Guide 02: Practice Hospitality

Hospitality

The word “hospitality” is philoxenian in Greek. It’s a compound word: Philo means love. Xenos means stranger, or foreigner, or people who are “other.” It’s expressing the welcome of God the Father to all through tangible acts of love, ideally through giving food, shelter, and relationship.

In Luke alone there are over fifty references to Jesus and food! The Biblical scholar Robert Karris writes, “In Luke’s gospel Jesus is either going to a meal, at a meal, or coming from a meal.”

In fact, he ate and drank with so many people who were “other”, his critics accused him of being a drunkard and a glutton!

The missiologist Tim Chester has this fascinating insight into Jesus’ repeated turn of phrase:

• “... the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost.” (Luke 19v10)

• And “The Son of Man came eating and drinking.” (Luke 7v34)

One was about Jesus' mission: what he came to do. He came to seek and save the lost. The other was about Jesus’ method: How he did it. He came eating and drinking.

How did Jesus share the good news of the kingdom with people who were far from God? He invited them to the table. He gave thanks, and broke bread. He made space for conversation. He asked questions. He spoke, but he also lent a listening ear ... and he welcomed “tax collectors and sinners” into the new community of God, one meal at a time.

The best conversations typically happen around the table. There truly is no better context than the table to make people feel safe; to love, and serve, to meet practical needs, and heal emotional wounds; to preach the gospel in word and deed; to invite people into the community of love ... and it’s so radically ordinary!

Neighboring

You don’t need to add anything into your already overbusy life; you just need to repurpose what you’re already doing into an act of witness.

Start with your neighbors: Do you know their names? Their stories? Their spiritual journey?Maybe invite them over for a meal.

What if you started to reimagine your home as an outpost of the kingdom of God; as a haven for those in need of refuge — in need of love, of a listening ear, of protection or provision, of welcome into community?

Key Scriptures and Context

Luke 19v1-10: The story of Zacchaeus

• When Jesus reached the spot, he looked up and said to him, “Zacchaeus, come down immediately. I must stay at your house today.”

• All the people saw this and began to mutter, “He has gone to be the guest of a sinner.”

• Jesus said to him, “Today salvation has come to this house, because this man, too, is a son of Abraham. For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost.”

Luke 7v34: “The Son of Man came eating and drinking ...”

• This was about Jesus’ method: how he shared the good news. He did it by “eating and drinking” — practicing hospitality!

Romans 12v13: “Practice hospitality.”

• We are commanded to practice hospitality with intense effort and definite purpose.

Discuss Together: is there anything that stood out to you in this section? Anything you’re struggling to embrace?

Exercises to complete before next meeting (5 Minutes)

Baseline Exercise: Invite someone to share a meal. This meal can be in your home; it can be a feast you prepare for them. Or it can be a food cart down the street from your work; and a quick lunch with co-worker. Read through Exercises Guide below on your own before our next meeting for more help with this exercise.

Reach Exercise (optional): Do the Neighborhood mapping exercise from The Art of Neighboring by Jay Pathak and Dave Runyon in the Exercises Guide.

Keep Growing (optional):

• Read: The Gospel Comes with a House Key by Rosaria Butterfield (Chapters 04-06)

• Listen: Rule of Life Podcast on Witness (Episode 02)

Discuss Together: Are there any ideas, questions, or concerns you have with the exercise?

Close in Prayer (10 minutes)

Before we close, let’s take some time to pray for each other. What can we offer to God in prayer for you?

Remember: everyone prays, and everyone gets prayer.