Hospitality in a Hostile world - full sermon

Hospitality in a Hostile world

                  So I’ve confessed a few of my loves to you before. I love old Star Wars movies. I love Comic Book movies…Well today’s confession is Caitlyn (my eldest girl) & I are huge Anglophiles – lovers of all things English. Like Sci-fi? They have Doctor Who. Like Downtown Abby? They did class warfare 1^st in a show called Upstairs/Downstairs. Like the comedy the Office? They made the original called, the Office. You know Americans are getting lazy when they ripoff British shows for an American audience & can’t be bothered to even think of their own title, right? Like podcasts, like me? Try Rexfactor (REX) Rexfactor for a humorous history & ranking of all the English & Scottish kings & queens. My mom will say, if you like Law & Order & NCIS try a Father Brown’s mystery or a Midsummer Murders. Heck most of the popular actors in American movies are all British now thanks to movie series’ like James Bond, Star Trek & Harry Potter. And as much as I love sporting events here in KC if someone gave me British Premier League tickets (you know, actual Futball) I’d happily give away all my Royals & Chiefs stuff & head straight up to KCI with my Chelsea jersey on to see the best soccer players on the planet.

                  As an Anglophile and a history lover, I was thinking about our topic of Hospitality in relationship to British soldiers and I remembered two particular stories. The 1^st story is a bit sad & the 2^nd is a bit more hopeful, then we’ll get into it. A British historian (so someone right up my alley); a British historian named Graham who wrote a book, I believe called When Jim Crow met John Bull & it was about black GI’s in WWII in Britain and it notes how awkward it was for the US military to begin going over to support Britain & have the British military be so hospitable to our black US servicemen. For those of you who don’t know despite the Civil War being over for nearly 100 years the US military at the time was still as nearly segregated as the Deep South and this book goes on to say how shocked the Brits were to see the reality of US racism still so integrated in the military. The startling comment of this book was the concern the US military had that the British hospitality & treatment of black GI’s as equals was going to make “postwar segregation even more difficult”. (Pause) And it was. The US Civil Rights movement started right on the tail of WWII as newly integrated soldiers came home to an often un-integrated homeland.

                  So that was the sad story that it basically took British hospitality to awaken the Civil Rights Reformation in the US almost 100 years after the Civil War ended.

                  The 2^nd story is a bit nicer so we’ll end with that as we move into our texts today.  Again regarding British soldiers, but this time instead of allies the US & Britain are opposed in the War of 1812.  

                  At the conclusion of the war in around 1814, 300 British sailors, who had been kept as prisoners, were assembled on the coast of Britanny, France ready to head back to England. The soldiers had been severally billeted on the inhabitants of Britanny for some days and where ready to leave. (Billeted is like the government forcing use of your personal home for military use. Basically this was where the French were lodging the British soldiers before returning them home.) Before they left one of these British soldiers requested permission to see the local superintendent, a Misure Kearnie, which was granted & the British soldier told him: "Please your honor, I don't come to trouble you with any bother about ourselves: we are all as well treated as any Christians can be; but there is one thing that makes my food sit heavy in my stomach, and that of my two mates." "What is it?" the superintendent replied. "Does the family on whom you are quartered begrudge you the food?" "No, your honor; quite the opposite—if they did, that would not surprise us." "What, then, do you complain of?" "Only this, your honor—that the poor folk of France cheerfully lay their scant allowances before us for our food, and we have just found out that they have hardly touched a mouthful themselves, or for their six babes, for the last two days; and this generosity we take to be a greater hardship than any we found in your French prisons." At this Misure Kearnie told them that this hardship would be relieved. He instantly ordered the billets to be withdrawn, and repaid all parties for their kindness, so compassionately interchanged with the soldiers. These generous French families in a time of war would rather feed their enemies than feed themselves & their young children. There may not be a clearer real world picture of the self-sacrifice of the Bread of Life himself, than that.  

                  So see Beloved in both of these stories how hospitality changed not merely the situation (cause any force or military might is able to change a situation), but hospitality is able to change the heart of the matter, it changes the people themselves in the midst of their circumstances.  And that is what makes this a worthy topic for our reflection today – my sermon is called Hospitality in Hostile world.

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(Pause)

                  So what is hospitality? It’s based upon being hospitable. That’s it! The Apostle Paul says that we should “contribute to the needs of the saints and seek to show hospitality” (Rom 12) which means we should “not neglect to show hospitality to strangers, for thereby some have entertained angels unaware” (Heb 13), but we should also “show hospitality to one another without grumbling” in the church (1st Pet 4), otherwise it’s not really hospitality. Even church-supported widows are to have “a reputation for good works: if she has brought up children, has shown hospitality, has washed the feet of the saints, has cared for the afflicted, and has devoted herself to every good work” (1st Tim 5), shouldn’t a woman like this (let’s call her Jackie, for instance) be honored? So being hospitable is not only a good thing to do, a good work, it is commanded, especially for those who would be elders in the church as Paul writes to Timothy that pastors and elders should be, “hospitable, lovers of good, self-controlled, upright, holy, and disciplined” (Titus 1).

Thankfully men, for us, practicing Christian hospitality isn't about Martha Stewart’s glamorous table settings or platters of picture-perfect food; it's about practicing Biblical servanthood – much like Jesus exemplied: the perfect servant, the Suffering Servant. It isn’t about mere bread but about exemplifying the Bread of Life. More importantly than lace doilies and matching china, it's about the action of loving others through Christ and making people feel welcome.

(Pause)

Biblical hospitality is something that a Christ-like servant provides cheerfully from the heart. It begins with a good attitude and is given to all without respect of persons (rich or poor, powerful or insignificant; black or white). We are called to be hospitable to all people, including the stranger, alien, missionaries and the poor and needy. My hope for you today is that you ask the Lord to show you how to infuse your life with more hospitality & to use your hospitality in a way that is pleasing to Him.

(Pause)
The Body of my sermon will discuss: Why Hospitality is still important today; the Hospitality of God exemplified to us; Examples of Biblical hospitality to others & Tips for furthering your own hospitality.

                  Pt 1 - Why Hospitality is still important today?

1 – Hospitality is an important opportunity to curb cultural error. Google Hospitality today & aside from general definitions & Wiki articles you’ll find instead of reading about the need for a revitalization of the Ethic of Christian Hospitality you’ll find about a 100 articles on the Hospitality Industry. The problem with this is the Hospitality Industry is entirely concerned with making money. How do you get patrons to stay at your hotel or diners to visit your restaurant – click here to find out?! Christian Hospitality on the other hand should not be about making money; rather it should be as a French philosopher said, the Virtue of a great soul that cares for its fellow Humanity. In the NT the Greek word translated “hospitality” literally means “love of strangers.” In the OT, God reminds Israel they were once strangers in a strange land themselves – “When an alien (i.e. a stranger…not ET by the way). When an alien lives with you in your land, do not mistreat them. The alien living with you must be treated as one of your native-born. Love him as yourself, for you were once aliens in Egypt.” (Lev 19).  

2 – Hospitality is an opportunity to practice love in action. Don’t tell me you love me; show me you love me. Any whose known a party to an abusive marriage will tell you its nice to be told your loved; but action speaks louder than words. Generosity is the foundation of both hospitable and generous churches & generous churches tend to be healthier churches. I want Calvary to be a generous, hospitable & health church.   

3 – Hospitality is an opportunity for practicality. A fact that needs no official study or Christianity Today article is new members are more quickly assimilated into “body” life though excellent hospitality. Wanna move from visitor to member, let us host you in new member’s classes. Want to know more about theology or understand the framework of the Bible better, show up for a SS class. Our teachers will serve you, for FREE! Want fellowship, then join a Community Group. Community Groups often give members both an opportunity to serve & to be served by other members of the group; #get-involved.

4 – Selfishly; Hospitality is also an opportunity to make yourselves feel good. Often people who are able to use their gifts of hospitality feel more valued & validated, in the service of others. Don’t believe me? Try it! Join a community group, serve in a soup kitchen, volunteer at a community event – take your kids!  Exemplify for them that service & sacrifice are important acts of maturity, especially for Christians! Don’t just sit there like mere bumps on logs: join in service, help, love one another, give and share with one another. This is why Hospitality is still important today.  

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                  Pt 2 - Why should I? Examples of God’s hospitality to us.

While many unbelievers merely think hospitality is about inviting others over for dinner, as if you were dating your neighbors & the world thinks hospitality is merely a business industry involving hotels & resorts; neither of these ideas is true. Hospitality is about welcoming people into our lives, meeting their needs, and reaching out: even to strangers, and even to hostile people. According to Scripture even God’s enemies are subdued by hospitality, which is evident for us in God’s work of redemption of us through the Lord Jesus Christ. (Pause)

The heart of the Gospel is entirely rooted in hospitality. From birth Scripture says, we are at enmity with God because of sin. We have no resource for saving ourselves. Yet God sent Jesus to pay our debt, and He redeems those who believe in Him, making a place for us with Him in His kingdom. His hospitality restores our relationship with Him. As I studied this topic, I continued to see these themes evidenced throughout Scripture.

                  1 – God reached out to me when I was helpless and has invited me into a relationship with Him. 1 Timothy 1 says, this saying is trustworthy and deserving of full acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am the foremost. While we are not the actors in Salvation (God acts) we receive the bounty of His hospitality.

            2 – God sent Christ to save me and to offer me life, turning me from rebellion and welcoming me into His family as an adopted son. Romans 8 says, For those whom he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, in order that he might be the firstborn among many brothers.

            3 – When I come to God in prayer; He will always listens, receiving me into His presence as His child. Matthew 6 says, but when you pray, go into your room and shut the door and pray to your Father who is in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will reward you. Calvary, I’ll tell you I’ve never had an unanswered prayer! That very thought seems like blasphemy to me. What people mean when they say that is God didn’t give me what I want, when I wanted it. But friends we must remember “No & Later;” are still answers to prayer. When my kids daily ask for treats, it’s often my job to say sorry “sugar-addicts” today you need a day off. Don’t blaspheme Him for an answer you didn’t like.

                  4 – Jesus said that He is preparing an eternal place for us with Him. John 14 says, in my Father's house are many rooms. If it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you? Quiet literally, God himself will host us in His home, give us a room, in His home, prepare a banquet for us with Him, called the Marriage Supper of the Lamb in the age to come – when finally the Lord & his assembled Church are once again reunited as one.  

                  See friends at every step of the Christian life God is the one who extends Himself, gifts faith, grants repentance, humbles sinners, lowers himself to atone for His enemies. Lead, guides, loves, saves…. His hospitality gives us life & life with Him eternal! That is why we are called to be hospitable. We are a poor dim reflection of our Lord but just as the moon is a poor reflection of the light of the sun, we’re still called on to light up the darkness around us.   

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                  Pt 3 - Examples of Hospitality in the Bible

Here are 4 examples of hospitality in the Bible: The Jailer; Abraham; The Seller of Purple; Gaius of Corinth

                  A prison guard may seem like an odd example of hospitality, but it is in Acts 16. Here is why I think he’s a great example. When Paul cast a demon out from a fortune-telling woman, who’d made her owners a lot of money they were outraged. “Her owners saw that their hope of gain was gone, so they seized Paul & Silas & dragged them into the marketplace (Acts 16).” At this, “the crowd joined in attacking them, and the magistrates tore off Paul & Silas’ clothes & gave orders to beat them with rods. And after inflicting many blows, they threw them in prison, ordered the jailer to keep them & they put them deep in the prison, fastening their feet in stocks (Acts 19).” Instead of complaining about this, Paul & Silas prayed to God & sang hymns & the prisoners were listening to them, and an earthquake freed them from their bonds & instead of fleeing they stayed put, so the jailer (who was responsible for them) cried out. “Sirs, what must I do to be saved?” And they said, “Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved, you & your HH, and then the jailer “took them that same hour of the night and he washed their wounds; and he was baptized at once, he and all his family.” This jailer shows great hospitality to those who were formerly his own prisoners.

                  **change— In the Book of Genesis we read of Abraham’s humble & generous display of hospitality to three strangers.  Wealthy and aged, Abraham could have called on one of his many servants to tend to the three unannounced visitors. Yet the hospitable & righteous Abraham generously gave them the best he had. And, as it turned out, he had entertained the Lord and two angels. 

                  Another example is the infamous Seller of Purple. In the same chapter where we read about the jailer who showed hospitality to Paul and Silas we find another great example of hospitality in Lydia. It says “on the Sabbath day we went outside the gate to the riverside, where we supposed there was a place of prayer, and we sat down and spoke to the women who had come together” (Acts 16), and “One who heard us was a woman named Lydia, from the city of Thyatira, a seller of purple goods, who was a worshiper of God. The Lord opened her heart to pay attention to what was said by Paul,” so after this, “she was baptized, and her household as well, she urged us, saying, “If you have judged me to be faithful to the Lord, come to my house and stay.” And she prevailed upon us.” So Paul, Silas, and apparently Luke who wrote the Book of Acts, and why he often refers to the group as “we,” stayed at Lydia’s for some time. She gave them room and board and so Paul, Silas, and Luke probably stayed in Lydia’s home for several days, weeks, or more.

                  Our final example is Gaius of Corinth. Gaius was probably someone Paul had met at Corinth or who he had met in Rome while a prisoner there, and apparently, Paul was under house arrest, meaning that he had certain freedom to preach the gospel but could not leave Rome, so Paul ends up in the home of Gaius of Corinth, who Paul himself baptized (1st Cor 1:14), and near the end of his third missionary trip, Paul stayed with Gaius of Corinth. Paul says that “Gaius, who is host to me and to the whole church, greets you” (Rom 16:23), so perhaps Gaius not only offered his home for Paul to stay at but “open his home to a whole church” to meet as well, so Gaius was another great example of hospitality, but not just for Paul but for “the whole church.” And He did this probably at great risk to himself, ( despite any threat of persecution – both social & political) but that’s nothing new for those who follow Christ and are willing to pay any price to follow Him.

These and a 1000 other examples are given for us to show how we too should be hospitable to both the saints of God & to those “sinners” like Zacchaeus, who don’t yet know Christ.

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                  Pt 4 -Tips for continuing hospitality

                                    Keep a Good Attitude

Use hospitality one to another without grumbling. (1 Peter 4)

One of the most important characteristics of a good host is the attitude. Peter reminds us that we must use hospitality without grumbling. The way to do this is to always remember the reason why you are doing what you are doing. You are serving because you love the Lord. When you forget your motivation, you will no longer be a servant, instead you will be a slave. Remember the two greatest commandments: Love the Lord God first and love your neighbor. If you are doing it for any other reason you are not properly motivated and your attitude will usually reflect it.

                                    Invite the Sinners

And after these things [Jesus] went forth, and saw a publican, named Levi, sitting at the receipt of custom: and he said unto him, Follow me.  And he left all, rose up, and followed him.  And Levi made him a great feast in his own house for Jesus: and there was a great company of publicans and of others that sat down with them. (Luke 5)

Jesus never forgot the sinner. And praise Him for that because had he forgotten them we would all still be lost! Better yet, Levi was hospitable to Jesus along with the other publicans (tax collectors) who were thought to be “undesirables” in Biblical times. So many times we have church fellowship dinners and community groups & yet forget that this is a great time to invite  unbelievers. Next time you have a fellowship gathering remember to invite an unbelieving friend.

                                    Provide for Missionaries

For the Laborer is worthy of his wages. (Luke 10)

Being a missionary can be a very exhausting job. When they are not on the field they are usually traveling from town to town and church-to-church to gain support for their mission. Sometimes a missionary family needs a place to stay that is free. One of the greatest blessings to these brothers and sisters in Christ is for you to offer them your home even for a night or two. And with family travels Sandra & I know this feeling of having been greatly blessed when other family members offer us a free place to stay during our travels. And after all if we take seriously the relational significance of being “brothers & sisters in Christ” - What are a few nights rest & a few meals shared in face of Eternity together? Who are mother & brother or sister & father if not our fellow believers?

Consider as well inviting them to dinner in your home or even treating them to a meal out. No matter what it is you can do, offer this to your fellow laborers for Christ, I promise you that this type of hospitality will be a huge blessing and will ensure that your missionaries will not become weary in well doing.

                                    Serve the Poor & Needy

But when you give a feast, invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, the blind, and you will be blessed, because they cannot repay you. For you will be repaid at the resurrection of the just.” (Luke 14)

We should serve the poor and the needy willingly without expecting anything in return. When we do this we give so much more than food and shelter; we actually show the love and grace of our Heavenly Father! It is a way to share the blessings that we have received with those that are less blessed. Volunteer, serve, or work at a thrift shop or in a soup kitchen. Share some canned goods with your local food pantry. Find a rescue mission or a local Christian based pregnancy center; they always need your donations and help.

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                  One last story as we begin to close…

Many years ago a Scottish explorer Mungo Park once toured West Africa. He was seeking approval to meet the King of Niger & when the King heard a white man wanted to meet him, he sent a messenger to tell him hew would need to know why he came & he wasn’t allowed entrance into the King’s land without approval. The King told him to wait in a small village for approval & when Park got there he found all doors in the town close to him. Waiting several hours, a lady that had been working in the fields came asked him why he was so down & offered him dinner & lodging with her for the night. Having been given a lamp, broiled fish & a mat to sleep on Park rested as the lady & her friends spun yarn & sang through the night. If the song was pre-existing or made up on the spot Park didn’t know but the ladies sang…."The winds roared, and the rain fell. The poor white man, faint and weary, came and sat under our tree. He has no mother to bring him milk, no wife to grind him corn. The Chorus went:
Let us pity the white man: no mother has he to bring him milk, no wife to grind his corn."

Mongo Park was looking for to understand what made Niger, Niger & so he went looking for the king & the king put him off to the people of His kingdom to show him what Niger was all about. As a people of the King of Kings Himself, let us no longer be any less gracious & hospitable than this lady was to Mungo Park.

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You may say Bennett, why does this ethic spur you on soo much when it seems like such a plain & ordinary thing? Why do you waste our hour in telling us basically…to be nice to people? Beloved, if you have to ask; then that is precisely why I have to preach this message to you. Like children you who should know when to brush your teeth & clean your rooms forget the simple things you should remember & I the parent calling to mind what you should already know. I attempt today to provoke you to consider anew the teachings of Jesus Christ – to love your God, to love your neighbor, to love your God in loving your fellow man. Let Calvary be known in the Community; for love, for warmth, for service, let it be known for faithfulness & for hospitality.

As we close let me leave you with the words of this new Hymn I learned….

                  Receive Them With Hospitality - Jehovah shows sincere hospitality. He cares for all without partiality. He gives both rain and sun, withholding these from none; He fills our hearts with food and good cheer. Whenever we show favor to lowly ones, we imitate our God as beloved sons. Our Father will repay the goodness we display, our kindness that is truly sincere.

We never know the good that may come about; when we see those in need and we help them out. Though strangers they may be, in hospitality, we lend a hand to care for their needs. Like Lydia of old (or Disney’s Beauty & the Beast), we say: ‘Be our guest.’ When they come to our home, they find peace and rest. Our Father is aware of all those ev’rywhere, who imitate his merciful deeds.

Let’s pray –

Father in heaven, we’ve been reminded today of the Generosity & Hospitality of your people from Abraham in the Old to the Lydia in the New, from British soldiers to French captors, from Scottish explorers to African weavers.

Today we ask that you give our eyes wisdom to see the needs of other people. Give us hearts full of love for our neighbors as well as for the strangers we meet. Help us to understand what it means to love others as much as we love ourselves. Teach us to care in a way that strengthens those who are sick. Fill us with generosity so we feed the hungry, clothe the naked and give drink to the thirsty. Let our lives be a healing balm to those who are weak and lonely and weary by offering our kindness to them. May we remember to listen, to smile, to offer a helping hand each time the opportunity presents itself. Give us hearts of courage that we will be brave enough to risk loving our enemy. Inspire us to go out of our way to include those in the margins. Help us to be welcoming and inviting to all who come to our door. Let us be God’s hospitality in the world. Amen.