Hospitality – All-present in the New Testament
1 Timothy 3:2
A bishop then must be blameless, the husband of one wife, temperate, sober-minded, of good behavior, hospitable, able to teach.Hebrews 13:2
Do not forget to entertain strangers, for by so doing some have unwittingly entertained angels.1 Peter 4:9
Be hospitable to one another without grumbling.Matthew 25:35-40
35 For I was hungry and you gave Me food; I was thirsty and you gave Me drink; I was a stranger and you took Me in;
36 I was 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, saying, ‘Lord, when did we see You hungry and feed You, or thirsty and give You drink?
38 When did we see You a stranger and take You in, or naked and clothe You?
39 Or when did we see You sick, or in prison, and come to You?’
40 And the King will answer and say to them, ‘Assuredly, I say to you, inasmuch as you did it to one of the least of these My brethren, you did it to Me.’Acts 18:2
And he found a certain Jew named Aquila, born in Pontus, who had recently come from Italy, with his wife Priscilla (because Claudius had commanded all the Jews to depart from Rome); and he came to them.1 Corinthians 16:19
The churches of Asia greet you. Aquila and Priscilla greet you heartily in the Lord, with the church that is in their house.Acts 16:15
And when she and her household were baptized, she begged us, saying, “If you have judged me to be faithful to the Lord, come to my house and stay.” So she persuaded us.Luke 10:38
Now it happened as they went that He entered a certain village; and a certain woman named Martha welcomed Him into her house.Luke 5:29
Then Levi gave Him a great feast in his own house. And there were a great number of tax collectors and others who sat down with them.Luke 14:13
But when you give a feast, invite the poor, the maimed, the lame, the blind.Romans 12:13
Distributing to the needs of the saints, given to hospitality.
Hospitality plays a very important role in the New Testament. Here are some thoughts on this:
- If you want to serve believers (in the following passage as an overseerThe ministry of the overseer in the church (cf., e.g., Phil 1:1; Tit 1:7) is closely linked to that of the elder. An overseer is a "watchman" or "guardian." Overseers... More, but we can extend the circle), hospitality is a crucial criterion: "A bishop must be … hospitable" (1 Tim. 3:2). Why is this so? We cannot get to know each other deeply and intensely through two minutes of dialogue each week after the meeting to care for each other – this is best done through contact in the homes. There can be no successful shepherding without open doors.
- Hospitality should not be forsaken (Heb. 13:2) – for in the hustle and bustle of daily life, we often lose sight of our brothers and sisters.
- Hospitality should be done without murmuring (1 Pet, 4:9) – It is a sacrificial service that we do not want to do out of compulsion, but out of joy.
- When we welcome believers, the Lord counts it as if we had welcomed Him personally (Mt. 25:35-40). This promises a reward!
- Aquila and Priscilla welcomed the great apostle into their home (Acts 18:2; this promises a "share" in His reward, see Mt. 10:41); then they took in Apollos, a believer who still needed training. Later they even offered their home for meetings (1 Cor. 16:19).
- When Lydia had just been converted, she immediately took in the apostleApostle (Greek) means "sent one." Today, we are "messengers" for Christ when we pass on the gospel (2 Cor. 5:20). But the highest-ranking messenger is Jesus Christ himself (Heb 3:1;... More Paul and his companions (Acts 16:15). Hospitality here is a signThe Gospel of John tells us about eight signs that the Lord Jesus performed. These signs, which are also miracles, point to something special. They aim to help us grow... More or proof of new life.
- The Lord Jesus and His disciples (13 adult men in total!) spent many days and nights with Lazarus, Martha, and Mary. In Luke 10:38 it seems that Martha spontaneously agreed to receive this impressive number of men. Hospitality may cost something, but the Lord never leaves anything unrewarded.
- Immediately after his conversion, Levi made his house available to the Lord in order to reach out to his still unbelieving colleagues (Lk. 5:29). This is one of the most effective ways to reach people.
- We should not only invite our known small groups, i.e. the brothers and sisters with whom we are most comfortable. For example, the Lord once said that we should especially invite those from whom we cannot expect an invitation in return (Lk. 14:13). It can also be useful to make a list of all the brothers and sisters in our local assemblyThe literal meaning is “called out”: • called out of "the darkness" (1. Pet 2:9)—this refers to the area where there is a lack of light about God Himself, His... More and invite them one by one at regular intervals.
- Here is a very encouraging example from Church history: "Robert Chapman once moved into a slum in Barnstaple (England) to reach out to the outcasts. It was a scene of drunkenness, intemperance, disease, and poverty –with rats in the alleys and dilapidated hovels. Yet he ministered constantly to these people, and they were always welcome when they visited his home. Hospitality became an important part of his ministry. Chapman bought a house opposite his own and asked the Lord to send guests as he wished. He asked for nothing and no one was asked when he wanted to leave. Guests were asked to leave their shoes and boots at the door each evening. The next morning, they were polished. This was Mr Chapman's way of washing his guests' feet. This bachelor's hospitality taught his guests about a life of faith and service to the brethren."
"Be given to hospitality.” (Romans 12:13)
