September

SEPTEMBER – HOSPITALITY


Hospitality in the Ancient World:


The Greek word we translate “Hospitality” is xenophilia. Xeno meaning stranger, and philia meaning love or friendship. Hospitality is the act of loving strangers or turning strangers into friends.

In the ancient world, hospitality was a matter of life and death. Travelers often relied on the kindness of strangers for survival. Today we have outsourced our hospitality to hotels and restaurants. When we read the Gospel accounts, we observe Jesus often benefiting from others’ hospitality (Mark 1:29-34; Luke 5:27-32; 7:36-49; 19:1-15; 22:10-12; 24:13-35). He also showed hospitality to those he encountered (Mark 5:21-34; 6:30-44; Matthew 8:1-4). If we want to follow in Christ’s footsteps, we must practice hospitality.

This month our practices will be broken down into three parts: a daily practice, and weekly readings with reflection questions, and a monthly challenge.

Daily Practice

Start every morning and end every evening with a prayer. Begin your day by praying God will provide opportunities to show God’s hospitality today. End your day by reflecting on the interactions you had today and pray that God continues to transform you into Christ’s image.

Weekly Readings:

Week 1 (August 31-September 6)

Mark 10:42-45; Luke 19:1-10; Luke 7:33-35

  1. What are the three things Jesus said the Son of Man came to do?
  2. Which statement(s) give the reason why he came, and which statement(s) give how he will accomplish his task?
  3. How does hospitality contribute to the mission of Jesus and His Church?
  4. Have you opened your home to non-Christians for the purpose of evangelism?

Week 2 (September 7-13)

Mark 5:21-34; Matthew 8:1-4; Luke 14:7-24

  1. Jesus was never in a hurry to get anywhere. How does the pace of our modern lives interfere with the practice of hospitality?
  2. What should you subtract your schedule to allow space to serve others?
  3. Jesus was often concerned with those his society cast aside. How do you treat those our society has cast aside? Why?
  4. What kind of people do you have in your home for meals? Do they look like you and/or make similar money as you?
  5. To whom does Jesus call us to show hospitality? How can you start this practice?

Week 3 (September 14-20)

Romans 5:6-8; Luke 6:27-36; 10:25-37; Proverbs 25:21

  1. How should God’s love for us, sinners, motivate us to show hospitality to others?
  2. When Jesus commands we love our enemies, what groups or individuals would that include for you? Have you ever had them in your home for a meal?
  3. Put yourself in the parable of the Good Samaritan as the man who was beaten and robbed. Would you accept help from your enemy? How should that motivate you to treat your enemies?

Week 4 (September 21-27)

Matthew 5:21-26; Colossians 3:12-17; John 13:34-35

  1. When you spend time eating with other Christians, do you eat with the same group every week or do you include others? Why?
  2. Do you have brothers and sisters in Christ with whom you have withdrawn fellowship? If so, what do you need to do to reconcile?
  3. How do hospitality and forgiveness work together?
  4. 4.
  5. How can you better show Christ’s love to fellow Christians?


Week 5 (September 28-October 4)

Romans 12:9-21; 1 Peter 4:7-11

  1. What are some ways you can seek to show hospitality?
  2. Hospitality will cost you. What changes in the way you spend your time and money will need to change to show more hospitality?
  3. What attitude must we have when practicing hospitality?
  4. What rhythms in your life should you begin and/or end to foster the practice of hospitality?

Monthly Challenge:

This month we want to challenge every family to open their home for a meal to someone they haven’t before or for a long time. Examples might be to invite a lonely neighbor, a hostile co-worker, a feuding family member, a non-Christian acquaintance, an unfamiliar fellow Christian, someone from a different political party, etc. The goal of the meal is to show genuine Christian hospitality.

Going Deeper:

  • Ask the questions from our January practices for each passage.
  • Meditate on each passage being open to how you can share the gospel with those you interact with day by day (May’s Practices).
  • Reflect on what habits you should start that will help you show hospitality to strangers.
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