What the word of God says about hospitality.
… “loving strangers”
Hospitality in the OT
… aliens and strangers in the land
Good examples
1 Kings 17 … widow of Zarephath
2 King 4 – Shunammite lady and her husband
Hospitality limited
eg: King Solomon
= Openness with boundaries
Hospitality in the NT
Jesus is the guest of people
… Hospitality is commanded
– Romans 12:13
– 1 Peter 4:9
– Hebrews 13:2
– Mat 25
…Evangelism
Zacchaeus, Philippian gaoler
… Openness with boundaries
– 2 John 9-11
– 1 Cor 5:11
– 2 John 5-10
– Romans 12:20
For us today
1) Showing Hospitality
Question: What are ways we can use hospitality better
Hurdles to hospitality
– business and weariness
– difficult to find common points of connection with other people
– The fear of vulnerability or rejection
– Difficult to penetrate surface level conversations…
– Impersonal & self focussed world
– Our community can be very transitory in nature.
2014 challenge
– To grow more hospitable and use our hospitality in ways that glorify God