Hi First Presbyterian Church,
It’s time for our Mid-Week Meet-Up! We had to postpone welcoming seven new members into our congregation because of the weather-related building closure on January 25. However, we will be welcoming those seven new people into our membership this Sunday at the 10:00 am service. I hope you’ll be there to celebrate!
In my Wednesday night Bible study, we’re studying Paul’s letter to Titus. It’s a brief but fascinating letter that Paul wrote to a pastor (Titus) who was ministering on the island of Crete. I discovered an interesting detail in the letter that I’d like to reflect on with you today.
At the beginning of the letter, we learn that there were apparently Christian communities in various towns throughout Crete. Paul tells Titus to appoint elders to lead each of these churches. He then goes on to describe the qualifications of people Titus should select as elders. One of the qualifications Paul mentions is that elders “must be hospitable” (Titus 1:8). Paul gives this same qualification for elders in his letter to another pastor named Timothy (1 Timothy 3:2). However, this qualification doesn’t extend only to elders or those in church leadership. Paul also tells the whole church in Rome to show hospitality (Romans 12:13). The apostle Peter also tells everyone in the churches in Asia Minor to be hospitable and even adds “without complaining” (1 Peter 4:9). Additionally, the author of the letter to the Hebrews tells the whole church to show hospitality (Hebrews 13:2).
Clearly, hospitality is a hallmark of Christian living. But here’s the thing I discovered that I never noticed before. The Greek word used in the Bible that is translated as “hospitable” is the word philoxenos. “Philo” is a Greek root that is common in many English words that means “love,” as in philosophy (“love of wisdom”), Philadelphia (“love of brother”), and philanthropy (“love of humanity.”) “Xenos” is a Greek root that means “foreigner” or “outsider.” What this means is that biblical hospitality means showing a love for the foreigner. It extends beyond entertaining our friends and relations. It explicitly means welcoming and embracing those we don’t know and those who are from far away.
I encourage you to reflect on how you (as an individual) and we (as a church) are showing a love for those who are foreigners and outsiders. Who are the people in our midst that are foreigners and outsiders? Are our doors open or closed to them? Do they know our doors are open to them? Do we expect them to assume our doors are open, or are we taking the initiative to make it clear by inviting them and making sure they feel at home?
According to the New Testament, answering these questions speaks directly to our Christian faith. I’ll be reflecting on my answers to these questions today. I hope you will, too.
Peace,
Pastor Aaron