3 Gracious Hospitality What's the most interesting place you've stayed on a trip? QUESTION 1 BIBLE STUDIES FOR LIFE 29
THE POINT Ground your service and love in hospitality. THE BIBLE MEETS LIFE The world s largest hotel chain owns exactly zero square feet in hotel room space. Airbnb was launched in 2007 when two roommates could not afford to pay their rent in San Francisco. In order to make a little extra money to cover their expenses, they had the idea of putting an air mattress in their living room and charging people to stay there. For many, the idea was laughable. Who would pay to sleep in the home of a perfect stranger? But more than a decade later, Airbnb has three million lodging listings in 65,000 cities and 191 countries. These are real people opening their homes to strangers and inviting them in. Clearly, the thought of staying in a real home resonates with a lot of folks in many cultures. Gracious hospitality is nothing new. Being hospitable is a very spiritual characteristic. Hospitality is a command and one Christians must embrace if we want to live in a welcoming posture to those coming into the faith. Our graciousness and hospitality to those outside our circle of friends attracts people to the gospel we profess. 30 SESSION 3
WHAT DOES THE BIBLE SAY? 1 Peter 4:7 (CSB) 7 The end of all things is near; therefore, be alert and sober-minded for prayer. Hospitality. This was a quality characterizing the New Testament church; the biblical writers knew it was important. Share with the saints in their needs; pursue hospitality (Romans 12:13). Don t neglect to show hospitality, for by doing this some have welcomed angels as guests without knowing it (Hebrews 13:2). Be hospitable to one another without complaining (1 Peter 4:9). When the church began, hospitality was an important element to the advancement of the gospel. Travelers, at the mercy of others, were welcomed into strangers' homes. They were treated as friends, fed, and given a place to sleep. Even though many people today live much of their lives publicly online, most people value privacy. The nature of hospitality runs counter to this, since it is sharing with others what we consider to be personal. If we take Scripture seriously, hospitality is more than a character trait; it s a command. We are to pursue and practice hospitality without complaint. To live lives of hospitality, we must begin with prayer. When we pray, we recognize that we are incapable of doing something on our own. In prayer, we express our reliance on God as our Provider. In prayer, we acknowledge our selfishness and commitment to our own desires are what keep us from sacrificially serving and loving others in the most practical of ways. So what should we pray for in order to foster an attitude of hospitality? Pray that God would help us see ourselves as stewards. We struggle with hospitality because we see ourselves as owners we own a house, our time, and so forth. We are not owners, but merely stewards. Everything we have has been given to us by God to use for His kingdom. As Christ-followers, why is it important that we pray for others? QUESTION 2 BIBLE STUDIES FOR LIFE 31
THE POINT Ground your service and love in hospitality. Pray that God would help us confront our greed. We hoard resources for personal use, making us reluctant to share with anyone. We grow spiritually because God uses our hospitality to confront the greed in our hearts and to make us more like Christ. Pray that God would bring us opportunities. We should ask God to open our eyes to the needs around us those with no place to go, no friends to confide in. When we pray for opportunities to show hospitality, we ll be surprised at how many we ll find. Peter began verse 7 with the end of all things is near. Time is of the essence. Peter reminded us that our prayers are more than just casual conversations with God. Let s pray, and let s welcome people into our lives. In so doing, we also welcome them into God s kingdom. 1 Peter 4:8-9 (CSB) 8 Above all, maintain constant love for one another, since love covers a multitude of sins. 9 Be hospitable to one another without complaining. Love is not a feeling; it s a deeply held commitment for the good of another that is always worked out in tangible, practical ways. That s why hospitality is one of the most concrete signs of love. It s a physical, practical way we serve someone else that also costs us something personal. Hospitality is not a suggestion. It s a clear command: Be hospitable to one another without complaining. Among his practical exhortations of gospel-rooted living, Paul urged believers in the Roman church to pursue hospitality (Romans 12:13); later, he said that hospitality is one of the characteristics a church leader must demonstrate (1 Timothy 3:2). Hospitality matters. We tend to think of hospitality as a single action one may pursue, as if on some kind of quota system. If we perform some gracious act every once in a while, we have checked off the box for the month and are free to go back to our private lives until we feel some measure of guilt again. How does hospitality demonstrate the gospel? QUESTION 3 32 SESSION 3
Hospitality is not an act to be performed, but a lifestyle to be assumed. While sharing one's home shows hospitality, the characteristic has a deeper meaning. The word for hospitality comes from a combination: love and stranger. Hospitality is the love of strangers. When we were strangers, God took us in (Ephesians 2:12-19). When we were without a home, God brought us into His. When we were without hope and without God in the world (v. 12), God adopted us as His children. In the ultimate act of hospitality, God provided a way to welcome us through Christ s death. So hospitality is a characteristic built into the spiritual DNA of those who have experienced God s divine hospitality. If then there is any encouragement in Christ, if any consolation of love, if any fellowship with the Spirit, if any affection and mercy, make my joy complete by thinking the same way, having the same love, united in spirit, intent on one purpose. Do nothing out of selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility consider others as more important than yourselves. Everyone should look out not only for his own interests, but also for the interests of others (Philippians 2:1-4). During His earthly life, Jesus epitomized hospitality, while having no resources. He practiced an essence of hospitality sacrificing something of your own to welcome others. Hospitality is not just actions, but living that grows out of constant love for one another. Let s love like Jesus. 1 Peter 4:10-11 (CSB) 10 Just as each one has received a gift, use it to serve others, as good stewards of the varied grace of God. 11 If anyone speaks, let it be as one who speaks God s words; if anyone serves, let it be from the strength God provides, so that God may be glorified through Jesus Christ in everything. To him be the glory and the power forever and ever. Amen. BIBLE STUDIES FOR LIFE 33
THE POINT Ground your service and love in hospitality. God gives His children spiritual gifts, not for our sake, but for the sake of building up others. He gives us gifts to be used in service. When we exercise our gifts, we can do so with confidence, knowing God will give us what we need to do. Think of this divine/human partnership like a sailboat. A sailboat is propelled through water by the wind's force. The sailor positions the boat so that it can make the most of the wind when it starts to blow. The sailor raises sails, ties knots, and moves the vessel into the appropriate position all while knowing his efforts mean nothing without the wind. So it is with us and God's enabling power. For our hospitality to make a difference, we need God's empowerment. We are responsible to position our lives so we are ready to make the most of what God is going to do in and through us. When God works through us using our spiritual gifts, things happen and people benefit. They might benefit from an encouraging word, from an act of service, or from the gracious welcome of hospitality. Our willingness to be used by God to serve others communicates important things: How do you see God's provision and our responsibility at work in these verses? QUESTION 4 Our provision. Exercising hospitality costs time, energy, resources, and even privacy. When we allow God to use us to show hospitality, we testify that we believe God is our great Provider. He will take care of our needs. Our contentment. Hospitality requires sharing with others, often meaning less personal wealth, time, and comfort. When we choose hospitality, we testify about our contentment. Having less is fine; we know that when we have Jesus, we have more than enough. Our future. God does not merely redeem individuals; He is building a people for His own glory. Heaven will not be lived in isolation, but in community. We testify to that truth by pursuing a posture of hospitality a small foretaste of what s to come in the future. 34 SESSION 3
What can we learn from 1 Peter 4:7-11 about becoming a more welcoming group? "Hold material goods and wealth on a flat palm and not in a clenched fist." ALISTAIR BEGG QUESTION 5 HOSPITABLE OR NOT? We are commanded to be hospitable. We can be a friendly face to someone new to the group. We can invite someone to join us for lunch, or we can consider hosting Bible study. WriteRecord in your notes 2-3 things you can do to become more hospitable. BIBLE STUDIES FOR LIFE 35
THE POINT Ground your service and love in hospitality. LIVE IT OUT Hospitality might be easier for some than others. Regardless of whether our natural personality is welcoming or not, we are compelled by how God has welcomed us in to extend the same welcome to others. Greet. Arrive at church a few minutes early this week. Spend extra time in the area outside the worship room to make sure you say hello and meet people you don t know. Host a group. Look for a chance to host a small group in your home or to be a greeter in your Bible study group. Share a meal. Dedicate one Sunday each month to be a day when you will invite someone into your home for lunch. Make this a regular rhythm in your life. Remember, being gracious and hospitable to others attracts people to the gospel we profess. Let's make that our goal! My thoughts 36 SESSION 3