Romans 12:13—“Contribute to the needs of the saints and seek to show hospitality.”

On June 13th, 1525 Martin Luther and a former Catholic nun named Katherine Von Bora married. During their first week of marriage, Andreas Karlstadt—a frequent adversary of Luther’s—showed up at their door. He had been fleeing a recent battle in the Peasants’ War and was seeking shelter. What do you think Luther did? He invited Karlstadt into his home, and he stayed for eight weeks! For the Luther’s, this was not a random act of kindness. Throughout their marriage, they brought thousands of people into their home. Children, university students, weary travelers, and church members ate around their table, and enjoyed Christian fellowship—all without paying a dime. What led them to be so hospitable? Two things, God commands it, and he also models it.

In Romans 12 Paul describes various marks of a Christian. A person who has received God’s mercy in Christ ought to hate evil and love good, sincerely care for others, be full of joy and patience even in suffering, be constant in prayer, bless those who persecute them, and be peaceable, humble, and forgiving. In view of God’s saving grace, they should not allow themselves to be overcome by evil but instead overcome evil with good. However, nestled within these various marks of a Christian, Paul proclaims, “13 seek to show hospitality.” As Christians, it is something we are called to pursue. It’s an expression of love for the church and for those outside our walls. We are to intentionally look and plan for opportunities to open our homes, share a meal, and spend time with others. And what’s behind this command? God’s hospitable saving work in Christ.

In the Bible, the very same language that is employed to describe how we are to engage in hospitality is also employed to explain God’s redeeming activity. Guest, stranger, invitation, welcome, house, feast, fellowship—all these words explain different aspects of hospitality, but they also are used to outline God’s redeeming work. He is the ultimate and ideal host, because he has been hospitable on a much grander scale. After Adam and Eve sinned in the Garden, they were removed east of Eden (Gen. 3:24). They were estranged from God, and we in Adam. But in Christ that estrangement has been overcome (Col. 1:21-22). Once strangers and aliens, we are now adopted and brought into the family God and nurtured in his household (Gal. 4:4-6). Because of Jesus we, who were once outcasts, are now guests at his banqueting table (Mat. 22:9-10). Therefore, we should show hospitality to one another without grumbling (1 Pet. 4:9).

How we show hospitality can vary. And the level of hospitality can be different depending on the circumstances of life. But the point is, a maturing church is a hospitable church. It’s a church that seeks the fellowship of Believers, for mutual encouragement, outside the normal times of gathering. It’s a church that uses hospitality as a tool for evangelism. And a hospitable church looks for the visitor, young and old, and seeks to make them feel welcome. Paul said, Therefore, welcome one another as Christ has welcomed you, for the glory of God. (Rom. 15:7). CPC is a welcoming church. May the Lord help us to excel all the more and grow in hospitality.

—Pastor Clif