Hebrews 13:1-6, 16-17
Luke 14:1, 7-14

An unknown writer suggested the following formula for doing this to the early Christian community as it is recorded in Hebrews 13:

1. Let mutual love continue.
2. Show hospitality to strangers.
3. Remember those in prison.
4. Let marriage be held in honor by all.
5. Keep your lives free from the love of money.

This list is equally important today. Mutual love involves sharing one's self as well as what one possesses. This is not meant to be an occasional effort but one that is never ending.

The Bible may well be one of the earliest books we have on etiquette although it is seldom seen that way. Our primary Gospel lesson in Luke 14 gives us guidelines about where we should sit at a party and whom we should invite as dinner guests when we host a party. The first part is easy for long-time Presbyterians. Given the opportunity we almost always sit in the back at least in church. The second part is a little more difficult because we seldom invite the outcasts of our society to dinner. One reason for this is we do not know them. We seldom encounter them. It is only when we make a conscious effort to be in their midst that we discover what a rich blessing they can be to us once we engage in loving them and working with them to address their needs as well as our own.

Henry Nouwen, the now deceased Roman Catholic priest, professor, author and humanitarian explains that in his native Dutch language the word for hospitality means, "freedom for the guest." Hosts are to help create space where their guests can be themselves in their own unique ways. Nouwen says, "Hospitality means primarily the creation of a free space where the stranger can enter and become a friend instead of an enemy. Hospitality is not to change people, but to offer space where change can take place." I remember another story about Nouwen and a former student of his. The student had come for an unexpected visit only to find Nouwen extremely busy. Fr. Nouwen began to apologize. The student interrupted and asked if he could just quietly be in the room while Nouwen continued his work for as the student shared, "Earlier in our friendship I found that the space between us is holy." Imagine someone just wanting to be near you because your loving presence helped them feel they were in the presence of God. That is a rare and beautiful gift that comes about when the host is someone who continually disciplines herself or himself to be in God's presence. When they invite others into that sacred space the other person begins to sense the Holy.

I believe this is part of the hospitality the Bible says we are to offer. We are to create space into which we invite others so that they can experience the presence of God. My guess is that most of us have never thought of hospitality in that manner. In order to practice this kind of hospitality we have to be in God's presence. What makes this a circular situation is that we most often come into God's presence when we are looking to the needs of others without thought of what might be in it for us.

This concept of caring for others who cannot always care for themselves comes from the Old Testament understanding of covenant love. It is how God acts toward us. Therefore, it is how God expects us to act toward others. Those who are part of the covenant community are to treat each other as family. Since God extends this love to all who are created in God's image there are no individuals or groups of individuals who are to be left out or ignored by us. In fact God's love is always extended as a matter of first priority to those who are the weakest, the most vulnerable, on the fringe and outcasts.

Those who are well off are to consider this as God's blessing not because they are more important or valuable but because they have been chosen to bring love, hope, help and life to those who will not get it without them. According to the Old Testament we are to be in a relationship of kinsman/redeemer. We are to rescue those who are in need. And, when we are not able to keep them from hard times we are to visit them in the midst of their need including when they are in prison.

As we do our mission study of the congregation and community in preparation for determining the leadership skills we need in another pastor we are being asked to identify mission needs in the community and determine which ones we are to address as a matter of first priority. In order to do this we have to become involved in the community in places where we often do not go. We need to become aware of isolated neighborhoods and forgotten individuals. We need to be aware of and involved in the network of social agencies that exist to help the neediest of our neighbors.

We need to do this not only to provide help but to become friends with those in need. We also need to do this to discover the poverty of abundance that affects most of us without our realizing it. The world's standard is to do well and get ahead. God's standard is to walk beside those in need and not leave them in our dust as we scurry by them. In fact, if the situation demands it the hospitality God offers is for us to carry them until they can stand on their own.

God's hospitality is demanding and is not for the timid or faint of heart. It is part of what is involved in being God's people. An image for us to ponder is this: See our church as a hospitality center not for ourselves but for those who are the most forgotten in our society. I think Jesus would like the idea of a church that saw itself this way and acted upon that vision. In fact I believe we would have a much better chance of seeing Jesus face to face if we operated with such a vision.