Pursue Hospitality (Serve Like Jesus PART 4)

Notes

Opener

Main Text

Romans 12:9–13 NASB95

9 Let love be without hypocrisy. Abhor what is evil; cling to what is good. 10 Be devoted to one another in brotherly love; give preference to one another in honor; 11 not lagging behind in diligence, fervent in spirit, serving the Lord; 12 rejoicing in hope, persevering in tribulation, devoted to prayer, 13 contributing to the needs of the saints, practicing hospitality.

Point 1 Hospitality Completes Love

We said in Part One of serve like Jesus that He did not come to be served but to serve and to give His life as a ransom for many. A ransom was a price paid in full so we could go free. Jesus paid just penalty for our sins so we could be forgiven and reconciled back to God. He as the ultimate servant bore a cross we would never have to nor were we even qualified to do so. But having trusted alone in His ransom work, “it is finished” we are called to imitate His cross in this sense: We were not saved to be served but to serve.

We said in part 2 that Romans 12:1-2 teaches us that the born again, blood bought, redeemed Christian is called to worship. While Christ’s death is the ultimate “once for all” sacrifice that secure eternal redemption the Christian is called having trusted entirely in that for salvation to present their entire lives in serving others to the glory of God. In other words to do become an imitator of Jesus and an imitator of the cross. That is true Christian Worship. It is cross bearing sacrificial love of others to the glory of God.

In part three we said Romans 12:9 was the thesis statement of all the verses that followed in chapter 9 and the practical way all Christians throughout all times could genuinely display Christian love. We reconized that we are not called just to be right but to live right and thus love must be consistent with who God is if it is going to be worship.

Thomas reminded us last week in John 13 that Jesus exemplified the way the Christian is supposed to live. If we want to be great it is going to be imitating the humble savior putting others interest before our own and it is only by His grace we can embark on such an adventure.

And today we are going to focus on one little little idea that in some ways “Completes” genuine Christian love and worship.

Notice the last imperative given here is “practice hospitality”. It was actually one of 7 commands that followed the thesis statement: “Love must be without hypocrisy”. Richard Longenecker sums the 7 imperatives up like this:

1. “Abhor what is evil and cling to what is good.”

2. “Be devoted to one another with mutual affection.”

3. “Honor others above yourselves.”

4. “Never be lacking in zeal, but keep your spiritual fervor, serving the Lord.”

5. “Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer.”

6. “Share with God’s people who are in need.”

7. “Practice hospitality.”

Longenecker, R. N. (2016).

Isn’t it fitting that hospitality would be the clean up hitter on this list of imperatives for us Christians to practice.

Truth be told all of these commands can be lived out by practicing hospitality.

We are reminded to hate strongly what is evil and cling to what is good. Both to “hate” and to “cling” are verbs. They are calling us to action. The way that you “hate” what is evil in the Bible is by staying away from it, resisting it, and putting to death evil desires that rise up in us. The way you “cling” to what is good is by practicing it. As we will see Hospitality is not a mere lofty idea but something that must be lived out. Furthermore a home that doesn’t understand right and wrong, good and evil is no home a saint would feel welcomed in.

We said the words “devoted” and “brotherly love” were words used in the greek culture for love between family members and in Christ, as children of God, Christians were called to love with this type of devotion and kindness. What better way to show family love than by opening your home to other believers. Let me say that again friends. What better way to show this kind of “family love” than by opening up your home to other believers.

We are to honor others above ourselves. What better way to show someone honor than by giving them the seat of honor at your own table.

not be lazy but be fervant in serving others. Furthermore we are to do this unto the Lord. Remember this is worship. “Matthew 25:35–40 (NASB95) 35 ‘For 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; 36 naked, and you clothed Me; I was sick, and you visited Me; I was in prison, and you came to Me.’ 37 “Then the righteous will answer Him, ‘Lord, when did we see You hungry, and feed You, or thirsty, and give You something to drink? 38 ‘And when did we see You a stranger, and invite You in, or naked, and clothe You? 39 ‘When did we see You sick, or in prison, and come to You?’ 40 “The King will answer and say to them, ‘Truly I say to you, to the extent that you did it to one of these brothers of Mine, even the least of them, you did it to Me.’” You see what better way to serve the Lord than hospitality. You show love to God when you show it to the least of the saints. The most needy, the most afflicted, the most without.

Number five reminds us that attitude matters. Alexander Strauch says, “Certainly the minstry (and corresponding inconveniences) of hospitality caneasily rattle our grumbling bones. Hospitality demands old fashioned hard work. It may be costly and is often inconvenient. It is time consuming. It places a strain on the family. Sometimes guests abuse their Christian borthers and sisters hospitality. And during times of persecution, hospitality can even be dangerous.” With that in mind you can imagine why our attitude is important when showing hospitality. If you are not “rejoicing in hope” and “patient in affliction” than you are not reflecting the attitude that love requires. To be hospitable is much more about the attitude of the host than the home!

“Contributing to the needs of the saints.” For most people their home is their most valuable asset. What better thing than to be kingdom minded with your most valuable possession. What better thing to share. Bringing someone into your home is no better way to learn and discover their true needs as well. Money doesn’t solve problems. People in our day think it does. It doesn’t. I can’t write you a check and fix your marriage. The modern idea of Universal Basic Income will cause as many problems as it fixes trust me on that. often times you must invest much more than just money into other people. You must invest time, energy, friendship. For us in the body of Christ because we already have those things when a need does come up it makes it easy to help.

Hospitality can be a great way to practice your spiritual gifts. Think of the 7 gifts mentioned in verses 6-8. Serving, generosity, and mercy are obvious ones we can put to work. We just had a member of our homegroup step up and start hosting home group and the feedback I got was he did such an amazing job. The spiritual gift he believes he has is service so no surprise there. No wonder he is going above and beyond. God is at work here. But think about some of the others that are not so obvious: leading. What homegroup leader doesn’t practice this in the context of hospitality. If you have the gift of leadership have large groups to your house. Put that gift to work. Teaching and preaching or exorting. Who hasn’t been to our house and gotten a sermon. I mean comeon now. I would be doing this body a diservice if I did all my preaching on SUnday. It was said of Martin Luther that he and his wife were legendary for their hospitality and did much teaching in their own home. I don’t mean as a formal thing either. “Table talk” is one of the greatest places to invest into others. Look at Prasciall and Aquilla in the book of Acts. They took Apollos aside privately or the words can be translated took into their home… the idea is they received or accepted him. He then gets unleashed to help the church as he powerfully refutes apponents of Christ showing by the Scriptures that Jesus was the Christ. Sometimes the home isn’t just a place to exercise a gift… sometimes it is the BEST place.

Hospitality is not an after thought here friend. It is strategic. It completes this list because it is so useful in living out Christian love.

Point 2 Jesus practiced hospitality

On the one hand “the birds have nests and the foxes have holes but the son of man has no where to lay His head.” On another “If I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself, that where I am, there you may be also.” At the heart of the Gospel is a really simple idea. It is this: We were not just made for God we were made to be with God. This is core at the idea of family. This is core at the concept of the trinity, the godhead. In most simple terms this is core at the idea of what it is too love. IN a word “relationship”. And of course God makes us members of his own house. It doesn’t get much more hospitable then that! It is not just stay for a while it is stay forever! And not as a slave but as a son or daughter.

Hospitality is at the heart of the Gospel:

John 14:18 NASB95

18 “I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you.

John 14:23 NASB95

23 Jesus answered and said to him, “If anyone loves Me, he will keep My word; and My Father will love him, and We will come to him and make Our abode with him.

Abode… dwelling place… home.

What alienated us was our sins. Jesus dies the death we deserve and says welcome home.

So the command after command to be hospitable in the NT is an entirely coherent expression of the very Gospel that saves us and makes us children of God!

Furthermore hospitality was instrumental in the Bible in the advancement and building up the church.

Acts 2:46–47 NASB95

46 Day by day continuing with one mind in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, they were taking their meals together with gladness and sincerity of heart, 47 praising God and having favor with all the people. And the Lord was adding to their number day by day those who were being saved.

The Apostles taught from “house to house” - Acts 5:42

Jesus taught his disciples that hospitality, persons of peace, would be key in the advancement of the Gospel.

Luke 10:2–7 NASB95

2 And He was saying to them, “The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few; therefore beseech the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into His harvest. 3 “Go; behold, I send you out as lambs in the midst of wolves. 4 “Carry no money belt, no bag, no shoes; and greet no one on the way. 5 “Whatever house you enter, first say, ‘Peace be to this house.’ 6 “If a man of peace is there, your peace will rest on him; but if not, it will return to you. 7 “Stay in that house, eating and drinking what they give you; for the laborer is worthy of his wages. Do not keep moving from house to house.

Church after church was instructed to receive ministers of the Gospel as they were sent there to ministers. We see this with Appollos in ACts. We see this on Paul’s missionary journeys with people like Lydia. And we see it instructed in the letters from the apostles.

New American Standard Bible: 1995 Update 3 John

5 Beloved, you are acting faithfully in whatever you accomplish for the brethren, and especially when they are strangers;

6 and they have testified to your love before the church. You will do well to send them on their way in a manner worthy of God.

7 For they went out for the sake of the Name, accepting nothing from the Gentiles.

8 Therefore we ought to support such men, so that we may be fellow workers with the truth.

Hospitality was critical to the spread of the Gospel and the strengethening of the church.

Let me let you all in on a little secret. There is nothing better than having a minister of the Gospel stay with you… if they are trully called of God. The best discipleship times I have had with Bryan are in my home or his.

Not only do you get to support their work you get to benefit from the call of God on their life.

Furthermore Christ takes it all personally.

Cup of cold water...

Why do you persecute me....

Hebrews 13.... angels and messengers of the Gospel.

Jesus went into home after home… as many as would receive Him. Peter’s home, Mary, Martha and Lazarus’ home. Zachias home. Religious leaders homes. Matthew the tax collectors home. And guess who got to minister to because he ate at a tax collectors house? “Many tax collectors and sinners.”

There are dozens of examples on how Jesus used a persons home as a place of ministry. He ultimately invites us to be with Him for all enternity in His heavenly home. ANd He calls all those who have been made children of God by His blood to open up their doors in loving the least and greatest of saints and in reaching out to a lost and dying world.

Hospitality is a relfection of the Gospel and one of the greatest ways you can live out almost everything Romans 12 tells you to do in being a living sacrifice for the Lord.

Point 3 | Hospitality is for the LEAST

Romans 12:13 NASB95

13 contributing to the needs of the saints, practicing hospitality.

Jesus came for the sick not for the healthy. He said the least would be the greatest. He said the poor would inherit the kingdom. And this idea certainly applies to hospitality as well.

Sometimes the least is the richman with no friends. That was the story of Zacheas was it not. and what was that blew his mind. Jesus saying, “I am coming to your house today.” When Jesus enters homes he changes people. And when people enter our homes they, by the grace of God, should also be impacted and changed.

Nevertheless it is often the poor, injured, and disabled that need our special care and attention.

Luke 14:12–14 NASB95

12 And He also went on to say to the one who had invited Him, “When you give a luncheon or a dinner, do not invite your friends or your brothers or your relatives or rich neighbors, otherwise they may also invite you in return and that will be your repayment. 13 “But when you give a reception, invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, the blind, 14 and you will be blessed, since they do not have the means to repay you; for you will be repaid at the resurrection of the righteous.”

This principle is true throughout the Bible:

Proverbs 19:17 NASB95

17 One who is gracious to a poor man lends to the Lord, And He will repay him for his good deed.

Jesus elevates this to another level. Jesus teaches that those whom you impact for the kingdom of God will welcome you into when pass into eternity (Luke 16:9). You could sum up this story of the unrighteous steward this way: Steward your wealth in such a way to maximize the impact you can have on people for eternity. Or perhaps we could say regarding hospitality: Welcome people into your house now so they can welcome you into eternity.

In Christ this of course takes on another significant meaning. Because we are all first joint heirs with Christ… siblings by His blood we are also members of one another… we are part of the same family. So to bring a needy family member into your home should be the most natural expression of Christian love! And of course Jesus teaches that the way you treat the needy Christian is the way you treat the Christ. The story Jesus tells in Matthew 25 of the sheep and the goats has this very premise in mind. But the most facinating part of it, understanding that perhaps the greatest theme of the Gospel of Matthew is the Kingdom of Heaven, is in the parable the judge is a king. And the KING is saying as you have treated the least you have treated THE KING. Therefore you who have welcomed them and met their needs with open arms I now welcome you into my Kingdom.

Now the truth of this matter is. Unless the love of God is first poured out in your heart you will not be able to pour out that love to others. But perhaps we could say it a different way. You see the sheep didn’t earn their sheep status. They already were sheep in the story. You first need to be born again from goat to sheep if you want to practice this Christian love. You need to be reconciled and made a good standing member of the family by the blood of Jesus!

If you are a child of God I know this truth… of having an eye for the least of contributing to the needs of the saints burns deep in you. Because God himself through the outpouring of the Holy Spirit has placed in you a heart of flesh.

Closing: “Pursue” Hospitality