“Let love be genuine. Abhor what is evil; hold fast to what is good. Love one another with brotherly affection. Outdo one another in showing honor. Do not be slothful in zeal, be fervent in spirit, serve the Lord. Rejoice in hope, be patient in tribulation, be constant in prayer. Contribute to the needs of the saints and seek to show hospitality.” (Romans 12:9–13, ESV)  

Romans 12 is about living out the Christian life faithfully. Look again at how succinctly these few verses describe the Christian’s life: Abhor evil, hold fast to what is good. Love one another. Outdo one another in honor. Don’t be slothful in zeal, but fervent in spirit; serve the Lord. Rejoice in hope, patient in tribulation, constant in prayer, contribute to the needs of the saints, and show hospitality.

This exhortation to be hospitable (even a command to be hospitable), is what we will focus upon this morning.

What is hospitality?

 From the Latin Hospitale or “guest house”.

It’s where we get the English “Hospital” — "institution for sick or wounded people"

Greek Word - Philoxenia, or Love for strangers.   (Philo = love, Xenia = stranger)

From CBMW:

On the meaning of hospitality: “Hospitality is not about the provider. It is not about showing how creative, innovative, organized, proficient and gifted one is. Instead, it is about selflessly sacrificing one’s time, efforts, and some degree of finances. It is about taking the risk to let your guard down and invite people to get to know you beyond a superficial level. It is about abandoning the sinful tendency to be self-absorbed and instead seek to do whatever is necessary to meet needs. Hospitality is to be equated with selfless caring for others.”

Why Is Hospitality Important?

The stakes of hospitality:

““When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, then he will sit on his glorious throne. Before him will be gathered all the nations, and he will separate people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. And he will place the sheep on his right, but the goats on the left. Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world. For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me, I was naked and you clothed me, I was sick and you visited me, I was in prison and you came to me.’ Then the righteous will answer him, saying, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you drink? And when did we see you a stranger and welcome you, or naked and clothe you? And when did we see you sick or in prison and visit you?’ And the King will answer them, ‘Truly, I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these my brothers, you did it to me.’ “Then he will say to those on his left, ‘Depart from me, you cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels. For I was hungry and you gave me no food, I was thirsty and you gave me no drink, I was a stranger and you did not welcome me, naked and you did not clothe me, sick and in prison and you did not visit me.’ Then they also will answer, saying, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or sick or in prison, and did not minister to you?’ Then he will answer them, saying, ‘Truly, I say to you, as you did not do it to one of the least of these, you did not do it to me.’ And these will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life.”” (Matthew 25:31–46, ESV)

God Is Hospitable

If hospitality is love for strangers, then isn’t it true that God is hospitable to us?   “remember that you were at that time separated from Christ, alienated from the commonwealth of Israel and strangers to the covenants of promise, having no hope and without God in the world. But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ.” (Ephesians 2:12–13, ESV)  

Hospitality isn’t simply an obligation to do something; it’s an obligation to be something. We need to be practice philoxenia (love for strangers), but we need to become philoxenos (lovers of strangers). God is interested in us becoming like him, not merely performing tasks. The Christian life is about being redeemed by God and being made to live like God and reflect the way he loves. Often we can manipulate God’s commands by obeying them without proper motive.

(Ice Cream Illustration:) Take hospitality as an example: You could be hospitable like an ice-cream shop. They give out free samples, but it’s not out of the kindness of their heart. The employees are just doing their job - it’s what they are supposed to do. If you stand around too long and don’t make a decision then they’re going to ask you to leave.  We don’t want that. We don’t want to be generous to people because they are useful, we want to begenerous because God is making us into generous people. We give out the samples and the whole cone for free because we love people - this isn’t a business.

In his book Outlive Your Life, Max Lucado writes:

“Long before the church had pulpits and baptisteries, she had kitchens and dinner tables. Even a casual reading of the New Testament unveils the house as the primary tool of the church. The primary gathering place of the church was the home. The early church (with its varied backgrounds got along) without the aid of sanctuaries, church buildings, clergy, or seminaries. They did so through the clearest of messages (the Cross) and the simplest of tools (the home).

Something holy happens around a dinner table that will never happen in a sanctuary. In a church auditorium you see the backs of heads. Around the table you see the expressions on faces. Church services are on the clock. Around the table there is time to talk.  When you open your door to someone, you are sending this message: ‘You matter to me and to God.’ You may think you are saying, ‘Come over for a visit.’ But what your guest hears is, ‘I am worth the effort.’”

(Now, I think Max is over-stating it here. Sitting around the table isn’t in opposition to preaching in any way. As Spurgeon says, “you don’t need to reconcile friends”. But he is right to acknowledge the importance of hospitality among those who call themselves Christians — we are family, brother and sisters, as well as ambassadors of reconciliation to a broken and hurting world. We are to be a hospital. I especially love the line which states that hospitality communicates to others that “they are worth the effort”.)

Strategic Hospitality

Old Testament Hospitality

“You shall not take vengeance or bear a grudge against the sons of your own people, but you shall love your neighbor as yourself: I am the Lord.” (Leviticus 19:18, ESV)

New Testament Hospitality

“The Son of Man came eating and drinking, and they say, ‘Look at him! A glutton and a drunkard, a friend of tax collectors and sinners!’ Yet wisdom is justified by her deeds.”” (Matthew 11:19, ESV)

“And the Pharisees and the scribes grumbled, saying, “This man receives sinners and eats with them.”” (Luke 15:2, ESV)

“And when Jesus came to the place, he looked up and said to him, “Zacchaeus, hurry and come down, for I must stay at your house today.” So he hurried and came down and received him joyfully. And when they saw it, they all grumbled, “He has gone in to be the guest of a man who is a sinner.” And Zacchaeus stood and said to the Lord, “Behold, Lord, the half of my goods I give to the poor. And if I have defrauded anyone of anything, I restore it fourfold.” And Jesus said to him, “Today salvation has come to this house, since he also is a son of Abraham. For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost.”” (Luke 19:5–10, ESV)

 “But when you give a feast, invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, the blind, and you will be blessed, because they cannot repay you. For you will be repaid at the resurrection of the just.”” (Luke 14:13–14, ESV)  

There are numerous New Testament passages where Paul and his companions were welcomed in their missionary efforts. The gospel advanced in the home of Lydia (Acts 16:15), at the house of the Philippian jailer (Acts 16:34), with Aquila and Priscilla in Corinth (Acts 18:2-3), at the house of Philip in Caesarea (Acts 21:8), on the island of Malta in the home of Publius (Acts 28:7), with Gaius (Rom. 16:23), and as a guest of Philemon (Philem. 22). Derick Brown and Tod Twist connect the rapid progress of the church and the practice of hospitality, "Graeco-Roman customs of hospitality seem to have fueled the growth of the early church, as missionaries and believers found lodging and provision when they traveled for the sake of the gospel." [https://www.nobts.edu/geauxtherefore/articles/2021/HospitalityNT.html]

The early Church uses their homes to care for the needs of people. They flip the Roman world upside down. This is still happening all over the world. (Sometimes it stalls out when Church becomes a program/event).

Exegetical Section:

 “Contribute to the needs of the saints and seek to show hospitality.” (Romans 12:13, ESV)

Seek to show hospitality. Pursue it. Not just on special occasions.

1 Peter 4:8–9 says, "Above all hold unfailing your love for one another, since love covers a multitude of sins. Practice hospitality ungrudgingly to one another.”

Ungrudgingly: Hospitality is tough. It’s dirty. It takes money. It takes effort. It takes planning. People are difficult. But God is interested in making us into new people, not just getting us to do new things.  -- The truth is that obedience often is the path to desire. The more you obey the more you change into a different type of person.

Illustration from John Piper:

“The physical force of gravity pulls everything to the center of the earth. In order to break free from earth-centered life, thousands and thousands of pounds of energy have to push the space shuttle away from the center. There is also a psychological force of gravity that constantly pulls our thoughts and affections and physical actions inward toward the center of our own selves and our own homes.

Therefore the most natural thing in the world is to neglect hospitality. It is the path of least resistance. All we have to do is yield to the natural gravity of our self-centered life, and the result will be a life so full of self that there is no room for hospitality. We will forget about it. And we will neglect it. So the Bible bluntly says, "Stop that!" Build a launching pad. Fill up your boosters. And blast out of your self-oriented routine. Stop neglecting hospitality. Practice hospitality.”

Without Grumbling For God’s glory

  “Above all, keep loving one another earnestly, since love covers a multitude of sins. Show hospitality to one another without grumbling. As each has received a gift, use it to serve one another, as good stewards of God’s varied grace: whoever speaks, as one who speaks oracles of God; whoever serves, as one who serves by the strength that God supplies—in order that in everything God may be glorified through Jesus Christ. To him belong glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen.” (1 Peter 4:8–11, ESV)

Hospitality will likely foster an environment that will need grace. People are difficult, and we all have insecurities. But let love cover the irritation, the poor communication, the lack of appreciation, the lack of contribution, those who stay too long or show up late, who talk too much, or never reciprocate an invite. Hospitality seems to create an environment for Christian trial at times, but it is always worth it.

 “Each one must give as he has decided in his heart, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.” (2 Corinthians 9:7, ESV)

Not reluctantly, but cheerfully  

"If you share your home with a bad attitude, you have the worst of every situation-no treasure in heaven and a lousy evening to boot!" -- (Douglas Wilson, My Life for Yours)

Qualification for Elders

“Therefore an overseer must be above reproach, the husband of one wife, sober-minded, self-controlled, respectable, hospitable, able to teach, not a drunkard, not violent but gentle, not quarrelsome, not a lover of money. He must manage his own household well, with all dignity keeping his children submissive,” (1 Timothy 3:2–4, ESV)

“if anyone is above reproach, the husband of one wife, and his children are believers and not open to the charge of debauchery or insubordination. For an overseer, as God’s steward, must be above reproach. He must not be arrogant or quick-tempered or a drunkard or violent or greedy for gain, but hospitable, a lover of good, self-controlled, upright, holy, and disciplined. He must hold firm to the trustworthy word as taught, so that he may be able to give instruction in sound doctrine and also to rebuke those who contradict it.” (Titus 1:6–9, ESV)

“shepherd the flock of God that is among you, exercising oversight, not under compulsion, but willingly, as God would have you; not for shameful gain, but eagerly;” (1 Peter 5:2, ESV)

List of Practical Hospitality Tips:

Stock up on paper plates. If it’s hard to keep a clean house, take someone out to dinner. Buy some yard games: Corn-hole, horse shoes, etc. Make a plan: If Saturday is the day that the yard gets trimmed and the house gets cleaned, then use that pattern to make hosting easy—maybe Sundays for lunch. Stick a gallon of ice-cream in your freezer. Have coffee materials. Buy a grill—Hot dogs are cheap. Frozen pizzas