We'll dive in together.
Our Father in Heaven, we come to you, Lord, and we pray that your Spirit would be with us, Lord.
Father, that we would begin to resemble you and your love for us, welcoming us,
and Lord, that you would make us a people that would resemble your own character
as we increasingly model Jesus' love for others.
Help us do that, Lord, in our time together.
We pray that this would be just an encouraging, edifying discussion together
where we can sort of bear each other's burdens and we can talk together and be transparent.
And I pray this to your honor and glory in Jesus' name.
Amen.
I'm Kirsten Walker.
There's a couple of you I don't know.
I am in supervisory role.
I hate saying in charge of.
There's many people, but I oversee the fellowship ministry of this church.
I want you to take a look, if you can, if you have to stand up, at what's on this table up here.
And this is not a trick question.
Volunteer, tell me what you see.
There's some dishes here.
There's some paper goods here.
Granola bar and a water bottle.
And there's a watch right here.
Tell me what you see.
What do you think this is?
What's your guess?
No wrong answers.
It could be a simple...
Preparation for eating.
Right.
Preparation for eating.
Right.
Fellowshiping together.
Sharing a meal.
What else do you see?
Formal versus informal.
You've got a very formal place setting here with China dishes.
You've got a paper plate.
A granola bar and a water bottle.
And a watch.
Over the next four weeks, we're going to talk a lot about different elements of hospitality and what it means.
It could mean entertaining in your home with your best dishes.
By the way, these are from Norway and they are my best dishes.
There are some...
I didn't bring the antique antiques, but these are very, very special dishes.
Including silver.
It all matches.
It's called bundemunster, which means farmer's rose.
Believe it or not, a place setting when my grandmother started collecting them cost $5.
for a complete place setting.
It was considered everyday dishes.
Then you have what we do here at church.
Paper goods.
Right.
Well, that could also be...
We do this often, right?
We share meals and we use paper goods.
Also, fellowship or hospitality can mean something as simple as giving someone a bottle of water in a granola bar
when they're a little bit hungry.
But what's this one all about?
I'm not giving away my watch.
All right?
Somebody might need to tell the time.
What could this have to do with hospitality or fellowship?
Hospitality.
What's a watch?
It takes a lot of time.
It takes time.
It can take a lot of time.
It can also take five minutes to say hello to someone and give them your time to listen,
to extend a welcome, to greet someone at church on a Sunday morning.
That's what we're going to be talking about over the next four weeks.
Yes.
And this is our class, Hospitality, Evangelism, and the Great Commission.
And Christians are to be witnesses.
From the beginning of Acts, Jesus said to his disciples,
You will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, in all Judea, in Samaria, and to the end of the earth.
And the Great Commission is you will go make disciples,
teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you,
baptizing them in the one name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.
So as a question for us to consider together,
what do you think will be the key to fulfilling the Great Commission in the 21st century?
Here are some ideas.
We're not going to lecture to you.
This is interactive.
You have the right to say whatever comes up on your mind.
A sleek website.
How about that?
Anything else?
Nothing.
I don't know.
I would say developing relationships with people.
Okay.
All right.
Yeah.
Relationships.
Thanks, Amanda.
Mm-hmm.
Friendly conversation.
Mm-hmm.
Yeah.
Friendly conversation.
Being friendly to others.
I think going off of what you said with the internet,
a huge portion of the things that I do are completely through social media.
Okay.
So I think...
with our culture,
we're at that with...
Mm-hmm.
social media and various...
It's a huge tool.
It is.
Yeah.
I think it's Christians practicing the virtues of transparency,
honesty, genuineness, and hospitality.
Hmm.
Thanks, brother.
All right.
Class is done.
Yeah.
Okay.
I mean, that hits the nail on the head.
It does.
Yes.
It does.
Exactly.
It does.
And our contention in this class is the key to 21st century evangelism is going to be the
church showing hospitality.
That's an overstatement.
I mean, that's a big, large statement that we're making.
But that is our conviction, is that hospitality will be the key to evangelism in the 21st century
in a post-Christian culture of ours.
So, Kirsten, you were the one that, and Kathy and Jess, you were the ones that came to the
elders and said, we need to have this class.
So, why are we teaching this course?
Why now?
I started coming here in 2007.
I came from a big church that was very family-oriented, that had multi-generations.
Everything that we did intergenerationally was usually revolving around food.
There's nothing like breaking bread together, sharing a meal with someone.
It's a common denominator.
We all need to eat.
It doesn't matter whether we agree on anything.
We need to eat to survive.
And I felt like this church was struggling in some ways with practicing hospitality and
showing that we can fellowship among various different ethnic groups, social groups, people
from different religious and denominational backgrounds.
And so, it really started coming with this conversation with Kathy Abbott when I met her.
A pastor's wife, Jess Serbo, who is a little bit younger than me, but also grew up in a church with a lot of hospitality.
And we were struggling, like, how do we express to people, we really need to do this?
Because people respond when they're welcomed in the Lord's name, in fellowship, within this new church that they might be coming to for the first time
or they've been coming to for 10 years.
But there's one key difference, and this is a question for you.
What's the difference between hospitality and entertaining?
She raised her hand.
Hospitality comes from the heart.
Entertaining is an event you structure and make happen.
Hospitality happens.
Yeah.
And that's a misconception a lot of people even in this culture have.
That they, well, I can't entertain.
Well, I'm not a clown up on stage.
I'm not a full production.
That's different.
And it doesn't mean you don't do entertaining.
It doesn't mean that you can't ever use that word.
But what we're striving for here at Trinity, and I hope many of you do in your own homes,
is to offer hospitality and not be hung up on entertaining.
Because there's a whole different connotation to that word.
Kirsten, what would you say to someone who might be thinking,
well, it's obvious that you're gifted in hospitality.
As for me, I'm hospitality challenged.
And not only that, it's like you're asking me to fly.
It's not that I, it's hard, it's just impossible.
Like, I can't be hospitable.
I can't do it.
I think, I think people have said that to me before.
I can't do what you do.
Well, thank God you can't.
When the music team comes down during one of the events and they say,
oh, we're so glad that you've got the hot coffee or the tea or the cold water or the Tylenol at times.
I'm like, you know what?
I'm glad you do music.
I make coffee.
I can't do that.
God's given us specific talents and gifts.
I am not gifted in music.
I love it.
But don't ask me a B from a C to, you know, it just, I don't know.
I know in grades what A, B, C, D is.
And that's, that's something, you know, God made us all different.
I'm glad you're not like me.
We don't need another me.
We really don't.
We don't need another you or you or you because it would be really, really boring.
And we'd probably never had a good cup of coffee.
So, Kirsten, just to be clear, you're saying you don't need to be an expert at cooking to be hospitable?
No.
That's where social media comes in, Jamie.
Okay.
All right.
Let's make it short.
Because we follow now in the 21st century too much.
Martha Stewart, Pinterest, Marie Kondo, Tyler Florence, Food Network, British Baking Show.
And they show you.
Just look at all the magazines.
There are still magazines at the checkout counters.
They all cost an arm and a leg to buy now.
Look at the spreads that they put out there.
Did anybody on their magazine put this for Thanksgiving?
It's almost like, uh-oh, you better not do that.
So, there is a difference in the culture where social media plays a role in sometimes misrepresenting to us as Christians.
If we're always trying to keep up with Martha Stewart or any other celebrity that you say, we're never going to make it.
Because there's always the next thing that comes around.
Or the next, I don't know, what is it right now?
It was kale for how many years, right?
And now it's like, you know, you have to have the right kind of truffles or you have to have the right kind of coffee or you have to have the right whatever, turmeric and everything right now.
And none of those things are bad.
But when you're trying to keep up with all of that, you're not offering hospitality anymore.
And it becomes hard.
And that's why people quit.
I'm not doing this anymore.
I'm going out to eat.
Yeah.
Which is okay too.
So, it seems like one of the challenges is that when we think of hospitality and when we do hospitality, we're aiming to impress rather than to bless others.
And we often fall back into that category of entertainment that you're describing.
And that kind of, that makes sense because if you think about the popular definitions of hospitality in our culture, well, the hospitality industry is what?
It's hotels.
It's restaurants.
It's Six Flags and theme parks and tourism, right?
Merriam-Webster defines hospitality as the activity or business of providing services to guests in hotels, restaurants, bars, et cetera, right?
So, you're offering a service to others.
And it's entertaining, special occasions.
But the Bible seems to have a different view of what hospitality involves.
And that's where we want to dig into this class together.
You know, elders are called to be hospitable.
That's one of the qualifications for being an elder.
So, maybe what that means is, okay, each elder needs to have all the church members over for dinner at least once a year.
Maybe that's one of the qualifications for being an elder.
And, you know, there's an element of truth there, right, that an elder is meant to be welcoming.
But these are truncated views of what the Bible means by hospitality.
And so, the early church meant in homes, so it meant welcoming others.
And before we go to the scriptures together, how would you describe the biblical meaning of hospitality?
We kind of heard it already.
It comes from the heart, right?
Anything else?
Like, how would you put contours around biblical hospitality?
What are we talking about here?
So, I think the word welcome and hospitable go together very nicely.
So, a hospitable elder is a welcoming elder.
Or any other churchman.
Yeah.
I think of Pastor Greg.
He was like a bird dog looking for people to welcome in the church.
And that's him being hospitable.
And he was really wonderful at that and an example to us.
So, yeah, welcoming is definitely one aspect of hospitality.
So, I grew up in a home where we never had company in, except for my mother's sister, who she fought with.
And there was a big, lots of tears and arguing every holiday.
Mm-hmm.
So, my experience of having people into my home was from the stress.
Because I just needed to tell her what was going to happen.
Now, the Lord has brought me a long way since those days.
But, I think that Greg and Jane were one of the people who kind of showed me.
They pull napkins out of the drawer, none of them match.
Throw them on the table.
But, what they were doing was setting aside time to get to know you.
Mm-hmm.
Making room for you.
Mm-hmm.
Learning who you are.
And then seeing where the conversation could go in terms of the gospel.
So, I just really am grateful for them and for all the experiences of hospitality that I've had since I've come to the Lord.
Amen.
Thank you.
I think one of the sub-definitions in the dictionary is welcoming to strangers and guests.
Mm-hmm.
And that's what many of us do.
But, what Susan just said is a very viable point of why some people shy away from hospitality.
Whereas, Greg and Jane, like I said, she said, pull out.
It didn't matter.
You just grabbed something and it didn't matter whether it matched or not.
Mm-hmm.
You know, when Zacchaeus was up in the tree, you all know the song from when you were kids.
Zacchaeus was a wee little man, right?
And Jesus said, I'm going to your house today.
Was Zacchaeus ready for Jesus' visit?
No.
He just welcomed him.
And that is one of the biblical examples.
But, oftentimes, we also think that hospitality or practicing hospitality has to be in our homes.
That's not totally what hospitality means.
Mm-hmm.
You know, some people can do it.
Some people can do it in different stages of their life.
Some people will never do it because of whatever.
Mm-hmm.
And that's important to keep in your mind when we talk about hospitality.
Yeah.
John.
I think welcome is so important because I think that there's often an apprehension on the part of the guess that I'm going to be a burden.
And that fear is an obstacle that needs to be overcome.
One of the great examples, I think, of creating this welcome is the rule of St. Benedict.
So, you know, it's a treat.
When anyone would show up at the monastery at any hour.
It could be two in the morning.
In the rules of St. Benedict, as soon as they rang the bell, even two in the morning.
the doorman was supposed to say
as loud as he could, thanks be to God.
Even if he were weary of all.
Because you can imagine the reluctance.
Oh no, oh this is going to be so big.
I believe such a burden.
And to immediately relieve that anxiety.
Thanks be to God, I guess.
Captures of the spirit of love.
Yeah, that's great.
Yeah, this idea of welcoming
is, it kind of captures it.
Let's look at some text together.
Because actually nowhere
does the Old Testament use the word hospitality.
And our word hospitality,
as we're going to see,
I don't know if you guys can see that,
is this Greek word
phylozenia.
And you'll see why that makes sense
in a second.
So let's look at the New Testament
and see what the New Testament
has to say about hospitality.
And it only mentions
the word in a few places.
1 Peter 4.9
Be hospitable to one another
without complaint.
Hebrews 13.1 and 2
say,
Let brotherly love continue.
Do not neglect
to show hospitality
to strangers.
For thereby,
some have entertained
angels unawares.
And that word,
hospitality to strangers,
you begin to see
what that word means.
Because in this word,
it's comprised of two different words.
Philo,
what does that sound like?
Philo.
Brotherly love.
And xenia is,
where we get xenophobia,
is stranger.
So loving the stranger.
So hospitality,
as Hebrew says,
is love the stranger among you.
And it makes clear,
he says,
Look,
yes,
love the brothers and sisters.
Don't forget this.
But then he says,
But do not neglect
to show hospitality
to those outside the church too.
So,
while hospitality
starts within the church,
it shouldn't stop there.
It should extend
to strangers.
And the extent of kindness
goes further.
It says,
Some have even
entertained angels.
1 Timothy 5,
verse 10.
Another verse here.
It says,
And having a reputation
for good works,
speaking of those
who are on the widow's list,
if she has brought up children,
has shown hospitality,
has washed the feet of saints,
has cared for the afflicted,
and has devoted herself
to every good work.
So,
Paul is talking about
the widows.
And it highlights
the importance of hospitality
in the early church,
that this woman
could not be put on
the widow's list
unless she had shown hospitality.
And that was one
of the qualifications.
And so,
how does hospitality
show itself
in 1 Timothy 5,
verse 10?
Does someone have that
flipped open?
What are some of the ways
that this person
has shown hospitality?
It's not hosting snacks
during the Super Bowl,
there...
What does it say?
Yeah,
1 Timothy 5,
10.
She has shown hospitality,
has washed the feet
of the saints,
has cared for the afflicted,
and has devoted herself
to every good work.
Yeah,
exactly.
So,
it's through this selfless
and sacrificial serving
of the saints
that is being shown.
So,
this hospitality,
again,
you're beginning to see
it's much broader
than just entertaining people
for dinner.
It's serving them
sacrificially.
And Romans 12,
verses 12 to 14.
Paul writes
to the church in Rome...
Before we leave...
Oh yeah,
sure,
go ahead.
I think it's important
to know,
such as bringing up
children.
I take it to mean
not her own blood children,
but children
who have no one.
I mean,
that would certainly
align with
serving those,
the afflicted.
So,
you know,
caring for the orphans.
I mean,
that would be
in line with
what Paul is saying there.
Thank you.
Thank you for that.
Romans 12,
12 to 14.
Paul writes
to the church in Rome,
be joyful in hope,
patient in affliction,
faithful in prayer.
Share with the Lord's people
who are in need.
Practice hospitality.
Bless those
who persecute you.
Bless and do not curse.
And later on,
Paul asks the church in Rome
to show hospitality
specifically to Phoebe.
He writes,
welcome her in the Lord
in a way worthy
of the saints
and help her
and whatever she may need
from you.
For she has been
a patron of many
and of myself as well.
So,
Paul is specifically
singling out
gospel workers
who the church
was to welcome
and show hospitality to.
And we'll see next week
how gospel workers
depended upon hospitality
to do gospel ministry
in the early church.
Second and third John
really kind of highlight that.
We'll get into
the kind of missions
and gospel workers
next week.
So,
we can say,
in summary,
the concept of hospitality
is to love strangers.
Practicing selfless,
sacrificial service
and meeting practical
and spiritual needs
of those around you.
So,
if we understand
hospitality
in that respect
as love for outsiders,
then this is no
minor biblical theme.
Right?
And,
you know,
you could even think
of hospitality
in the Old Testament.
How does,
rooted in who God is himself,
of welcoming those
who are outsiders.
You know,
what are some places
that just come to mind
when you think about
God welcoming the outcast
in the Old Testament?
I mean,
it's a pretty thick theme.
Think of a historical context.
Even before,
I think I,
Tyler and I have been
battling back and forth,
not battling in a bad sense,
but like,
what should we say,
what we shouldn't,
because there's four weeks
and there's a lot to cover.
Think,
before you think back
to all the biblical examples
that you might be able
to pull from your
Sunday school days
or from your present
Bible reading,
think about historically
in the United States
how people welcomed
each other.
Before World War II,
before welfare
became available,
before orphanages
went out of fashion,
how did people welcome
guests and strangers
into their community?
Think about it
in the broader sense.
Who's good on their history?
Like,
what happened
to orphanages?
What happened
to poor homes
or poor houses?
In the early 1900s,
every community
in the state
of Connecticut
was required
to have a poor house
for widows
or orphans.
The church
used to take care
of all that.
Well then,
the welfare state
became available.
Widows were provided for.
By the government.
Poor houses
went out of fashion.
Brooksville Park
out in Hamden
where I used to work,
the building
that is there,
the ranger's home,
used to be a poor house
for a time period.
It was the one
that any widows
or orphans
went to
out in Haven.
There used to be
a big orphanage
right on
Prospect Street
that housed orphans.
So what has changed
in our culture,
which also changed
in biblical times
as to
welcoming
these guests
and strangers?
You know,
think back to
when you were
welcomed here.
Do you remember
the person
that welcomed you
for the first time
in true
welcoming sincerity?
or when you
joined a club
like a gym?
Who welcomed you?
And why did they do it?
I mean,
there's a lot of
questions here,
but we can go back
right away
and I can say
it was Zacchaeus.
You know,
he welcomed the Lord.
Well,
I hope if the Lord
said I'm coming
to your house
that I'd be ready
to welcome him too.
You know,
but think back
to what our society
has done
as far as
welcoming
strangers and guests.
Yeah.
And how discouraging
it would be
if you came
to this church
for three or four weeks
and no one
welcomed you.
Nobody.
You know,
I've heard stories
where,
so like,
if no one welcomed,
it's a fourth week
coming to Trinity,
if no one welcomes us
today,
we're not going
to stay here.
And then,
by God's grace,
somebody welcomed them
and they're,
ten years later,
they're still here.
So,
it is important
that we welcome
those who are
outsiders.
But,
to your question,
you know,
it's changed.
It's changed.
And,
we don't think
about those terms
anymore.
So,
if you're thinking
about something
that we've learned
about in the Bible
that happened
during biblical days,
like Tyler asked,
if you're going
to think about it,
it's probably
because it's going
to trigger something
in your memory
of something
that happened to you
in the modern
centuries.
So,
think about it.
For me,
it truly was
just being welcomed
as a somewhat
of an outsider.
My mother
kind of came
to church
and then kind
of didn't
and was in
and out
and other adults
in the church
welcomed me.
It didn't matter
whether my entire
family wasn't there
or my absent father,
you know.
So,
that was,
so I love
reading Bible stories
where somebody's
just welcomed
into community
with warmth.
It didn't matter,
we didn't say,
oh,
well,
first of all,
did you have
Christian parents?
Oh,
wait a minute,
did you go to
Sunday school
when you were a kid?
Oh,
you know,
when did you
get baptized?
You know,
was it when you
were an infant
or when you were,
there were no
precursors to
whether I qualified
or not.
I was just welcomed.
So,
yeah.
How many people
desire and long
for a place
where they feel
like they're truly
welcomed in community?
Everyone desires that.
And the church
has something to offer.
And this is a place
where all sinners
are welcomed
because God
has welcomed us
when we didn't
deserve it.
I think you kind of
touched on it
right now,
Tyler.
I think listening
to what you're
sharing,
Kirsten,
makes so much sense.
And the part of
the welcome
is you're welcoming
into.
And I think
what we have
as Christians
and as a church
is an actual
space
that we were
welcomed into
that now we
extend welcome
into because
of our conversion,
because of our
salvation in Christ.
You know,
Christ has gone
to prepare a place
for us,
right?
And I think
that has so much
our understanding
of
the love of
Jesus
in our own
hearts.
is what
then
is the
space,
right?
Yeah.
And the love
of Jesus
for us,
you know,
Ephesians 2.12
comes to mind.
Remember that
you,
at that time,
separated from
Christ,
alienated from
the commonwealth
of Israel
and strangers
to the covenants
of promise,
having no hope
and without God
in the world.
That was us,
right?
But then,
at great cost
to himself,
he welcomes us in.
So,
I think welcoming
others
begins with
us understanding
that God
is the one
who has welcomed
us in,
and it's our
love for Christ
that propels us
and is a fuel
that allows us
to love strangers
because it's hard.
Anita?
Yeah,
Anita.
I wonder if
it's worth bringing
up,
like,
so we love
and serve
the God
who sees,
and before we
can walk
and we have
to see people,
which also
gets back
to the time
question,
and also
gets to your
question,
Tyler,
about,
like,
what if I
can't do
this,
if I can't,
I can't imagine
myself hosting
in this way,
but I think
it starts with
the cultivation
of our hearts
and the eyes
of our hearts
to see as
Jesus sees
and to be
clothed
in compassion
and to make
room,
to make space,
which takes
time and attention
and intention.
Yeah,
yeah,
and getting to
know people
well enough
where,
to know that,
you know,
if someone is
struggling,
that there's a,
we know each
other well enough
that we can
meet the needs
that we're
experiencing,
that some of us
are experiencing
practically,
spiritually,
so there is
a sense of
the outsider,
but even within
our own church,
like,
we need to
know one
other well
enough to
be transparent
so we can
be hospitable
toward one
other.
Sharon and
Susan both
have their
hands up.
Sharon.
Yeah,
can I stand up?
Yes,
please.
Yes,
I find that
I wanted to
touch up your
topic about
talking about
a lot of
new people
coming to our
church,
you know,
that they've
been coming
for so long
that not
really realized
because the
church is so
big,
you know,
and then
we have
a new
thing.
This is
what I
actually had
this thought
in my
mind for
a while
that I
remember
the one
I just
had to share
with my
experience
and how
God
lead me
to this
direction.
One day
I had
on the last
three months
ago,
I was
talking to
Michael,
I said,
I always
sit beside
John
Hinson,
they always
sit in
the same
place,
okay?
And then,
it's crazy
because we
don't meet
new people.
Maybe it
serves
the same.
I thought
this is a
very common
topic that
we didn't
realize that
we missed
up a lot
of people
in our
lives.
So when
I got
up,
my girl
picked me
up the
time,
I told
my girl,
hmm,
yeah,
I just
only find
that I
don't have
opportunity
to meet
up in
the new
people.
And
after
some
weeks,
I
just
talk
to the
people
around
me,
I
just
go off.
So my
girl
told me,
Mom,
change
your
face.
Change
your
face.
I
go to
the
right.
Change
move anywhere
you go.
So I
take a word,
you know,
I start
doing that.
The next
week I
came,
I
changed
my
face.
Now you
found out
I sit
in the
right
hand.
And
as I
go through,
my heart
wanted to
see that.
Because I
realize a lot
of new
faces.
How are we
going to
reach out
in these
people's
life?
How are we
going to
find interest
about them?
When people
come to the
church,
they want,
they came
with a
difference,
reason.
They might
come with
a lot,
they might
come with
finding
relationships.
They might
come with
love.
They might
find out
about
church,
you know,
what
curious,
curiosity
to come
in,
you know,
some people
come in.
I remember
one man
just walked
into a
church,
you know,
he just
came to
study here.
He just
walked in.
Then I
saw him,
I came
out,
and he
said,
I just
passed
by,
and I
saw
the church
is so
beautiful,
I walked
in.
I
actually
will
come
in,
I
just
come
in
any
time
you
pass
by.
So I
realized
that
this
thing
happened
in
our
church.
And
then I
managed
I
found
a
young
man
behind
me.
And
I
knew
I
just
didn't
know
what
to do.
But I
thought,
I just
couldn't
hide
in
him.
I
just
did not
say
whether
I
knew
or
what,
I
don't
want
to
say
that
because
I
feel
so
bad.
It
was
here
for
a few
years.
I
don't
know
why
they
put
my
face.
So I
really
had
this
struggle
with me
when I
talked
to
the
people.
And I
found
that
he
came
there
for
two
years.
And
he
didn't
get
to
know
people.
And I
put him
down
and I
introduced
a lot
of
people.
And
this
young
man,
I
found
him
that
he
came
from
a
Catholic
background.
And
someone
brought
me
to
a
church.
He
came
about
two
months
already.
So
I
asked
him
do
you
know
anyone?
He
said
no
I
don't
know
.
Someone
brought
me
I
know
he
said.
Also
after
that
I
know
that
I
had
to
do
something
or
I
just
talked
to
him
and
then
I
started
catching him
and then
he
brought
his
brother
in.
I
got
to
text him
and
he
brought
his
brother
I
saw
new
places
I
said
yeah
I
went
to
my
house
I
got
them
last
week
to
my
house
with
another
group
of
people.
I
tried
to
do
I
thought
something
that
we
can
do
because
we
do
have
a lot
of
new
places
to
speak.
I
think
sometimes
we
miss
people.
So
why
I
think
that
I
like
to
touch
the
topic
that
sometimes
we
have
to
put
a
little
more
energy
to
see
the
new
places.
To
welcome
them
to
make
them
feel
at
home.
I
think
that
is
a
very
important
part
that
we
need
to
do.
The
first
experience
is so
important
for
the
new
people
actually.
You
know
that
I
did
repeat
the
study
and
I
talked
to
these
people
and
realized
that
people
tell
me
oh
yeah
the
first
time
I
came
that
you
introduced
I
mean
you
know
me
and
you
welcome
me
and
I
learned
along
the
way
to
see
how
this
hospitality
can
help
the
church
to
build
up
this
community
this
is
what
I
think
is
important
Thank you
Sharon
Thank you
Second
thought
the one
that you
mentioned
about
sorry
I
have
to
go
through
the
second
one
The
hospitality
meal
inviting
them
didn't
have
to be
doing
a
very
grand
important
is
your
heart
and
you
want
to
have
a
relationship
with
them
you
want
to
listen
to
their
needs
and
they
are
maybe
can
pray
together
with
them
there's
something
we
can
do
for
them
Susan
do you
still want
to
share
I
don't
know
as
we're
talking
I'm
reminded
of
the
messengers
that
were sent
to
Abraham
and
quickly
ran
it
come
on
let's
make
an
occasion
because
we have
these
people
and how
we miss
out
if we don't
make room
for people
because we don't know
who the Lord
is something else
to be
and Sharon
said that
so well
you know
I'd like to
add one
thing here
though
is we're
talking a lot
about
hospitality
in the
church
now
people
come in
and we
are called
to welcome
strangers
and guests
but we
kind of
figure that
well they're
here for
some reason
right
they either
got invited
or they're
looking for
the Lord
or they're
lost
or they're
seeking
or they're
discerning
whether they
like their
old denomination
or a new
one
or they're
coming from
a bad
situation
at another
church
or they've
never been
in a
church
what about
when it's
out in your
community
your neighborhood
it's a whole
different
ball of wax
because you've
got a lot
of unknowns
out there
at least
here after
you've met
me and you
talk you
know I like
to drink
coffee and
you know
I'm comfortable
having people
in my home
and it doesn't
matter whether
there's 10
or 25
at the last
minute
you know
those kind
of things
about me
and you know
I'm a
Christian
or hopefully
that my
profession of
being a
Christian
and being
here
and being
elected
into a
position
is reason
enough
what about
your neighborhood
what about
your community
all of a
sudden
there's some
real scary
stuff in
there
I mean
have you
thought about
that in
the biblical
context of
what some
of these
people were
doing
they weren't
all like
they didn't
all know
each other
in their
small group
and then say
hey let's
have you know
a meal
together
or you
know oh
John and
Anita you
don't mind
if I bring
10 friends
over with
me do
you
you know
I mean
well who
are they
I don't
know
they were
those former
zealots
from way
back when
or you
know
I mean
you have
to make
a decision
about it
we will
talk about
in a future
class
about safety
and your
personal safety
and those
of your
family
by welcoming
guests
and strangers
that's a
whole nother
that could be
a whole nother
comment
but I'd
like to ask
right now
what's
I think
with what
Sharon was
saying about
change your
seat
it's change
your perception
change your
viewpoint
of what you're
looking for
we all keep
saying it has
to come from
the heart
and that is
true
if it doesn't
come from
your heart
it's no
different than
somebody being
excited
I'm so glad
you're here
and you
paid $160
to be a part
of my gym
because it
just made
money in my
pocket
that's not
a selfless
welcoming
I'm glad
you're here
they have to
reach their
quota
right
car dealership
when you go
in and they
reach their
quota
right now
by the way
is the best
time to buy
a car
end of
November
end of
December
my son
works for
executive auto
group
because they
have to
meet quotas
by the end
of the year
that's a
different kind
of excited
you're here
so what
we're going
to say
anyway
what enrages
you
what gets
your temperature
up
what
what ticks
you off
when
somebody says
you should
be practicing
hospitality
you should
invite people
into your
home
you should
host a
small group
what
what kind
of
you know
somebody said
I should
be doing
women's
ministries
quite a
number of
years ago
you would
be great
in charge
of women's
ministries
and all
those wonderful
events
okay
if you want
to take care
of the garden
and mow
the lawn
and do
the fellowship
and do
that
I'd be
more than
happy
to do
that
and I
had to
calm down
and pray
about it
and talk
to a
pastor
about it
and how
do you
so what
everybody
you don't
I mean if you
don't feel like
sharing you
don't have
to but
it's easy
to look
at the
Bible
and say
I really
should try
to do
that more
but
I'm not
feeling it
and I
got a bad
experience
in the back
where I'm
not ever
doing that
again
so what's
the kind
of thing
that like
maybe it
doesn't matter
to get you
angry
but what
stands in
your way
maybe that's
better
Laura's shaking
her head
I mean you're
in a community
that you're
purposely
being a part
of a community
that is a
difficult community
to be a part
of according
to you know
the New Haven
Register and
every other
media
the New
Hallville
section
of Hamden
and New Haven
so what
what stands
in your way
of doing
what they
told us
in the Bible
we should be
doing
the house
being tidy
the house
being tidy
okay
all right
it might be
it might
really
like I can't
do it
you know
it's trashed
you know
it's not
enough
yeah
what else
I think
with having
four young
children
and thinking
of inviting
you know
people without
children
to our
home
for dinner
how do I
make them
be little
robots
and be perfect
that's not
real life
and so
just getting
over my
own fear
of like
how are we
being portrayed
to other
people
as parents
because I
don't remember
it saying
in the Bible
by the way
if you invite
somebody over
you can't
have your
children around
right
that wasn't
I don't
think that
was in the
Bible
that I
remember
right
or oh
by the way
you better
make sure
you only
have fresh
bread
from the
bakery
this morning
I cannot
deceive someone
to the standards
that these
people
are used
to
okay
what Dennis
is saying
is he
you know
he can't
receive
those people
to the standards
that they're
used to
entertaining
princes and
angels and
kings and
queens
you know
well if I
could have
Jesus at
my table
that was one
of the
titles that
we were
talking about
for this
class
is Jesus
at your
table
if I
can welcome
Jesus into
my home
and my
heart and
be here
why can't
I invite
that person
I think
sometimes
the fear
of I don't
know if
offense is
the right
word
but
especially
if you look
within our
neighborhood
right
and I feel
like we want
a pretty
tight
christianship
in our
home
you know
there's
scriptures
on the
wall
we ask
a blessing
over our
meals
and birthday
parties
for the
kids
we always
ask a
blessing
over whoever's
birthday
is
so I think
just sometimes
that like
sense of
feeling like
the awkward
ones
people might
not really
kind of
understand
or not have
experience with
like what it
looks like to
actually live
out
do you think
it has anything
to do with
about how
we're
thinking
we're perceiving
what other
people think
of us
like
you know
some
people I
think for
me personally
it's more
like I
don't want
to scare
you off
you know
like I
don't want
you to
feel so
uncomfortable
that now
you don't
want to
come to
the next
birthday party
or the
next cookout
you know
so and I
know that's
not ultimately
up to me
to decide
but like
that's
sometimes
where my
mind
and my
heart
is at
I know
yeah
like we're
writing it
right now
because it
might mean
reconfiguring
all the
books in
our dining room
yeah
we are
interacting
with people
who are
definitely
not
Christian
but maybe
consider themselves
spiritual
or open
or at least
still talking
to us
I want to
have them
over
but I'm
sitting in
the seat
where they
would be
and my
eye goes
to the
blood of
Christ
washing
the blood
so now
it's like
a real
practical
issue
for me
because
us
at least
me
I don't
want them
to feel
comfortable
I don't
like
they can
be curious
and ask
tell me
about that
spine
that sounds
pretty radical
I feel
a little
uncomfortable
I'm willing
to have
that conversation
but I also
want to be
hospitable
and think
of them
and how
they might
feel
in this
space
I know
he has
all the
Bible
verses
he wrote
everything
down
but
something
came
to me
when
you just
said
it's a
come as
you are
party
this is
my sister
over here
in case
you don't
know
she's my
older
sister
Donna
and
in
biblical
times
it was
come as
you are
right
there was
no pretense
it was
here my
Lord
send me
come as
you are
those who
are weary
and
heavy burden
and I
will give
you rest
my mother
used to have
come as
you are
parties
has anybody
heard of a
come as
you are
party
and it
struck me
while we
were putting
these verses
back and
forth
now that
was in the
neighborhood
put your books
away
well you know
what those
are your books
it might be a
vehicle for
discussion
it might be
well that's a
little heavy
reading right now
but we'll talk
about it later
you know
my mother
would just
call people
in the
neighborhood
then you
had a
phone tree
you didn't
have texting
right so
you had a
phone tree
and you
knew everybody's
phone number
and it was
a come as
you are
party
and it
would be
after the
kids
were going
to sleep
or almost
ready to
go to sleep
and you
would come
as you
are
you might
be in
your pajamas
already
Mrs. Hyman
always had
rollers in her
hair
because she
was one
of the
moms that
went back
to work
part time
there would
be the
other one
that just
came from
feral
industries
or the
roofer
that still
smelled
like sawdust
and they
would just
bring whatever
they had in
their fridge
a snack
a something
and they
would just
gather
for a year
a month
they'd do it
at one house
the next month
they'd do it
at another
house
there was no
pretense
now some
people would
start getting
kind of goofy
and they'd put
on crazy
pajamas
or a silly
hat or something
but it was a
way for the
adults in the
neighborhood to
get to know
each other
when life
got
in the
way
but it
was
I remember
being in
my bedroom
like listening
to them
laugh
and share
stories
and share
their lives
and it
was really
something that
struck me
I'm sure
in the 1960s
and 70s
there was some
alcohol involved
you know
there was always
what was it
Miller
Schlitz
you know
one of the
old time
beers
but not to
an excess
it was just
a pot of
coffee
was on
and I'd
like to
think that
so many
of those
bible
interactions
will come
as you
are
interactions
without worrying
about the
four kids
that were still
screaming
or not brushing
their teeth
yet
or you know
that I didn't
have a totally
clean house
and you know
I would really
hope that we
could get over
that and
just think about
what would
God have us
do right now
yeah
I think
your last phrase
there
is really
important
what would
God have us
do
because I
think
for some
of us
you know
some people
really are
gifted in
this area
you sound
like one
of those
people
many people
on this
room
who have
sort of
a spiritual
gift
of hospitality
and then
there are
those of
us who
don't feel
that that's
what our
gift is
but that
certainly
doesn't
exempt us
from participation
and we're
called to that
but I think
maybe the
challenge for
those of us
who don't
feel gifted
in this area
is to pray
you know
to ask
the Holy Spirit
to prompt us
who is that
person
what is that
opportunity
may I have
my eyes
opened
when you
bring that
person
but that may
be even
more important
to trust
God
with what
the result
is
I think
that's
where the
time
comes in
and not
the time
to go
because we
still have
ten minutes
but you
might not
have the
gift of
hospitality
to have
somebody
in your
home
but have
you ever
given a
person a
ride to a
doctor appointment
have you
just called
somebody on
the phone
to ask how
they're doing
haven't seen
you at church
in a few
weeks
is everything
okay
or sit
down and
write out a
card that
says hey
I'm thinking
of you
let me
know how
I can
pray for
you
those are
all ways
of hospitality
because it's
coming from
the heart
and it's
giving of
your time
which is
always in
real
crunch
that many
of us
worry
very much
about what
the result
is going
to be
will that
person
leave my
house
thinking
well those
people are
really
weird
that was a
terrible
meal
and I think
maybe just
trusting God
with whatever
that is
this person
let God
take care of
the experiences
this person
has in
their home
or at the
coffee shop
or when I
talk with
them after
church
less worried
about how
we look
it's a
challenge
it's hard
somebody in
the back
making a
bunch
to your
neighbors
and we
don't invite
people in
so much
as I
bring
things
to the
next one
there's two
twins that
are busy
all the time
she's working
all the time
her husband's
working all
the time
I walk
over with
a dessert
walk across
the street
to the other
couple
that he's
working all
the time
she's a
teacher
and there's
two little
children
under the
age of
by
and
they're
not
available
necessarily
to come
in for a
meal
if you
invited them
they feel
guilty
that you
invited them
and they
can't reciprocate
or whatever
but you
go over
with a
plate of
cookies
you go
over
with some
brownies
or you
had half
a pie
left over
you thought
of them
and you
bring it
and you're
building
bridges
I haven't
seen
full lots
of results
yet
but you're
building
bridges
so they
feel
comfortable
that you're
there
I think
that's
important
it's
let God
do the
work
I'm not
saving
anybody
I might
not even
be the
one that
really leads
them to
the Lord
but let
God do
the work
I was
going to
add
someone
might
never
step
foot
inside
a
church
like
I'm
never
going
there
but they
might
accept
foot
they might
walk
into your
house
for dinner
and that's
a bridge
that we
can build
I don't
do
you
have to
say
God
what do you
want me
to do
put yourself
second
instead of
first
also
as to
bringing
pie to
somebody's
house
or whatever
when you
can welcome
people into
your house
that's fine
if you don't
feel comfortable
with that
take yourself
out there
I do
lots of
volunteer work
at food
pantries
and homeless
shelters
and stuff
and I'm
giving
and I am
thrilled
and that's
good news
but you have
to find out
where you
fit in this
you don't
necessarily
have to have
the gift
that Rhee
has
that Kirsten
has
for
my nickname
is Rhee
by the way
for
hospitality
but other
people do
have that
but you
have something
else
besides
that
even if
it's
the goodness
out of
your heart
it doesn't
have to be
term
hospitality
third
thing
is
we have
family in
Norway
and we
started
reunions
back in
1990
because
a cousin
challenged me
she said
Nana used to
go to Norway
all the time
and there's
plenty of
people
why don't
you go
find some
I'm like
I'm not going
to find them
in Norway
in 1990
we had
what 13
people from
Norway
15 years
yeah 13
people came
and they came
to Woodbridge
Church
and then
after
during that
they said
okay every
four years
we'll have
reunion
you guys
come to
where we
are
and of
course
there was
some
panic about
where we
stay
what we
do
how much
money
will it
cost you
you know
the real
deal is
you pay
for the
airfare
you go
to Norway
and the way
they put it
is we all
eat
you know
we all
sleep
there's floors
in our houses
and we have
sleeping bags
so why
worry about
all these
other things
that would
prevent you
from making
the decision
to just
be
with someone
else
yeah
thank you
for that
I want
to conclude
with just
some scriptures
and one
thing we
didn't mention
which the
scriptures
speak on
is partiality
partiality
kills the love
for strangers
and it's
interesting
in Deuteronomy
10
before God
says to his
people to love
the stranger
he says
I am not
partial
nor do I
take a bribe
but the
Lord
you know
he says
for the
Lord your
God
is the
God of
God
and the
Lord of
Lords
the
great
the
mighty
and the
awesome
God
who does
not show
partiality
nor take
a bribe
he executes
justice
for the
orphan
and for
the
widow
and shows
his love
for the
alien
by giving
him
food
and
clothing
so
show
your
love
for
the
alien
and
it's
clear
that's
one of
the things
that prevents
us from
loving
strangers
is
a
favoritism
toward
a certain
line
in the
corner
of your
neighborhood
that's
kind of
spooky
for
Halloween
Melissa
and I
were
joking
about
that
you know
and
Jesus
healing
the
lepers
he's
washing
his
disciples
feet
and
this
clue
conclude
with
Luke
14
Jesus
tells
us
he said
to the
man
who had
invited
him
when
you
give
a
dinner
or
a
banquet
do
not
invite
your
friends
or
your
brothers
or
your
relatives
or
rich
neighbors
lest
they
also
invite
you
in
return
and
you
be
repaid
but
when
you
give
a
feast
invite
the
poor
the
crippled
the
lame
the
blind
and
you
will
be
blessed
because
they
cannot
repay
you
for
you
will
be
repaid
at
the
resurrection
of
the
just
so
partiality
and
favoritism
toward one
specific
groups
of
people
that
also
is a
big
impediment
to
us
loving
strangers
but
if
God
does
not
take
is
not
partial
neither
downstairs
father
in
heaven
we
pray
that
you
would
give
us
a
deep
love
for
others
because
you
have
loved
us
help
us
to
really
meditate
on these
things
and to
would you
challenge
it and
convict
us
we need
to be
convicted
about
meeting
the needs
of
others
being
going