The Bible tells us that Jesus was often the guest in people’s homes. Sometimes, he invited himself, and other times, he accepted someone’s invitation. Often he brought his disciples with him so the host had many mouths to feed, but who wouldn’t need to have Jesus visit them?! Jesus and His disciples relied entirely on the hospitality of others as they ministered from town to town (Matthew 10:9-10).
In biblical times, travelers trusted the hospitality of strangers, as traveling might be dangerous. There were few inns, and the poor couldn’t afford to remain at them, anyway. We remember at Christmas time how Jesus’ parents found no room in an inn for his birth, but a form inn owner offered these two strangers using his barn where Jesus was born among the many animals.
As the early church was getting began, kind men and girls like Priscilla, Aquila, and Lydia opened their homes for strangers to return and worship together. Hospitality was a highly regarded and crucial virtue in precedent days, especially for Christian leaders who surely had very busy lives back then without the assistance of the web, computers, or phones to research their sermons. Yet, Titus 1:8 and 1 Timothy 3:2 require that a church leader “must enjoy having guests in his home.” That could mean feeding, lodging, or each!
However, biblical hospitality is greater than offering a room and board or a meal. It mirrors the Gospel. Biblical hospitality requires pondering of others more necessary than ourselves as we’re commanded, “Love our neighbor as yourself” (Matthew 22:39). In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus gave us what’s generally known as the Golden Rule, “So in every part, do to others what you’d have them do to you, for this sums up the Law and the Prophets” (Matthew 7:12).
Biblical hospitality is a sacred act of kindness every Christian is anticipated to increase to others, even when it doesn’t come naturally to us. “Hospitality is the friendly reception and treatment of guests, or strangers, warmly and generously,” but biblical hospitality adds to this that we honor and obey God once we serve others, even strangers, joyfully and sacrificially. Then he turned to his host. “When you set on a luncheon or a banquet,” he said, “don’t invite your folks, brothers, relatives, and wealthy neighbors. For they’ll invite you back, and that will likely be your only reward. Instead, invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, and the blind.” Luke 14:12-13
Peter Wagner’s definition of hospitality in his book Finding Your Spiritual Gifts says, “The special ability that God gives to certain members of the body of Christ to supply an open house and a warm welcome to those in need of food and lodging.” You is likely to be pondering: Well, that’s definitely not my spiritual gift. Or you’ve the willingness to open your house but, like Martha, develop into so entangled in the main points of getting every part go perfectly that your greeting to guests is wearied as a substitute of filled with warmth.
Contrary to Wagner’s definition, the Bible calls every Christian to be hospitable, not only just those that feel it’s their spiritual gift. We all, especially Christians, can learn tips on how to be welcoming to others. Hospitality is just “the standard or disposition of receiving and treating guests and strangers in a warm, friendly, generous way.”
In the New Testament, the Greek word translated “hospitality” literally means “love of strangers.” Hospitality is a virtue each commanded and commended throughout Scripture. Let’s have a look at a few of those Scriptures and 6 ways to rethink biblical hospitality in a busy world.
Photo Credit: Unsplash/Aaron Burden
