INTRODUCTION

1. Our relationships with one another are precious.  The goal of this series has been to carefully cultivate our relationships according to the instructions of God's word.

2. In this final lesson, let us consider the practice of hospitality toward one another.

    

THE PRACTICE OF HOSPITALITY

1. Hospitality literally means the love of strangers or outsiders.

   1. In the New Testament Greek, the word for hospitality is philoxenia (from philo, meaning love, and xenos, meaning stranger or alien).

   2. This word does not necessarily imply that hospitality can only be practiced toward strangers.  Instead, it merely means that a host extends kindness toward those who are not of his own family.

      1. The Greek word xenoscan be translated as host or stranger. This indicates that a host and his guest have no familial relation to one another and are not of the same household.

      2. Thus, hospitality is the act of treating an unrelated person as if he were part of the family.

2. Consider some examples of hospitality from the Old Testament.

   1. In Genesis 18:1-8, Abraham practiced hospitality toward angels and the Lord Himself.  Perhaps this is an example of those who have "entertained angels without knowing it" (Heb. 13:2).

   2. In Genesis 19:1-11, Lot was hospitable toward those same angels and protected them in Sodom.

   3. In Genesis 24:31-34, Laban was hospitable to the servant of Abraham and secured God's blessing on his sister Rebekah.

   4. In Genesis 45:16-20, even the Egyptian Pharaoh was hospitable to the family of Joseph.

   5. In Joshua 6:17-25, the hospitality of Rahab toward the Israelite spies was so remarkable that she was rewarded with the salvation of her family and a place in Christ's lineage (Matt. 1:5).

   6. In 2Samuel 9:6-13, David commanded that Mephibosheth, the son of his friend Jonathan, should eat at the king's table regularly.

   7. In 2Kings 4:18-37, the Shunammite woman and her husband provided a room for Elisha.

3. In New Testament times, Christians and even Christ were often dependent on the hospitality of others.

   1. Jesus was hosted by many people, including Mary and Martha (Luke 10:38-42; John 12:1-2).

   2. The early preachers of the gospel were supported by the hospitality of those who lived wherever they went (Matt. 10:9-11; Acts 10:5-6).

   3. Lydia hosted Paul and Silas when the city of Philippi turned against them (Acts 16:14-15, 40).

   4. When Paul was shipwrecked on Malta, the natives were hospitable to him (Acts 28:2, 7).

   5. Notice that Gaius is described as "host to me and to the whole church" in Romans 16:23.

   6. Consider the example of 3John 5-8, where Gaius (likely not the same Gaius as in Romans 16) is praised for his hospitality:

      ⁵Beloved, you are acting faithfully in whatever you accomplish for the brethren, and especially when they are strangers; ⁶and 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.  ⁷For they went out for the sake of the Name, accepting nothing from the Gentiles.  ⁸Therefore we ought to support such men, so that we may be fellow workers with the truth.

       

THE REQUIREMENT OF HOSPITALITY

1. Hospitality is commanded of Christians in the following passages:

   1. Romans 12:10-13 --¹⁰Be devoted to one another in brotherly love; give preference to one another in honor; ¹¹not lagging behind in diligence, fervent in spirit, serving the Lord; ¹²rejoicing in hope, persevering in tribulation, devoted to prayer, ¹³contributing to the needs of the saints, practicing hospitality.

   2. Hebrews 13:2 -- Do not neglect to show hospitality to strangers, for by this some have entertained angels without knowing it.

   3. 1Peter 4:9 -- Be hospitable to one another without complaint.

2. In Romans 12:10-13 and 1Peter 4:9, the Scripture specifically requires Christians to practice hospitality toward one another.

   1. The theme of this series and this lesson is our relationship with one another, which must be characterized by hospitality.  Christians ought to treat one another as members of their own families even when they are unfamiliar with one another or have not met before.

   2. Consider the examples of the early Christians in Acts.  They were constantly caring for one another's needs and practicing hospitality (2:44-46; 10:5-6; 12:12; 16:14-15; 18:1-3). 

3. Consider Hebrews 13:2 more closely and its warning against neglecting hospitality.

   1. This verse does not necessarily imply that there are angels among us who test our hospitality.  However, the possibility does exist, and the warning is genuine.

   2. The point of this verse is that there is more at stake in our practice of hospitality than the immediate needs of the moment.  There is accountability before God for how we use our resources and opportunities.

   3. Remember that when Jesus described the Judgment in Matthew 25:31-46, He showed that those who practice hospitality toward His "brothers" were actually being hospitable to the Lord Himself (vv. 35-36).  In this way, we might say that some have entertained Jesus without knowing it.  For this, they will inherit the kingdom and eternal life. 

4. Hospitality is a required trait of elders and others.

   1. In order to be qualified to serve as an elder, a man must practice hospitality (1Tim. 3:2; Tit. 1:8).

      1. As a designated shepherd of the Lord's church, it is expected that an elder should gladly receive members of the flock into his own home.  He is required to "take care of the church of God" (1Tim. 3:5).

      2. Like the other qualifications for elders, the trait of hospitality is not exclusively for elders. It is simply a common trait of all Christians that must be practiced by elders.

   2. In order to be considered as a "widow indeed," a widow must have "shown hospitality to strangers" (1Tim. 5:10).

      1. A widow indeed in the context of 1Timothy 5:3-16 is a widow who is qualified to be assisted and supported by the church.

      2. Such a widow must be doer of good works, many of which would happen in the hospitality of her own home.

5. Notice that there are some from whom we must withhold hospitality.

   1. Consider 2John 9-11:

      ⁹Anyone who goes too far and does not abide in the teaching of Christ, does not have God; the one who abides in the teaching, he has both the Father and the Son.  ¹⁰If anyone comes to you and does not bring this teaching, do not receive him into your house, and do not give him a greeting; ¹¹for the one who gives him a greeting participates in his evil deeds.

      1. To receive a person into one's house is to practice hospitality.  Just as practicing hospitality toward those who spread the gospel makes us "fellow workers with the truth" (3John 8), practicing hospitality with false teachers makes us participants in their evil deeds.

      2. This has a direct application to those who come knocking on doors and teaching the false doctrines of the Mormons and the Watchtower Society (falsely called "Jehovah's Witnesses"). Christians must not be hospitable to such people.

   2. Also consider 1Corinthians 5:9-11:

      ⁹I wrote you in my letter not to associate with immoral people; ¹⁰I did not at all mean with the immoral people of this world, or with the covetous and swindlers, or with idolaters, for then you would have to go out of the world.  ¹¹But actually, I wrote to you not to associate with any so-called brother if he is an immoral person, or covetous, or an idolater, or a reviler, or a drunkard, or a swindler -- not even to eat with such a one.

      1. The essence of withdrawn fellowship from a sinning Christian is a disassociation and a cessation of interaction (Matt. 18:15-17; 1Cor. 5:5; 2Thess. 3:14).  Being hospitable toward such a Christian is not helpful in turning him back to the Lord.

      2. Further interaction with such a Christian is governed by 2Thessalonians 3:15, which says, "Yet do not regard him as an enemy, but admonish him as a brother."

          

CONCLUSION

1. Many times, hospitality may seem like a small thing, but it has big results and implications.

2. Therefore, let us be hospitable to one another and thereby extend kindness toward the Lord Himself.