Read: Romans 12:13, 1 Peter 4:7-11
There is nothing quite like a home cooked meal, a warm and inviting home and good company. I’m sure that if you have ever been on the receiving end of those who are particularly gifted at hospitality you know what I’m talking about. The food is rich and enjoyable, no matter how simple it is. The home is inviting, welcoming and comfortable, no matter how small it is. And most of all the company is warm and comfortable and the conversation is rich. Everything seems to be richer and more enjoyable with good hospitality.
Offering this kind of hospitality is not just for those who are especially gifted. This kind of hospitality towards others is commanded of all Christians. Here in Romans 12 Paul continues his discussion of how the Christian life should look by pointing us showing us more of what it looks like to be devoted to one another. Firstly, believers are to share with those who are in need. The idea of sharing here includes sharing our material possessions, sharing our time and our effort and even sharing each others’ emotional burdens. We share in the sufferings of other believers (vs 15) as we love each other and care for each other in difficult times.
Not only do we share with other believers who are in need but Paul tells us to “practice hospitality.” We willingly invite other believers into our homes and into our lives so that we might serve them, care for them and love them. This might look like inviting other believers over for a meal or a cuppa. This might look like opening your house for other believers who require accommodation. This might even look like caring for those who are in need over the long term, not just the short. We are to practice hospitality.
For the first century believer this wasn’t just people they knew in their local church. Many believers in the first century had been driven from their homes by persecution and were scattered across the ancient world with hardly any support. The support they received from other believers was one of their only means for finding shelter and food. Believers would not only show hospitality to the believers they knew or who were part of their local church. They would be showing hospitality to believers in need from all across the ancient world, providing for their needs and giving them shelter.
Do we show hospitality to all believers or only to those whom we know or even only those who we like? Paul commends us to show hospitality to all believers. That might mean inviting a visitor home for lunch after church on Sunday. This might look like inviting those people at church you don’t know very well over for dinner sometime. This might look like opening your house to billets from out of town who are looking for a place to stay. There are so many opportunities every day for us to show hospitality to other believers.
Peter gives us one last qualification on this kind of hospitality. We are to offer hospitality, to serve others without grumbling and complaining. Instead we are to give to others out of the abundance that God has given each of us. Let us care for one another joyfully and out of our abundance.
Prayer:
Use the Bible passage from today and the reading notes to write down your prayer points before you pray.
Adoration:
Confession:
Thanks:
Supplication:
¥ Pray for the Committee of Management of your church as they seek to manage the resources of the church wisely. Pray that they would have a heart for hospitality and to share with other believers who are in need. Pray that God would guide their every decision.
We don’t just show hospitality to other believers. We show it to everyone. When we invite people into our homes and into our lives it can be a powerful witness. Why not go next door to your neighbours today and invite them over for a cuppa?
1. What are some creative ways that you might be able to show hospitality to other believers in your church?
2. How do you think we could practice hospitality and generosity towards believers around the world who are enduring persecution?
3. How could you work together as a group show hospitality to other believers?
Intro: Everyone loves a good party! It is fun to get together with people and share fun and food together.
Share: A fun party that you have been to. What did you do? What sort of food did you eat?
Read: Romans 12:13 What is hospitality? You might not be able to organise dinner but you can still show hospitality towards others. You could be generous with your lunch, invite others to sit with you and your friends or care for those who are left out. Can you think of some other ways to be hospitable and generous to others?
Pray Together: Thank God that He cares for us and gives us what we need. Ask Him to help us be hospitable.
Read: Romans 12:13 What is hospitality? You might not be able to organise dinner but you can still show hospitality towards others. You could be generous with your lunch, invite others to sit with you and your friends or care for those who are left out. Can you think of some other ways to be hospitable and generous to others?
Pray Together: Thank God that He cares for us and gives us what we need. Ask Him to help us be hospitable.
Intro: Everyone loves a good party! It is fun to get together with people and share fun and food together.
Share: A fun party that you have been to. What did you do? What sort of food did you eat?
Read: Romans 12:13 What is hospitality? You might not be able to organise dinner but you can still show hospitality towards others. You could be generous with your lunch, invite others to sit with you and your friends or care for those who are left out. Can you think of some other ways to be hospitable and generous to others?
Pray Together: Thank God that He cares for us and gives us what we need. Ask Him to help us be hospitable.
Read: Romans 12:13 What is hospitality? You might not be able to organise dinner but you can still show hospitality towards others. You could be generous with your lunch, invite others to sit with you and your friends or care for those who are left out. Can you think of some other ways to be hospitable and generous to others?
Pray Together: Thank God that He cares for us and gives us what we need. Ask Him to help us be hospitable.
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