I have had the privilege to serve the body of Christ in many places around the United States and countries around the world. The one thing that shocks me every time is that while I always come with the greatest resources, I can never seem to be able out-give or out-serve those I came to serve.
TODAY, I am going to share with you from the Book of Romans, what God tells us through Paul regarding our showing “Hospitality” to others in the body of Christ. Let’s get started.
Upon returning from eight-days in Portugal, meeting with fellow believes and churches between Lisbon, Cascais to Porto, I was greatly refreshed in my soul. For starters, my friend of 40 years and travel companion, Dr. Jeff was a great joy to spend time with. We had never before traveled together on such a long trip, and he was as hospitable as the people we visited with. That in of itself made the trip of great joy.
The people we met along the way, especially my friends Pastor Eddie, Tom, Zilton, Céu, Jorge, Brandon, Tiago, and many others God introduced us to showed us great hospitality in a country we had never been to before. These fellow believers showed us love, gave of their time, and made sure that we were taken care of. When we broke bread (eat together), we sat for hours, enjoying wonderful food, desert, coffee and most of all-deep, meaningful Christian fellowship. That was the best part of the trip for me personally.
What was refreshing is that none of them expected anything in return. I had brought ten copies of my book “All Roads Don’t Lead To Heaven” as a very small token of my appreciation and they authentically appreciated the book. Pastor Eddie sent a message that he had read the book by the time I arrived back home and asked where he could get additional copies. I wish I could have delivered a suitcase of books for them as a small token of appreciation, but all I could take with me were ten copies since I only brought carry-on luggage. The point is that they authentically appreciated my attempt to out serve them. In the end, once again, I was unable to out serve any of these special people. It was like being home for me and my friend Jeff. The reason for this were the people. I was with the family of Christ and they, without having to try, effortlessly lived out God’s hospitality. Despite money, resources and ability, each gave of their heart. This touched me so deeply that I got up this morning and wrote a short article on what Hospitality is. Let’s jump in and take a look now at biblical hospitality.
SETTING THE SCENE-WHAT IS BIBLICAL HOSPITALITY?
First, I want to look at Romans 12, verse 9. Here, Paul speaks to service to the body and living righteously according to God’s Word and ways. In verse 1, Paul writes righteousness practiced in relation to ourselves. In verse 3, Paul writes about righteousness in relation to the church, and in verse 9, Paul writes about our practicing righteousness in relation to society. I want to focus on verse 9.
Before we do that, I would like to point out in verse 3 that God makes clear through Paul that we are not to think of ourselves more highly than we ought to think but rather to think of ourselves with sober judgment-each according to our authentic faith in Christ. Verse 5, Paul points out that we are individuals but one body in Christ, hence we are members one of another. This is important, because as one body, we are to edify Christ, the church, and one another according to the gifts we have been given.
“Having gifts that DIFFER according to the grace given to us, let us use them…” (v.6). It’s within this spirit that we jump to the final of three ways that righteousness is to be practiced within the body of Christ, and that is in relation to SOCIETY. Society includes both believers and non-believers.
Paul writes in verse 13 that we are to, “Contribute to the needs of the saints and seek to show hospitality” (Romans 12:13). The word “CONTRIBUTE” (v.13) is the form of the verb “KOINONEO” and means “TO SHARE”. In this context, sharing one’s resources to help with others who have serious needs.
What is Paul saying here in verse 13. How do we contribute to the needs of the saints and seek to show hospitality? HOSPITALITY means “LOVE” of strangers. The primary reference is to housing travelers, though all forms of hospitality are included. The progression in this verse is significant. As we dedicate ourselves to meeting the needs of our fellow believers, we will have opportunities to serve strangers and thus witness to them about the love of Christ. While I had been speaking with the saints we met with, I had never met them in person. As such, to some degree, Dr. Jeff and I were strangers.
DISCLAIMER
It’s important to note that in biblical times, to beg and use people was a public shame, and hospitality was practiced universally. This meant that there was societal accountability to reciprocate in showing hospitality to others. I say this from the perspective that I have also seen Christians use or uprightly take advantage of other Christians (in their extending hospitality) in the name of Jesus and the biblical Scriptures. That is simply wrong on many levels. For example, if you accepted hospitality but never showed, expressed or extended hospitality to others, you would be looked at with shame. In Luke 7:36-47, Simon failed to greet Jesus and provide water to wash his feet. By this omission, he violated the MOST BASIC CUSTOMS of Eastern hospitality. This was a profound insult and hinted at hostility towards Jesus.
IN CONCLUSION
This trip was refreshing to my soul as I experienced unconditional love, deep Christian hospitality, and unmatched fellowship and love-often (but not always) around breaking of bread. In biblical times, the sharing of food together was a token of friendship, a for of convent and commitment. This is what I experienced.
One of the most despicable acts in the ancient worlds was to eat with someone and then betray them (Obadiah 7; Psalm 41:9). And of course Judas (John 13:18). I had only one small experience that was less than unconditional love in Lisbon, but even that meeting was a joy. Portugal, like Sicily, was once ruled by the Arabs and still has some wonderful tradition from the Arab world imprinted upon their cultural norms. This includes the beautiful tiles used to cover their homes, the way that Cod fish (the main dish) is prepared among other things. I believe that to some degree the ancient practice of showing hospitality was carried over much the same as the entire “code” of hospitality in the Middle East was so strong that it evoked a biblical warning: “Do not neglect to show hospitality to strangers, for thereby some have entertained angels unaware” (Hebrews 13:2). It is also the dimension of mutual commitment in the starting of food that provides the Eucharist with one of its most dynamic meanings.
I thank God for His entrusting to me to visit and serve my brothers and sisters in Portugal. I am not one to give up, so, with God’s will and help, I will return to Portugal in 2025 in an effort to serve these godly people one again. Pastor Eddie extended a warm welcome to return in 2025 to minister to the body of Christ at his church through a generous invitation and I am planning to go with God’s will. As I look back, it became apparent that as hard as I tried, I still was unable to out-give or out-serve those I came to serve. I guess that’s the beauty of the true body of Christ. Biblical hospitality!
