Entertaining Strangers

Hebrews 13:1,2 says, “Let brotherly love continue. Do not forget to entertain strangers, for by so doing some have unwittingly entertained angels.” “What in the world?” some might say. I think this is a reference to some of the historic moments of hospitality in Israel’s past, and for us to emulate that open-hearted and free generosity. Abraham enthusiastically showed hospitality to three strangers, realizing later that these men were supernatural, and one of them the Angel of the Lord, called a theophany or a Christophany. Israel was to treat strangers with a special diligence. “You shall neither mistreat a stranger nor oppress him, for you were strangers in the land of Egypt” (Exodus 22:21). “You shall not oppress a stranger, for you know the heart of a stranger, because you were strangers in the land of Egypt” (Ex. 23:9). “The stranger who dwells among you shall be to you as one born among you, and you shall love him as yourself, for you were strangers in the land of Egypt. I am the Lord you God” (Lev 19:34). And that last phrase is important, it’s not a tag on, “I am the Lord your God.” The covenant keeping God has delivered you from slavery, therefore extend that covenant--lovingkindness to those in slavery and who are strangers to us. Entertaining strangers was a necessity in some aspects of near eastern culture, esp. for fellow believers. Many of these strangers in Scripture are actually believers unknown to us—Matt 25: 40 “Truly I say to you, to the extent that you did it to one of these brothers of Mine, even the least of them, you did it to Me.” It was an issue of safety and protection sometimes. Lot took care immediately of the strangers in Sodom, probably not knowing they were angels until later. The word angel means messenger, and it often describes those under that category. Rahab protected the “angels” of Israel, the spies, and the widow at Zarephath hosted Elijah.

Wisdom is needed here. Even strangers in Israel had to abide by the laws of the land. In our day and time many who are on the streets are actually criminals, so I don’t think we should feel that whoever shows up on our door step we should invite in. Jana and I have had to face this with folks who come around here. Sometimes guys come around and just want to work.. I think sometimes we can provide some, but it takes wisdom. Pray for us and the deacons as we strive to be Christ to these folks. Many, many times people don’t need cash (though they say they do) they need counsel and some direction. But, pray also and consider serving by starting a food closet here in the bldg.

Friendship and Hospitality 5

"From whom the whole body joined and knit together by what every joint supplies, according to the effective working by which every part does its share, causes growth of the body for the edifying of itself in love" (Eph 4:16). Paul does not give us a picture of each member having a personal pipeline of grace from Christ, each drawing his nourishment directly from Him. Rather, the picture is of Christ as the head; he energizes, strengthens, and blesses the whole body. His blessing is mediated through each of the members to each of the others. He does minister to individuals immediately by His Spirit, but He normally builds us in grace by our interaction with the other members of the body. No one can grow in grace without the body. It is impossible to grow up in fullness of maturity apart from its ministry. Fellowship and hospitality are expressions of our necessary and vital relationships with one another. Hospitality is founded upon the covenant union that exists between God's people. We are one body."

Broad-hearted catholicity

“I am a Christian; I consider nothing that is Christian to be foreign to me.” (Christianus sum, nihil Christiani a me alienum puto.)
—Philip Schaff

Friendship and Hospitality 4

"Paul, interestingly, does not place hospitality on the periphery of essential godliness, where the modern church tends to place it. We tend to imagine it as a luxurious virtue, practiced by those who are willing and able and not required for anyone else; it is a luxury that we can occasionally afford. We certainly do not think of it as a central expression of Christian holiness and the glory of God. Paul corrects this notion. If we are not practicing hospitality, we are not loving, and when we do not love, we cease to be a living church. It is bound up with our profession of faith and our sacrifice of self to God."
Wilkins

Friendship and Hospitality 3

"We are not to give unnecessary publicity to our brother's sin. 'He who covers a transgression seeks love, but he who repeats a matter separates friends' (Prov 17:9). The one who talks unnecessarily about another's sin seeks to estrange him from the rest of his friends, just as he and the gossiper have already been estranged from one another. More friendships are destroyed in this way than in any other. More churches are destroyed by this one error than by any other. Because this is a very serious and constant danger, I and many others have a great and continual fear that it might spring up in our own congregations, and thus we make it a point to warn against it regularly from the pulpit.

Instead, we should just have the courage to speak to one another plainly and in love for:

"Part of loving one's neighbor is telling them the truth. A.W. Pink once said, 'The man who loves me the most is the one who tells me the most truth about myself.'"

From Steve Wilkins book, Face to Face: Meditations on Friendship & Hospitality.

Friendship and Hospitality 2

"A true friend will be a ferocious enemy to yoursin as well as to his own. Instead of a flatterer, we need someone who encourages, someone who loves us and speaks the plain truth to us, willing to give earnest encouragement if we are downcast, and faithful rebuke if we are in sin. He stirs others up by the example of his own godliness and integrity. His desire after Christ provokes others to desire His glory more."

Friendship and Hospitality 1

Whoa! It's been a while.. Ordination prep has had me by the throat. But I have subdued him until my fight with him in the ring on Oct 4. So for now, I have some time to start a little series on Wilkins book, "Face-to-face: Meditations of Friendship and Hospitality."

I will throw in some videos on our recent adventures too here and there.

Thanks for visiting my humble little sight.

Wilkins: "Humans are created as social beings, for they are created after the image of God...He is three as well as one, and the holy communion that is enjoyed by the three persons of the Trinity is the pattern for all earthly communion. We are so constituted by God as to live in the society of others. It is a non-negotiable and undeniable attribute of humanity."

Life is about relationships.. The deeper you go down that well, the more glory you will have in life.