Hospitality

Being Hospitable

Philippians 2:3-4; John 13:12-17

Online Sermon: http://www.mckeesfamily.com/?page_id=3567

“Who being in the very nature of God, did not consider equality with God something to be used to His own advantage; rather He made Himself nothing by taking on the nature of a servant being made in human likeness.”

Philippians 2:6-7

On His last night before His crucifixion Jesus wanted to teach His disciples one final lesson, not with words but with action! “Imagine yourself for a moment stepping down to the lowest of moral environments into the company of rapists, murderers, and hardened criminals awaiting execution” and God expects you have an unquenchable desire to love and serve them! Whom amongst us could ever humble ourselves enough to love those so far “beneath” the lowest of any civilized standard and yet Christ not only emptied Himself and became incarnate but also gave up His live as a ransom for all (Mark 10:45) … yes even for the most sadistic, hateful, and evil people of this world! Knowing “fully the mysteries set forth in the incarnation,” that He was about to atone for humanity’s sins (1 John 2:2) on a cross and be exalted above all names (Philippians 2:9), how would the Lamb who was slain before the foundation of this world (1 Peter 1:19-20) ever get through to His disciples the incredible significance of the climax of His earthly ministry? He could have walked on the water, healed more lepers, the blind or the sick, called on 12 legion of angels (Matthew 26:53) or even raise the dead to point to His supremacy over all things seen and unseen (Colossians 1:16) to get their attention but instead of exalting Himself before His appointed time Jesus took a towel and girded Himself, poured water into a basin, and used His tender loving hands to wash the disciples feet! While it would have been easy to wash the feet of the “disciple He loved” (John 13:23), Jesus showed no partiality for He washed Peter’s feet who would betray Him three times (Luke 22:54-62), Thomas’s feet who would doubt His resurrection (John 20:24-29), and even Judas’ feet who would sell Him out for a mere 30 speckles of silver (Matthew 26:14-16)! Jesus did this humble and selfless act not just to teach the disciples they needed “cleansing from the contaminating effects of sin” but also to show them that their leadership was not to be one that “lords their position over others” (Matthew 20:25-28) but one in which the grace they had received would be humbly and freely given in servanthood to all others!

Hospitable Service

“Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others.”

Philippians 2:3-4

While the world measures a person’s “greatness” based on their acquired power, persuasion, prestige, and position, being “great” in the kingdom of God is “measured by a person’s heart of service!” Taking care of the needs of those around us is the “heart of a right relationship with Christ” and proof that we are indeed His disciples (John 13:35). The oxford dictionary defines hospitality as “the friendly and generous reception and entertainment of guests, visitors and strangers.” In a biblical sense hospitality can be further defined as lovingly serving to meet the needs of one’s neighbors which include fellow Christians and even one’s enemies! To value others better than ourselves means serving them in a manner that takes care of their needs and pleases their hearts. Here in North America we often choose to purchase from those companies that function in a manner that expresses real appreciation for us the consumer. When the person serving us has a non-caring or outright bad attitude towards us we tend to never return to such establishments but to those places that make us feel welcomed and appreciated we will drive out of our way and pay even more for their goods or services! If the world can serve one another with this kind of respect how much more should those who have been grafted into the vine and basked in the grace and mercy of the Father (Romans 11:11-31)? I am not suggesting there is anything wrong with being served, for love in action is to be reciprocal from God to me, me to God, from me to you and you to me; but merely that genuine love that comes from Christ seeks the interest of others above interests of oneself. Humbly serving others is not a sign of weakness like this world suggests but strength that one is so in love with Christ that one can always see God’s image in others and humbly offer them cups of cold water in His name and for His glory (Matthew 10:42)! It is precisely through our sacrificial giving of our time, money and love that we point the world to the Father who is our portion and the desire of our hearts (Psalms 73)!