Offer Hospitality to One Another
1 Peter 4:9 – “Offer hospitality to one another.”
This Thanksgiving holiday, many of you will host family and friends in your home, sharing a meal, thoughts of gratitude, and yes, maybe even some good old-fashioned American football. The fact that you have invited people into your world is significant, and the most important thing is what can happen in the hearts of your guests. Less important is the size or quality of your house, or the perfection of your cooking...
Showing hospitality was an integral part of Jesus’ life and ministry. Throughout the Gospels, we see him attending to the physical needs of others and inviting people to be with him. On two separate occasions, he fed large groups of people who had gathered to hear him speak (Mark 8:1-9 and John 6:1-14). In Mark 6:31, Jesus invited his tired disciples to “come with me by yourselves to a quiet place and get some rest.” In John 13, we read about Jesus washing his followers’ feet – a gracious act of servanthood and hospitality.Perhaps the ultimate act of hospitality was offered when Jesus shared his last meal with his disciples (Matthew 26:26-30). During this final Passover meal, they not only partook of physical break and drink, but Jesus invited them to share in a more intimate and important spiritual meal. Foretelling his crucifixion, Jesus offered break and wine to his disciples, saying, “Take and eat; this is my body. Drink from this, all of you. This is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins.” This offer of “spiritual hospitality” was not limited to the twelve disciples but extends to everyone – the stranger, the unloved, the broken, the sick and tired – every human being who wishes to partake, may.
Happy Thanksgiving to all of you!
- Don
Happy Thanksgiving to all of you!
- Don
