From Friendly to Family

The quality of our relationship with Christ is demonstrated in the extent of our hospitality.  Are you a hospitable person?  Are we a hospitable Church?  Christians are by their new nature called to be hospitable.  We are to reach out to the alien, stranger, the widow, the orphan, the poor, and the vulnerable.  We are to welcome all those without community into our community.

To be hospitable, you must first experience hospitality. [KNOW]
Our nature defaults to self-love, but our new nature defaults to loving others first (1 John 4:19 “We love because he first loved us.”).  Christ’s very work and presence in our life compels us to love.

To be hospitable, you must be willing to accept the hospitality of others.  [GROW]
Until you open yourself up to love in its most extreme form (called grace) you will not be able to do the same.  Paul's prayer in Ephesians 3:18b-19 “to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge --that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God." reveals what's at stake (the fullness of God).

To be hospitable you must be mature in Christ.  [SOW]
Our experience in Christ will result in a personal maturing.  A maturity that results in good personal planning and organization.  A maturity that results in personal discipline.  A maturity that see and treats others like they have been treated by Christ.  The fruit of our faith in Christ will be tasted in our hospitality.

When people walk into a Church service for the first time there are few common experiences:

Arranged in order of health (poorest to best health):

JUDGEMENTAL CHURCH

• “You’re kind are not welcome here.”
• This can be communicated either directly or indirectly.
• Typical in legalistic Churches.

DISEASED CHURCH (VAMPIRE VIRUS)

• “Welcome…{fresh blood}!"
• This is communicated by pouncing and hounding guests.
• Typical in dying Churches.

FRIENDLY CHURCH

• “Hi, John. {I won’t remember your name, but} you are welcome here.”
• This is communicated by a superficial interest.
• Typical in disconnected/distracted Churches.

FAMILY CHURCH

• “Want to join us for lunch?”
• This is communicated by a genuine and sincere interest in others.
• Typical in Christ-centered Churches.

My perception is that our Church is mostly in the friendly category.  We are warm to guests, but we make them do all the work if they want to become part of our family.

It needs to be the other way around.  When a baby is born into a family, the family initiates and adjusts to protect, feed, raise, and love that baby.  The family doesn’t wait for the baby to be self-sufficient and then offer the services and benefits of family.

Our Church needs to initiate relationships and give everything we have to offer without expecting anything in return.  That’s how Jesus deals with us.  We need to treat every stranger/alien and all the vulnerable (i.e. the guests that cross our path) the same way we would our own baby.

Jesus explicitly says in Matthew 25 that when we welcome the stranger and take care of the vulnerable, we are welcoming and taking care of Him.  Mtt. 25:40-46  "The King will reply, 'I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me.' 41 "Then he will say to those on his left, 'Depart from me, you who are cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels. 42 For I was hungry and you gave me nothing to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me nothing to drink, 43 I was a stranger and you did not invite me in, I needed clothes and you did not clothe me, I was sick and in prison and you did not look after me.' 44 "They also will answer, 'Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or needing clothes or sick or in prison, and did not help you?' 45 "He will reply, 'I tell you the truth, whatever you did not do for one of the least of these, you did not do for me.' 46 "Then they will go away to eternal punishment, but the righteous to eternal life."

There are many common excuses that keep us from moving from Friendly to Family.  I want to list some of them today and work towards shattering them.

• "There are too many people to welcome, so I might as well not start." 
• "Being hospitable is too expensive." 
• "They’re way younger than me / They’re way older than me."
• "My life is busy enough and I don’t have time for more people."
• "I like what I have (in my group of friends) and I don’t want to ruin that." 
• "Every time I try it hasn’t worked, what will be different this time?" 
• "I’m sure someone else will befriend them." 
• "That’s the Pastor’s job."

We need to become a more hospitable people and that will only happen if we change the culture of hearts by allowing Jesus to change us to become more like Him.

Prayer
Father, we invite you this morning into every layer of our life.  We receive your love as given in Jesus and we freely accept your forgiveness in faith.  We first say thank you for your love and we then say help us to live in that love.  Help us to become more like you so that we can live and love how you do.  We want that joy and satisfaction.  Guide us in the way we are to go.  Reveal our darkness and expose the lies we believe.   Expand our hearts to love others to the degree that you love us.  Make way in our lives for a heart that burns with love for others.  Be with us as we leave this place, may the presence of Jesus be evident in our decisions and destinations.  We love you and we praise you!  Amen.


EXPLORE MORE:

Read Isaiah 58 and Matthew 25:31-46.  Both of these passages are clear, religious-busting words from God to His Church.  Take time to read and reflect on the implications God communicates in these passages.

How hospitable are you towards others?  What keeps you from being more hospitable?  In Sunday's message, Clint communicated some common excuses that get people out of being hospitable.  What keeps you from introducing yourself to others and welcoming them into your home/family?

Have you ever experienced extreme hospitality?  What was it about that experience that made you feel valuable, welcome, and free to be the yourself?  How about the opposite?  Have you ever been over to someone's house, but then didn't feel very welcome or felt like you were interrupting or imposing?

Invite someone new out or over this week.  It could be a neighbor, co-worker, or someone you met at Church.   Give someone a call and invite them over or invite them out to do something.  Initiate the activity, extend grace, and love them in the way Jesus has loved you.