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Love must be sincere\u2026 Share with the Lord\u2019s people who are in need. Practice hospitality (Romans 12:9a, 13)

Today, we begin a rather unpopular conversation regarding hospitality. Many of us don\u2019t like that word. Despite that, it is here in Romans 12 as a command. It is an aspect of sincere love. So, whether we like it or not, part of Christian discipleship is hospitality. In the Christian Reformed denomination, in which I am a pastor, each congregation has a group of leaders called elders. They are charged with the promotion of fellowship and hospitality in the congregation. The idea that hospitality is essential to the Christian life has long been recognized.

It seems to me that this aspect of love has fallen on hard times, partly because it is misunderstood. But maybe also, because in today\u2019s church we do not spend enough time reflecting and preaching about God. Yes, you did read that right. I suspect that hospitality has fallen on hard times because we focus way too much on ourselves. Since we are going to spend several days on hospitality, let\u2019s begin at the beginning, lets start with God and his hospitality.

When we open the Bible, what is the first thing that we learn about God? We encounter him creating the world, but have you ever noticed how Genesis 2 tells the story. In this chapter God plants a garden for the humans: \u201ctrees that were pleasing to the eye and good for food\u201d (2:9). Then in the next chapter, when everything has gone wrong in the garden, what happens? God shows up \u2018walking in the garden in the cool of the day\u2019 calling out to the humans, \u2018where are you?\u2019 Its long been understood that it was normal for God to come and spend time with his people. But now they were hiding.

If we are to learn about hospitality from God than there are two things we should pay attention to here: God creates space and time. Both are essential components of hospitality. This is not the only place in the Bible where God portrays hospitality. Think about the common phrase used to describe the promised land as Israel travels from Egypt through the wilderness: it is a land flowing with milk and honey. God took Israel, a nation severely oppressed, a group of slaves toiling for the Egyptians night and day, and brought them to such a land. He brought them there to give them rest (see Hebrews 3 & 4). God intended it to be a space for them to flourish and prosper.

Isn\u2019t Jesus arrival in this world another example of God\u2019s hospitality? We use a big word, incarnation, to talk about this. It has its usefulness, but it hides the remarkable implications of Jesus\u2019 arrival. John, one of Jesus disciples, wrote that Jesus \u2018made his dwelling among us\u2019 (John 1:14). In other words, he made his home on this earth with us. Jesus spent lots of time eating and drinking with people and inviting others to join him. To Zacchaeus he said, \u201cCome down from that tree, I must go to your house today\u201d (Luke 19:5). Understand, that an essential aspect of hospitality is time.

Why did Jesus come to make his home among us? Was it not to create a new community on this earth? A community in which all peoples, no matter what their language or colour or place of origin, can find a home? (Eph. 2:19; Rev. 5:9). As God was bringing Israel towards the promised land, he told them, \u201cSo, you also must love outsiders. Remember that you yourselves were outsiders in Egypt\u201d (Deuteronomy 10:19). If that was true for Israel of old, it is equally true of the church today. Do you see hospitality as an essential part of God\u2019s character and of his work?

There is much more to say about hospitality. But for now, how often have you thought about God\u2019s hospitality? See if you can find other examples of it in the Bible.

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