13/09/07

Practice Hospitality

"Share with God's people who are in need. Practice hospitality." Romans 12:13 [NIV].

Hospitality is the practice of welcoming, sheltering, providing for, and feeding those who come into your home! - with no expectations for rewards or personal gain in return.

Hospitality is much more than exotic menus, elegant table settings and decorations, and fancy entertainment. It is sharing what you have and who you are in Jesus with the people God brings your way.

For those in Bible times-
Hospitality was openly rewarded when extended fully.
And openly punished when there was a lack thereof.

In the New Testament, Jesus modeled hospitality perfectly.
He met both the physical and emotional needs of those who came to Him. Matthew 15:32-39.
New Testament writers encouraged believers to practice hospitality toward other Christians saying:
"Offering hospitality to one another without grumbling." 1 Peter 4:9 [NIV].
And elders and deacons within the church, in particular, were to extend hospitality.1 Timothy 3:2.

As believers, we are called to extend this gift to all who are in need.
You can open up your heart and life, and minister to others in simple ways:
- time (patience), hearing (tolerance), good advice, direction (Psalm 104:27-28), money, food, clothing, shelter (Matthew 25:34-40), energy, creativity, and love (1 John 4:11).

If you extend your hospitality, open your home, and share your heart with a child of God or with a man (includes woman) of God. Your efforts will not go unnoticed. Hebrews 6:10.

Allow your warm welcome to be saturated with the love of Christ-
- so you can easily share Him with those who enter your presence.
Ask God to show you ways you can practice hospitality toward those who are in need, whom He sends to you.

[ Reference Scriptures ]

Matthew 15:32-39 [NIV]
   32 Jesus called his disciples to him and said, "I have compassion for these people; they have already been with me three days and have nothing to eat. I do not want to send them away hungry, or they may collapse on the way."
   33 His disciples answered, "Where could we get enough bread in this remote place to feed such a crowd?"
   34 "How many loaves do you have?" Jesus asked.
   "Seven," they replied, "and a few small fish."
   35 He told the crowd to sit down on the ground. 36 Then he took the seven loaves and the fish, and when he had given thanks, he broke them and gave them to the disciples, and they in turn to the people. 37 They all ate and were satisfied. Afterward the disciples picked up seven basketfuls of broken pieces that were left over. 38 The number of those who ate was four thousand, besides women and children. 39 After Jesus had sent the crowd away, he got into the boat and went to the vicinity of Magadan.

1 Timothy 3:2-3 [NIV]
  2 Now the overseer must be above reproach, the husband of but one wife, temperate, self-controlled, respectable, hospitable, able to teach, 3 not given to drunkenness, not violent but gentle, not quarrelsome, not a lover of money.

Psalm 104:27-28 [NIV]
27 These all look to you
   to give them their food at the proper time.
28 When you give it to them,
   they gather it up;
   when you open your hand,
   they are satisfied with good things.

Matthew 25:34-40 [NIV]
  34 "Then the King will say to those on his right, 'Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world. 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 I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit 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 When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? 39 When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?'
   40 "The King will reply, 'I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me.' "

1 John 4:11 [NIV]
11 Dear friends, since God so loved us, we also ought to love one another.

Hebrews 6:10 [NIV]
10 God is not unjust; he will not forget your work and the love you have shown him as you have helped his people and continue to help them.

The Word of God was given free to us, therefore we should also share it freely with others.
(All rights are with God)