospitality in the Old Testament. Throughout the Old Testament, particularly in
the Torah and exhortations of the prophets, various stories demonstrate that
hospitality was closely connected to the recognition of God’s lordship and
loyalty to His covenant.
The story of Abraham and the three
divine guests in Genesis 18 is the most significant Old Testament text on
hospitality. The writer of Hebrews attaches special significance to this story
in Hebrews 13:2 when he says, “Do not neglect to show hospitality to strangers,
for thereby some have entertained angels unawares.”
Abraham generously welcomes three
unexpected visitors and, with Sarah and their servant, hurriedly prepares a
lavish meal for them. While the reader is told that the Lord appears to Abraham
in this meeting, it seems that Abraham only gradually recognized the identity
of his heavenly visitors. It’s in the context of their hospitality that Abraham
and Sarah receive the promise of a son. This is not surprising, for in the
ancient Near East hospitality was often associated with promise and blessing.
As we’ve seen in our study “The
Signature of Jesus”, from the beginning, Israel’s identity hinged on an
understanding of themselves as aliens or sojourners who lived in daily
dependence on God as their Host. We see this in Abraham’s reception of God’s
promise in Genesis 15:13 – “You and your descendants will be sojourners in a
land that is not your own…” The sojourner state of Israel was a reminder of
their dependence on God and a basis for gratitude and obedience. In the ancient
Near East only Israel had explicit legislation protecting, and providing for,
the resident alien. In fact, the command to love the alien parallels directly
the command to love your neighbor.
In the New Testament the concept of
required hospitality is greatly reinforced by the incarnation. God did Himself
become a guest or a stranger in this world. The practice of Christian hospitality
is inextricably linked to this truth. Through the ministry of Jesus, He and His
disciples were entirely dependent on the hospitality and support of others.
Yet the incarnation does something
much more than just show us God as a guest, it also shows Him as the consummate
Host. In Luke 14:12-14 Jesus challenges the conventional understanding of
hospitality which was assumed to be based on reciprocity and focused on family
and friends. In Matthew 24:31-46 Jesus offers perhaps the strongest message on
Christian hospitality to strangers. But in the text we will examine this Sunday
– John 13:1-15 – Jesus goes beyond words and gives us a perfect portrait of
what He calls all of us to do. In His role as Host He says something He says
nowhere else, “For I have given you an example that you also should do just as
I have done for you.” He calls us to be what He is – a Host.
For years scores of us have
practiced hospitality at Hebron. The roles we’ve played have varied widely, and
the name we’ve given to filling these roles has often been “volunteer”. Whether
we’ve sung in the choir, been on a Barclay set-up crew, acted as an usher or greeter, or any number of other
things; we’ve seen ourselves as volunteers, much the same way we would in any
other organization. But Jesus is far more discriminating than that. And it’s because
of that, we are adopting a new title for those who serve. No longer are we
volunteers, but hosts. That is the “office” to which Jesus calls us.
Shakespeare famously asked it,
“What’s in a name?” When you and I begin to reflect on the name “Host”, from a
biblical perspective, the answer is much indeed!
In preparation for Sunday’s
message, “The Hospitable Host”, you may wish to consider the following:
1. How
does I John 4:7-12 relate to biblical hospitality?
2. How
does the description of Christ in Isaiah 53 relate to His call to hospitality?
3. What
do we learn about Jesus’ view of hospitality from Luke 7:36-50?
4. How
is this “woman of the city” like Jesus in John 13?
5. What
three things does she do for Jesus that the Pharisee fails to do?
6. What
is her motivation for playing the host?
7. What
cost is associated with Jesus’ hosting in John 13?
8. On
what basis does Jesus pronounce His “ought” in verse 14?
9. Why
does Jesus elevate hospitality to the only spoken example He ever gives His
disciples?
10. Why
do you think it’s a good idea for us to rename “volunteers”, “hosts”?
See you Sunday as we gather around
the table of our Host!
