Untitled Sermon (2)

Week 2 – Biblical Hospitality - with first time guests.

- What is hospitality? Hospitality can be best defined as service.

Purpose statement: The church is and should be the most hospitable people there is, because it is Christ’s example of service we are called to live!

I. How do we usually show hospitality at our house?

· We clean the house thoroughly

· Set out some snacks

· We may put some nice music on

· Make sure they have a beverage

· We make sure that if they need to use the restroom, that they know exactly where to go.

· Make sure there is a place for them to sit.

· You make sure that they feel comfortable.

II. What are some other places where hospitality is revered.

· Hotels.

· Businesses

· Fancy restaurants

III. Shouldn’t the hospitality that our guest at church encounter be far greater than what we would have at our home, or that the world offers.

- Unfortunately, we live in a culture in which the business world understands more about the true expressions of hospitality than the church does.

- Yet, isn’t it the church that has the best thing in the world to share? (The Gospel)

IV. How we should include the Gospel.

§ It’s included in two ways: 1. Because we were shown hospitality when we didn’t deserve it; It should be our motivation, because at the heart of it, we are doing this so that someone will have the opportunity to hear the Gospel!

§ Because Christ didn’t die for just us. He died for the world.

V. How can we start showing hospitality at church?

· First and for most, we must be aware of our guest’s, when they walk in the door.

- Yes, we have greeters, but we also have you! A greeter is exactly that, they greet.

- As someone may walk into a hotel, or restaurant, yes they may have greeters, but they also have other people that will help and guide them to the next place they need to go.

We to can and should be that person that guides our guest to the next place they need to go and show the true expression of hospitality to our guests:

o Restrooms

o children’s ministries

o adult Sunday school class

o simply to a good seat/maybe right next to you!?

o Maybe, asking them if they want a cup of coffee/donut/water/any other need

THE BIGGEST THING THAT WE MUST KEEP IN MIND, IS THAT IT IS OUR RESPONSIBILITY AS A CHURCH TO CREATE AN INVIROMENT OF HOSPITALITY THAT SHARES THE LOVE AND KINDNESS THAT WE SEE FROM OUR EXAMPLE OF CHRIST.

- Quote from the book: Actions always speak louder than words. There’s no getting around this truth: How you respond when you’ve been given a gift—and what you do with the gift itself—proves just how much you really appreciate it.

- How much are we showing our appreciation for the gifts God has given us?