4. Hospitality

Hospitality is a gift that God has given to us to enable us to communicate the Good News of God’s love for the world. In this session we are going to explore how, as disciples, we can grow in hospitality.

What comes to mind when you think of hospitality? Write down your thoughts.

 

What is hospitality?

The New Testament Greek word for hospitality is “philoxenos” which simply means “to love and be generous to strangers and foreigners.”

 

Throughout the New Testament Scriptures, we see the idea of hospitality come up quite often. Paul encourages the church in Rome to “seek to show hospitality”. Evidently, Paul wants disciples to go out of their way to practice this service. Hospitality runs deep in the history of God’s people, reaching back to the children of Israel, as a means to show what God the Father is like.

 

“When a stranger sojourns with you in your land, you shall not do him wrong. You shall treat the stranger who sojourns with you as the native among you, and you shall love him as yourself, for you were strangers in the land of Egypt: I am the Lord your God.” Leviticus 19:33-34 (ESV)

Have your thoughts on hospitality been challenged so far? If so, how?

What struggles do you think you might experience in showing hospitality?

 

Why?

Hospitality is a characteristic of God. In Christ, God is hospitable to us. He takes us into His own household, not because of something we have done for him, but purely because of His love for us. He not only invites us into His home, but also makes us His sons and daughters, part of His family, and in turn calls us to show that same love to others.

 

Discussion

Have a short discussion about our adoption into the family of Christ. Can you think of any scriptures that speak of us being a part of God’s family? List them.

 

How?

There are often misconceptions when it comes to hospitality. It has more to do with love and serving than it does about our homes, although our homes can be one of the most powerful contexts for hospitality.

Some can feel their home is inadequate due to space or quality, while others materially spruce up their home to be the perfect space to entertain. Neither of these demonstrates the true heart of hospitality.

 

Hospitality is not entertaining, but serving.

 

How do you know if you are being hospitable or just entertaining?

 

 

Personal Reflection

What have you learned about biblical hospitality in this session?

How do you think you can begin to put what you’ve learned into practice?