#118 – Pursue Hospitality

“¹³ Share with the saints in their needs; pursue hospitality.”

Verse 13 tells us how our life of service is to relate to others in the church. We ought to be so in tune with the needs of our brothers and sisters, that we literally share that same need. Their needs become our needs. This, of course, cannot be achieved if we do not ask them for their needs. This important work of serving the Lord in our lifting one another up and our hospitality towards one another cannot be accomplished without relationships and a diligent seeking to get to know one another. The writer of Hebrews demonstrates for us how this work will glorify God and edify the believer: 

“For God is not unjust; he will not forget your work and the love you demonstrated for his name by serving the saints — and by continuing to serve them. Now we desire each of you to demonstrate the same diligence for the full assurance of your hope until the end, so that you won’t become lazy but will be imitators of those who inherit the promises through faith and perseverance.” — Hebrews 6:10-12

A great reminder of the meaningfulness of hospitality comes from the words of Jesus in a section titled, The Sheep and the Goats:

“When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, then he will sit on his glorious throne. All the nations will be gathered before him, and he will separate them one from another, just as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. He will put the sheep on his right and the goats on the left. Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father; inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world. ‘For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat; I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink; I was a stranger and you took me in; I was naked and you clothed me; I was sick and you took care of me; I was in prison and you visited me.’ ‘Then the righteous will answer him, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? When did we see you a stranger and take you in, or without clothes and clothe you? When did we see you sick, or in prison, and visit you?’ ‘And the King will answer them, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.’ ‘Then he will also say to those on the left, ‘Depart from me, you who are cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels! For I was hungry and you gave me nothing to eat; I was thirsty and you gave me nothing to drink; I was a stranger and you didn’t take me in; I was naked and you didn’t clothe me, sick and in prison and you didn’t take care of me.’ ‘Then they too will answer, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry, or thirsty, or a stranger, or without clothes, or sick, or in prison, and not help you?’ ‘Then he will answer them, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did not do for one of the least of these, you did not do for me.’ ‘And they will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life.’” — Matthew 25:31-46

Jesus shows us the importance of caring for one another. When we serve those God has put in our path, we serve Christ! I would encourage you, be with the saints this Sunday, attend your church service, get to know those around you, encourage them and share in their needs! Pursue hospitality. Let their needs become your needs. Serve the body of Christ and you will be serving Christ Himself.