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Hospitality
Text: Titus 1:8
Hospitality is a lover of strangers. It means caring for people who are not like you. You’ll probably notice the word hospital as the base of this word. Americans are having a harder and harder time obeying this commandment. In fact, some other countries and other religions such as Islam have places where they are very attuned to this characteristic.
Hospitality as a means of inviting people into our lives
- Romans 12:13 commands this practice as a Christian.
- The house-to-house in Acts were early Christians having others over to hear and have conversations about Christianity and share meals together.
- We’re reminded in Hebrews 13:2 that our willingness to entertain strangers may have far-reaching implications.
- Abraham and Sarah (Genesis 18:1-3)
- Gideon (Judges 6:11–24)
- Manoah (Judges 13:6–20)
- We learn that all entertained strangers were special messengers from God.
- 3 John 5-8 deals with Gaius who was a hospitable man
- While our motive should never be to give in order to receive, Luke 6:38 clearly states the measuring cup we’re to use to dispense our gifts and talents will be the same one used to provide our own. What’s the size of your hospitality measuring cup?
Hospitality as a test of faith
- This is a test the LORD gives Israeli cities when he sends out the disciples to preach from city to city.
- Mark 6:11 And whosoever shall not receive you, nor hear you, when ye depart thence, shake off the dust under your feet for a testimony against them. Verily I say unto you, It shall be more tolerable for Sodom and Gomorrha in the day of judgment, than for that city.
Lovers of hospitality
- 1 Peter 4:8-10 talks about hospitality as charity and applied by a good steward of what God has given them. Peter digs deeper and says you need to practice hospitality without complaining about it.
- Because it has these benefits as a good spiritual characteristic it is required in an elder or bishop.
