HOSPITALITY
Monday – July 30, 2018, Av 18, 5778
Greetings and welcome back to this wonderful and powerful study taken from the Bible Book of Hebrews. God is so good to give us His Word to walk out these natural lives in His victory. Our Heavenly Father has provided nothing but victory for us in this life and that which is to come. Have you thought about why you win some and lose some or perhaps you are losing them all? Are you aware of any Scripture that tells us that we are to suffer poverty and various diseases as part of our Christian walk? So why are so many Christians in poverty, sick, and dying prematurely? Could it be that this victory in every battle is not being taught nor the foundation of that victory? An ancient Chinese General Sun Tzu said: “If you know the enemy and know yourself you need not fear the results of a hundred battles.” https://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/sun_tzu_155752 I wonder which one we do not know, is it ourselves, is it our enemies, or is it both. Let us all purpose in our hearts right now to correct that problem and settle for nothing short of victory from now forward. Now, let’s turn our attention to the Book of Hebrews and our text.
Hebrews 13:1-5 (KJV)
1 Let brotherly love continue.
2 Be not forgetful to entertain strangers: for thereby some have entertained angels unawares.
3 Remember them that are in bonds, as bound with them; and them which suffer adversity, as being yourselves also in the body.
4 Marriage is honourable in all, and the bed undefiled: but whoremongers and adulterers God will judge.
5 Let your conversation be without covetousness; and be content with such things as ye have: for he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee.
I ended last week with a discussion of brotherly love from Hebrews 13:1 so today we will move forward into verse two. First let’s take a look at the phrase, the idea, of entertaining strangers. One of the first questions here is this. Just exactly who is the author of Hebrews talking about? Is he talking about anyone that we do not know (a stranger) or is he talking about fellow believers whom we do not know? The word translated as “strangers” in our text is translated as hospitality in the following verse.
Romans 12:13 (KJV)
13 Distributing to the necessity of saints; given to hospitality.
Here the object of the hospitality is clearly other saints. The word translated as entertaining strangers or hospitality is the Greek word transliterated to English as ‘philoxenia’ according to Strong’s Talking Greek & Hebrew Dictionary. The definition given for the word is: fond of guests, i.e. hospitable according to Strong’s Talking Greek & Hebrew Dictionary. The ‘xenia’ part of the word relates to hospitality and I think we can all see the word ‘philadelphia’ in the ‘philo’ portion of the word. As you will recall, philadelphia is brotherly love or a fondness for the brethren. Before we move on from entertaining strangers let us take a look at a couple of other Scriptures to cement this in our thinking. First what did the Master, Jesus have to say about this?
Matthew 25:35 (KJV)
35 For I was an hungred, and ye gave me meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me drink: I was a stranger, and ye took me in:
Matthew 25:37 (KJV)
37 Then shall the righteous answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungred, and fed thee? or thirsty, and gave thee drink?
Matthew 25:40-41 (KJV)
40 And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me.
41 Then shall he say also unto them on the left hand, Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels:
As we examine the Words of Jesus we see He is talking about fellow believers. We do not consider nonbelievers as brethren for they are of a different family, their father is the Devil. If we withhold from such a one it is the very same as withholding from Christ Himself. Also, in the last verse above the consequences of failing to be hospitable to the brethren can be catastrophic. Let’s take a look at what James has to say.
James 2:15-17 (KJV)
15 If a brother or sister be naked, and destitute of daily food,
16 And one of you say unto them, Depart in peace, be ye warmed and filled; notwithstanding ye give them not those things which are needful to the body; what doth it profit?
17 Even so faith, if it hath not works, is dead, being alone.
Here again we are talking about fellow born-again believers whom we do not know or in this case perhaps we do know. In many ways if we know them and we turn away that seems even a worse afront to them and our Lord. As I prepare to close let’s look at what the Apostle Peter has to say by the Holy Spirit.
1 Peter 4:8-10 (KJV)
8 And above all things have fervent charity among yourselves: for charity shall cover the multitude of sins.
9 Use hospitality one to another without grudging.
10 As every man hath received the gift, even so minister the same one to another, as good stewards of the manifold grace of God.
Again, the Scripture is talking about having charity among ourselves not the heathen or those outside of the Covenant. Many Churches and peoples have outreaches to the heathen that includes food, clothing, shelter, and perhaps other things but I do not know where the Bible model or instruction for that might be. When we do a good job among ourselves there will be no more powerful tool for the heathen to become a part of the Church.
Until our next publication, I speak this Scriptural prayer for your life right now, receive it in the name of Jesus, confess it, and walk it out with thanksgiving.
Ephesians 3:13-19 (KJV)
13 Wherefore I desire that ye faint not at my tribulations for you, which is your glory.
14 For this cause I bow my knees unto the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ,
15 Of whom the whole family in heaven and earth is named,
16 That he would grant you, according to the riches of his glory, to be strengthened with might by his Spirit in the inner man;
17 That Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith; that ye, being rooted and grounded in love,
18 May be able to comprehend with all saints what is the breadth, and length, and depth, and height;
19 And to know the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge, that ye might be filled with all the fulness of God.
By: Dr. David Wood, Author, Bible Teacher, and Prophetic Voice
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