Church is Hospitality

Thinking about hospitality this week as we enjoyed it on many fronts over a couple of days.

Friday evening a bunch of Diaspora’s people came for potluck dessert at our place. We ate, chatted and laughed and then we took the hospitality on the road as new friends and old went to Upstanding comedy at Parkwood Gardens Church. For some it was a new experience. But it was a lot of fun and a needed laugh for many.

So what makes up hospitality?

  • opening your home
  • sharing food
  • conversation
  • welcoming atmosphere
  • laughter
  • taking part in a shared entertainment or activity
  • time
  • going to someone else’s home (we miss this one sometimes and think we have to host)

Saturday, Diaspora visited our friends at the Retirement Centre. We talked, laughed, played games, and enjoyed their hospitality. We were blessed in this time and they were as well.

Afterward, we came back to our place, shared food, chatted and played a game. It was rejuvenating! (even for an introvert like me)

As I thought about hospitality, I could see it’s impact on our lives and I believe our relationship with God. We are changed by hospitality. It is, in essence, a spiritual discipline.

Really a spiritual discipline?

Absolutely, In our busy world, with too many demands on our time, it requires discipline to set aside time to welcome people in or to experience their hospitality. And reality is that we have to discipline ourselves to not wait until our homes are perfect or our cooking elegant to extend hospitality to others. That’s a tough one for a lot of us.

But why be hospitable? As I mentioned, I believe it changes us, it is fun, we are commanded to and it affects our relationship with God.

The ancient followers of God saw hospitality as an extension of their relationship with God.

Just as Yahweh walked with the Israelites in His covenant with them, just as He led them and provided for them in the wilderness so His people need to care for and provide for others. Think about the whole concept of “walking with” someone. It speaks of hospitality and relationship.

The early Christians carried this on and extended it. They saw Jesus dying on the cross for their sin and being resurrected. Out of gratitude and relationship with Christ they sought to welcome people into their homes and community.

We find in Acts 2 a clear description of hospitality and it being a central part of the life of the Church.

“Every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts. They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts, praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people. And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved.” 

Acts 2:46-47

And Jesus tells a story in Matthew 25 that highlights the value He places on the Church extending hospitality especially to those who are not already their friends.

“I was hungry and you gave Me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in”
Matthew 25:35

 

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