Why Hospitality?

Rom 12:13 When God's children are in need, you be the one to help them out. And get into the habit of inviting guests home for dinner or, if they need lodging, for the night. TLB
1 Peter 4:9 Cheerfully share your home with those who need a meal or a place to stay for the night. TLB

1 Tim 3:2 A bishop then must be blameless, the husband of one wife, vigilant, sober, of good behaviour, given to hospitality, apt to teach; KJV Titus 1:8 They must enjoy having guests in their homes and must love all that is good. They must be sensible men, and fair. They must be clean minded and level headed. TLB

Hospitality – philoxenos (fil-ox'-en-os); from philos; fond of guests, i.e. hospitable: KJV - given to or lover of hospitality, entertain strangers, “lover of strangers”.

The elder Apostle Paul writes to the younger minister Timothy giving him instructions on the qualifications of ordained church leaders. He lists over a dozen various characteristics that are required if these leaders would be ordained to minister to members under their oversight. In the midst of the several points Paul inserts the characteristic of hospitality. For years, that seemed completely out of place to me. It just did not appear to be a “spiritual” matter! Upon further reflection, this quality does very much reflect upon the “spiritual” nature of a believer or minister.

In the modern day church most of what a pastor or minister does takes place either from behind a pulpit or within the confines of church related activities. Hospitality is literally “out of sight” from the public eye. By the way, the church members are not free from this biblical requirement just because they are not ordained ministers. Peter was speaking to the church body rather than just the ministry as he urged them to be ready to share a meal or to provide a place to stay to those who were in need of such.

Hospitality in the Old Testament

In biblical times it was believed to be a sacred duty to receive, feed, lodge, and protect any traveler who might stop at one's door. The stranger was treated as a guest, and men who had thus eaten together were bound to each other by the strongest ties of friendship. (The New Unger's Bible Dictionary) Suffering Job was able to declare in Job 31:32 but no stranger had to spend the night in the street, for my door was always open to the traveler- NIV In Genesis 18:1-8 we read of Abraham’s hospitality toward the three “strangers” who passed by his tent. As a result of his kindness to these angels from God he obtained the promise of the birth of his promised seed, Isaac. He was also given the opportunity to intercede directly with God for the life of his nephew Lot and his family before the destruction of Sodom.

In Genesis 19:1-3 we see Lot extending similar hospitality to two men who were probably two of the three his Uncle Abraham entertained previously. Abraham sent his servant back to his clan to find a wife for Isaac. In Gen 24 Rebekah shows warm hospitality to the servant she had never met before when she gave him a drink of water and drew for all camels. Then she invited him to come to the house of her brother Laban. Many other examples could be cited.
Isa 58:7 I want you to share your food with the hungry and bring right into your own homes those who are helpless, poor, and destitute. Clothe those who are cold, and don't hide from relatives who need your help. TLB

New Testament Hospitality

Luke 14:12 Then Jesus said to his host, "When you give a luncheon or dinner, do not invite your friends, your brothers or relatives, or your rich neighbors; if you do, they may invite you back and so you will be repaid. 13 But when you give a banquet, invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, the blind, 14 and you will be blessed. Although they cannot repay you, you will be repaid at the resurrection of the righteous." NIV

The test of a New Testament widow being cared for by the church included the question of hospitality. 1 Tim 5:10 She must be well thought of by everyone because of the good she has done. Has she brought up her children well? Has she been kind to strangers as well as to other Christians? Has she helped those who are sick and hurt? Is she always ready to show kindness? TLB Heb 13:2 Be not forgetful to entertain strangers: for thereby some have entertained angels unawares. KJV

What about Today?

“Well, things have changed since Bible times!” We hear that all the time. No more miracles. No more of members of the church body sharing with others. 1 Cor 12:25 so that there should be no division in the body, but that its parts should have equal concern for each other. 26 If one part suffers, every part suffers with it; if one part is honored, every part rejoices with it. NIV That is now only a biblical principle, not to be taken literally, we are told. Acts 2:44 And all that believed were together, and had all things common; 45 And sold their possessions and goods, and parted them to all men, as every man had need. KJV Acts 4:32 And the multitude of them that believed were of one heart and of one soul: neither said any of them that ought of the things which he possessed was his own; but they had all things common. KJV

Several years ago when I taught on the two references in the Book of Acts someone told me to require that of the modern day church is like practicing communism. I was told that times have changed and that God never really “required” that of the early church. They just did it on a personal voluntary basis. The problem I have is that Jesus is the same “yesterday, today and forever” and we preach about the growth and power of the New Testament Church, but many do not want to pay the price that the early believers did. That could be why we don’t see the same results that they did then. I have just one word of caution to those who say such things. Persecution has frequently caused God’s people to rise up spiritually and band together. I believe that principle has not changed. If we will not love, feed, visit or cover our brothers then the Father may find it necessary to give today’s church some new motivation!

Personal Application

When we first moved to Korea for ministry nearly 40 years ago many regions and parts of society had not yet fully recovered from the Korean War. A large number of our early church members owned only one set of clothing. It was washed at night, dried on the heated floor (Ondol) and worn fresh the next day. On several occasions we visited Korean pastors homes and were served the last portion of rice that they had in their kitchen. It was a humbling experience to receive that kind of hospitality. While conducting a revival near the southern coast I was invited to an early morning breakfast by a church widow. Later I learned she arose at 3:00am to feed me and gave me her last chicken to eat. That was hard!

We too struggled with very limited funds from our church hdqrs. We were the first sent to that nation and little was known by them about the true cost of living and daily expenses. I can truthfully say that we suffered as a family while ministering there. We could only afford to eat beef twice a month. Sharon tells me that was less than 500 grams (1 lb) of meat. But we were required by God to turn around and share what we had with the many people who came to our home. Sharon did amazing things with little food and not much money to buy it. She is still doing the same things with food 40 years later.

After we arrived in Korea we came in contact with US military men and young Korean men who came to visit our home. In those days the government imposed a midnight curfew due to the dangers of North Korean infiltrators. So everyone had to be off the street by midnight or be arrested. One night some servicemen and a young Korean minister were visiting with us. Time passed and soon it was too late for them to get home safely by the curfew deadline. I invited them to spend the night sleeping on blankets on the heated floor. The Korean man got tears in his eyes when I told them to spend the night. He explained that no missionary in his denomination ever asked him to sleep in their home. I told him it was just “normal” and that he was welcome any time. Later he helped me with the strategy for establishing our first local church in Korea. Some years later he moved to Hawaii. While there he saw a sign to a local COGOP congregation. He contacted the pastor, Larry Biggers. He asked Bro Biggers if he knew me to which he replied in the affirmative. Over the next weeks Bro Biggers learned that my Korean minister friend was separated from his wife. By God’s Grace and a lot of love Bro Biggers was used to help restore the marriage of my Korean friend. My simple action of kind hospitality brought help in planting a local church and later on restoring a marriage.

Not all the results of hospitality are seen immediately. But, the regular practice of biblically based hospitality is probably one of the most powerful and effective sermons that anyone could ever preach! It cannot be recorded on a denominational monthly report. It cannot be put on a financial spreadsheet. It can’t be contained in a Podcast or streamed live on the Internet. In most cases it cannot be practiced in the church building. In truth it should take place in the privacy of our own homes. Even our church orphanages though a great and needed ministry cannot take the place of believers and ministers opening up their homes, hearts and pocketbooks to those God brings into their lives. We can use the media in every format to share the Good News. Beautiful buildings can be built in many nations to gather people to hear the Gospel. That is great, but there are those who will only listen to what we have to say after they experience God’s Love through the truly unselfish actions of opening our doors to those who are in need.

In closing, I think part of our problem today with hospitality is in honest mistakes in perception. We think someone needs to be in rags and homeless before hospitality can take place. That is wrong most of the time. In the New Testament this principle seems to be directed much toward our brothers and sisters in the faith as well as to true strangers. In recent weeks, in Japan God has opened the hearts of many mid 30’s Japanese young ladies to the Gospel. As I write this Sharon is downstairs praying and counseling with a believer and a 33 year old mother who has been seeking the way to God. She meets Sharon once a week. She cannot come to church on Sunday because of her husband. Last night we hosted 8 ladies for a Burrito Christmas party and impromptu birthday party. Each of them are employed and some drive cars much newer and nicer than ours. But, God has directed us to open both our hearts and homes to them. It seems the more willing we are to share what we have in our home and hearts they seem to be more open to hear what we have to say about God’s Love!

May God bless you as you open your home and heart to those in need!

Dan & Sharon Corbett
“Reaching One Among Millions”

P.S. The 33 year old mother did accept Jesus Christ as her personal savior tonight. Thank you for standing with us and praying. Please keep it up!