Good Morning Friends,
During the last week we have explored the challenge of loving one’s perceived enemies and the challenge of dealing with racism and community health and the need for continued reform of institutional religion against the backdrop of the Babylonian captivity. And a bit of it might remind us of the Stockholm Syndrome especially as it relates to false prophets and our brokenness. But in all of this I think the issue is more spiritual than just psychological. Interestingly today’s text addresses the stumbling block for many, for it is about putting Christ first, taking up the cross, practicing the small duties distasteful to us and finding our life so that we might be welcoming, and loving to those who are wrongly considered outcasts. The promise is sublime in a revelation of holiness. It is beyond good will to a deeper motive and righteousness bent on kingdom business for Christ’s sake more than our own. The extra effort expected is above and beyond mere charity. It is about being hospitable to God by loving in a revelation of being part of holy history.
So, Would You Welcome An Unrecognized Jesus Into Your Home?
Scripture: Whoever loves father or mother more than me is not worthy of me; and whoever loves son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me; and whoever does not take up the cross and follow me is not worthy of me. Those who find their life will lose it, and those who lose their life for my sake will find it. “Whoever welcomes you welcomes me, and whoever welcomes me welcomes the one who sent me. Whoever welcomes a prophet in the name of a prophet will receive a prophet’s reward; and whoever welcomes a righteous person in the name of a righteous person will receive the reward of the righteous; and whoever gives even a cup of cold water to one of these little ones in the name of a disciple—truly I tell you, none of these will lose their reward.”
Matthew 10:37-42 (NRSV)
Do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? Therefore we have been buried with him by baptism into death, so that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, so we too might walk in newness of life. But if we have died with Christ, we believe that we will also live with him. We know that Christ, being raised from the dead, will never die again; death no longer has dominion over him. The death he died, he died to sin, once for all; but the life he lives, he lives to God. So you also must consider yourselves dead to sin and alive to God in Christ Jesus.
Romans 6:3-4, 8-11 (NRSV)
One day Elisha was passing through Shunem, where a wealthy woman lived, who urged him to have a meal. So whenever he passed that way, he would stop there for a meal. She said to her husband, “Look, I am sure that this man who regularly passes our way is a holy man of God. Let us make a small roof chamber with walls, and put there for him a bed, a table, a chair, and a lamp, so that he can stay there whenever he comes to us.” One day when he came there, he went up to the chamber and lay down there. He said, “What then may be done for her?” Gehazi answered, “Well, she has no son, and her husband is old.” He said, “Call her.” When he had called her, she stood at the door. He said, “At this season, in due time, you shall embrace a son.” She replied, “No, my lord, O man of God; do not deceive your servant.”
2 Kings 4:8-11, 14-16a (NRSV)
The Lord appeared to Abraham by the oaks of Mamre, as he sat at the entrance of his tent in the heat of the day. He looked up and saw three men standing near him. When he saw them, he ran from the tent entrance to meet them, and bowed down to the ground. He said, “My lord, if I find favor with you, do not pass by your servant. Let a little water be brought, and wash your feet, and rest yourselves under the tree. Let me bring a little bread, that you may refresh yourselves, and after that you may pass on—since you have come to your servant.” So they said, “Do as you have said.” And Abraham hastened into the tent to Sarah, and said, “Make ready quickly three measures of choice flour, knead it, and make cakes.” Abraham ran to the herd, and took a calf, tender and good, and gave it to the servant, who hastened to prepare it. Then he took curds and milk and the calf that he had prepared, and set it before them; and he stood by them under the tree while they ate. They said to him, “Where is your wife Sarah?” And he said, “There, in the tent.” Then one said, “I will surely return to you in due season, and your wife Sarah shall have a son.” And Sarah was listening at the tent entrance behind him. Now Abraham and Sarah were old, advanced in age; it had ceased to be with Sarah after the manner of women. So Sarah laughed to herself, saying, “After I have grown old, and my husband is old, shall I have pleasure?” The Lord said to Abraham, “Why did Sarah laugh, and say, ‘Shall I indeed bear a child, now that I am old?’ Is anything too wonderful for the Lord? At the set time I will return to you, in due season, and Sarah shall have a son.” But Sarah denied, saying, “I did not laugh”; for she was afraid. He said, “Oh yes, you did laugh.”
Genesis 18:1-8 (NRSV)
Message: This morning I would like us to consider what the Bible says concerning hospitality. And it may bring us to tears or maybe even laughter. James tells us that hospitality is a mark of discipleship. Paul directs us to practice it. John commended the church for meeting the needs of missionaries though hospitality. Peter encourages us to offer hospitality cheerfully. And Jesus expresses His gratitude about hospitality, saying, “I was a stranger and you took Me in.” Friends we are to share with those in need for it is the Christian way of love. Today we see this message about hospitality and mission in the story of Abraham and Sarah and the Trinity who appeared as Lord in unity to them. We also have a story about Elisha and a wealthy woman who offers hospitality. Both are wonderful stories. Both are about the birth of a child and the rewards of hospitality. I do so hope you get the point of listening in a deeper way that engages evaluation of our actions on an emotional level. You see the point of hospitality is not the lavishness of the food or surroundings, but on the relationships. In them we develop the love we convey by involving ourselves with others. Think of the story of Mary and Martha. The food we serve is not the goal, but a means to the goal. True hospitality is not pretentious—it is bringing people into our homes as honorary members of our family. It is bringing God into our home as Abraham did with three strangers, as the Shunem woman did for Elisha. The hope is that today as we explore the possibility of God, God is writing us into the storyline when it comes to hospitality and social change and even how we worship. It is a model for us to engage in the flow of Holy History…if we have faith. So today I am going to share a painting that depicts hospitality and love. It is the iconic work of Rublev’s The Hospitality of Abraham. Meditate on it. Here we too can entertain angels. Here we learn from the messengers in scripture and community. Here we come to the table in relationship with God listening for our part in the story. Friends, we are to be filled with the fullness of God. We are to experience the mystical union of Holy Spirit in Christ, and in us before the Father. Here we begin to grasp the shape of the faith-union with Christ that does not obliterate the reality of our own dignity and identity. Here we discover that we too are to be uniquely relational with God the Son, the Holy Spirit and the Father in a community of love. Friends, I really do not think I can explain this even though at some level I comprehend it. Each of us has to ask God for it. We have to ask God for the personal experience of it. So be a good example for the children and ask. Learn to love Jesus. Jesus who at the center of his ministry had an outreach to the most unwelcomed people on the planet. See Jesus with the new eyes of love and welcome God into your life.
And So, social change is hard business whether it is about community health or overcoming racism. The specific behaviors being changed are relevant, but today’s text from Matthew indicates that its forced obedience or taking matters into our own hands to enforce them is not the path Christ desires for us. It is a spiritual and emotional change that is required first. We are to love. Without that, the effort is pretty much pointless. The thing is that we cannot be obedient unless we love. And here, and this is important, our love of God must be synonymous with our love of Jesus. It is a call to love God more than life itself by loving God like we love our own children. Only through this love in us are we enabled to be obedient to what Christ is calling us to do. It smells like hospitality and service to me. It also often times seems impossible like loving our enemies. But that is what Jesus commands us to do. And the point is that you cannot love God without loving Jesus. Much though I appreciate the different religions of the world, you cannot love God without loving Jesus. The test is loving Jesus like we love our children but even on a deeper level. If Jesus is not the highest treasure, then we have something that is not of God. Jesus is commanding our emotions not just actions. This is denied by many as even being possible. But Jesus says that we will die in our sins unless we believe in him and know him as God. Coming to this point is not easy. Still, our hospitality for Jesus must be founded on love. Like depicted in Rublev’s painting, love is initiated by the Father, embodied by the Son, and accomplished through the Spirit in a circle of divine love. We come to see with our inner eyes that all engagements in this world can bear fruit only when they take place within this divine circle… the house of perfect love. Here we can respond in a sacred space to the divine love of the Trinity and the love necessary to change the world as we welcome Jesus into our homes and hearts.
Pray in the name of the Father, Son and Holy Ghost that we embrace the Trinity of love. Pray that we will learn to trust more and be stressed less even as we offer greater hospitality in small groups. Pray we realize that hospitality is an attitude of heart, a way of life, a form of grace. Pray we realize it is not ability but availability that matters most. Pray we draw the circle wide when we pray. Pray we move from isolation to community…from fear to learning to love. Pray in a faith that grows. Pray we understand the battles to be fought. Pray we have a forgiving heart in the process. Pray we not waiver from the call. Pray we be motivated out of love. Pray that strife and stress not keep us from learning. Pray we learn to discern what is right for ourselves. Pray we discern what is evil. Pray we discern what is of God. Pray we come to the table and trust as a child listening for a message from God. Pray we realize that God’s door is open. Pray we realize that we are to listen in a way that is even deeper than discernment. Pray we listen for the call to action in our hearts. Pray we realize that God’s love and care for us does not depend upon our attitudes, actions, or affections but that when we welcome God’s love our attitudes, actions and affections we are transformed with Holy Spirit power. Pray for the millions upon millions of souls starving for faith and spiritually hungry not realizing that Christ is the only thing that truly satisfies. Pray we glorify God in our prayers with the welcoming Spirit of grace as we are both comforted and convicted by Christ as part of Holy History.
Blessings,
John Lawson
Daily Devotionals 