Welcome to God's House

Introduction - Hospitality Opens Spaces for Christ to be present

God is the author of genuine hospitality.

Chapter 10 of Matthew is the story of Jesus sending the disciples out - much as Jesus sends the church out today to be in the world. He offers many instructions about how to go, how to be welcoming, and also which is something we do not think of much, how to be welcomed (or to receive another’s hospitality). God is up to creating new lives in the Kingdom. This is the fullness of God’s salvation.

When you are welcomed by another, they will have welcomed Christ. This is how I understand it, welcoming another is to open a space for the presence of Christ.

For us to understand deep hospitality, we need to seek to discover God’s hospitality in welcoming us, humanity with all of our warts and faults.

Sometimes Israel was not welcoming

Sometimes we are not welcomed

I lived in Japan for 2-1/2 years. Of those 2-1/2 years, most of it was in the area of Tokyo. In many ways the people of Japan are an inviting and welcoming people. However, there were parts of Tokyo, they were not welcoming. They were very hostile. Mostly because they were angry, hurt and scared of Americans. These people lived in the most heavily bombed areas of Tokyo during WWII. They suffered under daily carpet bombing runs by American planes.

In Scripture, the people of Israel, and the early Church of the NT were commanded to welcome others (and to be welcomed ourselves)

Today we are to open up our ranks in order to receive others - not only at the church, but in our community. And also to be received as guests in the communities.

Bishop Sharma Lewis has set out her vision for the next four years. She wrote it this way. Disciples of Jesus Christ are Learners for Life who Influence Others to Serve.