How do you feel when a surprise visitor turns up?
Long ago, when my husband was looking to practice with other Christian doctors, we looked at a practice in Cedar Falls, Iowa. The doctors forgot Steve would be bringing his wife, but I didn’t realize I was unexpected. A secretary drove me to another doctor’s home, and when Marie opened the door, the secretary said, “Your husband asked me to bring Dee here for lunch as her husband is looking at our practice. I hope that’s okay.”
I thought:
Good grief! She had no warning?
But Marie said, “How wonderful!” And she hugged me and said, “Come in — I’d love to get to know you.” Then, without any apology, she sat me on a kitchen stool at her kitchen bar while she opened a can of tomato soup and poured it into a pan to heat. Then she opened a can of peaches and put them in little dishes. Next, she sliced some bread, and we were ready. Her house was a little messy, but she never apologized. She just asked me question after question about myself.
At one point, I said, “Did no one warn you I was coming for lunch?”
She laughed and said, “No — but I’m so glad you are here! I hope that if the Lord leads you here, we can be friends.”
I felt welcomed, loved, and had a great time! That’s hospitality. And no, we didn’t go there, but I’ll never forget Marie and the self-forgetfulness that made her so hospitable!
And I will never ever forget how Patti took me in when we were in our early twenties. I was SO LONELY and she made all the difference.
The best book I’ve ever read on this, which is still available, including on audio, is Karen Main’s book:
I recommend it highly! She illustrates over and over how: entertaining is meant to impress others about ourselves, whereas hospitality is meant to love others with the love of Christ.
Thinking of last week, we could say:
Entertaining says: HERE I AM!
Hospitality says: HERE YOU ARE!
Disclaimer: Some in our church were upset that Keller uses the phrase social justice. It is important to know that in 2008, when this was preached, Keller was referring to biblical justice, caring for the vulnerable such as orphans, widows, the sick, the immigrant, and those suffering for Christ. Today it the phrase has become political, meaning a fight for racial, gender, and environmental “justice.”
Click here for sermon (transcript will be printed with days)
https://gospelinlife.com/sermon/hospitality/
Sunday:
- How did you experience the goodness of God this week?
- What makes you feel welcome and wanted when you go to someone’s home? When you go to your church home?
Monday: The Main Text
We will look at Keller’s text from Hebrews 13, focusing particularly on how it applies to hospitality, and tomorrow, on a few other key hospitality texts. The book of Hebrews is really a sermon rather than a letter, to Jewish Christians whose lives were falling apart. Many were being imprisoned with no food given to them.
3. Read Hebrews 13: 1-8
A. What is the first exhortation in verse 1? How does this speak to you?
B. To whom are we especially to show hospitality? What interesting reason is given?
C. Whom are they told to remember in verse 3? How are they told to feel about them?
D. What are the instructions about marriage?
E. What are his instructions on money? What reason does he give for being content with what we have? Are you?
F. How are they to regard their leaders? How does this apply to you?
G. Why does he remind them that Jesus is the same yesterday, today, and tomorrow?
Concerning hospitality, Keller focuses particularly on Hebrews 13:12-13, which is think is easier to understand in The Living Bible:
So also Jesus suffered and died outside the city gates to make his people holy by means of his own blood. 13 So let us go out to him, outside the camp, and bear the disgrace he bore.
Keller’s prayer at the end will also shed light:
Thank you, Father, for giving us the promise that if we open our homes and our wallets and our hearts to strangers, You will work because that’s how we were saved. And it’ll be expensive, but nothing like the expense of Jesus paid when he was cast out so we could be brought in.
4. It was a disgrace to die outside of the city gates, outside of “community.” But how did that willingness actually build a community? How might this apply to hospitality?
Tuesday: Key Supporting Passages
5. What is the exhortation and reason for it in Deut: 10:18-19?
6. What does the Shunammite widow do to practice hospitality in 2 Kings 4:8-10?
7. To whom does Jesus exhort us to practice hospitality in Luke 14:12-14?
8. What reason is given to practice hospitality in Matthew 25:35-40?
9. What does 1 Peter 4:9 tell us to do — and what does this mean?
9. How might you better apply any of the above?
Wednesday: Background
Listen to the sermon and read the transcript up to “there was radical generosity to the poor.”
Each week we’ve been talking about Christian practices. We believe certain things, but those beliefs don’t necessarily change our lives. They don’t really change the way in which we live. It doesn’t change our characters unless we instill those beliefs into our hearts through various Christian practices or call spiritual disciplines. Now, today we’re talking about a Christian practice or spiritual discipline that you probably don’t think of as a Christian practice or spiritual discipline. It’s the practice of hospitality. And we’ve got some work to do. Because the word hospitality, when you think of that word, when you hear that word, does not make you think of the same thing that the Bible is talking about. Yet all through the Scripture, hospitality is extremely important. It’s a sign of spiritual maturity. See, when you and I think of hospitality, I don’t know what you think of. But if you put the word into a search engine right now and you search the Internet, almost all the first things that will come up are either vacation resorts or Martha Stewart entertaining with everything perfect. Everything’s perfect. That’s hospitality. And actually, that’s almost the opposite of what the Bible means by it, what it meant in ancient biblical times. So, in order to get a handle on that, we’re going to look at this passage, and in this passage, we’re going to see,
- first of all, a principle behind Christian hospitality,
- then the promise of Christian hospitality,
- and finally, the impetus for it.
Okay? The principle behind it, the promise of it and the impetus for it. Christian hospitality. Okay. First of all, the principle behind it.
The principle behind it is actually laid out in a startling way in verses 3, 4, and 5. In verse 3, we see it says, remember those in prison as if you yourself were their fellow prisoners, and those who are mistreated as if you yourselves were suffering. And then in verse 5, it says, Keep your lives free from the love of money and be content with what you have. Now, this is a concern for social justice. That second word, those who are mistreated, means the oppressed, the victims of social injustice.
We’ve got a very ancient account from Lucian of Samosata, who was a critic of Christianity, critic of early Christians. And yet Lucian tells about a man named Peregrinus. Pardon me, Peregrinus Proteus, who was a leader. He’s actually a convert to Christianity who was living in Palestine, and he was imprisoned for his faith. And Lucian of Samosata tells us about how Christians, not only did they protest the arrest and they tried to get him released, but when they couldn’t get him released, some of the leaders of the Christian community in Palestine actually put themselves in prison and slept and ate right alongside of him. There was this tremendous concern for social justice. There was this radical generosity to the poor.
10. Why was hospitality so very important in biblical days?
Thursday: The Principle Behind Everything We Do: Sex, Money…
One of the reasons many seminaries are changing the way they teach preaching is because of Keller. You surely see what he continually does in this sermon. He doesn’t just tell you to sacrifice your body sexually by being pure, but that Jesus sacrificed his Body to make us pure. He doesn’t say give generously, He says Jesus made Himself poor so we could be rich. He doesn’t just say, reach out in hospitality to the outsider, He says Jesus died so He could bring you, an outsider, into the family of God.
THE PRINCIPLE
And yet at the same time, in the middle of verse four, in the middle of three and four, you have verse four, which says that God will judge the adulterer and the sexually immoral. Now, those are two important words. Adultery. You know what that means? It means to have sex with somebody when you’re married to someone else, being sexually unfaithful to your wife or your husband. But the word sexually immoral is a more general word that means sex outside of marriage. Now, Christians were radically concerned about the poor, radically generous with their money, deeply concerned about social justice. So that makes them liberal, right? And they’re absolutely against sex outside of marriage. That makes them conservative, right? They can’t be both liberal and conservative.
Yeah, they can. It’s a contradiction, isn’t it? No, Christians were very weird then in that culture. And they are just as weird, and they just as much defy categories today in our culture. And when people say, well, that’s kind of contradictory, right? To be. To say no sex outside of marriage and to be sort of conservative when it comes to sex, and then very socially activist when it comes to justice. No, here’s the reason why it’s not weird, and here’s why Christians are what they are. There’s a principle here. The Enlightenment that happened in the late 17th, early 18th century in Europe, that affected America and Europe affected what we call now Western culture. It’s an enormous shift in the way of thinking. And yet. And though it’s very complicated, there’s very great consensus that the Enlightenment created what we now call Western individualism in all of our cultures. We now believe very strongly that the rights of the individual, the happiness, the interests of the individual always take precedence over traditional. They take precedence over the group, over the family, over the clan, over the community, the individual right, the individual fulfillment. That’s what’s important. And that has just seeped into everything in Western culture.
But the gospel says something different to you about your money and about your sexuality. Unlike Western culture, the gospel says about your money, if God has given you money, that money is not yours. It’s not yours for your own personal happiness, pleasure, affluence, status. It’s been given to you by God in order to build human community. You’re supposed to be putting it out there. You’re supposed to be investing it, giving it away. You’re supposed to be plowing it into the neighborhood, into the city, in order to build up human community. But the gospel says your sexuality also is a gift to you, and it’s not something that you’ve been given just for your own personal pleasure and happiness. It also is a way of building human community. And that’s the reason why the gospel has always said sex is actually a nurturing, unifying practice that is only to be shared between a man and a woman in covenant, an exclusive, lifelong covenant. It’s a nurturing and unifying discipline inside a covenant between one man and one woman in order to create a stable basis for families. And it’s the only basis for families. It’s the only environment in which children actually can be raised safely, emotionally, safely, psychologically safely. In other words, the gospel has always said, your money is not your own. It’s for the building of human community, not just for your pleasure. Your sexuality is not your own. It’s there only for the building of human community, not just your pleasure. And where do we get this idea? Because He Jesus Christ did not treat his body as if it was his own. He did not treat his glory and his wealth as if it was his own. gave them in order to make us a family, in order to make us a community. And that’s the principle. It’s the principle behind everything we do. And it makes Christians look really weird. Kind of liberal in some ways, kind of conservative in some ways. It was true back then, it’s true now.
And I got a question for you. If you’re living in New York City and you’re a Christian, then you got. There’s a question. How are you treating your money? How are you treating your sexuality? Are you going to be affected by the Western Enlightenment or by the Gospel in how you live? So that’s that principle. These things are not yours, they’re not your own. And that’s the principle behind hospitality.
11. What did Keller mean when he said believers are conservative about sex and liberal about money?
In another sermon he said believers are stingy with their bodies and generous with their wallets, whereas the world is stingy with their wallets and generous with their bodies.
11. How was Jesus sacrificial with both his body and his riches?
12. What change did the enlightment bring to our thinking concerning the individual versus community?
Friday: The Principle Behind Hospitality
Listen and read up to “And there’s you code: high value.”
However, now we’re going to look more specifically at that practice itself. And you say, “Well, where does the word hospitality come up?” Well, it depends on the translation. Some translations, it’s in verse two. In our translation, it’s not. But in verse two, it says, and it’s a classic and a powerful text. Do not forget to (And this, the translation is) entertain strangers. For by so doing, some people have entertained angels without knowing it.
What is that? First of all, the word entertaining strangers or entertain strangers is the translation of a single Greek word. And that Greek word is philoxenia. Now, the word xenos meant stranger, foreigner. And we get our word xenophobia from it. A fear of the other, a fear of people of other races or other, you know, outsiders. And the word Philadelphia, which means love of people like us, our brothers and our sisters. That’s the word Philadelphia is. But this is the word philoxenia. And philoxenia means to love people who are different than you. But it had a specific meaning, and what it meant was to bring them into your home as guests. For by so doing, some people have entertained angels unawares. By the way it says angels without knowing it. The old King James Bible has a very felicitous way of putting it. It says, for in so doing, some people have entertained angels unawares. You know what that’s referring to? Genesis 18, when Abraham brought three strangers in and he was very hospitable to them, and he gave them a meal. And afterwards, it turned out he was, he had actually been entertaining the Lord and his angel messengers.
Now, what is this saying? Here’s if we’re going to understand what we’re being told here. We have to understand the background. In ancient times, hospitality to travelers was a high value. Here’s why. When you and I go traveling, we expect to either stay in hotels or in the homes of people we know. But that was essentially impossible in ancient times. Travel was very dangerous, very difficult, and people didn’t do it at all like the way we do it now. And because there wasn’t that many travelers, because it was so dangerous, you really couldn’t have franchise. You couldn’t have inns, you couldn’t have hotels. There weren’t enough people. There were some, but very, very few. Not only that, people didn’t move all the time like they do now.
So, if you’re going to another city, chances are you know somebody there. That just wasn’t the case. So, travel would have been impossible unless you opened your home to strangers or if you were a traveler, unless somebody opened their home to you, even though you didn’t know who they were and they didn’t know you. And as a result, hospitality in ancient cultures was very, very important, and it was a high value. Zeus was the God of hospitality, for example. And the ancient hospitality code had four parts to it. Invitation, screening, provision, and departure. It was very, very. There were duties for the guests and duties for the hosts. And here’s what they were.
First of all, invitation. You can actually find this many places in the Bible. If you were traveling, you would come to a city or a town or a settlement, and you would either come to the gate of the town or stay outside at a well or some open place and wait for someone to come out and invite you to stay with them. You see this, by the way, in Genesis 19, Genesis 24, Acts 16, where Paul comes to Philippi. You see it all the time. You would come outside right near the gate and wait for someone to invite you in.
Then there was screening. Now, here’s what screening was. If you’re going to invite strangers in, you wanted to make sure they were strangers and not enemies who in the middle of the night were going to try to take the city over. So, you would do a little bit of screening, a little bit of interviewing. Maybe the strangers of their smart brought some letters of recommendation from some famous people of, you know, high credibility.
And then thirdly, then someone come out and bring them in. And if you were a host, it was your job to wash their feet and provide them a feast, not just, you know, a few morsels, and then give them rest, give them refreshing rest. Because they were weary travelers. Traveling was much more weary, some even dangerous in those days.
And the next day you departed with thanks, or the next day. And actually, ordinarily you would never stay more than two nights. That was ordinary. You never stayed more than two nights. That was your job as a guest, to get out in two nights. And I said, “ah, so that’s why it worked in ancient times. Two nights.” And there it was, your code. High value.
13. What does philoxenia mean? Who are “strangers,” or “people that are different than you” in your life?
14. What are some ways you could reach out to them?
15. What were some of the duties of the host in biblical days?
16. While our culture has changed, we are still to give high value to our guests. What makes you know you are highly valued by a host?
Saturday:
17. What is your take-a-way and why?
142 comments
How did you experience the goodness of God this week? I have been continuing to get back to normal since my hip replacement. I’ve been blessed with co-workers who have stepped in and done more of the heavier work without resentment or making me feel bad. I haven’t had any set backs since returning to work.
What makes you feel welcome and wanted when you go to someone’s home? Kindness and attentiveness. Not spending time on their phones. When you go to your church home? Acknowledging my presence, a smile, a wave.
I love hearing about your co-workers. I can remember a time when work was so hard and you didn’t have support — so this makes me so thankful!
And yes — not on their phones! 🙂
Amen to not looking at their phones. So thankful that your co-workers are showing you loving care and appreciation, Dawn.
So glad you’re getting back to normal, Dawn, and that your coworkers are helping out with the heavier work😊!
Good to hear you are back to work and being supported!
Dawn, It is so good to hear the report on your recovery from the hip replacement. And God bless your helpful coworkers.
That’s lovely!
Glory to God. 💜
So glad you are on the mend Dawn!
1.) How did you experience the goodness of God this week?
The Lord brought my first and early, great grandson, born at 29 weeks to Bella and Sam. Travis James Lynch, 2.9 lbs. Mom, Dad and baby are all doing well. Thank you, God, for this precious miracle. Thank you, Jesus.
2.) What makes you feel welcome and wanted when you go to someone’s home? When you go to your church home?
I always feel welcome if someone smiles and says, “ I am so happy you are here” or “I am so happy you could come.” I never care what is served, but I just love a sense of being part of a family or community or having a new friend. Since I am new in this area, I have loved it when someone says they enjoyed visiting with me (when I had chatted with her at their daughter’s home a few months earlier). When you are a t a church, especially a new church, it is so nice when someone remembers your name.
Oh Lord, thank you for this tiny newborn and please watch over this precious one.
I love all this from Patti. I am so terrible with names I’m asking God to help me — because it is important. This from Patti:
I always feel welcome if someone smiles and says, “ I am so happy you are here” or “I am so happy you could come.” I never care what is served, but I just love a sense of being part of a family or community or having a new friend. Since I am new in this area, I have loved it when someone says they enjoyed visiting with me (when I had chatted with her at their daughter’s home a few months earlier). When you are a t a church, especially a new church, it is so nice when someone remembers your name.
Congratulations 🎉🎊 on the arrival of your new great grandson and that all are doing well…praise God!!
Praise the Lord on the new arrival! Congratulations, Patti.
When someone remembers your name, yes 🙌
What joy to have a new baby in the family. So tiny and so precious. Praying for his growth and God’s blessing on him. 💕
Aww, glory be to God for this new baby! He’ll live for God in Jesus’ name.
Congrats GREAT GMA!!
Oh, Dee! That photo was just about the time we met. I was holding my sweet son, who I love so much. He was such a precious gift from God. I remember that we were living in student housing, that was falling apart (and you were so gracious with whatever I fed you) 😉. ☺️ You were and are such a gift to me and I thank God for bringing you into my life. 💕🙏 I love you my eternal friend!
Patti, what a cute picture! You look so happy 🤍
I didn’t know that was student housing — I just remember all your beautiful paintings! And your gourmet cooking! But mostly, your warmth and other-centeredness, even then!
You always see the best in everyone dear Dee!💕
Sunday:
How did you experience the goodness of God this week?
I loved the whole lesson this past week. It has made me think and appreciate self-forgetfulness. I believe the Lord graciously gave me the internal struggle I had with relationships and past hurts in order to help me see an area I need to work on self-forgetting. It really helped me to see the key to getting past these struggles is trust in the gospel and our Lord’s plan for us, as well as prayer. I’m so thankful for those of you who prayed for me through this. It really made a difference to have the support here. Thank you.
What makes you feel welcome and wanted when you go to someone’s home? When you go to your church home?
When someone shows genuine concern about me and how I am, I feel welcome. At church we have a great person who greets everyone with a hug and a genuine, “How are YOU?”
I agree Chris, the lesson this last week on self-forgetfulness has caused me to think too and to be more intentional in how I interact with others…thinking of myself less and really listening.
Thankful for this encouragement, truly.
I so agree with both of you. I am a work in progress and this lesson was powerful in so many ways. I need to think more about others, be intentional and really listen.
Sunday:
1. How did you experience the goodness of God this week?
It has been a heavy week filled with answered prayers and heartbreak…provision of a heart for a heart transplant and a good surgical outcome for a brain hemorrhage. But then a women (not a believer) lost her battle with breast cancer leaving behind three young boys and husband and a young girl who had a heart transplant in May went to be home with Jesus this last week as her body rejected her new heart.
As we studied a few weeks ago suffering is inevitable, but not easy. It gives me great comforted that I have a Savior who understands.
2. What makes you feel welcome and wanted when you go to someone’s home?
When they really listen and participate in conversation.
When you go to your church home?
Being greeted with a genuine “how are you.”
Oh, Sharon. What a tough week! As comforting as our eternal perspective can be, it doesn’t take away our journey through grief. I will pray today for those you are in community with that are suffering losses and praises.
Dear Sharon, I am so sorry for these losses, both too young. It is hard to process so much pain in such a short time. I will pray for you and for these families, who have experienced such tremendous loss. I pray for God’s comfort and peace.
I agree, it is wonderful when people listen.
Oh, such a roller coaster week! This life is hard and filled with trouble. I know you are such a gift to those who are hurting, Sharon.
Amen, you are a gift to them!
Monday
3. Read Hebrews 13: 1-8
A. What is the first exhortation in verse 1? How does this speak to you? Let brotherly love continue. To me this is continuing to love our Christian neighbors, and not letting petty differences come between us.
B. To whom are we especially to show hospitality? What interesting reason is given? Strangers, for we may entertain angels without knowing it. This refers to Abraham when he entertained angels. Keller says this word for hospitality meant to bring them into your home. 4 parts to ancient hospitality code. 1. Invitation-when traveling you waited outside the city gate for someone to invite you in. 2. Screening: making sure stranger is not an enemy. 3. Someone brings them in. Gives them a feast and rest. 4. Guest departed after 2 nights. Deuteronomy 10:17-18- Israelites were called to be hospitable to strangers because they were strangers while in Egypt and the wilderness. We are saved by the grace of God, therefore, we must show hospitality to others. Ancient hospitality was just convenience for travelers for two nights. If we have God’s grace, we are to spend what we are given on those who are without a home, or connections, money, etc. and provide to those who need it. For Christians hospitality lends a sacramental role to God’s power coming into our lives. How can I share God’s hospitality by using my home and gifts with others? Hospitality is an attitude of heart that goes after new people and makes them feel welcome, especially people the world excludes. Opening to them and making them feel welcome. The orphan, the widow, the homeless-invite them into your space, your home. Invite people and friends into your spiritual home-small group, church, ministry.
C. Whom are they told to remember in verse 3? How are they told to feel about them? Those in prison, as though they, themselves, were in prison.
D. What are the instructions about marriage? Be faithful or face consequences of judgement.
E. What are his instructions on money? What reason does he give for being content with what we have? Are you? Be free from the love of money. Be content for God is with us and will not forsake us. Christians can confidently say, “The Lord is my helper; I will not fear; what can man do to me?” I find it so interesting that the verse says being content is related to not being afraid of what man can do to me and the Lord being my helper. When I become fearful about money, I don’t think about what man might do to me, but I do realize I am afraid God will not provide-mostly because I have not been careful with my money.
F. How are they to regard their leaders? How does this apply to you? Consider their lives and imitate them. I see some at church who greet others and have such joy in doing it. They are not shy about it and make great connections for those who are new. I wish to do this, too. I tend to feel shy about greeting.
G. Why does he remind them that Jesus is the same yesterday, today, and tomorrow? We are to remember the gospel is always the same.
Concerning hospitality, Keller focuses particularly on Hebrews 13:12-13, which is think is easier to understand in The Living Bible:
So also Jesus suffered and died outside the city gates to make his people holy by means of his own blood. 13 So let us go out to him, outside the camp, and bear the disgrace he bore.
Keller’s prayer at the end will also shed light:
Thank you, Father, for giving us the promise that if we open our homes and our wallets and our hearts to strangers, You will work because that’s how we were saved. And it’ll be expensive, but nothing like the expense of Jesus paid when he was cast out so we could be brought in.
4. It was a disgrace to die outside of the city gates, outside of “community.” But how did that willingness actually build a community? How might this apply to hospitality? I think I understand this to mean that because we are cast out until we accept Christ and the gospel, this is our motivation to be hospitable to others. We must pay the cost of hospitality (sticking our neck out to invite others into our homes, etc) like Jesus suffered for us. We pay a much smaller cost.
The whole time I was listening to this message, I could not stop thinking of a prayer request from our small group this week for a woman named Rasha. She is moving here from California. She is pregnant with a Down’s Syndrome baby. She is from Egypt. When her husband learned of the condition of their baby, he left her. A friend of ours who also has a Down’s Syndrome child, reached out to her on an online group for mom’s of Down’s babies. This sweet mom decided to move here with strangers and support for her child rather than remain all alone in California. She will be temporarily living in the home of our friend’s aunt. We are waiting for a virtual baby shower announcement in hopes to support her. The timing of this sermon. Wow.
Oh, Chris! I love all your answers, and the story of Rasha is heart wrenching. What a blessing for her to be in a safe place with people who will truly love her. Wow is right. Perfect timing for this sermon. Thank you for sharing.
Chris — this comment of yours is interesting to me as I sometimes wonder why many in our church don’t greet others, but it made me realize they are just so shy.
Consider their lives and imitate them. I see some at church who greet others and have such joy in doing it. They are not shy about it and make great connections for those who are new. I wish to do this, too. I tend to feel shy about greeting.
Yes, and as I think of this in light of the self-forgetting, it’s really another great application. Feeling shy is really self-focus. Instead of worrying about myself and feeling nervous about greeting someone, I need to be praying for who the Lord would like me to meet and impact for the gospel. Someone is needing to be greeted and remembered by name. Someone is needing to be noticed for the first time at church. Someone is looking for help, but too scared to ask. These are the things I need to think of when greeting and seeking to open the door to our church for those who are there, after all, to seek spiritual growth or comfort from the world.
Sunday:
How did you experience the goodness of God this week?
—My husband had a minor eye surgery on Thursday this past week and I was reminded again of how we are blessed with a circle of caring friends and family who pray for us and show loving concern to us.
Also we were invited to a small dinner party in the home of a long time close friend from our church family for her 80th birthday. Her daughter invited us and one other couple to join their family to celebrate their Mom and Grandmother. We felt very honored to be included as they are humble and sweet servants of God. It was nothing prestigious but so delightful and a joyful time where we experienced the goodness of God. A sweet taste of the fellowship to come in Heaven.
What makes you feel welcome and wanted when you go to someone’s home? When you go to your church home?
—First of all just being invited. When people invite you into their home it is an invitation into their private space. They are willing to let you get to know them on a more intimate level. I think a welcoming home is one where you are encouraged to relax and enjoy conversations together over food and drink.
As far as the church home. It is being greeted by fellow believers with smiles, hugs and handshakes.
What a lovely week of sweet blessings, Bev. Praying that your husband’s eye heals well. Love being able to celebrate a dear friend’s birthday. I agree, just the invitation is love, bringing joy, conversations and community.
Not surprised you are loved, Bev.
Sunday:
1. How did you experience the goodness of God this week?
He reminded me of how much He loves me with no condemnation.
2. What makes you feel welcome and wanted when you go to someone’s home? When you go to your church home?
When they ask about me and how I’m doing and they tell me to feel at home while actually meaning it.
Love that they ask about how you are doing and are so sincere with all their kind words, dear Eunice.
So good — no condemnation!
3. Read Hebrews 13: 1-8
A. What is the first exhortation in verse 1? How does this speak to you?
We are to love our brothers and sisters in Christ. We are to live out our faith with other believers, and not dwell on differences we may have. We should keep Christ at the center of all of our relationships.
B. To whom are we especially to show hospitality? What interesting reason is given?
We should show hospitality to strangers. We may be entertaining angels and not know it. We should demonstrate Christ’s love to all we meet.
C. Whom are they told to remember in verse 3? How are they told to feel about them?
We are to remember those imprisoned for their faith, as if we were prisoners with them.
D. What are the instructions about marriage?
The marriage covenant is Holy and is to be honored and not defiled. Those who are not faithful will be judged by God.
E. What are his instructions on money? What reason does he give for being content with what we have? Are you?
Do not focus on money or be motivated to have more than another. Be content with all God has given you, share it generously for godly purposes. God is your provider and He will take care of your needs.
F. How are they to regard their leaders? How does this apply to you?
They are to remember the church leaders, who truly lived out their faith daily. Be wise in the counsel you listen to, that it is true to God’s Word. If I stay in God’s Word and follow leaders who speak Biblical truth, and live it out, I will not be deceived by false prophets. Good advice for our current world. Stay in God;s Word and live out your faith.
G. Why does he remind them that Jesus is the same yesterday, today, and tomorrow?
Christ never changed; His Word has not changed. Eye witnesses at the time knew He spoke God’s truth, consistently. We should live in that way. There are so many trying to give new meaning to God’s Word, but The Word stands firmly the same.
4. It was a disgrace to die outside of the city gates, outside of “community.” But how did that willingness actually build a community? How might this apply to hospitality?
Jesus died for all people, not just the Jews, but for the Gentiles, the poor, the criminals. His community was not the law keepers, but the sinners who would repent and be redeemed. Jesus wanted All to come to Him, to trust Him, believe in Him and He desired to have them in His kingdom for eternity. I need to be open to those outside my “community” to help increase the community in heaven. So many have done that for me on my life time. Thank you Lord for all those who prayed and sacrificed the gift of love for one so selfish as me.
Patti, Thank you for your answer to #4. That is helpful to me to better understand the context of the question.
I agree with Bev, your answer to #4 is very helpful. I especially like this…”His community was not the law keepers, but the sinners who would repent and be redeemed.”
I also appreciated what you said in #1…” We are to live out our faith with other believers, and not dwell on differences we may have. We should keep Christ at the center of all of our relationships.” What a great statement in helping us think less about ourselves!
Such a good post!
3. Read Hebrews 13: 1-8
A. What is the first exhortation in verse 1? How does this speak to you?
We (brothers and sisters) need to keep loving one another. As a group of believers we need to be there for each other. To stick together in the hard times. To lend a hand even when we are tired.
I need to keep thinking of those around me and checking in on them so they know I care.
B. To whom are we especially to show hospitality? What interesting reason is given?
We are to show hospitality to strangers because we never know if we are in the presence of angels.
C. Whom are they told to remember in verse 3? How are they told to feel about them?
We are to remember those in prison and those who are in pain (I believe actual physical pain). We should try to feel the pain ourselves.
D. What are the instructions about marriage?
We are to honor our marriage and be faithful. We will be judged on this.
E. What are his instructions on money? What reason does he give for being content with what we have? Are you?
Don’t love money. Be satisfied. He will never allow us to be without. He won’t abandon us. I saw this as my mother died a pauper but always had what she needed.
I am mostly satisfied. I would say I’m not so satisfied with time and my lack of self-control with food.
F. How are they to regard their leaders? How does this apply to you?
We are to remember the leaders and the good that came from them. We are to follow their example.
We can look to the leaders we have presently in our lives. We can remember they are human and choose to follow the good they have done versus focusing on their human-ness, specially when it comes to our pastors.
G. Why does he remind them that Jesus is the same yesterday, today, and tomorrow?
Because Jesus wasn’t there at that point, just like today. We must have the faith. Keep the faith!
I love how disciplined you are to be in His Word, Laura.
Thank you Dee. I need Him all the time.
MONDAY:
3. Read Hebrews 13: 1-8
A. What is the first exhortation in verse 1? How does this speak to you?
It says Let love of your fellow believers continue.
I should keep showing love to them no matter the situation I find myself in, or in any situation they find themselves in.
B. To whom are we especially to show hospitality? What interesting reason is given?
To strangers, especially among the family of believers.
Some have entertained Angels without actually knowing it.
C. Whom are they told to remember in verse 3? How are they told to feel about them?
Those who are in prison, and those who are mistreated.
They are to feel like they’re fellow prisoners with them, and they’re to remember that they themselves are also in the body and are subject to physical suffering.
D. What are the instructions about marriage?
It is to be held in honour among all and the marriage bed undefiled.
E. What are his instructions on money? What reason does he give for being content with what we have? Are you?
To be free from the love of money. He says that God has said that He will never under any circumstances desert me nor forsake me.
Sometimes, it’s just that sometimes I allow my heart to begin to crave other things, forgetting that they’ll come in their time.
F. How are they to regard their leaders? How does this apply to you?
They’re to remember their leaders and imitate their faith.
G. Why does he remind them that Jesus is the same yesterday, today, and tomorrow?
He says that to remind them that He never changes. He reminds constant no matter the situation. Always.
4. It was a disgrace to die outside of the city gates, outside of “community.” But how did that willingness actually build a community? How might this apply to hospitality?
Jesus’ death outside of community and the fact that when we realize that He’s our only hope we would have to go out to Him, and join Him there built, and is still building this community.
Jesus had to go out of His way, has to leave comfort for us to be brought into God’s kingdom.
Great post, Eunice.
Monday: The Main Text
We will look at Keller’s text from Hebrews 13, focusing particularly on how it applies to hospitality, and tomorrow, on a few other key hospitality texts. The book of Hebrews is really a sermon rather than a letter, to Jewish Christians whose lives were falling apart. Many were being imprisoned with no food given to them.
3. Read Hebrews 13: 1-8
A. What is the first exhortation in verse 1? How does this speak to you?
Keep on loving each other as brothers and sisters.
I need to keep this before me on a daily basis.
B. To whom are we especially to show hospitality?
Strangers
What interesting reason is given?
For some who have done this have entertained angels without realizing it.
C. Whom are they told to remember in verse 3?
a. Those in prison.
b. Those being mistreated.
How are they told to feel about them?
a. As though you were there yourself.
b. As if you felt their pain in your own bodies.
D. What are the instructions about marriage?
Give it honor and remain faithful to one another. God will judge people who are immoral and those who commit adultery.
E. What are his instructions on money?
Don’t love it and be satisfied with what you have.
What reason does he give for being content with what we have? Are you?
He will never fail. He will never abandon me.
Yes, I am content.
F. How are they to regard their leaders?
Remember them, think of all the good that has come from their lives and follow the example of their faith.
How does this apply to you?
It is two-fold…
Follow leaders who speak truth.
To teach truth if I’m in that position.
G. Why does he remind them that Jesus is the same yesterday, today, and tomorrow?
So they won’t be attracted by strange, new ideas. Their strength comes from God’s grace. They can trust in the steadfastness of God and His truth.
Concerning hospitality, Keller focuses particularly on Hebrews 13:12-13, which I think is easier to understand in The Living Bible:
So also Jesus suffered and died outside the city gates to make his people holy by means of his own blood. 13 So let us go out to him, outside the camp, and bear the disgrace he bore.
4. It was a disgrace to die outside of the city gates, outside of “community.” But how did that willingness actually build a community? How might this apply to hospitality?
Everything Jesus did was up-side-down from our thinking and understanding. His dying outside the city brought a community of people together who considered everything outside the camp as unclean and evil. Yet they were willing to step outside of the box of tradition and suffer the reproach that their Savior experienced. To further God’s kingdom I too need to think up-side-down, step outside of the box and be hospitable to people with self-forgetfulness that I would never consider inviting into my home. (This is for me, right Dee! 😜)
I can do this because…”The LORD is my helper, so I will have no fear. What can mere people do to me? Hebrews 13:6
Dear Sharon, Love your answer to 4. I need to think upside down and outside the box!
Dear Sharon, Love your answer to 4. I need to think upside down and outside the box!
This is for all of us, Sharon! 🙂 I sometimes feel concerned about how many ragtag people are in our little church and then I remind myself how many ragtag people Jesus welcomed in, including me!
I love teasing you Dee…but this has brought a new perspective to me in regards to reaching out and I’m very grateful that God is using you to open my eyes and heart to this❤️
Yes Sharon, Your answer to #4 is very clarifying for me. Thanks so much.
Sunday:
How did you experience the goodness of God this week?
I believe I am still basking in the full knowledge of God’s
words (smile): “You are my beloved in whom I am well pleased.” The Father is pleased with me. My circumstances are still the same but these words spoken overme with singing (Zephaniah 3:17) are pleasant music to my ears.
What makes you feel welcome and wanted when you go to someone’s home? When you go to your church home?
The homes where an initial knock is all I need and then I push the door open, and somebody saying, “Come on in, Bing. Here you are!”In my church home, a firm grasp, smiling eyes, and a
genuine how are you question. And then a listening ear. Children (and adults) coming toward me to hug me. The Spirit’s presence-it is palpable. But I do believe I can prepare myself before I go to someone’s home or my church to be either a
recipient or the giver of a welcoming atmosphere.
And Dee, I love this: entertaining is meant to impress others about
ourselves, whereas hospitality is meant to love others with the love of
Christ.
Thanks, Bing!
Monday: The Main Text
We will look at Keller’s text from Hebrews 13, focusing particularly on how it applies to hospitality, and tomorrow, on a few other key hospitality texts. The book of Hebrews is really a sermon rather than a letter, to Jewish Christians whose lives were falling apart. Many were being imprisoned with no food given to them.
3. Read Hebrews 13: 1-8
A. What is the first exhortation in verse 1? How does this speak to you?
—We are to keep on loving one another as brothers and sisters.
I think it is important to remember as believers we share the same heritage in Christ and God is our Father. When I have differences and there tensions between me and other believers it can be really hard not to take offenses personally and want to shut them out of my life. But God clearly does not let me off the hook. I am to keep on loving when and how possible on my part.
B. To whom are we especially to show hospitality?
—I’m not sure especially is the right word. For me that gives the connotation of preference to strangers. The context I see here is when we are practicing hospitality we should remember to not forget practicing hospitality to strangers as well. I know it is easier to be open to the people we know and there is a danger of neglecting to see the need for strangers to have a place to stay and eat. I also think this aspect of hospitality is being lost in a modern day culture to having people just stay in hotels and eat out. In Biblical times that wasn’t a viable option in most places. I think the need for food and lodging was much greater for travelers in those times. Even my grandparents culturally had homes that were more open to inviting guests in to feed them and give them a place to sleep that they didn’t know when they saw the need for someone who was stranded.
What interesting reason is given?
—It says some who show hospitality to strangers have entertained angels without realizing it. I don’t even know where to go with that or have any personal frame of reference for it.
C. Whom are they told to remember in verse 3? How are they told to feel about them?
—They were to remember those in prison. I also think this was a very different culture and a time when many believers were put in prison unjustly for being followers of Jesus. I think the reality was to remember them because it could be you in prison. Many times people in prison had to depend on family or friends to provide some very basic needs to ease their situations. But I believe prison ministry is no less important in today’s world.
D. What are the instructions about marriage?
—Marriage is to have a place of high value and life long faithfulness is required of married people.
E. What are his instructions on money? What reason does he give for being content with what we have? Are you?
—We are not to love money and things. Greed is truly a green eyed monster in our very affluent country. We are inundated with advertising to feed the monster and not be satisfied. We should be content because if we have God in our lives He promises to provide our every need. He will never fail or leave us alone.
Yes I am content because I have lived long enough to know and experience that no material thing has ever truly satisfied my heart. Only Jesus has done that.
F. How are they to regard their leaders? How does this apply to you?
—We are to think highly of them for teaching us God’s Word and realize the good that has come from the fruit of their lives and they are examples to us of how to practice faith and live.
Where we can we try to give financial support and spiritual encouragement even yet to friends and spiritual leaders for the blessings in our lives because of them.
G. Why does he remind them that Jesus is the same yesterday, today, and tomorrow?
—Because Jesus and his ways never change but there is a danger of being sucked into novel ideas and practices that lead away from Christ. The way of Christ is always self sacrifice but the enemy would have us consider ways to serve ourselves.
4. It was a disgrace to die outside of the city gates, outside of “community.” But how did that willingness actually build a community? How might this apply to hospitality?
—l am having trouble thinking this through. 🥴 Guess my brain is tired. I’ll look forward to Keller’s comments and others here. 😊
Bev, this is so true for me too! Yes I am content because I have lived long enough to know and experience that no material thing has ever truly satisfied my heart. Only Jesus has done that.
Even brilliant Bev’s brain gets tired! :-).
Bev, I so relate to your honest answer to 3A…” When I have differences and there tensions between me and other believers it can be really hard not to take offenses personally and want to shut them out of my life. But God clearly does not let me off the hook. I am to keep on loving when and how possible on my part.” I am struggling with that in my life right now and you’re absolutely right that God doesn’t let us off the hook🤦🏻♀️
Monday: The Main Text
We will look at Keller’s text from Hebrews 13, focusing particularly on how it applies to hospitality, and tomorrow, on a few other key hospitality texts. The book of Hebrews is really a sermon rather than a letter, to Jewish Christians whose lives were falling apart. Many were being imprisoned with no food given to them.
1. Read Hebrews 13: 1-8
A. What is the first exhortation in verse 1? How does this speak to you?
Love one another as brothers and sisters. I have difficulty lately truly loving others. This verse says, “keep on…do not stop.” It did not say, “until you feel like it. Unless they change. Unless they agree with you.”
B. To whom are we especially to show hospitality? What interesting reason is given?
To show hospitality to strangers. In doing so, you may be showing hospitality to angels without knowing it. I thought about how Abraham showed hospitality to three men and they were angels, messengers of God.
This experience of our Bible Study group one evening often gives me goosebumps when I think of it: There were only three of us of the 8 usual number for Bible Study that one evening. I was getting ready to start us off when 4 women strangers walked in. At first, I thought they were a part of a Girl Scout Group that meets at our church every month. Then one of them said, “we’re here for the Bible Study.” I kid you not. I had goosebumps. How would they know? I also had this weird feeling of alert-they all look like “street worldly”-(oh how judgment clouds our thinking!) and yet, there was such a holy hush! Then one of them said, “there’s another one coming-she is just locking our vehicle.” I wish I could have taken a picture of the 3 of us. We probably looked bewildered.
Anyway, we gathered from the oldest lady of the group that they were enroute to Omaha, NE, was told by the husband of one of them that our church has a Bible Study that Wednesday and that they should check it out. They were a support group called Life Changers from Springfield and ministers to recovering alcoholics, addicts etc. and do kind of like street ministry in cities.
The next hour or so was a very heartwarming exchange between women, strangers to one another but joined in Christ. What a gift to the three of us that evening.
I have kept in touch with the leader of the group. One of them is supposed to have had a heart catheterization procedure this morning. I just heard from their leader and she is recovering well after two stent procedure. They talked about stopping by again in the future. A story about how the husband found us online is a god thing story for anotehr time.
Wow. Love your story of strangers visiting Bible study. You must have made them feel welcome! Love this.
I agree with Chris! Wow! I have good chills reading this, Bing! So wonderful that you have all kept in touch!
What a fun story. I would have been nervous too – -but what a delightful surprise!
Love stories like this Bing…God has a way of keeping us on our toes!
Tuesday: Key Supporting Passages
5. What is the exhortation and reason for it in Deut: 10:18-19? To love the sojourner, giving him food and clothing for God’s people were sojourner’s in Egypt.
6. What does the Shunammite widow do to practice hospitality in 2 Kings 4:8-10? She provides a guest room for the traveling missionary.
7. To whom does Jesus exhort us to practice hospitality in Luke 14:12-14? Invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, the blind-those who cannot repay you.
8. What reason is given to practice hospitality in Matthew 25:35-40? We are serving Christ as we serve those in need.
9. What does 1 Peter 4:9 tell us to do — and what does this mean? When we show hospitality, it should be done without grumbling and with a generous spirit. God loves a cheerful giver. If we invite the family over for dinner and then complain about how much work it is and how much food they eat, is that hospitality? The grumbling negates your gift.
9. How might you better apply any of the above? I believe the key is to keep proper focus. The verse about serving others as we should serve Christ-this is one to help keep perspective. I think it’s easier to have that perspective with strangers than family, but what if we did this even with family? And to those who we don’t really feel deserving of our kindness? It has also helped me to not do things in order to please myself-feeling prideful of what I’ve done or doing this in order to feed my people pleasing idol. I am looking for ways to serve others in need more often, rather than just serving my family, but it does take sacrifice of time and money.
4. It was a disgrace to die outside of the city gates, outside of “community.” But how did that willingness actually build a community? How might this apply to hospitality?
I really do not understand these questions! Would they want to be like Him? Dying on a cross? At this point they don’t actually know what’s going on, right? He has taught those closest to Him but even they don’t get it. How could those in “community” get it at that point? Hospitality to me is making someone feel comfortable. Dying on the cross wasn’t comfortable. I don’t get this at all!
Seems this question has puzzled many.
Keller’s point was the Jesus was thrown outside the city in disgrace, but He submitted to it to bring us inside.
Hospitality may demand sacrifice of time and money (but not dying on the cross) to bring others inside.
Clear as mud?
🤣🤣🤣
5. What is the exhortation and reason for it in Deut: 10:18-19?
God desires justice for the orphan and widow and show His love for the alien by giving him food and water. We are to be God’s hands and feet for others.
6. What does the Shunammite widow do to practice hospitality in 2 Kings 4:8-10?
The woman recognizes that Elisha is a man of God. She first gives him meals, then she and her husband make a small, comfortably furnished room for him to stay in when he passes through their community.
7. To whom does Jesus exhort us to practice hospitality in Luke 14:12-14?
I love verse 11 too, for all this shows humility. Invite those from whom you cannot not expect repayment (motive), for the true blessing is in blessing others, and not in having another motive for those you entertain. It is about the having a heart for others.
8. What reason is given to practice hospitality in Matthew 25:35-40?
I love that this fits with “entertaining angels unaware”. What we do for strangers, the poor, the lonely and others, especially those in need, we are doing for Jesus.
9. What does 1 Peter 4:9 tell us to do — and what does this mean?.How might you better apply any of the above?
Be hospitable to others without complaint. I need to have this as a core value in my life. To embrace what God asks me to do, to keep it simple and not a production, to just be a friend, send a note, pray for another, have coffee together, take someone to lunch.
When you meet someone who is lonely, include them, embrace them, make a connection, build a bridge.
I see you all doing this in wonderful ways with those you meet on your daily journey. It inspires me.
5. What is the exhortation and reason for it in Deut: 10:18-19?
Widows and orphans will be cared for and foreigners will be loved.
He has shown love to them as foreigners in Egypt.
6. What does the Shunammite widow do to practice hospitality in 2 Kings 4:8-10?
She made a place for him to stop and rest anytime he came through their town.
Tuesday: Key Supporting Passages
5. What is the exhortation and reason for it in Deut: 10:18-19?
God exhorts the Israelites to show love to foreigners, for they themselves were once foreigners in the land of Egypt.
6. What does the Shunammite woman do to practice hospitality in 2 Kings 4:8-10?
She invites Elisha to have a meal at her home. After that, whenever he passed that way he would stop there to eat. She says to her husband that she’s sure Elisha is a holy man, so let’s build a small room for him and furnish it so he has a place to stay when he comes through.
7. To whom does Jesus exhort us to practice hospitality in Luke 14:12-14?
The poor, the crippled, the lame and the blind.
8. What reason is given to practice hospitality in Matthew 25:35-40?
Whenever we feed someone who is hungry, give someone thirsty a drink, give someone homeless a room, someone shivering clothes, visit someone sick or go to someone in prison it’s for God – we did it for Him.
9. What does 1 Peter 4:9 tell us to do — and what does this mean?
We should cheerfully/willingly(not grudgingly or with grumbling) share our home with those who need a meal or a place to stay.
9. How might you better apply any of the above?
To be more willing to practice hospitality.
Tuesday: Key Supporting Passages
5. What is the exhortation and reason for it in Deut: 10:18-19?
—In the ESV it talks about the sojourner so reading it in the NLT opened my eyes to a new understanding because it says the foreigner. I have always thought of a sojourner just as a traveler passing through briefly which is somewhat correct but they are people who are in a place foreign to them for a temporary amount of time. It isn’t their home and usually doesn’t become their home. Traveling can be tiresome and being in a strange country where a strange language is spoken can be an isolating experience. I now rub shoulders with more foreigners in our area which rarely happened in my early years. I will look differently at the foreigners around me than I did before. I wasn’t negative about them being here I just failed to considered what it might feel like for them. The last time I visited with Yuri the boy who does my nails he feels uncertain about his future because of his visa situation. He is in limbo with getting an answer and he is afraid of going back to the Ukraine. He is now married to a sweet Asian girl and they have little boy. He is truly a sojourner and I hope by being his friend I can have opportunity to show he and his wife the love of Christ. I love it that these verses say clearly God loves sojourners. And he was exhorting the Israelites to be hospitable because they had been sojourners in Egypt.
6. What does the Shunammite widow do to practice hospitality in 2 Kings 4:8-10?
—Whenever Elisha was traveling through her town she welcomed him into her home for a meal and eventually she built special quarters onto her home for him to have a place to stay and rest.
7. To whom does Jesus exhort us to practice hospitality in Luke 14:12-14?
—To people who are disadvantaged and cannot repay you.
8. What reason is given to practice hospitality in Matthew 25:35-40?
—To practice hospitality and have an open heart to others is like doing it for Jesus.
9. What does 1 Peter 4:9 tell us to do — and what does this mean?
—“Cheerfully share your home with those who need a meal or a place to stay.”
1 Peter 4:9 NLT
This is about heart attitude. We are to share with those in need and do it cheerfully.
9. How might you better apply any of the above?
—I do see the need for my husband and I to be more sensitive and open to having foreigners in our home.
My husband who has a very hospitable heart has had to help me realize I am prone to over prepare and make too much work for myself when people are actually often satisfied with little. I find people are so grateful to just be invited into our home and made to feel welcome. Learning to simplify has been good for me to enjoy guests in my home and have a more cheerful attitude. I have found that as I have done that I am often greatly blessed by the people we invite over.
Thank you, Bev, for the information about sojourners. It is so good. I pray for Yuri, his wife and little boy. May God bless your friendship with him. He will see Christ in you.
Love your perspective on simplifying when having guests. I need to be better at relaxing when I have guests.
That’s a good observation about “sojourner” — in a place foreign to them!
7. To whom does Jesus exhort us to practice hospitality in Luke 14:12-14?
We are to invite people for dinner who cannot repay us, not our neighbors or our wealthy friends who could repay us.
8. What reason is given to practice hospitality in Matthew 25:35-40?
Because by helping others you are helping Christ.
9. What does 1 Peter 4:9 tell us to do — and what does this mean?
We cheerfully need to share our homes with others. Especially those different from us. Invite people in!
9. How might you better apply any of the above?
I should invite those whom I may not totally understand, “get,” or know well into my home. For tea, lunch, or ?
Monday: The Main Text
We will look at Keller’s text from Hebrews 13, focusing particularly on how it applies to hospitality, and tomorrow, on a few other key hospitality texts. The book of Hebrews is really a sermon rather than a letter, to Jewish Christians whose lives were falling apart. Many were being imprisoned with no food given to them.
3. Read Hebrews 13: 1-8
A. What is the first exhortation in verse 1? How does this speak to you? Let brotherly love continue. To me it says keep loving Christian brethren no matter the circumstances.
B. To whom are we especially to show hospitality? What interesting reason is given? Show to strangers, which in those times were the dispersed and persecuted Christians who had nothing, or possible traveling believers, either of which were unknown to you. The greek word is philoxenia: love of strangers (Strongs). That puts it in a little different light than just providing a meal and a place to sleep. To actually receive the stranger with love, Marie was a perfect example.
The interesting reason is that the stranger might be an angel. More proof that angels do take on human form even today.
C. Whom are they told to remember in verse 3? How are they told to feel about them? Rsupport).emember those Christians who are suffering and in prison. They are part of the Body of Christ with us, and we should suffer with them (compassion, prayer,
D. What are the instructions about marriage? Marriage is honorable for all, and sexual intimacy in married couples is pure. This intimacy outside of marriage will be judged by God.
E. What are his instructions on money? What reason does he give for being content with what we have? Are you? We are to live in a way without coveting money (greedy, always wanting more). We should be content with what we have because we have the Lord with us always. I am content.
F. How are they to regard their leaders? How does this apply to you? Interesting there were two distinct interpretations. One (Matthew Henry): remember those leaders who had gone before them and had died (ie James) and to follow their example, considering the end of their lives (martyrdom). Two (John Gill): To acknowledge and respect your spiritual leaders, considering their faith and manner of living.
The application I see for me is a combination of both, remembering past and respecting present leaders. I can think of several bible teachers who impacted my spiritual life, their godly lives and consistent faith were examples to follow. Present leaders would be my pastor. I respect his teaching and acknowledge his authority.
G. Why does he remind them that Jesus is the same yesterday, today, and tomorrow? Jesus is the ultimate leader and head of the church which is His Body. He was, He is, and He always will be the One to lead us.
Concerning hospitality, Keller focuses particularly on Hebrews 13:12-13, which is think is easier to understand in The Living Bible:
So also Jesus suffered and died outside the city gates to make his people holy by means of his own blood. 13 So let us go out to him, outside the camp, and bear the disgrace he bore.
Keller’s prayer at the end will also shed light:
Thank you, Father, for giving us the promise that if we open our homes and our wallets and our hearts to strangers, You will work because that’s how we were saved. And it’ll be expensive, but nothing like the expense of Jesus paid when he was cast out so we could be brought in.
4. It was a disgrace to die outside of the city gates, outside of “community.” But how did that willingness actually build a community? How might this apply to hospitality? His willingness to di -e and shed His blood made it possible for us to be saved. As we all are saved thru that sacrifice, in a way we are united at the cross – all equal sharing the same salvation, becoming a family thru His blood.
I love the point about “suffering with.” I know those who helped me the most in grief were those who seemed to be suffering with me.
10. Why was hospitality so very important in biblical days?
In biblical days it was necessary to offer hospitality to travelers who had no where to stay. The host provided lodging, food and rest. The traveler was responsible to leave within 2 days time.
I’m guessing I’m missing something, because it seems too simple an answer. Reflecting now, I’m thinking that hospitality was not just to sojourners but also to the poor, lame, blind, etc. in the community. So using resources to help anyone in need was very important, especially when there was no government assistance, programs, etc. during this time. The church used to be the sole provider for those in need before our government stepped in with resources. As Christian’s, today we should still be providing for those in need and not relying on the government to do this.
Good point, Chris. I’m thankful for Social Security, medicare — but I also know that the government spends far more in endeavoring, for example, to help in a disaster than do Christians doing the same thing. I guess because of the heart and all the red tape.
It truly is a different world today. You both make since good points. So much to think about with this. And as you mentioned earlier, Dee, social justice had taken on a new meaning. Things are not simple,and it is often hard to discern what is the wise and godly thing to do.
Wednesday: Background
10. Why was hospitality so very important in biblical days?
—I think we in America as the average American do not live in the midst of desperate needs like most did in Biblical times. Yes there are desperate needs in many places but we for the most part do not encounter those needs in any up close and personal way because we actually live pretty affluent lives compared to biblical times. Being thrown into prison could happen pretty quickly and they were mostly desperate places. And the poor needed others to come alongside them and help them have their most basic needs met. Most of us don’t rub shoulders with desperately poor or imprisoned people who have been put there not for a crime but for their faith in Jesus. So for others to step out and come alongside them and practice hospitality in such powerful ways as Keller describes meant life and death for many. We are talking about Biblical hospitality and not an Americanized version that we think of as related to having people over for dinner.
I think of our own Miriam (Missy) who has given her life for disadvantaged children and lives in a not so safe area providing for them. I am missing her insights here.
Oh, Bev! So well said! I agree, Missy lives Christ’s hospitality with her amazing family. She has brought Christ and His love to many young people, on addition to her lovely children. I do miss her perspective here too!
I agree 100% with this. There are many struggling and we choose not to see this if possible. I saw a man yesterday when I took kids to the museum downtown who was homeless and begging on the street corner. I thought of our lesson and the poor and consoled myself with knowing that there are many programs available for the homeless in our town. It is against the law to panhandle and many who are given money at the side of the road use it for drugs, yet it is hard on my heart to pass these people by with nothing to give them. Once when my travels brought me by the same man over and over, I finally put together a little bag with some basic necessities and gave it to him when I came to the red light. I hadn’t put anything extravagant inside, but felt bad afterward when he said in taking the bag that he knew I would put something really good inside. Ugh.
I love that you did that, Chris!
10. Why was hospitality so very important in biblical days?
There were not hotels or Air bnbs in those days. I cannot imagine traveling great distances on foot or on camels, not knowing where you could find safety, rest and community. Taking in strangers had to be a way of life. Offering space for traveling strangers and preparing and sharing food with them, was important for survival and for community.
We live in a totally different era, but we are commanded to be open and inviting to strangers. I admit that I am very cautious, because our current culture is not always safe. We must be open and kind and use good judgment in this, yet we need to show the love of Christ to all, and be generous in welcoming new friends. I have been blessed so often with others kindness and generosity to me. I thank God and always remember some extraordinary Christians, who demonstrated Christ’s love so clearly that it was life changing. They became life long friends. Lord help me to be that person to others. Give me wisdom and discernment, love and generosity.
Tuesday: Key Supporting Passages
5. What is the exhortation and reason for it in Deut: 10:18-19?
To show love for the stranger, because they were strangers in the land of Egypt.
And I think this is worth looking at because even though the Israelites were strangers in Egypt they were not shown love, yet God wants them to show love for the strangers because they were once strangers.
6. What does the Shunammite widow do to practice hospitality in 2 Kings 4:8-10?
She made him eat at her place even without knowing him and even provided a place for him to stay whenever he passes by.
7. To whom does Jesus exhort us to practice hospitality in Luke 14:12-14?
To the blind, lame, poor or disabled. People who cannot necessarily repay it back.
8. What reason is given to practice hospitality in Matthew 25:35-40?
To be able to actually do these things for Jesus. Doing it for His people is just like doing it to him.
9. What does 1 Peter 4:9 tell us to do — and what does this mean?
To be hospitable to each other without complaint.
There’ll be times when we have to take others in and we might not even have enough for ourselves and we can be tempted to complain or not even show love while we take them in. Peter is telling us to not complain about anything while being hospitable.
9. How might you better apply any of the above?
When I have someone around me that say needs to sleep in my room because they live off campus I can take them in and if they don’t have any clothes to wear for the night I can give them something to wear and something warm to eat and drink all without trying to entertain them or complain.
10. Why was hospitality so very important in biblical days?
I think it’s the fact that most of them didn’t even have enough to help the other person with but they still did it willingly, without keeping grudges or anything against the other person.
This is such a lovely post, Eunice. I especially love your answers to 9. And 10. What a blessing you are to others.
Love how even a student with just a dorm room can practice hospitality!
Wednesday: Background
10. Why was hospitality so very important in biblical days?
I think about Old Testament days when a stranger/foreigner was passing through a town and would wait by the gate or the center of town until someone would invite them into their home. Most of the time they were invited in because the people who lived there were afraid for how they would be treated…robbed or worse. The invitee was taking a risk themselves but seemed willing to take it.
I wonder if this practice was carried over into New Testament biblical days for the same reason. Also, was hospitality practiced differently between believers and nonbelievers? I do understand that there were not many inns and many people couldn’t afford them.
Good questions. I think it was mostly believers — but could be wrong.
Sharon, this OT tradition is so interesting. I always learn something I did not know from your posts! I wondered the same thing about believers and nonbelievers.
10. Why was hospitality so very important in biblical days?
Christian hospitality, in biblical times, was meant to help the oppressed.
Tuesday: Key Supporting Passages
5. What is the exhortation and reason for it in Deut: 10:18-19? Israel is to love/befriend foreigners (strangers), because they were once strangers in the land of Egypt.
6. What does the Shunammite widow do to practice hospitality in 2 Kings 4:8-10? Maybe you are thinking of the woman at the beginning of the chapter, the Shunammite is not a widow. She consistently invited Elisha to eat at her home whenever he passed by. Eventually she convinced her husband to make a special chamber for Elisha where he could rest, too. She was particular about the furnishings (bed,table,stool,candlestick) considering the comfort of Elisha.
7. To whom does Jesus exhort us to practice hospitality in Luke 14:12-14? The poor, disabled, and disadvantaged.
8. What reason is given to practice hospitality in Matthew 25:35-40? Hospitality/support shown to to the poorest/disadvantaged person is showing love to Jesus.
9. What does 1 Peter 4:9 tell us to do — and what does this mean? Be hospitable without complaint, do it cheerfully. Vs 10 Whatever we have been given, spiritual/physical, share and use it for the common good.
9. How might you better apply any of the above? I pretty much do all of the above (except adding a room to my house) as the Lord leads me.
Wednesday
10. Why was hospitality so very important in biblical days? In the Old and New Testament both, followers of the LORD (Israel) and believers following Jesus (Christians) were always in the minority. They had to stand together, love and support each other (hospitality) against the pagan world. In New Testament times the persecution was very great, costing believers their livelihood, possessions, homes, property, and even their lives (prison, martyrdom). Many were poor, destitute, homeless, and they needed help.
These are such good points, Cheryl!
Thursday
11. What did Keller mean when he said believers are conservative about sex and liberal about money? Believers are committed to a faithfulness in marriage, but willing to share their money with the poor in a sacrificial way.
In another sermon he said believers are stingy with their bodies and generous with their wallets, whereas the world is stingy with their wallets and generous with their bodies.
11. How was Jesus sacrificial with both his body and his riches? Jesus gave up his place in heaven to come to earth and be nothing for us. He literally gave his body up for us so that we could have eternal life.
12. What change did the enlightment bring to our thinking concerning the individual versus community? The enlightenment put priority on the individual above the community. Rather than looking to serve others, people were encouraged to serve themselves.
Rabbit trail:
My husband has a cousin whose brother got into drugs, became homeless and lived that way for years. No one knew where he went. He left his lovely family and disappeared. He lived on the streets in Texas. One day they found him and encouraged him to come home. He did for a very short time. They found that he had his own little ministry going in the homeless community. He would make sure that his homeless “family” had the things they needed. So his family started a ministry with him when he came back. They put together blessing bags for the homeless and distributed them downtown. He made a list of things the homeless should have in these bags (one of the items was Q-tips!) This ministry is still growing today. Sadly, the brother succumbed to his addiction and is no longer with us, but the ministry that came out of his struggle is ongoing. It has been a great way to draw people to come away from their self indulging ways and consider those in need. One of my favorite stories from this ministry is from the father of this man. He was out passing the blessing bags and encountered a woman with no shoes who’s feet were red with cold. He gave her a blessing bag and continued on his way but lamented to his son how he wished he’d had shoes to give her. The son asked, “Dad, why didn’t you give her your shoes? You have so many.” He just hadn’t thought of it, but was again changed in his thinking.
What a moving story about your husband’s cousin, Chris. He had such a heart for others, despite his addiction. It is wonderful that his ministry is still growing today.
Thank you for taking us down that rabbit trail, Chris. It’s wondrous to me to see how the Lord moves through people in all circumstances to minister to others, how one man’s life made such a difference.
I see where you get it, Chris! 🙂
Great story!
Thursday: The Principle Behind Everything We Do: Sex, Money…
11. What did Keller mean when he said believers are conservative about sex and liberal about money?
In another sermon he said believers are stingy with their bodies and generous with their wallets, whereas the world is stingy with their wallets and generous with their bodies.
—In being conservative about sex and liberal with money he says the principle behind both is building human community. Both should be used for the good of others.
11. How was Jesus sacrificial with both his body and his riches?
—He lived a life of poverty on this earth even though he was the King of all glory and owned all of Creation. He set those aside in the life he lived in the body and then gave his body over to death to save our souls.
12. What change did the enlightment bring to our thinking concerning the individual versus community?
—It has caused the whole thinking of Western Culture to believe that the rights of the individual, their happiness and their own interests should take precedence over traditional ways of thought and be given precedence over all others.
Sunday:
1. How did you experience the goodness of God this week? – We have been gone for the last two and a half weeks. First to Alabama to transfer the paperwork for a camper we bought from some dear friends, and then to Indiana for Tim (our dear friend) memorial. It was such a blessing to see our dear friend Deb (the wife of Tim) have so much support from so many people who loved them as we did. The service was wonderful, and the gospel was preached, and her daughter-in-law called her the next day and cried about how she saw so many loving on Deb and she even said the sermon was making her rethink to relationship with Jesus. God was everywhere; he was around in every moment. Thank you, Jesus, for your love and for turning Tim’s death into the gospel message for those who do not know you…YET!
2. What makes you feel welcome and wanted when you go to someone’s home? When you go to your church home? – At someone’s home, it’s the comfort that you feel, it’s not a forced welcome, it’s natural and they want you to make their home, your home. They tell you to help yourself and don’t make me feel like I’ve intruded. At church, it’s when you see the smiles and here welcome, or hello as you walk in the door. It’s the side conversations before and after service as you mingle around.
“A comfort you feel — not a forced welcome.” So good.
What a lovely memorial service of your dear friend,Tim. I love how so many embraced Deb and her family. And so excited that her daughter-in-law is wanting to rethink her relationship with Jesus. Praising God.
Amen to Dee’s comment!
Monday: The Main Text
3. Read Hebrews 13: 1-8
A. What is the first exhortation in verse 1? How does this speak to you? – “Keep on loving each other as brothers.”
B. To whom are we especially to show hospitality? What interesting reason is given? – We are to show kindness to strangers, because we may just be showing kindness to angels and not know it.
C. Whom are they told to remember in verse 3? How are they told to feel about them? – We are told to remember the prisoner just as if we were right along side of them in prison.
D. What are the instructions about marriage? – Everyone should honor marriage and to keep the marriage bed pure or God will judge the adulterer and the sexually immoral.
E. What are his instructions on money? What reason does he give for being content with what we have? Are you? – We are to keep our lives free from the love of money and be content with what we have because He will always be near us and never leave us. I am content with what I have and am trying to get rid of more stuff that I don’t need.
F. How are they to regard their leaders? How does this apply to you? – We should remember those who taught us about God and imitate their lives, if they are still leading godly lives. I need to continue to watch and grow and ask questions to those who are in authority and well versed in God’s word.
G. Why does he remind them that Jesus is the same yesterday, today, and tomorrow? – Since that reminder is coming after the verse of remembering our leaders and consider their lives; if they are true followers of God’s word, then their lives should not be changing in a negative way but should constantly be growing in His word. Jesus doesn’t change and either does His Word.
Concerning hospitality, Keller focuses particularly on Hebrews 13:12-13, which is think is easier to understand in The Living Bible:
So also, Jesus suffered and died outside the city gates to make his people holy by means of his own blood. 13 So let us go out to him, outside the camp, and bear the disgrace he bore.
Keller’s prayer at the end will also shed light:
Thank you, Father, for giving us the promise that if we open our homes and our wallets and our hearts to strangers, You will work because that’s how we were saved. And it’ll be expensive, but nothing like the expense of Jesus paid when he was cast out so we could be brought in.
4. It was a disgrace to die outside of the city gates, outside of “community.” But how did that willingness actually build a community? How might this apply to hospitality? – By Jesus sacrificing himself outside the city gates, it removed the sin which allows us to turn to Him and be holy and free from sin. As for it applying to hospitality, do we not allow an unexpected visit to upset us? Do we just enjoy the moment and let God lead the visit? I’m not sure on this.
Many struggled with that last question — but Keller explains that Christ’s sacrifice outside of community brought us into community. By sacrificing our time and money to practice real hospitality, we bring the outsider int0 community.
Ok, that makes sense. So, in a way that we gather together as the body of Christ when someone who stands for or something against Christianity happens, we all come together as one to show our support and give out our prayers?
That’s certainly a good application.
Tuesday: Key Supporting Passages
5. What is the exhortation and reason for it in Deut: 10:18-19? – God defends the fatherless and the widow and loves the alien and provides for them so we as Christians should do the same because we were once like them.
6. What does the Shunammite widow do to practice hospitality in 2 Kings 4:8-10? – She urged him to stay for a meal and then had her husband make a small room with a bed in it on the roof for him to stay in when he comes around. She welcomed him by making it comfortable for him.
7. To whom does Jesus exhort us to practice hospitality in Luke 14:12-14? – We are to show hospitality to those who would not or cannot repay us for our kindness.
8. What reason is given to practice hospitality in Matthew 25:35-40? – When we give to those in need, to the prisoner, the widow, the hungry, all those less fortunate than ourselves, we are giving to Jesus and it pleases him to see our hearts lined up with His.
9. What does 1 Peter 4:9 tell us to do — and what does this mean? – We are to offer hospitality to each other without grumbling. It means to me that we are to help each other, without thinking we are being put out. We should be putting other’s needs in front of our own and when we do, God will bless us for taking care of those in need. We have gifts and talents that others don’t have and if we all work together to help out, the work here on earth will be done. One mind, one body.
9. How might you better apply any of the above? – I need to start remembering that God created everyone. It’s not my responsibility to decide who to help or who should get God’s grace and mercy. God will decide whose heart is right with Him and what judgement should come. My responsibility is to see all of these people as God’s creation and realize that they are same as me and just help those I can help. I shouldn’t be thinking about it, it should just come naturally. My hand should extend the same way to all that come my way.
Love this, Julie: My responsibility is to see all of these people as God’s creation and realize that they are same as me and just help those I can help. I shouldn’t be thinking about it, it should just come naturally. My hand should extend the same way to all that come my way. I have missed your posts.
Thursday
11. What did Keller mean when he said believers are conservative about sex and liberal about money? Conservative about sex in that it is only meant for wife and husband, united in a nurturing covenant. Liberal with money in that it is God’s money to be used to help others and build community.
In another sermon he said believers are stingy with their bodies and generous with their wallets, whereas the world is stingy with their wallets and generous with their bodies.
11. How was Jesus sacrificial with both his body and his riches? Philippians 2, Jesus put aside his riches/glory and became a man to provide a way for us to be saved, He didn’t hold onto them. Jesus kept Himself pure and offered His Body as a sacrifice for us. It was all done for others, for us.
12. What change did the enlightment bring to our thinking concerning the individual versus community? I find this a very interesting question. The shift from community to emphasis on individual rights. During that time period, late 17th – early 18th century, think about American history at that time. I don’t know about Europe, but it seems that the focus was on the overall good, not just individuals. The thought of individual rights evolved and is now the overwhelming norm. I have heard it said that when Jesus purchased us, we gave up all rights to ourselves. People, even Christians, still cling to what benefits them instead of community as a whole.
Your answer to 12 is so true, Cheryl. And this: “People, even Christians, still cling to what benefits them instead of community as a whole.”
Love that you found that interesting. I think Keller truly is the C. S. Lewis of this century.
I would agree with that, Dee. Just as Lewis, Keller’s messages provoke deeper thought.
Thursday: The Principle Behind Everything We Do: Sex, Money…
11. What did Keller mean when he said believers are conservative about sex and liberal about money?
They were against sex outside of marriage and very generous with their money.
11. How was Jesus sacrificial with both his body and his riches?
Jesus gave up both His body, glory and wealth to make a community.
12. What change did the enlightment bring to our thinking concerning the individual versus community?
The rights of the individual took precedence over community.
Wednesday: Background
10. Why was hospitality so very important in biblical days? – They were concerned for social justice and wanted to show themselves as generous to those who were oppressed.
11. What did Keller mean when he said believers are conservative about sex and liberal about money?
They don’t want to give their bodies but don’t have a problem with giving their money.
11. How was Jesus sacrificial with both his body and his riches?
He gave His body and His wealth. He did this for us to have community together.
12. What change did the enlightment bring to our thinking concerning the individual versus community?
The rights of the individual take precedence over the rights of the body (whole).
Trying to catch up while at our daughter’s place to help her with some chores:
C. Whom are they told to remember in verse 3? How are they told to feel about them?
Those in prison and those who are mistreated. Feel like you are in their shoes.
D. What are the instructions about marriage?
To honor marriage.
E. What are his instructions on money? What reason does he give for being content with what we have? Are you?
To be free from the love of money. We can be content because God is always with us. Discontent comes to me when I start comparing myself with others.
F. How are they to regard their leaders? How does this apply to you?
To consider the outcome of their life and imitate their faith. I respect the leaders who I have had who are content with their lot in life.
G. Why does he remind them that Jesus is the same yesterday, today, and tomorrow?
Jesus has been faithful to me in the past, now, and He will be if we are talking in light of the topic of hospitality. He will provide what we would need to do so.
Concerning hospitality, Keller focuses particularly on Hebrews 13:12-13, which is think is easier to understand in The Living Bible:
So also Jesus suffered and died outside the city gates to make his people holy by means of his own blood. 13 So let us go out to him, outside the camp, and bear the disgrace he bore.
Keller’s prayer at the end will also shed light:
Thank you, Father, for giving us the promise that if we open our homes and our wallets and our hearts to strangers, You will work because that’s how we were saved. And it’ll be expensive, but nothing like the expense of Jesus paid when he was cast out so we could be brought in.
4. It was a disgrace to die outside of the city gates, outside of “community.” But how did that willingness actually build a community? How might this apply to hospitality?
People who ae outside of the city gates maybe considered the scum of society and do not belong inside the community. But Jesus was not ashamed of that because He came for them, for us sinners. We should not be ashamed or embarrassed to show hospitality to those who the world may consider unworthy or could not return the favor. Jesus died for me while I was yet a sinner. I did not have to clean up my act before I came to Him.
Love your answer to 4 Bing!
LOVE THAT HIS PRAYER ENLIGHTENED THE MEANING AND YOU SAW IT.
I love that you pointed that out in Keller’s prayer, Bing and Dee! That is my take away for this entire lesson. Nothing like the expense that Jesus paid.
Thank you, Father, for giving us the promise that if we open our homes and our wallets and our hearts to strangers, You will work because that’s how we were saved. And it’ll be expensive, but nothing like the expense of Jesus paid when he was cast out so we could be brought in.
Tuesday: Key Supporting Passages
5. What is the exhortation and reason for it in Deut: 10:18-19?
Love foreigners, the fatherless, widow for they have been foreigners in Egypt.
6. What does the Shunammite widow do to practice hospitality in 2 Kings 4:8-10?
Provided a meal, and a place for Elisha to spend the night.
7. To whom does Jesus exhort us to practice hospitality in Luke 14:12-14?
Invite the poor, cripples, lame and the blind-those who cannot repay you.
8. What reason is given to practice hospitality in Matthew 25:35-40?
We are serving Jesus.
9. What does 1 Peter 4:9 tell us to do — and what does this mean?
Offering hospitality to one another without grumbling. Hospitality should be a regular part of our lives.
9. How might you better apply any of the above?
To be on the lookout for opportunities to show hospitality to others. Practically speaking, I would like to make a menu list of easy to prepare food for last minutes company! If anybody has a link to some easy to make food or canned food combo (Dee, I love the heated tomato soup, bread and canned fruit combo!)
I think of her often Bing and wish I could be so less worried about what people think!
Dee, Filipinos are notorious lol for spending time in the kitchen for company. In some ways, our labor is our gift but time management is also a gift. I think I am going to perfect a vegetable soup and dinner rolls and freeze them. They just need to be heated up. I so love the canned fruit idea!
10. Why was hospitality so very important in biblical days?
There wasn’t anything to serve the poor and the oppressed like we do now with some government agencies and established Christian organizations.
And I got a question for you. If you’re living in New York City and you’re a Christian, then you got. There’s a question. How are you treating your money? How are you treating your sexuality? Are you going to be affected by the Western Enlightenment or by the Gospel in how you live? So that’s that principle. These things are not yours, they’re not your own. And that’s the principle behind hospitality.
11. What did Keller mean when he said believers are conservative about sex and liberal about money?
In another sermon he said believers are stingy with their bodies and generous with their wallets, whereas the world is stingy with their wallets and generous with their bodies.
Believers are conservative about sex in the sense that it is exclusive, husband and wife only, liberal with their money because they give as liberals commonly do.
11. How was Jesus sacrificial with both his body and his riches?
He gave up his body to die for me, and he left His throne in glory with all his riches, gave them all up and came down to earth and humbled himself as a man (Philippians 2)
12. What change did the enlightment bring to our thinking concerning the individual versus community?
There is emphasis on individual happiness instead of sacrificing for the sake of community.
13. What does philoxenia mean? Who are “strangers,” or “people that are different than you” in your life?
The word means to entertain strangers.
Strangers are people I don’t know. People at the grocery store, walking in the park, or someone I don’t have any connection to.
14. What are some ways you could reach out to them?
Saying “Hi!” If I see them walking on the steeet. Help them with a task.
15. What were some of the duties of the host in biblical days?
They had to wash the guests feet, give them a place to sleep and feed them a feast.
16. While our culture has changed, we are still to give high value to our guests. What makes you know you are highly valued by a host?
When they share food with me, or even invite me over. I was invited to come with the kids tonight to a young friends home. I feel special being invited! It never happens for me 😉
How did your night go with the people who invited you and the kids? How did you know them?
I know them because the grands went to preschool with one of their kids. We have remained close. Her mom is a little older than I and we are friendly, but not true “friends.” I am friends with her daughter!! Haha.
We got to catch up and that was very nice.
Friday: The Principle Behind Hospitality
13. What does philoxenia mean? Who are “strangers,” or “people that are different than you” in your life?
—Keller said Philoxenia means to love people who are different than you. But it had a specific meaning, and what it meant was to bring them into your home as guests.
I keep pondering this and have to honestly admit I am just not sure about how to define “strangers” in my husband’s and my life and our contemporary world. We have practiced hospitality to many over the years and actually have had lots of people into our homes for meals or refreshment. Besides having our friends and family regularly in our home often there have been people who are new to our town or new to our church. So I guess these are the “strangers” we have met on our journey through life.
14. What are some ways you could reach out to them?
—I would say our goal has been to help people feel welcome and to get to know them better when we invite them into our home. I think an important part of the reaching out involves the screening part to discern if they know Jesus. If they do we have had the joy of sharing in the fellowship of Christ with them. If they don’t then we desire to share Him with them so they can know him too.
15. What were some of the duties of the host in biblical days?
—It was to offer refreshment from the weariness of hard travel. A place to wash their feet, eat and sleep.
16. While our culture has changed, we are still to give high value to our guests. What makes you know you are highly valued by a host?
—When you feel a genuine welcome into their home which is their personal space and they have prepared and want to share some kind of refreshment with you. You are able to relax in their company.
On the side of being a good “host” I have had to learn and work at not being a Martha who was caught up in the details of serving and work more at making guest feel valued not impressed.
Saturday:
17. What is your take-a-way and why?
—The takeaways have been several this week and as I said it has left me pondering and reevaluating my role in relating to others in my part of this world. To consider who are the strangers in my life and how do I practice hospitality “Philoxenia” to them. I am reminded that my example is Jesus himself who came not to be served but to serve. Maybe I can just simply say it is to practice the greatest commandment by loving God with a whole heart and to love my neighbor as myself. And who is my neighbor. Actually whoever God puts in my life that I rub shoulders with. Family, friends and “strangers”.
11. What did Keller mean when he said believers are conservative about sex and liberal about money?
Christians honor their marriage vows, keeping their intimacy with their spouse only, yet they are generous in sharing money with those in need.
In another sermon he said believers are stingy with their bodies and generous with their wallets, whereas the world is stingy with their wallets and generous with their bodies.
11. How was Jesus sacrificial with both his body and his riches?
Jesus shared the message of salvation and never sought earthly riches. Jesus gave His all, His life, in our place, on the cross. He became our sin on the cross, and paid our price, that we may live with Him in eternity.
12. What change did the enlightment bring to our thinking concerning the individual versus community?
‘The enlightenment brought focus on the importance of the individual having happiness and fulfillment, and reduced the importance of community. Our society became much more self centered.
Friday: The Principle Behind Hospitality
13. What does philoxenia mean?
To love people who are different than you and bring them into your home as guests.
Who are “strangers,” or “people that are different than you” in your life?
People I don’t know, come from a different culture or we have nothing in common.
14. What are some ways you could reach out to them?
Invite them into my home for a meal.
In all honesty, I’m somewhat resistant to this because of past experiences.
15. What were some of the duties of the host in biblical days?
Wash their feet, provide a feast and give them a place to rest.
16. While our culture has changed, we are still to give high value to our guests. What makes you know you are highly valued by a host?
The invitation itself makes me feel highly valued.
I’m wondering about your past experiences — and if maybe you could think of a different kind of different: the very young or the very old, for example? Or just visitors to your church. I guess I don’t really know as I don’t know past experiences.
I also know we had one woman live with us that was very hard — but the others were a joy. Same thing with international students.
Anyhow, I’ll be quiet and pray!
Sharon, I am like Dee and wonder about your past experiences. We (my husband & I) have had a lot of experience with practicing different kinds of hospitality in our own home over the years and not all of it has been positive. My husband is very quick to say “let’s have them over” and I am often the cautious one with some reservations. The way I see it is that practicing hospitality in any form is actually ministry but as my son has reminded the people in his preaching that “Ministry is messy” and I have found that hospitality can be messy as well. Literally. 😊 With age we have tried to be a bit more discretionary and praying about it. Our desire is to have God orchestrate it and for us both to feel led in doing it. I realize though the needs in our culture are just different and our own backgrounds lend themselves to our ability have people in our homes. Having said all that I think it is probably most important to have the proper heart attitude toward “Strangers” and to have a hospitable attitude. Which can be my struggle. I can be quite comfortable in my own little corner of the world. I am certainly learning g some important things here from these lessons.
Bev, I get what you are saying. Let God orchestrate opportunities for hospitality. Yes, ministry is messy. There are times when I am tempted to disengage, weary at times of being vulnerable to others, protective of myself and my family.
I love this from Elisabeth Elliot:
“You can’t pour out a whole life all at once, but drop by drop you can give it to God as He asks for it, whenever He wants it. Is there a place where you’ve been reserving certain rights for yourself, fearing to let them go? Mark that place with a cross, and the glorious resurrection, new life, joy, and freedom will come.”
But whatever was for my profit I now consider loss for the sake of Christ. Philippians 3:7
Excellent thots Bing. Love the Elizabeth Elliot quote
Thank you Dee,Bev and Bing for your thoughtful and encouraging responses. God is working in my heart… healing, forgiveness and trusting Him. I am praying that He will give me a hospitable spirit, being open to “different,” “let God orchestrate it,” and “drop by drop give it to Him.”
Thank you🙏
Thursday: The Principle Behind Everything We Do: Sex, Money…
11. What did Keller mean when he said believers are conservative about sex and liberal about money? – Believers respect the marriage bed and are to keep their sexuality between themself and their spouse. But their money is there to help those in need, they are willing to give to help in areas that they can reach out to.
12. How was Jesus sacrificial with both his body and his riches? – Jesus gave up his body for us to be free from sin and he gave everything he had away to those who followed him. He was freely giving all the time.
13. What change did the enlightenment bring to our thinking concerning the individual versus community? – It switched their way of thinking and putting others individual interests and their rights in front of the traditional way of thinking and treating society.
Friday: The Principle Behind Hospitality
14. What does philoxenia mean? Who are “strangers,” or “people that are different than you” in your life? – It means to love people that are different than you and bring them into your home as guests. People that are ‘strangers’ or ‘different than me’ would be those that are not in my circle of friends. Could be a child in need of a place to stay to be free from harm in their own home; a missionary traveling from another country needing a place to stay while in the country; a foreign exchange student; a family that has been displaced from their own home for various reasons.
15. What are some ways you could reach out to them? – Have your name in organizations that help people letting them know you are willing to house a guest. Let your church know that you have room for missionaries that come.
16. What were some of the duties of the host in biblical days? – Give them a comfortable place to stay, provide a meal for them, give a care package as they leave.
17. While our culture has changed, we are still to give high value to our guests. What makes you know you are highly valued by a host? – You become like family to them and are no longer a stranger; they are excited to have you come back to stay.
Julie, love your post!
Friday: The Principle Behind Hospitality
Listen and read up to “And there’s you code: high value.”
13. What does philoxenia mean? Who are “strangers,” or “people that are different than you” in your life?
And philoxenia means to love people who are different than you. But it had a specific meaning, and what it meant was to bring them into your home as guests.
I thought of our experience with the five ladies who stopped by during our Bible study on their route to Omaha, NE.
I think of the people that God has brought into our lives personally and as a church. Men and women whom Richard, my husband, reached out to through the food pantry in our town. A couple of homeless people. A man and a woman in their 40s who have mental health issues. The very poor.
14. What are some ways you could reach out to them?
Sharing our resources with them, providing occasional work so they can earn money through honest labor. My garden has been a source of food gifts to people.
15. What were some of the duties of the host in biblical days?
Wash their feet, provide a feast, and give them rest. For 2 days!
16. While our culture has changed, we are still to give high value to our guests. What makes you know you are highly valued by a host?
The little extra things my host would do for me. Going beyond the basics.
I think of a few friends who had taken time to know what food I prefer, asking about allergies (like animal dander-hah!); no expectations for long-winded conversations (unless that was the purpose of the visit)
Saturday:
17. What is your take-a-way and why?
All that we have-money, sex, opportunities for hospitality have been given to you by God in order to build human community. The gospel is the principle behind things that we do. The gospel calls for us to be like Jesus-a dying to self for the good of others.
Jesus is our example to follow. The ways we practice hospitality may come in different forms, but the principle or the heart motive behind any of them is gratitude to Him.
I love this song by Brandon Lake, “Gratitude”.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UoHrBNTfzIs&list=RDUoHrBNTfzIs&start_radio=1