WEBVTT 00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:04.879 Today I'm going to talk to you about familial home hospitality. 00:00:05.759 --> 00:00:07.600 ! Familial home hospitality. 00:00:07.600 --> 00:00:07.600 00:00:30.000 --> 00:00:34.000 We were praying about what to focus on was the word family. 00:00:34.259 --> 00:00:43.079 And so as we focus on family and hospitality, please notice the emphasis on the home and the role of the home in that. 00:00:43.259 --> 00:00:43.380 Okay? 00:00:44.159 --> 00:00:49.879 So speaking of family, a great verse on this is 1 Timothy chapter 5, 1 and 2. 00:00:50.179 --> 00:00:51.480 Read this actually from the NIV. 00:00:51.480 --> 00:00:52.500 It says, 00:00:52.500 --> 00:00:58.380 Do not rebuke an older man harshly, but exhort him as if he were your father. 00:00:59.259 --> 00:00:59.759 And then it says, 00:01:00.060 --> 00:01:09.240 Treat younger men as brothers, older women as mothers, younger women as sisters with absolute purity. 00:01:09.680 --> 00:01:09.840 Okay? 00:01:10.099 --> 00:01:16.359 So he's saying you need to treat people in the church as family. 00:01:16.920 --> 00:01:17.120 Right? 00:01:17.500 --> 00:01:21.219 Older father, older mothers, and then brothers and sisters for those. 00:01:21.219 --> 00:01:21.700 Okay? 00:01:21.780 --> 00:01:24.859 So it's like, don't just treat them as anything. 00:01:25.439 --> 00:01:26.439 It needs to be very specific. 00:01:26.900 --> 00:01:29.920 The Bible tells us to treat one another as family. 00:01:30.260 --> 00:01:30.560 Okay? 00:01:31.319 --> 00:01:34.120 And thinking about family, I've been thinking about this a lot lately, 00:01:34.340 --> 00:01:39.099 and thinking about how we as a church can grow and being a spiritual family to one another. 00:01:39.219 --> 00:01:41.379 Thinking about what are all the dynamics with that? 00:01:41.460 --> 00:01:42.640 What are the things that can help with that? 00:01:43.140 --> 00:01:44.319 What are things that can hurt with that? 00:01:44.739 --> 00:01:49.900 And one of the things I'm thinking about when I'm just thinking about the concept of family is three things. 00:01:49.900 --> 00:01:54.359 One, I've talked about this with some of you, but I'll just bring this up again. 00:01:55.719 --> 00:01:56.880 Family is number one. 00:01:57.660 --> 00:02:01.400 Family, the concept of family, the experience of family is easily consumed. 00:02:01.880 --> 00:02:02.040 Right? 00:02:02.420 --> 00:02:07.160 One of the reasons it's easily consumed is because it's typically an enjoyable thing for people. 00:02:07.280 --> 00:02:10.020 People long to be in good, healthy families. 00:02:10.020 --> 00:02:14.880 So every one of us can easily consume family. 00:02:15.420 --> 00:02:19.100 Number two, it's a little bit more difficult to contribute to family. 00:02:19.439 --> 00:02:19.640 Okay? 00:02:20.060 --> 00:02:25.240 Where you're actually contributing to the experience, a healthy experience of what family is. 00:02:25.460 --> 00:02:30.920 And then third, it's very costly to create the experience of family. 00:02:31.100 --> 00:02:31.300 Okay? 00:02:31.300 --> 00:02:36.380 So you can consume it, you can contribute to it, or you can create it. 00:02:37.020 --> 00:02:43.160 And creating things, we all love to consume things people create. 00:02:43.460 --> 00:02:45.960 But the amount of people who actually create things is very few. 00:02:46.520 --> 00:02:47.060 It's interesting. 00:02:47.180 --> 00:02:51.600 I think it's those X fans or Twitter fans out there. 00:02:51.980 --> 00:02:57.920 I'm pretty sure it's something like less than 10% of the people on there create all of the content. 00:02:57.919 --> 00:02:59.919 And most of the people just consume it. 00:03:00.139 --> 00:03:00.859 You think of TV. 00:03:01.000 --> 00:03:02.919 Think about all the people that consume TV. 00:03:03.459 --> 00:03:04.759 And it's just created by a few people. 00:03:05.159 --> 00:03:05.299 You know? 00:03:05.539 --> 00:03:06.699 Think of all kinds of things. 00:03:06.779 --> 00:03:08.759 You think of all the things we consume. 00:03:09.259 --> 00:03:11.839 It's not like most people are creating those things. 00:03:12.359 --> 00:03:14.199 It's actually most people are consuming those things. 00:03:14.279 --> 00:03:15.339 And it's no different with family. 00:03:16.479 --> 00:03:19.699 We all want to consume the experience of family. 00:03:20.319 --> 00:03:22.699 Some of us go a little further and we say, you know what? 00:03:23.139 --> 00:03:26.579 I don't know if I just want to consume it, but I want to contribute to it. 00:03:26.580 --> 00:03:27.540 Make it better. 00:03:27.960 --> 00:03:32.860 Make it more of a less one-person experience, but just like a fully-orbed experience. 00:03:33.400 --> 00:03:35.100 But then it's a whole other dynamic. 00:03:35.240 --> 00:03:38.900 It's a costly dynamic to be someone who creates it. 00:03:39.120 --> 00:03:40.080 And it's also difficult. 00:03:40.200 --> 00:03:41.020 It's not always easy. 00:03:41.460 --> 00:03:41.540 Okay? 00:03:42.280 --> 00:03:45.240 And so everyone has consumed family to a certain degree. 00:03:45.560 --> 00:03:50.700 Some of us have contributed to an experience of family, but few create an experience of family. 00:03:50.699 --> 00:04:02.399 Now think about your relationship to spiritual family and ask the question, are you primarily a consumer, a contributor, or a creator when it comes to spiritual family? 00:04:02.899 --> 00:04:04.719 I want you to think about that with yourself. 00:04:05.419 --> 00:04:07.819 How would you categorize yourself in that? 00:04:08.439 --> 00:04:14.199 Are you someone who is actually creating this or are you just consuming and contributing to it? 00:04:14.199 --> 00:04:22.620 But thinking about being a creator of family, it begs the question, can we create family without the use of homes? 00:04:23.279 --> 00:04:27.980 Can we create an experience of family without the use of homes? 00:04:28.620 --> 00:04:34.899 Healthy, familial church experience, I would say, always includes the use of homes. 00:04:34.899 --> 00:04:40.859 I mean, you assume that families share a home together, right? 00:04:40.899 --> 00:04:44.459 If you hear of a family, no one has to say, hey, we're a family. 00:04:44.959 --> 00:04:48.099 And get this, we also live together. 00:04:48.379 --> 00:04:49.120 Whoa, really? 00:04:49.620 --> 00:04:51.939 I would have never thought that, you know? 00:04:52.319 --> 00:04:53.739 No, everybody assumes that. 00:04:53.899 --> 00:04:54.639 Oh, you're a family? 00:04:55.019 --> 00:04:56.479 I assume you live together. 00:04:56.839 --> 00:04:58.959 I assume you share a home. 00:04:59.359 --> 00:05:04.639 That home is the thing that you primarily use to get your experience of family. 00:05:04.639 --> 00:05:06.659 That's where family happens. 00:05:06.919 --> 00:05:08.319 Like, no one's surprised by that. 00:05:08.819 --> 00:05:09.699 You assume that. 00:05:09.879 --> 00:05:12.659 That's, you know, the typical assumption, right? 00:05:13.879 --> 00:05:21.979 The concept of home is inseparable from the concept of family, with each shaping and reinforcing the other. 00:05:22.560 --> 00:05:27.300 A house is typically the central hub for family life, okay? 00:05:27.680 --> 00:05:31.579 Even listen to Jesus when he was a young man. 00:05:31.579 --> 00:05:32.779 I think he was 12 years old. 00:05:33.839 --> 00:05:41.319 In the NASB, in Luke 2.49, they're looking for Jesus because they had lost him. 00:05:42.180 --> 00:05:45.319 Got to be a stressful time when you lose the Son of God, right? 00:05:46.259 --> 00:05:47.839 Okay, you have one responsibility. 00:05:48.899 --> 00:05:50.099 Take care of God, okay? 00:05:50.680 --> 00:05:51.599 We lost him! 00:05:51.600 --> 00:05:58.939 So Luke 2.49, they find him, and he says to them, 00:05:59.360 --> 00:06:00.900 Why is it that you were looking for me? 00:06:01.340 --> 00:06:06.420 Did you not know that I had to be in my Father's house? 00:06:07.100 --> 00:06:08.120 My Father's house. 00:06:08.640 --> 00:06:14.640 So Jesus apparently understood this concept, apparently better than his earthly parents as well, 00:06:14.700 --> 00:06:16.000 because they're like, what are you doing? 00:06:16.000 --> 00:06:18.480 Man, we've been looking all over for you for days. 00:06:18.939 --> 00:06:22.079 Don't you know that I had to be in my Father's house? 00:06:22.420 --> 00:06:26.399 Don't you know that an experience of family is tied to house? 00:06:26.959 --> 00:06:27.920 Like, those go together? 00:06:28.399 --> 00:06:33.259 If I'm an experienced family with my Father, I want to be in his house. 00:06:33.899 --> 00:06:35.199 Do you see the connection there? 00:06:35.300 --> 00:06:36.480 You see that right there with Jesus. 00:06:36.480 --> 00:06:41.220 So if you think about a healthy home experience, 00:06:41.500 --> 00:06:45.060 healthy home experiences foster a bunch of things. 00:06:45.160 --> 00:06:46.860 Let's look at a handful of them, right? 00:06:47.340 --> 00:06:51.939 Healthy home experiences foster quality of relationships, okay? 00:06:52.240 --> 00:06:57.200 When the house is used well, it creates quality in relationships. 00:06:57.939 --> 00:07:03.180 It also fosters an atmosphere of belonging, okay? 00:07:03.240 --> 00:07:04.319 An atmosphere of belonging. 00:07:04.319 --> 00:07:11.360 So this looks more like where people feel safety, security, acceptance, warmth, right? 00:07:11.519 --> 00:07:17.219 That's how you think of a family, a good family experience in a home, is this sense of belonging. 00:07:17.740 --> 00:07:21.079 And you think of this, obviously, with like a natural family. 00:07:21.560 --> 00:07:25.060 You hope if it's healthy, then that everyone feels like they belong. 00:07:25.319 --> 00:07:28.740 But when you think of this extended to like a spiritual family, 00:07:28.740 --> 00:07:33.920 it makes people who aren't a part of the family feel this sense of warmth and comfort. 00:07:33.920 --> 00:07:36.699 And it makes them feel like I belong, right? 00:07:37.220 --> 00:07:45.140 What a beautiful thing when people who don't have that sense of family get to experience it in the church 00:07:45.140 --> 00:07:49.319 because of how one would use their home, right? 00:07:49.400 --> 00:07:50.759 Creates an atmosphere of belonging. 00:07:52.040 --> 00:07:57.080 Another thing that healthy home experiences foster is shared experiences, okay? 00:07:57.460 --> 00:07:57.920 Shared experiences. 00:07:57.920 --> 00:08:03.920 So whether it's a meal together, whether it's really good conversations, 00:08:03.920 --> 00:08:08.620 or maybe a particular act of care that happens in the home, right? 00:08:08.819 --> 00:08:14.759 These kind of things, these shared experiences help you feel closer together, 00:08:14.879 --> 00:08:16.580 help you feel more like family. 00:08:16.579 --> 00:08:23.639 One thing you have to be careful of when you get real tight relationships and familiar experience 00:08:23.639 --> 00:08:31.419 to those that makes people feel outside of the ones who are inside is what we call an inside joke, right? 00:08:32.019 --> 00:08:36.439 Real close people or family, you have jokes that only the people on the inside get. 00:08:37.240 --> 00:08:42.199 And when you tell the inside joke, what does it do with the people who are inside? 00:08:42.200 --> 00:08:48.100 Yes, it makes them laugh, but it also makes them feel more inside, right? 00:08:48.140 --> 00:08:51.620 It makes you feel like, wow, we got this kind of secret thing going. 00:08:51.780 --> 00:08:52.860 We got this thing. 00:08:52.920 --> 00:08:54.259 This is our story. 00:08:54.320 --> 00:08:55.280 This is our joke. 00:08:55.500 --> 00:09:01.600 And it makes people on the outside actually feel more strange because it's like, oh, they have something I don't have. 00:09:02.060 --> 00:09:02.980 I don't get it. 00:09:03.000 --> 00:09:04.040 I don't get the joke. 00:09:04.100 --> 00:09:05.480 I don't get what they're saying. 00:09:05.960 --> 00:09:09.160 But it actually makes the people inside feel closer together. 00:09:09.159 --> 00:09:13.339 So there's this sense of shared experiences, even to the point of inside jokes. 00:09:13.500 --> 00:09:18.179 You know, when you start having inside jokes with each other, it's like, oh, we're starting to be more like a family. 00:09:18.179 --> 00:09:19.939 Like we have these inside things. 00:09:20.120 --> 00:09:27.399 And what it is, basically, most inside jokes are based on some kind of shared common experience that was funny that you had with one another. 00:09:28.000 --> 00:09:28.219 You know? 00:09:28.279 --> 00:09:31.360 And so you rib someone for that. 00:09:31.419 --> 00:09:32.719 You kind of tease someone for that. 00:09:32.779 --> 00:09:34.339 And like, what's so funny about that? 00:09:34.340 --> 00:09:39.500 Well, and then to bring someone in, you say, well, one time when we were doing this, so-and-so did this. 00:09:39.720 --> 00:09:41.240 And everybody laughs. 00:09:41.320 --> 00:09:42.759 It's like, oh, okay, I get it now. 00:09:42.840 --> 00:09:44.220 And now you're in on the joke. 00:09:44.460 --> 00:09:45.500 And then you feel it together. 00:09:45.580 --> 00:09:53.000 But if you can experience those things together, a home is a place to create those experiences together. 00:09:53.000 --> 00:10:02.220 Which leads me to the next thing that healthy home experiences foster is a sense of meaningful memories. 00:10:02.620 --> 00:10:02.740 Okay? 00:10:02.899 --> 00:10:03.779 Meaningful memories. 00:10:04.600 --> 00:10:09.559 There's something about a healthy home life where you have all these memories. 00:10:09.700 --> 00:10:15.360 In fact, when you look at old pictures and you see, you know, even parts of the home, you just think, oh, wow. 00:10:15.360 --> 00:10:17.820 I remember that living room. 00:10:17.960 --> 00:10:20.879 I remember, you know, when we, we remember that one night when we did this. 00:10:21.060 --> 00:10:28.200 And I remember that night in the kitchen when we were all cooking together and we forgot about what was in the oven and it burnt. 00:10:28.399 --> 00:10:29.960 And then the stove caught on fire. 00:10:30.139 --> 00:10:30.480 You know what I mean? 00:10:30.820 --> 00:10:41.720 It's like, so not all meaningful experiences are like good experiences, but they, the, the things you remember, these meaningful memories, it's where we get the word nostalgia from. 00:10:42.120 --> 00:10:42.580 Right? 00:10:42.940 --> 00:10:44.820 Certain things cause nostalgia. 00:10:44.820 --> 00:10:52.120 Nostalgic memories when they're experienced together are really powerful. 00:10:52.860 --> 00:10:52.960 Right? 00:10:53.240 --> 00:10:54.800 I was listening the other day. 00:10:55.140 --> 00:10:55.920 It's warm out. 00:10:55.980 --> 00:11:00.060 I like to listen to like some old throwback summer music from back when I was in high school. 00:11:00.420 --> 00:11:04.540 And I actually started remembering a friend of mine that I haven't thought about in many, many years. 00:11:05.020 --> 00:11:06.940 Because that song made me think of him. 00:11:06.940 --> 00:11:09.160 Because we used to listen to that song together. 00:11:09.940 --> 00:11:14.020 And so, so we had a shared memory together with that song. 00:11:14.019 --> 00:11:16.699 And then I thought of all these other memories we had together. 00:11:17.100 --> 00:11:18.379 Some good, some not so good. 00:11:18.639 --> 00:11:20.299 But that's nostalgia. 00:11:20.639 --> 00:11:21.740 Those are the kind of things. 00:11:22.799 --> 00:11:29.120 And when we create, and there's, there's, meaningful memories get created just because life is full of meaningful memories. 00:11:29.120 --> 00:11:34.340 But there are people who are able to more intentionally create meaningful memories with people. 00:11:34.539 --> 00:11:36.620 And that's the kind of people we want to be. 00:11:36.720 --> 00:11:38.019 Because we want to bring people into that. 00:11:38.100 --> 00:11:40.440 We want people to experience a sense of family together. 00:11:40.560 --> 00:11:43.519 And families have meaningful memories together. 00:11:43.940 --> 00:11:47.100 And healthy families have good, meaningful memories together. 00:11:47.340 --> 00:11:49.019 We all have memories together with families. 00:11:49.120 --> 00:11:50.259 Some of them not so meaningful. 00:11:50.460 --> 00:11:51.480 Some of them not so great. 00:11:51.940 --> 00:11:53.240 Some of them we'd love to forget. 00:11:53.419 --> 00:11:53.620 Right? 00:11:53.620 --> 00:11:56.340 But we want to create healthy ones. 00:11:56.460 --> 00:11:57.580 That's the goal together. 00:11:58.399 --> 00:12:02.899 And then lastly, healthy home experiences foster emotional bonds. 00:12:03.080 --> 00:12:05.259 Where it's like there's this emotional connection. 00:12:05.980 --> 00:12:08.820 It's not a rigid forced connection. 00:12:09.259 --> 00:12:13.060 There's real emotional connection because of all these other things. 00:12:13.799 --> 00:12:13.940 Right? 00:12:14.179 --> 00:12:15.659 We've shared things together. 00:12:15.759 --> 00:12:16.899 We have quality relationship. 00:12:17.139 --> 00:12:18.680 We have a sense of belonging. 00:12:18.899 --> 00:12:19.779 We have good memories. 00:12:19.779 --> 00:12:23.279 And so what it does is it creates these emotional bonds with one another. 00:12:23.279 --> 00:12:25.039 Where we like being with each other. 00:12:25.120 --> 00:12:26.039 We enjoy being with each other. 00:12:26.100 --> 00:12:29.259 And there's a sense and a feeling of connection. 00:12:29.919 --> 00:12:30.079 Okay? 00:12:30.959 --> 00:12:36.539 And this really goes to, you know, the mission of our church is the kingdom of God in all of life together. 00:12:36.779 --> 00:12:40.939 This whole thing of familial home hospitality speaks to the all of life portion. 00:12:41.079 --> 00:12:47.139 Which we talk about having open homes or open hearts, open homes, and open schedules. 00:12:47.899 --> 00:12:49.019 Why those three things? 00:12:49.019 --> 00:12:53.059 Because those things are so conducive to a sense of church as family. 00:12:53.179 --> 00:12:57.740 To a sense of belonging that we want to bring to people who don't have that. 00:12:58.000 --> 00:12:58.159 Okay? 00:12:58.679 --> 00:13:02.100 If you look at Acts chapter 2, verses 46 to 47. 00:13:03.079 --> 00:13:04.039 The early church. 00:13:04.679 --> 00:13:05.460 What were they doing? 00:13:05.740 --> 00:13:07.120 Were they just meeting in buildings? 00:13:08.259 --> 00:13:09.199 Let's take a look. 00:13:09.559 --> 00:13:11.019 Acts 2, 46 to 47. 00:13:11.120 --> 00:13:12.439 Mind you, this is thousands of people. 00:13:13.159 --> 00:13:13.279 Okay? 00:13:13.279 --> 00:13:17.319 Day by day, tending the temple together. 00:13:18.019 --> 00:13:19.240 Larger gatherings. 00:13:20.199 --> 00:13:24.539 And breaking bread in their homes. 00:13:25.259 --> 00:13:27.819 They received their food with glad and generous hearts. 00:13:28.319 --> 00:13:30.120 Praising God and having favor with all the people. 00:13:30.120 --> 00:13:35.620 And the Lord added to their number day by day those who were being saved. 00:13:36.120 --> 00:13:36.299 Okay? 00:13:36.659 --> 00:13:43.120 Now, a lot of times when you see people meeting in homes, you know, all the host church champions 00:13:43.120 --> 00:13:46.259 who are like, oh, get out of your big building. 00:13:46.379 --> 00:13:47.899 We just need to be in homes, man. 00:13:48.159 --> 00:13:48.440 You know? 00:13:48.440 --> 00:13:51.660 I was one of those guys at one point in time. 00:13:51.880 --> 00:13:57.240 But if you look at the verses where those, because there are many verses that talk about 00:13:57.240 --> 00:13:59.960 church meeting in home, but this is at the beginning of the church. 00:14:00.180 --> 00:14:03.160 Many of those are just because that's how big the church was at the time. 00:14:03.240 --> 00:14:03.800 It was brand new. 00:14:04.100 --> 00:14:05.000 They could fit in a home. 00:14:05.620 --> 00:14:06.880 Not so in Jerusalem, though. 00:14:06.960 --> 00:14:08.180 Not here in Acts chapter 2. 00:14:08.460 --> 00:14:10.480 We're talking about thousands of people here. 00:14:10.480 --> 00:14:13.620 So there's a lot of people gathered here. 00:14:14.160 --> 00:14:16.900 But that didn't keep them from meeting in homes. 00:14:16.899 --> 00:14:20.340 It's not like, oh, you only meet in homes when you're small. 00:14:20.860 --> 00:14:24.379 I think you could see here that, no, day to day they didn't just meet in the temple together 00:14:24.379 --> 00:14:27.759 in a larger setting, but they broke bread in their homes. 00:14:28.360 --> 00:14:32.620 The use of the home is central to familial church experience. 00:14:32.799 --> 00:14:33.379 It's central. 00:14:34.500 --> 00:14:36.439 Let's think of an example of this. 00:14:36.539 --> 00:14:37.799 What about in Jesus's life? 00:14:38.639 --> 00:14:41.960 Did Jesus have a home that he liked to go to? 00:14:42.379 --> 00:14:43.120 I think he did. 00:14:43.600 --> 00:14:46.000 I think it was in a city called Bethany. 00:14:46.000 --> 00:14:47.500 Are you familiar with this? 00:14:48.200 --> 00:14:49.980 Luke chapter 10 talks about this. 00:14:50.179 --> 00:14:54.139 I think it's John chapter 11 and 12 talks about this. 00:14:54.220 --> 00:14:57.100 Start in Luke 10, 38 to 42. 00:14:57.980 --> 00:15:01.480 It says, as they went on their way, Jesus entered a village. 00:15:02.419 --> 00:15:03.659 This is the village of Bethany. 00:15:04.379 --> 00:15:08.139 And it says, and a woman named Martha welcomed him. 00:15:08.840 --> 00:15:11.200 How do you think she welcomed him? 00:15:12.399 --> 00:15:13.659 Into her house. 00:15:13.659 --> 00:15:14.240 All right. 00:15:14.980 --> 00:15:19.000 Jesus entered a village and a woman named Martha welcomed him into her house. 00:15:19.799 --> 00:15:24.000 And she had a sister called Mary who sat at the Lord's feet and listened to his teaching. 00:15:24.299 --> 00:15:26.319 But Martha was distracted with much serving. 00:15:26.419 --> 00:15:27.360 You know the rest of the story. 00:15:28.819 --> 00:15:30.719 Getting a little tiff there. 00:15:31.000 --> 00:15:32.419 Like, Jesus, tell her. 00:15:33.339 --> 00:15:34.360 She needs to help me. 00:15:35.179 --> 00:15:35.480 All right. 00:15:35.600 --> 00:15:36.939 But you see some dynamics here. 00:15:36.940 --> 00:15:39.340 One, Martha invited Jesus into her home. 00:15:40.420 --> 00:15:40.580 Okay. 00:15:41.380 --> 00:15:44.560 And good hospitality does two things. 00:15:44.860 --> 00:15:46.360 I know Martha always gets demonized. 00:15:47.020 --> 00:15:49.000 It didn't say that Martha was doing bad things. 00:15:49.060 --> 00:15:50.760 It just said Martha was out of order. 00:15:51.620 --> 00:15:52.820 Her priorities weren't right. 00:15:52.940 --> 00:15:54.400 But someone's got to make the food. 00:15:54.580 --> 00:15:54.740 Right? 00:15:55.260 --> 00:15:57.740 It's not like we're all just going to sit here and starve and listen to Jesus. 00:15:57.900 --> 00:15:59.380 No, we're going to eat and listen to Jesus. 00:15:59.500 --> 00:16:02.040 We're just going to do one and one's more important than the other. 00:16:02.039 --> 00:16:04.919 And so good hospitality involves listening. 00:16:05.459 --> 00:16:09.199 But it also involves creating a home where you're making meals and preparing things. 00:16:09.599 --> 00:16:09.819 All right? 00:16:10.360 --> 00:16:13.939 And apparently Jesus likes hanging around with this crew. 00:16:14.259 --> 00:16:15.039 How do we know that? 00:16:15.120 --> 00:16:16.799 Well, let's look at John chapter 11. 00:16:17.559 --> 00:16:18.539 Starting verse 1. 00:16:19.139 --> 00:16:20.279 It says a certain man was ill. 00:16:20.839 --> 00:16:21.879 Lazarus of Bethany. 00:16:22.480 --> 00:16:24.139 The village of Mary and her sister Martha. 00:16:25.659 --> 00:16:29.539 It was Mary who anointed the Lord with ointment and wiped his feet with her hair. 00:16:29.539 --> 00:16:32.740 His brother Lazarus was ill. 00:16:33.500 --> 00:16:34.000 Verse 3. 00:16:34.099 --> 00:16:35.579 So the sister sent to him saying, 00:16:35.980 --> 00:16:38.539 Lord, he whom you love is ill. 00:16:38.659 --> 00:16:40.459 Interesting phraseology there. 00:16:40.799 --> 00:16:40.919 Right? 00:16:41.480 --> 00:16:44.179 The only other time John uses that language is when he refers to himself. 00:16:44.919 --> 00:16:45.699 It's always interesting. 00:16:46.620 --> 00:16:47.980 The disciple Jesus loves. 00:16:49.159 --> 00:16:52.519 But he also refers to Lazarus. 00:16:53.299 --> 00:16:53.779 And it says, 00:16:54.099 --> 00:16:55.919 So the sister sent to him saying, 00:16:56.000 --> 00:16:58.079 Lord, he whom you love is ill. 00:16:58.080 --> 00:17:04.000 Apparently, there was some kind of reputation with Jesus and Lazarus that he was really into this guy. 00:17:04.220 --> 00:17:05.420 They must have been good friends. 00:17:05.559 --> 00:17:07.259 They must have had a close relationship. 00:17:07.539 --> 00:17:07.660 Right? 00:17:08.460 --> 00:17:09.960 When Jesus heard it, he said, 00:17:10.100 --> 00:17:11.340 This illness does not lead to death. 00:17:11.380 --> 00:17:12.380 It is for the glory of God. 00:17:12.920 --> 00:17:15.180 So that the Son of God may be glorified through it. 00:17:15.539 --> 00:17:17.640 Now Jesus, here again you see verse 5. 00:17:17.779 --> 00:17:21.500 Now Jesus loved Martha and her sister and Lazarus. 00:17:21.500 --> 00:17:30.619 So there must have been a particular warm spot in Jesus' experience on earth in this particular home with this particular people. 00:17:31.420 --> 00:17:34.140 And mind you, it happened in a home. 00:17:34.779 --> 00:17:35.579 Happened in a home. 00:17:36.859 --> 00:17:40.440 John 11.11 refers to Lazarus as our friend. 00:17:40.440 --> 00:17:49.539 And then John 11.36, after Jesus came to him, it says, 00:17:49.900 --> 00:17:51.960 Jesus wept and the Jews said, 00:17:52.080 --> 00:17:53.259 See how he loved him. 00:17:53.920 --> 00:17:54.080 Okay? 00:17:54.360 --> 00:17:56.100 So there's this affection there. 00:17:57.080 --> 00:18:00.980 Later in John chapter 12, after Lazarus had been raised from the dead, 00:18:01.539 --> 00:18:03.559 John chapter 12, starting in verse 1, says, 00:18:03.559 --> 00:18:26.799 This is where Mary takes a pound of expensive ointment made from pure nard and anointed the feet of Jesus and wiped his feet with their hair. 00:18:27.319 --> 00:18:29.440 The house was filled with the fragrance of the perfume. 00:18:29.440 --> 00:18:34.160 So they gave a dinner for him there. 00:18:34.500 --> 00:18:38.140 Martha served and Lazarus was one of those reclining with him at table. 00:18:38.500 --> 00:18:40.259 Sounds like this was a comfortable atmosphere. 00:18:40.460 --> 00:18:43.059 Sounds like this was a place that they were used to being. 00:18:43.380 --> 00:18:47.039 Sounds like this was probably a place Jesus liked to be. 00:18:48.820 --> 00:18:52.320 What a concept to create a hospitality for Jesus. 00:18:52.920 --> 00:18:54.420 To create a home for Jesus. 00:18:55.460 --> 00:18:59.240 And, you know, we're going to look at that more in a second. 00:18:59.240 --> 00:19:06.880 But I think it's important for us to think of that, but also think that what is the driving factor for that? 00:19:06.960 --> 00:19:11.000 Like, how do we create an atmosphere where we welcome like that? 00:19:11.099 --> 00:19:13.099 Well, Romans 15, 7 says, 00:19:13.420 --> 00:19:16.859 Welcome one another as Christ has welcomed you for the glory of God. 00:19:17.079 --> 00:19:17.259 Okay? 00:19:17.380 --> 00:19:19.500 So there's a way to welcome as Christ has welcomed. 00:19:19.620 --> 00:19:20.400 That's our model. 00:19:20.500 --> 00:19:21.599 That's the impetus. 00:19:21.740 --> 00:19:23.900 That's our reference point. 00:19:24.019 --> 00:19:25.480 It's like, how do we welcome people? 00:19:25.480 --> 00:19:28.960 Well, you welcome people as Christ has welcomed you. 00:19:29.579 --> 00:19:35.900 The ultimate act of hospitality is seen in God welcoming believers into his family through Christ, 00:19:36.059 --> 00:19:42.759 which serves as a foundation and motivation for Christians to open their homes and lives to others. 00:19:43.440 --> 00:19:48.100 Opening homes makes people feel like a part of the family rather than outsiders. 00:19:48.920 --> 00:19:49.100 Okay? 00:19:49.939 --> 00:19:50.559 That's why he says, 00:19:50.779 --> 00:19:54.000 Welcome one another as Christ has welcomed you for the glory of God. 00:19:54.959 --> 00:19:57.980 So a good question would be, how has he welcomed us? 00:19:58.740 --> 00:20:00.179 I love Luke 6, 35. 00:20:00.359 --> 00:20:00.679 He says, 00:20:00.819 --> 00:20:07.019 Love your enemies, do good, and lend, expecting nothing in return, and your reward will be great. 00:20:07.099 --> 00:20:13.319 And you'll be sons of the Most High, for he is kind to the ungrateful and the evil. 00:20:13.319 --> 00:20:15.500 The other version says, to the ungrateful and the wicked. 00:20:16.000 --> 00:20:16.139 Okay? 00:20:16.539 --> 00:20:17.980 He is kind to the ungrateful and wicked. 00:20:18.419 --> 00:20:19.099 And sometimes you say, 00:20:19.419 --> 00:20:24.460 Ah, man, I just, it's so hard to be hospitable because a lot of times people aren't grateful. 00:20:25.839 --> 00:20:30.359 Sometimes people are selfish, mean, they break stuff. 00:20:31.099 --> 00:20:33.460 You could actually say that maybe they're ungrateful and wicked. 00:20:34.139 --> 00:20:36.599 Well, who's kind to the ungrateful and wicked? 00:20:36.599 --> 00:20:39.619 And who was ungrateful and wicked? 00:20:40.679 --> 00:20:41.399 We were. 00:20:42.539 --> 00:20:44.819 And Jesus didn't say, well, I'm not letting them in. 00:20:45.359 --> 00:20:48.539 He actually came to us while we were ungrateful and wicked. 00:20:48.859 --> 00:20:51.639 While we were yet sinners, Christ died for us, it says in Romans 5. 00:20:51.839 --> 00:20:53.179 And he welcomed us. 00:20:53.299 --> 00:20:54.759 He welcomed us into his family. 00:20:55.159 --> 00:20:57.480 He welcomed us into his father's house. 00:20:58.240 --> 00:20:58.419 Right? 00:20:58.759 --> 00:20:59.779 He welcomed us. 00:21:00.179 --> 00:21:06.099 He made us feel like children because he gave us the right to be called the children of God. 00:21:06.599 --> 00:21:06.959 Right? 00:21:07.299 --> 00:21:08.679 He's kindly ungrateful and wicked. 00:21:08.839 --> 00:21:12.959 How are we when it comes to ungrateful people and wicked people who might be in our home? 00:21:13.539 --> 00:21:15.899 Do we welcome them as Christ has welcomed us? 00:21:16.179 --> 00:21:17.099 That's our impetus. 00:21:18.199 --> 00:21:20.699 We see another, and it says, 00:21:20.879 --> 00:21:23.799 Give expecting nothing in return in your world would be great. 00:21:26.059 --> 00:21:32.579 Some hospitality, some experiences of home familial, attempts at familial home hospitality, 00:21:33.199 --> 00:21:36.359 some of them are more immediately rewarding. 00:21:37.119 --> 00:21:37.299 Right? 00:21:37.659 --> 00:21:38.119 Oh, wow. 00:21:38.159 --> 00:21:39.740 This is really enjoyable. 00:21:39.879 --> 00:21:44.679 There's a good reciprocation of love, joy, you know, all this kind of stuff. 00:21:44.719 --> 00:21:44.919 Right? 00:21:45.079 --> 00:21:47.639 And then others are less so. 00:21:48.219 --> 00:21:50.159 Not very immediately rewarding. 00:21:50.959 --> 00:21:52.019 And so how do you deal with that? 00:21:52.099 --> 00:21:57.699 Well, you give expecting nothing in return because your reward will be great. 00:21:57.939 --> 00:21:59.559 Your reward is in heaven. 00:22:00.440 --> 00:22:00.619 Okay? 00:22:00.619 --> 00:22:08.159 You see another example, this kind of hospitality with Jesus in Matthew chapter 9, starting verse 00:22:08.159 --> 00:22:08.399 10. 00:22:08.479 --> 00:22:11.659 It says, Well, Jesus was having dinner at Matthew's house. 00:22:11.899 --> 00:22:12.099 Okay? 00:22:12.099 --> 00:22:14.000 This is right after he called Matthew to follow him. 00:22:14.000 --> 00:22:16.799 And then he's having dinner at Matthew's house. 00:22:17.279 --> 00:22:20.779 Many tax collectors and sinners came and ate with him and his disciples. 00:22:21.119 --> 00:22:25.779 So here Jesus is, the rabbi, the teacher, the holy man. 00:22:25.779 --> 00:22:28.839 And he's eating with tax collectors. 00:22:28.839 --> 00:22:30.660 This is like the lowest of the low. 00:22:31.160 --> 00:22:32.500 Nobody liked tax collectors. 00:22:33.339 --> 00:22:34.139 And sinners. 00:22:34.940 --> 00:22:36.519 And they're eating with him and his disciples. 00:22:36.639 --> 00:22:41.079 And when the Pharisees saw this, they said, they asked his disciples, Why does your teacher 00:22:41.079 --> 00:22:44.639 eat with tax collectors and sinners? 00:22:45.340 --> 00:22:46.560 Why would he do that? 00:22:47.620 --> 00:22:47.880 You know? 00:22:48.500 --> 00:22:52.240 And on hearing this, Jesus said, It's not the healthy you need a doctor, but the sick. 00:22:53.480 --> 00:22:53.720 Okay? 00:22:54.160 --> 00:22:58.400 So this is why we don't just show hospitality and open our home to people that are easy. 00:22:59.480 --> 00:23:00.900 Those aren't the people who need it. 00:23:01.080 --> 00:23:04.460 It's not the healthy you need a doctor, but the sick. 00:23:07.160 --> 00:23:10.020 Luke 14, he paints another picture in a parable. 00:23:10.020 --> 00:23:12.360 Luke 14, 12 to 14. 00:23:12.359 --> 00:23:15.899 He goes on to say the one who invited him. 00:23:16.979 --> 00:23:22.379 When you give a luncheon or a dinner, do not invite your friends or your brothers or relatives 00:23:22.379 --> 00:23:23.240 or rich neighbors. 00:23:23.799 --> 00:23:28.379 Otherwise, they may also invite you in return, and that will be your repayment. 00:23:29.519 --> 00:23:34.659 But when you give a reception, invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, the blind, and you 00:23:34.659 --> 00:23:39.299 will be blessed, since they do not have the means to repay you, for you will be repaid 00:23:39.299 --> 00:23:41.099 at the resurrection of the righteous. 00:23:41.099 --> 00:23:45.759 Same concept, that you don't give just because of what your immediate reward will be. 00:23:46.019 --> 00:23:48.719 You give knowing, I'm thinking of eternity. 00:23:48.899 --> 00:23:50.079 I'm thinking of eternal reward. 00:23:50.139 --> 00:23:51.139 I'm thinking of Jesus. 00:23:52.859 --> 00:23:55.819 And when I say thinking of Jesus, I'm referring to Matthew 25. 00:23:56.279 --> 00:24:00.899 Because Jesus actually says, I was hungry, and you gave me something to eat. 00:24:01.240 --> 00:24:03.899 I was thirsty, and you gave me something to drink. 00:24:04.119 --> 00:24:07.319 I was a stranger, and you took me in. 00:24:07.319 --> 00:24:09.240 I was naked, and you clothed me. 00:24:09.279 --> 00:24:10.859 I was sick, and you took care of me. 00:24:10.879 --> 00:24:12.299 I was in prison, and you visited me. 00:24:12.579 --> 00:24:19.019 And then the righteous will answer him, Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or 00:24:19.019 --> 00:24:21.220 thirsty and give you something to drink? 00:24:22.039 --> 00:24:26.240 They're going to say, when did we see you a stranger and take you in? 00:24:27.099 --> 00:24:28.579 Or without clothes and clothe you? 00:24:28.639 --> 00:24:30.559 When did we see you sick or in prison and visit you? 00:24:30.559 --> 00:24:34.559 And the king will answer him, truly, I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least 00:24:34.559 --> 00:24:37.759 of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me. 00:24:38.899 --> 00:24:39.919 You did for me. 00:24:40.460 --> 00:24:43.740 And so you say, when did we see you a stranger and take you in? 00:24:44.440 --> 00:24:47.980 Well, in order to take someone in, you need a home. 00:24:49.460 --> 00:24:49.740 Okay? 00:24:50.980 --> 00:24:57.679 So we talked about this concept of Mary and Martha, Lazarus, inviting Jesus into their home. 00:24:57.680 --> 00:25:00.279 You know, that's an easy one for those three. 00:25:00.400 --> 00:25:01.700 It's like, when did you invite Jesus in? 00:25:01.740 --> 00:25:02.960 Well, we literally did. 00:25:04.060 --> 00:25:05.080 We had him into our home. 00:25:06.039 --> 00:25:08.799 We haven't been able to have Jesus physically in our home. 00:25:08.980 --> 00:25:11.100 But the same question will be asked of us. 00:25:12.640 --> 00:25:14.440 Did you have Jesus into your home? 00:25:15.400 --> 00:25:16.340 What does that look like? 00:25:16.920 --> 00:25:18.299 It looks like being hospitable. 00:25:19.220 --> 00:25:21.960 Is your home, did God give you that gift of your home just for you? 00:25:22.100 --> 00:25:22.860 I don't think so. 00:25:23.440 --> 00:25:26.360 It's used to love and serve Jesus by loving and serving other people. 00:25:27.680 --> 00:25:29.180 John 14, verse 2. 00:25:30.759 --> 00:25:33.299 Jesus said, my father's house has many rooms. 00:25:33.460 --> 00:25:36.880 If that were not so, would I have told you that I'm going there to prepare a place for you? 00:25:37.480 --> 00:25:39.500 Again, this speaks of this concept. 00:25:40.380 --> 00:25:42.960 And everyone understands that and listens to that. 00:25:43.080 --> 00:25:44.460 Oh, that's an exciting thing. 00:25:44.900 --> 00:25:49.440 That God has a house whose son is preparing for us. 00:25:49.660 --> 00:25:51.039 It's getting it ready. 00:25:51.299 --> 00:25:51.960 To what? 00:25:52.019 --> 00:25:52.799 To host us. 00:25:54.440 --> 00:25:54.880 Right? 00:25:54.880 --> 00:25:56.320 We get excited about that. 00:25:56.360 --> 00:26:02.120 And there's this understanding that the father gets a house ready for his family. 00:26:03.040 --> 00:26:06.200 The family gets a house ready for family. 00:26:06.840 --> 00:26:10.220 True spiritual family is experienced in the context of a home. 00:26:11.220 --> 00:26:14.260 When we talk about hospitality, what's the definition of hospitality? 00:26:14.820 --> 00:26:22.820 Hospitality is broadly defined as the act or practice of being friendly, welcoming, and generous to guests, visitors, or strangers. 00:26:22.819 --> 00:26:32.299 It involves providing a warm reception, comfort, and often entertainment, food, or shelter for those who are not part of one's immediate household. 00:26:33.259 --> 00:26:37.299 The essence of hospitality is making others feel welcome and cared for. 00:26:37.720 --> 00:26:37.859 Okay? 00:26:37.859 --> 00:26:44.539 And again, you can do this in other settings, but what is the primary thing you think of when you think of that? 00:26:44.899 --> 00:26:45.539 You think of a home. 00:26:46.039 --> 00:26:49.639 And there's a reason you do, because that is the primary place of hospitality. 00:26:50.139 --> 00:26:53.759 That is where we experience hospitality in its depths. 00:26:54.199 --> 00:26:58.539 You can experience hospitality in this cold gray building, okay? 00:26:58.939 --> 00:27:01.059 But with very warm colors on the floor. 00:27:01.059 --> 00:27:06.899 But it's not the same as being in someone's home, right? 00:27:07.700 --> 00:27:08.659 It's not the same. 00:27:08.759 --> 00:27:09.419 It's not as intimate. 00:27:09.679 --> 00:27:12.899 It's not as warm as a building like this. 00:27:13.119 --> 00:27:16.440 Now, we should seek to show hospitality wherever we are and in whatever way we can. 00:27:16.440 --> 00:27:30.140 But that never is a replacement for the unique ability of cultivating an experience of acceptance and warmth and spiritual family that happens inside of a home. 00:27:30.660 --> 00:27:31.259 Inside of a home. 00:27:31.960 --> 00:27:32.080 Okay? 00:27:32.580 --> 00:27:39.440 So, that being said, let's look at seven different aspects of hospitality that the Bible talks about. 00:27:39.779 --> 00:27:39.900 Okay? 00:27:40.360 --> 00:27:44.019 I'm not going to talk about these for a long time, but I think all seven are important. 00:27:44.019 --> 00:27:46.200 Number one, hospitality is commanded. 00:27:46.819 --> 00:27:46.940 Okay? 00:27:47.240 --> 00:27:50.619 In the Bible, it's like, well, I don't have, you might say, well, I don't have the gift of hospitality. 00:27:51.379 --> 00:27:54.720 Well, that's like saying I don't have the gift of faith. 00:27:54.900 --> 00:27:55.319 It doesn't matter. 00:27:55.400 --> 00:27:56.119 You still need faith. 00:27:56.839 --> 00:27:57.819 Do some people have the gift of faith? 00:27:57.920 --> 00:27:58.139 Yes. 00:27:58.279 --> 00:27:59.299 Some people have the gift of hospitality? 00:27:59.920 --> 00:28:00.240 Yes. 00:28:00.599 --> 00:28:01.259 But it's commanded. 00:28:01.420 --> 00:28:02.599 1 Peter 4, verse 9. 00:28:03.740 --> 00:28:06.839 Show hospitality to one another without grumbling. 00:28:07.700 --> 00:28:12.980 Then it says, as each has received a gift, use it to serve one another as good stewards of God's various grace. 00:28:12.980 --> 00:28:16.200 And it says, whoever speaks, speaks the oracles of God. 00:28:16.279 --> 00:28:18.099 Whoever serves, keeps going. 00:28:18.440 --> 00:28:18.500 Okay? 00:28:18.799 --> 00:28:29.680 But isn't it interesting that the context of, as each has received a gift, use it to serve one another, is right after the verse that says, show hospitality to one another without grumbling. 00:28:30.360 --> 00:28:33.039 Could it be that he's not changing thought there? 00:28:33.500 --> 00:28:36.440 Could it be that that thought is just continued there from Peter? 00:28:36.440 --> 00:28:48.559 And that he's essentially saying, if you have a home, whether you own it or not, you have a gift that is to be used in good stewardship to serve one another. 00:28:49.960 --> 00:28:50.320 Okay? 00:28:50.500 --> 00:28:51.580 Have you thought about that? 00:28:51.820 --> 00:28:52.779 Do you think about that often? 00:28:52.960 --> 00:28:56.920 Do you think, in many ways, we think, oh, how can I use my money to serve other people? 00:28:57.000 --> 00:28:59.360 How can I use my spiritual gifts to serve other people? 00:28:59.819 --> 00:29:03.339 How can I use my, I don't know, many things. 00:29:03.439 --> 00:29:07.679 But how often do you think of, how can I use my home to serve other people? 00:29:07.799 --> 00:29:08.659 It is a gift. 00:29:09.099 --> 00:29:09.979 It is a tool. 00:29:10.339 --> 00:29:12.740 It is unique. 00:29:14.159 --> 00:29:14.359 Okay? 00:29:14.839 --> 00:29:19.959 You know, I could take a ride with you in my truck somewhere. 00:29:20.479 --> 00:29:21.479 And we could have a good talk. 00:29:21.879 --> 00:29:22.679 We could have a good time. 00:29:22.799 --> 00:29:23.939 Maybe take a little road trip. 00:29:23.940 --> 00:29:29.160 But it's a different dynamic if I have you in my living room or around my dinner table. 00:29:29.440 --> 00:29:29.539 Right? 00:29:31.200 --> 00:29:32.200 I own the truck. 00:29:32.320 --> 00:29:33.059 I own the home. 00:29:33.779 --> 00:29:36.340 I might be leasing the truck or renting the home. 00:29:36.400 --> 00:29:36.920 It doesn't matter. 00:29:37.000 --> 00:29:39.279 But there's a sense of mind in that. 00:29:39.779 --> 00:29:40.660 And there's a big difference. 00:29:40.660 --> 00:29:40.980 Right? 00:29:41.200 --> 00:29:42.299 I could take you to a restaurant. 00:29:42.480 --> 00:29:43.680 We could have a good conversation. 00:29:44.019 --> 00:29:49.940 It's not the same as being at my dinner table where we make food, where we made the food for you. 00:29:50.559 --> 00:29:50.779 Okay? 00:29:50.960 --> 00:29:51.660 It's different. 00:29:51.660 --> 00:29:54.400 You get to see the pictures on the wall. 00:29:54.480 --> 00:29:56.360 You get to see how my kids interact. 00:29:56.640 --> 00:30:00.519 You get to see the taste, the smells, the whole experience. 00:30:00.660 --> 00:30:02.680 You get to see order or lack of order. 00:30:03.040 --> 00:30:04.900 You get to see the good, the bad, the ugly. 00:30:05.500 --> 00:30:05.700 Right? 00:30:05.740 --> 00:30:06.460 You get to see it all. 00:30:06.820 --> 00:30:10.380 And it creates a sense of intimacy that is different from all other settings. 00:30:11.320 --> 00:30:11.580 Right? 00:30:13.680 --> 00:30:15.080 So how do you make the most of that? 00:30:15.300 --> 00:30:16.300 Are you making the most of that? 00:30:16.320 --> 00:30:17.240 Are you thinking about that? 00:30:17.240 --> 00:30:20.660 Are you thinking, how can I steward my home to the glory of God? 00:30:20.660 --> 00:30:29.080 If this is truly, number one, central to the concept of family, that you can't separate homes from family, 00:30:29.440 --> 00:30:38.340 then how deeply and intentionally have I thought about the use of my home when we're deeply and intentionally thinking about the concept of family? 00:30:38.339 --> 00:30:40.319 Have we divorced the two? 00:30:40.819 --> 00:30:47.019 Have we thought just as intensely about the use of our home as we have about creating spiritual family, 00:30:47.199 --> 00:30:49.019 knowing that you can't separate the two? 00:30:49.559 --> 00:30:51.119 Or have we separated the two? 00:30:51.740 --> 00:30:56.119 And are we trying to live in a context of spiritual family that doesn't include the home, 00:30:56.299 --> 00:30:59.939 that is more shallow than any other experience of family we've experienced, 00:30:59.940 --> 00:31:04.320 and therefore it kind of disillusions us. 00:31:04.880 --> 00:31:08.259 There's nothing more disillusioned in the language of family without the experience of family. 00:31:08.720 --> 00:31:13.900 And to have the language of family without the context of family will be disillusioning. 00:31:14.480 --> 00:31:17.039 We need to think long and hard on this and be intentional in it. 00:31:17.120 --> 00:31:19.279 How are we using our homes? 00:31:19.840 --> 00:31:20.700 Hospitality is commanded. 00:31:20.700 --> 00:31:20.799 Hospitality is commanded. 00:31:21.200 --> 00:31:22.660 As an act of stewardship. 00:31:23.140 --> 00:31:24.299 Show hospitality to one another. 00:31:24.759 --> 00:31:25.759 Hebrews 13.2 says, 00:31:25.900 --> 00:31:28.200 Do not neglect to show hospitality to strangers, 00:31:28.799 --> 00:31:30.920 for thereby some have entertained angels unaware. 00:31:31.960 --> 00:31:32.140 Okay? 00:31:33.319 --> 00:31:34.440 I mean, that's pretty cool. 00:31:35.120 --> 00:31:38.940 Don't have a lot more to say about that, but it's kind of a crazy thought. 00:31:39.299 --> 00:31:39.640 But he said, 00:31:39.720 --> 00:31:40.340 Don't neglect. 00:31:40.880 --> 00:31:44.980 As if to assume this is something that people neglect. 00:31:45.799 --> 00:31:47.360 Have you neglected to show hospitality? 00:31:47.740 --> 00:31:50.480 Do you only show hospitality to the people you know and love, 00:31:50.480 --> 00:31:52.860 or do you show hospitality to the people you don't know as well? 00:31:53.519 --> 00:31:54.319 Or to strangers? 00:31:55.559 --> 00:31:56.099 Number two. 00:31:56.960 --> 00:31:59.200 Hospitality should be sought and practiced. 00:32:00.039 --> 00:32:00.839 Romans 12. 00:32:02.120 --> 00:32:04.380 Verse 10 and 13 says, 00:32:04.620 --> 00:32:06.079 Love one another with brotherly affection. 00:32:06.680 --> 00:32:08.180 Outdo one another in showing honor. 00:32:08.660 --> 00:32:12.440 Contribute to the needs of the saints and seek to show hospitality. 00:32:12.740 --> 00:32:13.860 In the NASB it says, 00:32:14.319 --> 00:32:16.059 Be devoted to one another in brotherly love. 00:32:16.299 --> 00:32:18.000 Give preference to one another in honor. 00:32:18.700 --> 00:32:20.240 Contributing to the needs of the saints. 00:32:20.920 --> 00:32:22.620 Practicing hospitality. 00:32:23.039 --> 00:32:25.860 Are you someone who seeks out and practices hospitality? 00:32:26.380 --> 00:32:29.819 Or are you just someone who contributes to someone else's hospitality? 00:32:30.380 --> 00:32:33.799 Are you just someone who consumes someone else's hospitality? 00:32:34.360 --> 00:32:37.819 Or are you someone who seeks to practice it and cultivate it yourself? 00:32:38.559 --> 00:32:39.120 Number three. 00:32:39.759 --> 00:32:42.279 Hospitality is not just for close friends and people you know. 00:32:42.839 --> 00:32:43.620 Hebrews 13.2. 00:32:43.619 --> 00:32:44.459 The verse we said says, 00:32:44.579 --> 00:32:47.259 Do not neglect to show hospitality to strangers. 00:32:48.359 --> 00:32:49.759 Not just to the people you're close to. 00:32:49.839 --> 00:32:52.459 Not just to the people you're really friends with. 00:32:52.539 --> 00:32:55.539 In this church, we have some people who are closer than others. 00:32:56.099 --> 00:33:01.299 We need to do the work of trying to get to know and grow closer to some of the other people. 00:33:01.359 --> 00:33:05.359 Now that doesn't mean everybody's got to be besties and have the same depth of relationship with every person. 00:33:05.359 --> 00:33:06.799 That's not realistic. 00:33:06.799 --> 00:33:13.220 But we're oftentimes show we show more intentionality to the people who are easier to connect with. 00:33:13.220 --> 00:33:18.259 And in fact, where we should show more intentionality is where it's more difficult. 00:33:18.420 --> 00:33:20.059 And that's with people we don't know as well. 00:33:20.279 --> 00:33:21.700 That's with people we're not as close. 00:33:21.980 --> 00:33:23.660 And you know what a great place to do that is in? 00:33:24.240 --> 00:33:25.039 The home. 00:33:26.140 --> 00:33:26.620 The home. 00:33:27.440 --> 00:33:27.900 Number four. 00:33:28.259 --> 00:33:30.960 Hospitality is required for eldership and widow support. 00:33:31.620 --> 00:33:31.799 Okay? 00:33:32.319 --> 00:33:36.559 An overseer, 1 Timothy 3.2, must be hospitable. 00:33:37.400 --> 00:33:37.640 Okay? 00:33:38.460 --> 00:33:41.519 An elder, someone aspiring to eldership, needs to be hospitable. 00:33:41.519 --> 00:33:49.539 And one of the reasons that's important is because very rarely will you ever see a church rise above the example set by their leadership. 00:33:50.940 --> 00:33:53.180 It very often trickles down. 00:33:53.319 --> 00:33:59.240 And so if we want to have a hospitable culture, which God knows is necessary to have a true spiritual family, 00:33:59.759 --> 00:34:02.740 the leaders of that church need to be hospitable. 00:34:02.960 --> 00:34:06.299 And I have been in churches where the leaders were not hospitable. 00:34:06.299 --> 00:34:13.840 And it was like pulling teeth to try to get that church to be more familial in their hospitality and homes. 00:34:14.300 --> 00:34:16.659 It's just no matter how hard you tried, you couldn't get it. 00:34:16.699 --> 00:34:16.880 Why? 00:34:17.119 --> 00:34:19.960 Because it wasn't coming from the top down. 00:34:20.079 --> 00:34:20.980 It wasn't coming from the leadership. 00:34:21.800 --> 00:34:22.940 And they weren't doing it. 00:34:23.099 --> 00:34:25.159 And so other people are like, well, they're not doing it. 00:34:25.199 --> 00:34:25.900 I'm not going to do it. 00:34:25.900 --> 00:34:32.220 And then you just have this like lingo of family without the experience, which is very disillusioning. 00:34:33.660 --> 00:34:35.400 Titus 1.7 says the same thing. 00:34:35.480 --> 00:34:37.039 An overseer must be hospitable. 00:34:37.760 --> 00:34:43.119 And then 1 Timothy 5 talks about the widows who are enrolled and being cared for by the church. 00:34:43.740 --> 00:34:44.820 What was one of the requirements? 00:34:46.000 --> 00:34:48.539 That she has shown hospitality. 00:34:49.079 --> 00:34:50.220 She has shown hospitality. 00:34:50.219 --> 00:35:00.480 Apparently, whether it's a man you should aspire to be or a woman you should aspire to be, both of them should be someone who is hospitable. 00:35:01.619 --> 00:35:10.399 Masculinity, femininity should have in the quintessential kind of goal of what it means to be a man, goal of what it means to be a woman, should be showing hospitality. 00:35:10.539 --> 00:35:12.059 This is neither masculine nor feminine. 00:35:12.500 --> 00:35:14.039 It is godly. 00:35:14.859 --> 00:35:15.000 Okay? 00:35:15.639 --> 00:35:18.059 Number five, hospitality acquires sacrifice. 00:35:18.059 --> 00:35:22.779 The verse I read before, 1 Peter 4.9 says, show hospitality without grumbling. 00:35:23.639 --> 00:35:23.779 Okay? 00:35:24.299 --> 00:35:28.219 Well, why do people grumble when they're required to show hospitality? 00:35:28.559 --> 00:35:29.559 Because it costs. 00:35:30.420 --> 00:35:31.079 It costs. 00:35:31.139 --> 00:35:31.539 What does it cost? 00:35:31.599 --> 00:35:32.159 It costs time. 00:35:32.500 --> 00:35:33.299 It costs money. 00:35:33.519 --> 00:35:34.219 It costs food. 00:35:34.699 --> 00:35:36.059 It costs your personal space. 00:35:36.539 --> 00:35:36.900 Right? 00:35:37.420 --> 00:35:39.900 It costs people overstaying their welcome sometimes. 00:35:40.340 --> 00:35:44.380 It costs people breaking things, messing up things, consuming things. 00:35:44.940 --> 00:35:45.940 It costs... 00:35:45.940 --> 00:35:47.579 It costs... 00:35:48.059 --> 00:35:49.739 That's why it says don't do it with grumbling. 00:35:50.340 --> 00:35:51.199 Count the cost. 00:35:52.199 --> 00:35:53.519 Hebrews 13.6. 00:35:54.519 --> 00:36:01.279 It says, do not neglect to do good and to share what you have, for such sacrifices are pleasing to God. 00:36:01.500 --> 00:36:02.299 Well, what do you have? 00:36:02.340 --> 00:36:02.840 Do you have a home? 00:36:03.759 --> 00:36:04.259 Share it. 00:36:04.980 --> 00:36:07.219 And you say, well, this is so sacrificial. 00:36:07.219 --> 00:36:07.779 Yes. 00:36:07.779 --> 00:36:08.779 Yes, it is. 00:36:09.500 --> 00:36:10.399 And guess what? 00:36:10.779 --> 00:36:12.459 God is pleased with that sacrifice. 00:36:12.899 --> 00:36:16.779 The sharing of your home is a sacrifice that is pleasing to God. 00:36:17.739 --> 00:36:18.359 Two more. 00:36:18.500 --> 00:36:18.919 Number six. 00:36:19.159 --> 00:36:21.879 Hospitality is an attitude of the home and the heart. 00:36:21.880 --> 00:36:27.200 You ever hear the phrase, home is where the heart is. 00:36:27.380 --> 00:36:27.500 Right? 00:36:28.079 --> 00:36:28.940 Home is where the heart is. 00:36:29.059 --> 00:36:29.220 Okay. 00:36:30.079 --> 00:36:31.640 2 Corinthians 6.11-13. 00:36:31.820 --> 00:36:33.840 He says, we've spoken freely to you, Corinthians. 00:36:34.380 --> 00:36:36.200 Our heart is wide open. 00:36:36.660 --> 00:36:39.720 You are not restricted by us, but you are restricted in your own affections. 00:36:40.119 --> 00:36:42.340 In return, I speak as two children. 00:36:42.539 --> 00:36:43.720 There's that familial language. 00:36:44.280 --> 00:36:45.500 Widen your hearts also. 00:36:45.500 --> 00:36:51.440 So if you have an open home, but a closed heart, no, that's not working. 00:36:52.480 --> 00:36:54.059 It's not a good experience. 00:36:54.780 --> 00:36:55.000 Why? 00:36:55.340 --> 00:36:58.800 Because it's hospitality, but it's not familial hospitality. 00:36:59.340 --> 00:37:04.320 Familial home hospitality says, I speak as two children, opens wide hearts. 00:37:05.099 --> 00:37:05.280 Okay? 00:37:06.119 --> 00:37:08.860 That means transparency and vulnerability. 00:37:09.199 --> 00:37:12.179 Transparency is like an open window, letting people see in. 00:37:12.179 --> 00:37:15.919 And vulnerability is one step further in opening the door and letting them come in and speak 00:37:15.919 --> 00:37:17.460 into those things they see through the window. 00:37:18.539 --> 00:37:22.419 Some people say, oh yeah, I'm really, I'm wide open. 00:37:23.059 --> 00:37:28.659 And really what it means is you have lifted the blinds and you let people see in, but you 00:37:28.659 --> 00:37:31.539 have five locks on the door and you ain't letting anybody come in. 00:37:32.079 --> 00:37:32.480 Okay? 00:37:32.519 --> 00:37:33.619 So you're not really open. 00:37:33.799 --> 00:37:38.199 You're transparent, but a true person who's open is both transparent and vulnerable. 00:37:38.639 --> 00:37:42.139 Vulnerability means you open the door and let them in to speak into your life. 00:37:42.899 --> 00:37:43.019 Okay? 00:37:43.460 --> 00:37:45.940 And that's true hospitality. 00:37:46.099 --> 00:37:49.059 Not just opening up your home, but opening up your heart. 00:37:49.639 --> 00:37:51.859 And so, again, they feel so much more comfortable. 00:37:52.819 --> 00:37:58.539 Later in 2 Corinthians 7, in the next chapter, 2 to 3, it says, make room in your hearts for 00:37:58.539 --> 00:37:58.879 us. 00:37:59.359 --> 00:38:01.879 You are in our hearts to die together and to live together. 00:38:02.279 --> 00:38:02.440 Okay? 00:38:02.699 --> 00:38:03.839 Make room in your hearts. 00:38:04.099 --> 00:38:05.359 Don't just make room in your home. 00:38:05.679 --> 00:38:06.859 Make room in your hearts as well. 00:38:07.179 --> 00:38:08.279 Lastly, number seven. 00:38:09.079 --> 00:38:12.000 Hospitality, practicality is the golden rule. 00:38:13.059 --> 00:38:13.879 Luke 6, 31. 00:38:14.099 --> 00:38:18.079 As you wish that others would do to you, so do to them. 00:38:18.599 --> 00:38:18.839 Okay? 00:38:19.059 --> 00:38:21.539 The whole law is fulfilled and you should love your neighbors yourself. 00:38:21.639 --> 00:38:21.799 Right? 00:38:22.059 --> 00:38:24.659 As you wish others would do to you, do so to them. 00:38:24.659 --> 00:38:26.579 So, if you're wondering, how do I show good hospitality? 00:38:26.719 --> 00:38:29.679 Well, what do you like when you're at someone else's house? 00:38:29.759 --> 00:38:31.519 What makes you feel comfortable? 00:38:31.659 --> 00:38:33.139 Makes you feel blessed? 00:38:33.940 --> 00:38:34.960 Makes you feel welcome? 00:38:35.119 --> 00:38:38.679 Makes you feel safe and secure and like you belong? 00:38:39.460 --> 00:38:40.980 As, think about that. 00:38:41.579 --> 00:38:43.839 But don't just think about you because you're different than other people. 00:38:43.960 --> 00:38:45.920 And so, some of the stuff you like, other people don't like. 00:38:46.339 --> 00:38:48.980 And if you only do what you like, then it's kind of selfish. 00:38:49.079 --> 00:38:50.920 It's like, oh, why don't they like that? 00:38:50.920 --> 00:38:52.519 Well, they're not into the same thing as you. 00:38:52.840 --> 00:38:55.380 So, you're going to go a step further and say, what would they like? 00:38:56.539 --> 00:38:58.460 Seek not only your own interests, but the interests of others. 00:38:59.500 --> 00:38:59.740 Okay? 00:38:59.739 --> 00:39:05.000 So, what are some practicals in this as we wrap this up? 00:39:06.599 --> 00:39:09.719 Well, making good food and drink is just a real easy one. 00:39:10.159 --> 00:39:10.279 Right? 00:39:10.959 --> 00:39:16.319 People just open up and feel more comfortable around some good food and drink. 00:39:17.019 --> 00:39:19.239 I think the people in the South call this comfort food. 00:39:19.599 --> 00:39:19.659 Right? 00:39:20.399 --> 00:39:21.719 Good food and drink. 00:39:23.199 --> 00:39:23.919 Another one. 00:39:24.019 --> 00:39:26.639 Don't be intimidated by big families in your small home. 00:39:26.959 --> 00:39:27.659 Take it on. 00:39:27.659 --> 00:39:29.339 Take it on. 00:39:29.639 --> 00:39:29.799 Right? 00:39:30.379 --> 00:39:35.099 Some of the most hospitable experiences I've ever had in my life were in the smallest spaces. 00:39:35.519 --> 00:39:39.259 One of them being in a one-bedroom house in Mexico. 00:39:39.639 --> 00:39:42.779 And when I say one bedroom, I mean one room, not one bedroom. 00:39:42.940 --> 00:39:47.559 I mean, it was just four walls, a metal roof that we replaced. 00:39:48.219 --> 00:39:49.299 And I don't even think they had a door. 00:39:49.579 --> 00:39:51.119 But there was an opening. 00:39:51.379 --> 00:39:52.719 There's no door, I don't think. 00:39:52.719 --> 00:39:55.799 And they were extremely hospitable. 00:39:56.460 --> 00:39:57.420 Extremely hospitable. 00:39:58.399 --> 00:40:00.019 And there was a lot of people there. 00:40:00.599 --> 00:40:04.199 So it's like, you could easily say, ah, you don't need to have anybody in there. 00:40:04.739 --> 00:40:06.019 Your house is too small. 00:40:06.420 --> 00:40:10.059 And you'd say, yeah, I agree that their house is a little small on the small side. 00:40:10.619 --> 00:40:11.579 It's one room. 00:40:11.759 --> 00:40:11.960 Right? 00:40:12.599 --> 00:40:14.279 And yet they were still able to do it. 00:40:14.559 --> 00:40:16.440 How could they possibly do this? 00:40:17.500 --> 00:40:19.039 Listen, the size of it. 00:40:19.039 --> 00:40:23.679 There's not one place in the Bible that says the size of your house means you can't be hospitable. 00:40:24.279 --> 00:40:26.799 And yet in many people's heads is that very phrase. 00:40:27.699 --> 00:40:30.219 The size of my house means I can't be hospitable. 00:40:30.839 --> 00:40:31.239 Hogwash. 00:40:31.839 --> 00:40:32.699 That's not true. 00:40:33.500 --> 00:40:34.460 It's not true. 00:40:34.460 --> 00:40:38.099 And I've known it by my many experience. 00:40:39.300 --> 00:40:42.780 And weirdly enough, a lot of big homes I felt have been more cold. 00:40:43.780 --> 00:40:44.720 Now, that doesn't mean it has to be. 00:40:44.780 --> 00:40:46.559 I've been in some big homes that have been very warm as well. 00:40:47.219 --> 00:40:51.940 But, I mean, we've got to get over this thing that it has to be a small, it has to be a big home. 00:40:52.259 --> 00:40:52.360 Okay? 00:40:53.460 --> 00:40:53.980 Another practical. 00:40:54.119 --> 00:40:55.079 Make meaningful memories. 00:40:55.179 --> 00:40:56.199 We talked about this before. 00:40:56.320 --> 00:40:58.320 But, man, think and brainstorm. 00:40:58.480 --> 00:40:59.799 How can I make a meaningful memories? 00:40:59.980 --> 00:41:02.920 Without being contrived, like where it's really weird and, like, forced. 00:41:03.639 --> 00:41:03.840 Okay? 00:41:04.199 --> 00:41:05.619 Be naturally familial. 00:41:05.619 --> 00:41:12.599 And, you know, the great way to do this is to figure out who's the people who've created these in your life and learn from them. 00:41:12.940 --> 00:41:16.739 If you're just a contributor or a consumer or anything, I want to be more of a creator. 00:41:17.519 --> 00:41:20.900 Look at someone who is a good creator of family and say, what do they do? 00:41:21.539 --> 00:41:22.539 Heck, even ask them. 00:41:23.079 --> 00:41:23.239 Right? 00:41:23.339 --> 00:41:24.359 Even ask them what they do. 00:41:25.000 --> 00:41:28.139 Create an atmosphere of belonging where people feel like they belong. 00:41:28.460 --> 00:41:28.639 Okay? 00:41:28.880 --> 00:41:30.039 Make people feel welcome. 00:41:30.139 --> 00:41:31.460 Make people feel like they belong. 00:41:32.559 --> 00:41:33.519 Count the cost. 00:41:34.219 --> 00:41:35.079 Count the cost. 00:41:35.079 --> 00:41:37.179 Otherwise, you're not going to last for the long haul. 00:41:37.480 --> 00:41:38.699 Know that it's going to cost time. 00:41:38.799 --> 00:41:39.840 It's going to cost money. 00:41:40.139 --> 00:41:44.199 You might get less sleep because people don't leave, you know, maybe when you would want them to. 00:41:46.259 --> 00:41:46.659 Comfort. 00:41:47.319 --> 00:41:47.719 Privacy. 00:41:48.860 --> 00:41:49.039 Okay? 00:41:51.400 --> 00:41:52.159 A few more. 00:41:52.420 --> 00:41:54.319 Love trumps ideals and perfection. 00:41:54.779 --> 00:41:54.960 Okay? 00:41:55.319 --> 00:41:57.059 Love trumps ideals and perfection. 00:41:57.199 --> 00:41:57.920 Including home size. 00:41:58.039 --> 00:42:00.299 But love trumps ideals and perfection. 00:42:00.299 --> 00:42:03.199 So you might say, well, it would be really ideal if I had a nicer bathroom. 00:42:03.340 --> 00:42:04.980 It would be really ideal if I had a bigger living room. 00:42:05.079 --> 00:42:07.719 It would be really ideal if I had an updated kitchen. 00:42:08.239 --> 00:42:09.639 Yeah, but you know what's really ideal? 00:42:09.779 --> 00:42:10.099 Love. 00:42:11.659 --> 00:42:12.019 Love. 00:42:12.299 --> 00:42:14.199 Love covers over a multitude of wrongs. 00:42:16.779 --> 00:42:18.500 Okay, here's another really important one. 00:42:18.559 --> 00:42:19.219 Listen to me on this. 00:42:19.880 --> 00:42:22.779 Uncomfortable hosts make uncomfortable guests. 00:42:24.920 --> 00:42:27.739 Uncomfortable hosts make uncomfortable guests. 00:42:27.739 --> 00:42:28.559 What do I mean by that? 00:42:28.959 --> 00:42:43.379 When you can tell that the host is uncomfortable, they're insecure, they're a little weird, and then hosting a house, you can tell they don't really, it's like, doing this, but half smile, you know, kind of like, but I don't really like it. 00:42:43.380 --> 00:42:45.039 I don't really want these people in my house. 00:42:45.039 --> 00:42:47.240 You know, it's like, do you feel comfortable? 00:42:47.380 --> 00:42:48.500 No, you don't feel comfortable. 00:42:48.599 --> 00:42:50.019 You're like, ah, let's get out of here. 00:42:50.640 --> 00:42:52.500 You know, you don't, that's not comfortable. 00:42:52.640 --> 00:42:58.500 But when they feel relaxed and they feel at home with having you in their home, you feel comfortable. 00:42:58.500 --> 00:43:06.219 And so, if you're insecure, if you're having a hard time with it, you got to figure out a way to get over that because your guests will feel that. 00:43:06.340 --> 00:43:06.659 They do. 00:43:06.920 --> 00:43:08.280 That's just how it works, right? 00:43:08.800 --> 00:43:10.960 Uncomfortable hosts make uncomfortable guests. 00:43:11.519 --> 00:43:13.420 Comfortable hosts make comfortable guests. 00:43:14.820 --> 00:43:18.199 Be like Mary. 00:43:18.320 --> 00:43:20.079 Be a good listener, right? 00:43:20.420 --> 00:43:23.420 Which also means be a good question asker, okay? 00:43:23.539 --> 00:43:24.519 Ask good questions. 00:43:25.099 --> 00:43:28.480 Tell you what, some people are bad at hospitality because they are horrible questions. 00:43:28.500 --> 00:43:31.039 They don't know what to ask. 00:43:31.119 --> 00:43:32.260 They don't ask anything really. 00:43:33.000 --> 00:43:34.719 They don't get the conversation going. 00:43:34.900 --> 00:43:36.280 Learn how to ask good questions. 00:43:37.139 --> 00:43:40.099 And lastly, the practicals, love people's kids, okay? 00:43:40.719 --> 00:43:43.280 When you love people's kids, it makes them feel welcome and at home. 00:43:43.719 --> 00:43:44.639 You get down to your level. 00:43:44.780 --> 00:43:48.199 Sometimes you got to get down on your knee and talk to them at their level. 00:43:48.460 --> 00:43:49.280 Have fun with them. 00:43:49.340 --> 00:43:50.099 Have toys for them. 00:43:50.179 --> 00:43:51.840 Just enjoy people's kids. 00:43:52.000 --> 00:43:53.699 Know your friends' kids' names. 00:43:54.300 --> 00:43:55.460 Have conversations with them. 00:43:55.519 --> 00:43:57.760 Don't just act like they're a nuisance and they're not part of it. 00:43:57.760 --> 00:44:00.860 But nobody feels like family when kids aren't included. 00:44:01.360 --> 00:44:03.620 Family includes kids, right? 00:44:03.980 --> 00:44:06.380 And healthy families value kids. 00:44:06.480 --> 00:44:09.960 They don't idolize kids, but they value kids, okay? 00:44:12.160 --> 00:44:16.260 Before we conclude, don't forget the other side of hosting, okay? 00:44:16.460 --> 00:44:17.520 What's the other side of hosting? 00:44:17.980 --> 00:44:19.420 Being the one who's being hosted. 00:44:20.000 --> 00:44:23.280 There is a way to be considerate in our being hosted, 00:44:23.280 --> 00:44:26.960 and there's a way to be inconsiderate, okay? 00:44:27.180 --> 00:44:31.060 So basically doing our part not to make hospitality a burden for the host. 00:44:32.420 --> 00:44:33.160 Sharing the burden. 00:44:33.320 --> 00:44:34.340 Hey, can I bring something? 00:44:35.540 --> 00:44:38.400 You know, helping maybe clean up after a meal. 00:44:39.300 --> 00:44:40.660 Cleaning up after your kids. 00:44:40.659 --> 00:44:45.819 You know, you make it really hard to not grumble when all the kids come over. 00:44:45.859 --> 00:44:46.859 They just trash your house. 00:44:47.139 --> 00:44:50.980 There's no instruction to clean things up, and then you're out of there, okay? 00:44:51.559 --> 00:44:56.059 Avoid inconsiderate hospitality consumption, okay? 00:44:56.359 --> 00:44:59.460 Avoid inconsiderate hospitality consumption. 00:44:59.460 --> 00:45:01.000 So what are some practices of that? 00:45:01.059 --> 00:45:04.159 Well, one of them would be, think about how late you're staying. 00:45:04.820 --> 00:45:06.740 Does the person have to get up early the next day? 00:45:07.780 --> 00:45:09.559 Have we stayed for a long time? 00:45:10.360 --> 00:45:11.360 You know, what time do we start? 00:45:11.440 --> 00:45:12.559 Oh, we came over for breakfast. 00:45:12.740 --> 00:45:13.440 What time is it? 00:45:13.699 --> 00:45:14.599 6 p.m. 00:45:14.699 --> 00:45:16.440 Oh, that's probably a little late, you know? 00:45:16.599 --> 00:45:17.740 They probably didn't expect that. 00:45:17.840 --> 00:45:20.139 Do they have other things to do? 00:45:20.639 --> 00:45:22.519 Now, it's one thing if the person says, 00:45:22.619 --> 00:45:24.960 hey, we'd like you to stay, that's different. 00:45:25.539 --> 00:45:28.679 But if they didn't, we have to, like, be self-aware enough to realize, 00:45:28.679 --> 00:45:31.719 hey, I want to be, they have other priorities, 00:45:31.859 --> 00:45:33.079 they have other things they have to do. 00:45:33.159 --> 00:45:35.599 Maybe they have to get up early, all those kind of things, okay? 00:45:35.779 --> 00:45:38.000 Same thing if you have kids, okay? 00:45:38.659 --> 00:45:43.819 The Bible says that a child left to his own brings shame to the mother, right? 00:45:44.399 --> 00:45:49.219 Sometimes people can be so into enjoying the hospitality at someone's house, 00:45:49.279 --> 00:45:50.419 they forget they have kids. 00:45:51.019 --> 00:45:52.179 I brought a kid here. 00:45:52.239 --> 00:45:53.440 I forgot about that, you know? 00:45:54.099 --> 00:45:56.639 And it's like, hey, this isn't your home, 00:45:56.919 --> 00:45:58.639 and there's a lot of strange things. 00:45:58.679 --> 00:46:00.159 And the kids could be getting into things, 00:46:00.159 --> 00:46:05.539 so we have to make sure that we're not letting the kids just be left to their own 00:46:05.539 --> 00:46:06.519 and just do whatever. 00:46:07.000 --> 00:46:07.859 We have to keep an eye on them. 00:46:07.980 --> 00:46:09.440 We have to be intent on it. 00:46:09.480 --> 00:46:13.480 That's good consideration to someone who opened up their home, 00:46:13.879 --> 00:46:14.579 that you would say, you know, 00:46:14.639 --> 00:46:18.000 I want to make sure that the kids don't do things that are inappropriate. 00:46:18.319 --> 00:46:20.179 I want to make sure, you know, we're not going to jump in the couch, 00:46:20.579 --> 00:46:22.219 but we jump in the couch at our house. 00:46:22.359 --> 00:46:25.359 Well, but that's not usually kosher in most everybody else's house, 00:46:25.360 --> 00:46:27.620 especially when you have a bunch of mud on your feet, okay? 00:46:27.820 --> 00:46:28.740 It's a whole other thing. 00:46:30.420 --> 00:46:32.760 Certain rooms, you're not going to let your kids in. 00:46:32.840 --> 00:46:34.760 Certain things, you're not going to let your kids play with. 00:46:35.180 --> 00:46:36.860 You're considered of the rules of the home. 00:46:37.160 --> 00:46:39.519 When was the last time you had your kids over to a house, 00:46:39.559 --> 00:46:42.500 and you asked the host, what are the rules in this home? 00:46:42.539 --> 00:46:43.539 Is there anything I need to know of? 00:46:44.000 --> 00:46:47.720 They might say, well, we just ask that all food stays in the kitchen or the dining room, 00:46:47.780 --> 00:46:50.380 that you don't eat brownies downstairs. 00:46:50.380 --> 00:46:57.460 In fact, we have kind of a maybe now it's not so secret agreement in our home 00:46:57.460 --> 00:47:00.280 that we don't serve brownies when we have a bunch of people over with kids 00:47:00.280 --> 00:47:02.760 because brownies end up going into every room. 00:47:02.880 --> 00:47:05.920 They end up falling on the ground, and then they end up going into the carpet, 00:47:06.119 --> 00:47:08.460 and it's just, you know, just one of those off-limit things. 00:47:08.619 --> 00:47:10.980 And brownies are great, but we just don't serve them usually, okay? 00:47:11.079 --> 00:47:13.660 So you have these different rules, right? 00:47:13.700 --> 00:47:14.700 But just ask, what's the rule? 00:47:14.780 --> 00:47:16.900 Someone might say, we just had someone's house last night, 00:47:16.900 --> 00:47:21.200 and they always grew up that when you come into their house, you take off your shoes. 00:47:21.360 --> 00:47:22.420 I didn't grow up in a house like that. 00:47:22.460 --> 00:47:23.280 We always wore our shoes. 00:47:23.680 --> 00:47:24.940 But in this house, you took them off. 00:47:25.240 --> 00:47:28.200 So I always wear my shoes in my house, but I go over to their house, you know what I do? 00:47:28.700 --> 00:47:29.660 I take my shoes off. 00:47:30.320 --> 00:47:31.720 Why? Because I'm trying to be considerate. 00:47:31.800 --> 00:47:35.539 I want them to not be thinking, oh, why is he wearing his shoes? 00:47:35.660 --> 00:47:37.099 Like, so rude, you know? 00:47:38.039 --> 00:47:39.160 And you might say, that's not rude. 00:47:39.160 --> 00:47:40.599 Well, in their home it is. 00:47:40.860 --> 00:47:42.420 So you respect the rules of the home. 00:47:42.500 --> 00:47:43.980 You ask what the rules of the home are. 00:47:44.280 --> 00:47:45.320 There's a consideration there. 00:47:46.200 --> 00:47:50.620 Anyways, with all this, I just want us to think as a church. 00:47:50.720 --> 00:47:54.220 I think as a church, we could think more intently, especially on the front end. 00:47:54.860 --> 00:47:59.300 We're one year into this church to think, okay, what is the culture we want to build? 00:48:00.000 --> 00:48:02.720 There's parts of our culture where the cement is still wet, 00:48:02.780 --> 00:48:06.840 and I think it's really important to infuse into the foundation of our culture 00:48:06.840 --> 00:48:12.000 that we have a hospitable, a familial home hospitable culture, 00:48:12.360 --> 00:48:18.660 where our homes are used in such a way to be hospitable and to create a sense and experience of family. 00:48:19.019 --> 00:48:21.019 And that's going to require some intentionality. 00:48:21.140 --> 00:48:24.900 It's going to require some planning, some stewardship, some thoughts, some questions, 00:48:25.300 --> 00:48:28.880 some prayer, and a lot of cost, right? 00:48:28.880 --> 00:48:32.079 But it'll be worth it because when that's into the culture of a church, 00:48:32.380 --> 00:48:34.640 it's cautious as much as it's taught. 00:48:35.619 --> 00:48:40.640 And it creates a welcoming environment that is consistent with the gospel of Jesus Christ. 00:48:40.740 --> 00:48:41.740 This is what we're aiming at. 00:48:42.200 --> 00:48:44.059 Welcome others as he has welcomed you. 00:48:44.300 --> 00:48:44.519 Amen? 00:48:45.320 --> 00:48:45.800 Amen. 00:48:45.800 --> 00:48:45.980 Amen. 00:48:45.980 --> 00:48:46.059 Amen. 00:48:46.059 --> 00:48:46.059 00:48:46.059 --> 00:48:46.059 00:48:46.059 --> 00:48:46.059 00:48:46.059 --> 00:48:46.059 00:48:46.059 --> 00:48:46.059 00:48:46.059 --> 00:48:46.059 00:48:46.059 --> 00:48:46.059