COMMUNITY CHURCH PLANTING Hospitality Disciples multiplying disciples Pastors multiply pastors Churches multiplying churches

Hospitality “…no stranger had to spend the night in the street, for my door was always open to the traveller Job 31:32

Hospitality “When an alien lives with you in your land, do not mistreat him. The alien living with you must be treated as one of your native-born. Love him as yourself, for you were aliens in Egypt. I am the LORD your God.” Lev 19:33-34

Hospitality Hospitality = Philozenos Philozenos = Fondness or love for strangers Hospitality = Kindness in welcoming guests/strangers Middle Ages – Hospice = Charitable refuge for passing travellers

Hospitality “Practice hospitality” Ro 12:13 “Do not forget to entertain strangers, for by so doing some people have entertained angels without knowing it” Heb13:2

Hospitality Philozenos – Love for foreigners/strangers Xenophobia – Fear of foreigners/strangers Philozenos – Receptivity, Respect, Generosity. Leads to increase of the Kingdom of God, healings, deliverance, salvation Xenophobia – Apposition to the Kingdom of God. Leads to death, destruction and exclusion from the Kingdom of God

Hospitality Orient it was a sacred religious duty to receive, feed, lodge, and protect a traveler Strangers were treated as guests People who enjoyed each others hospitality were bound together by the strongest ties

Hospitality Hospice, hospital & hospitality Middle Ages, Hospice, monastery, refuge for travelers Great Plague hospices converted for the sick Hospitality in the church should provide a place of refuge for battered pilgrims who journey through dark difficult days

Hospitality Christians are called to love strangers and welcome pilgrims as honored guests into God’s Kingdom

Hospitality led to extension of God’s Kingdom Gen 18:1-10 Abraham & 3 Angels Gen 19:1-3 Lot & 2 Angels Gen 24: 11-21 Abraham’s Servant & Angel Hospitality led to extension of God’s Kingdom

Hospitality Three Streams merge into the River of Hospitality Receptivity – Receptive to God’s servants Reverence – Deep respect for God’s people Generosity – Invitation into community

Hospitality Moses, well in Midian, Jethro & Zipporah Joshua’s spies & Rahab Cities of refuge – protection from the avenger Ruth & Boaz – Naomi’s kinsman-redeemer Boaz & Ruth – Obed, father of Jesse, father of David Elijah, Jezebel, Angel Elisha, barren Shunammite women

Hospitality Samaritan women – Jn 4:1-42 Zacchaeus – Lk 19:1-10 Pharisees house & sinful women – Lk 7: 36-50 Feed the 5000 – Lk 9:10-17 Parable of Great Banquet – Lk 14:15-24 Mary & Martha – Lk 10: 38-42 Paul Malta – Ac 27

Hospitality Acts 27, 28 Paul, prisoner on a ship in a violent storm off Crete Message from the Angel Shipwrecked on Malta Islanders showed unusual kindness & welcome Snake & reverence of Paul Welcome into Publius’ home, entertained us hospitably Heals Publius father Heals rest of the islanders The honoured/respected the Christians in many ways Furnished their needs Kingdom of God comes to Malta

Hospitality People of Peace 12 Disciples – Mt 10 72 Disciples – Lk 10

Hospitality People of Peace Andrew – Jn 1:40-42 Lame, Beautiful Gate – Ac 3:1-11 Cornelius – Ac 10 Sergio Paulus – Ac 13:1-12 Lydia – Ac 16:11-15 Jailor – Ac 16: 25-34 Zacchaeus – Lk 19:1-10 Samaritan women – Jn 4:1-42

Hospitality People of Peace “Whatever town or village you enter, search for some worthy person there and stay at his house until you leave. As you enter the home, give it your greeting. If the home is deserving, let your peace rest on it; if it is not, let your peace return to you.” Mt 10:1 “As you go, preach this message: The Kingdom of heaven is near. Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse those who have leprosy, drive out demons.” Mt 10:7

Hospitality People of Peace Jesus said, "When you enter a house, first say, 'Peace to this house.' If a man of peace is there, your peace will rest on him; if not, it will return to you. Stay in that house, eating and drinking whatever they give you, for the worker deserves his wages. Do not move around from house to house. When you enter a town and are welcomed, eat what is set before you. Heal the sick who are there and tell them, 'The kingdom of God is near you.‘ But when you enter a town and are not welcomed, go into its streets and say, 'Even the dust of your town that sticks to our feet we wipe off against you. Yet be sure of this: The kingdom of God is near.’ I tell you, it will be more bearable on that day for Sodom than for that town.” Lk 10:5-12:

Hospitality Spirit of Receptivity Spirit of Reverence Spirit of Generosity

Hospitality If Christians are gracious to strangers it shows that they are citizens of heaven – and that their hearts are not islands, cut off from other islands, but their hearts are joined to an eternal continent that reaches out to strangers and joins them to heavens homeland.

Hospitality a primary key for extending God’s Kingdom

Hospitality Henri Nouwen stated: Hospitality means primarily the creation of free space where the stranger can enter and become a friend instead of an enemy. Hospitality is not to change people, but to offer them space where change can take place. It is not to bring men and women over to our side, but to offer freedom not disturbed by dividing lines.

Ken Shigematsu stated: Hospitality is a prized virtue of monastic communities. Benedict's rule says: ‘All guests who present themselves are to be welcomed as Christ, for he himself will say, “I was a stranger and you welcomed me.”’ Brother Alphonsus served as a doorkeeper in the seventeenth century at a Jesuit college in Majorca, Spain. Each time someone knocked at the door he would reply, “I am coming, Lord!” This practice reminded him to treat each person with as much respect as if it were Jesus himself at the door.

Thomas G Long writes: We show hospitality to strangers not merely because they need it, but because we need it, too. The stranger at the door is the living symbol and memory that we are all strangers here. This is not our house, our table, our food, our lodging; this is God's house, his table and food and his lodging. We were pilgrims and wanderers, aliens and strangers, even enemies of God, but we, too, were welcomed into this place. To show hospitality to the stranger is, as Gordon Lathrop has observed, to say, "We are beggars here together. Grace will surprise us both.”