Text: Acts 28:11-16, Title: Xenophobia, Date/Place: NRBC, 10/11/09, AM
A. Opening illustration: Clark Griswold’s determination to have a good old fashion family Christmas, the story of Maria with eight children in El Salvador in wartime, and the four eggs
B. Background to passage: After recovering from the shipwreck, ministering to the natives of Malta, the crew decides the time is right to sail on to Rome. It was probably about February in 60 AD. The next five or six verses of the last chapter of Acts are basically a travel log, recording the stops along the home stretch to Rome. So they bounce from shore to shore, all the while the Apostle knowing that Rome, and possibly death, awaits him. And the one thing that sticks out in the whole account is the hospitality shown by the believers in these scattered cities to a virtually unknown missionary.
C. Main thought: So today I want to think about biblical hospitality.
A. Hospitality involves risk (v. 14)
1. In this verse, Luke says that they “found brethren.” And they were invited to stay with them seven days. Biblically, hospitality is defined as: demonstration of God’s love through a voluntary act of kindness or service to an individual or group who is not regarded as extended family or close friend. In fact the Greek word is philoxenos which means literally lover of strangers. These Christians in Puteoli, who never met Paul, invited the mission team to stay with them for a week. In the second and third century, there were many writings about using caution when giving hospitality to “brethren passing through.” There was risk.
2. Luke 6:32-33, 10:33-35, 14:21, Matt 25:35-36
3. Illustration: the preparations at my house for 4-5 overnight guests for a week would be great, can you imagine spur of the moment? Conversation we had in our triad just a couple weeks ago about how we all used to pick up hitchhikers and give them a lift, but not anymore. “Give me you tired, your poor, your huddled masses yearning to breathe free…” but our fear has caused us to give in to a selfish spirit of self-protection and self-preservation, tell about 4-year old Josh, and the guy next door, “but mom, he is not a stranger, that’s Bob.”
4. So things you get paid for don’t count. Things that you do because of obligation don’t count. Things that you do for people who are family or friends don’t count. “The hospitality of today, by which is mean the entertainment of friends and relatives, hardly comes within the biblical use of the term as denoting a special virtue.” Jesus is our example; the friend of sinners. The wretched Samaritan is our example. There is risk that we might be rebuffed, or taken advantage of, or harmed, or inconvenienced. And also be reminded to refuse hospitality because of risk is to refuse Jesus himself; and possibly to miss entertaining an angel. But we are to graciously seek justice on behalf of the downtrodden and provide for them out of our abundance. But most of us are xenophobic.
B. Hospitality requires sacrifice (v. 15)
1. What happens in between Puteoli and Rome is quite amazing. The crew had about a five day walk from there, and when believers in Rome heard that Paul was coming, they went out to meet him. They didn’t just greet him at the door, or even at the outskirts of the city, but they walked about 43 miles (at least 3 days journey one way) just to meet him, and escort him back into town! Biblical people went to great lengths to serve guests and other believers. There was no expense too great, no appointment too important, no neighbor too asleep. The comfort and safety of guests became top priority.
2. Luke 10:38, 11:5-6, Gen 19:2-3, 8
3. Illustration: “the traveler is made the literal master of the house during the stay; his host will perform for him the most servile offices, and will not even sit in the presence of his guest without explicit request…the host is duty bound to defend his guest against any intruders.” Margaret letting Tory come and stay, the host the other night in Cordele at the Pastor’s social having that nice place and having to drive us home,
4. Many times went just can’t seem to work others into our schedule. I am guilty of it, scheduling lunch with people weeks out, and not following through. It may cost us money to show hospitality. It may cost us time. It may cost us sleep, or our routines, or our favorite TV show, or much effort. Most of us don’t walk 40 miles to meet up with a preacher whom we’ve never met. Think about it from their perspective. When was the last time you sacrificed for someone not a close friend or family? What if we had a reputation of showing a biblical hospitality for strangers in Tifton? What if we intentionally set aside time to practice hospitality within our church and outside of it? At the core, it is not that we are afraid of strangers, as much as we are very self-centered—our family, our agenda, our time, our money…
C. Hospitality provides encouragement (v. 15)
1. One of the main results of being a church that practices NT hospitality will be encouragement. Luke notes that when Paul saw these believers and received their hospitality, he thanked God and was encouraged. Remember that Paul has been on a six month journey that will probably end in his death, and now he approaches the city of his demise, and believers come out! We live in an age of discouraged people. And we are really good as believers at hiding who we really are, and how we really feel. We had a conversation in our triad the other day about whether or not a Christian would commit suicide. And many times the smallest acts of kindness and hospitality can turn people’s countenance around.
2. Luke 24:27-29, 2 Cor 7:6-7, Acts 16:40, Rom 1:12, Matt 10:41-42,
3. Illustration: tell about the Methodist church I read about that stopped doing new member classes, because they decided that they didn’t want anyone else in their church, John Koenig in New Testament Hospitality tells us that “rather than burdening or threatening us, the stranger comes to teach the deeper lessons of life and enable ministry.” All those of you who helped hand out water bottles at Paradise Lake…
4. In life we need encouragers. And many times a home-cooked meal for a college student away from home is the lift that they need. Or a new set of furniture for a lonely wife makes the day. Or visiting with old friends on trips reminds us of the grace of God. Many times the encouragement is mutual. And the bond is real that is formed at the table. Let me encourage you today, challenge you today, to talk with your family at lunch about how your home can exhibit biblical hospitality and minister encouragement to others. Could you take a college student with you to lunch? Maybe even let him wash his/her clothes while they are there? Otherwise we may do a lot of damage if we lack hospitality. Tell about the first Christmas in Maine. And when you do it, you will not lose your reward.
D. Hospitality is expected of all believers (v. 16)
1. Just in case that you think that it is only a good suggestion rather than a instruction; think again. The bible tells believers to imitate Christ, and the Lord is our shepherd and host. Peter, Paul, and the writer of Hebrews all exhort believers to be hospitable toward one another, and to show kindness to strangers. Jesus assumed hospitality when he sent out the 12 and the 70. And is required of pastors, and widows on the distribution list.
2. Ps 23:5, 1 Pet 4:9, Acts 16:14, 18:26, Rom 12:13, 20, Mar 6:8
3. Illustration: John Charles Thomas, at age sixty-six wrote to syndicated columnist Abigail Van Buren: “I am presently completing the second year of a three-year survey on the hospitality or lack of it in churches. To date, of the 195 churches I have visited, I was spoken to in only one by someone other than an official greeter—and that was to ask me to move my feet.” "Hospitality is commended to be exercised, even toward an enemy, when he cometh to thine house. The tree does not withdraw its shadow, even for the woodcutter."
4. We are all expected to show hospitality. Not one person in this room is exempt. We are to be friends of sinners, and show it without partiality. Certain spiritual gifts are helpful in hospitality, like the gift of service or helps, but neither are required. We must return to days when the love of Christ for others, causes us to sacrifice our own agenda and resources to minister to others fellowship over a meal provided. And I think that like many other sins that we have grown accustomed to, we must practices repeated repentance, and ask God to change our “want to”s about sharing our life with others. And discipline ourselves to do it until it becomes habit and/or desire or second-nature, a Spirit-empowered act of love, the fruit of a transformed life, and the power of encouragement into each other’s lives and ministries.
A. Closing illustration: 2002 Mexico City, Don Benito, see sheet
B. The ultimate hospitality is that Jesus came to dwell with us, put on a robe of humanity, bear our sorrows and pains, earn our righteousness, and die on a cross in our place, rising again on the third day to earn our justification. Won’t you receive his hospitality today? Place your faith in Christ! Allow Him to sup with you and you with Him.
C. Invitation to commitment
