"Hospitality"
Sermon Presented June 29, 2008
Matthew 10:40-42
In the last 9 months, 76 people have died in the AZ desert in an attempt to enter the United States seeking work. Out of concern for these migrant workers, St. Mark's Presbyterian Church in Tucson, under the leadership of layman Rick Ufford-Chase, established the organization No More Deaths. The water stations and search and rescue patrols are called "Humane Borders". It took great persuasive powers to convince the government that this group is not encouraging people to cross the border illegally but instead provides a source of life for those who might die otherwise. Humanitarian aid can never be a crime.
So often, when we think of hospitality, we think of inviting people into our homes - friends and family. I used to be a fanatic about being the perfect hostess. I would have food prepared ahead of time - in the freezer and fridge and a perfectly clean house. I even ran the vacuum immediately before guests arrived so they would see an unmarked carpet. Now, if I know someone is coming, I try to pick up or hide the clutter, but I don't worry if dinner is pizza at a local restaurant or if the dining room table hasn't been dusted for more than a week. I want to enjoy my guests without wearing myself out before they arrive. The hospitality of receiving guests has taken on a new meaning for me.
As part of his training in discipleship, Jesus spoke often of hospitality, but his hospitality had nothing to do with elaborate meals or a clean house. His hospitality was all about welcoming people who needed to be included. Our text is only 3 verses, but don't let its brevity fool you. My guess is that you will find something here that speaks to you! I'm reading Matthew 10:40-42.
In order to get the full impact of this teaching, we need to understand the Ancient Middle Eastern family. That family was made up of a father and mother and their sons - single and married with their entire families all living together. Daughters lived with the family of origin only until marriage. When people married, they married a relative, believing you couldn't trust anyone outside the family. Those who left the family - lost the family and connection to the land - which were serious and life-threatening losses. (Year A, 2005 New Proclamation, John A. Pilch, p. 125)
Jesus offers his followers who have left their families a replacement family - a new gathering of people linked not by blood but by bonds of commitment to Jesus. This is what the new hospitality proclaimed by Jesus is all about. Jesus tells his followers to practice hospitality toward one another in order to make up for the loss of their families of origin. Jesus says that practicing hospitality among non-related believers will be personally rewarded by God. Prophets, holy people and others sent by Jesus on a mission are included. Whoever receives them, receives Jesus and honors God. (Ibid. p. 126)
My guess is that Matthew placed this teaching in his gospel because a great deal of time has passed since Jesus' time on earth and currently it's dangerous to proclaim the message of Christ. People have been kicked out of their families because they follow Jesus. Christians are beginning to question the wisdom of their commitment to Jesus because Jesus hasn't yet returned as expected and they are losing courage. Why should Jesus' followers extend hospitality to the preaching and teaching evangelists? Jesus says that their reward is receiving the presence of God.
In the Hebrew Scriptures we find the story of Abraham and Sarah who entertained two men who later were determined to be angels. In the New Testament book of Hebrews, the writer states: "Do not neglect to show hospitality to strangers, for by doing that some have entertained angels without knowing it." Jesus said: "Whoever welcomes you, welcomes me and the one who sent me!" He also said that when we minister to the hungry, the sick, the imprisoned, the naked, and the homeless, we minister to him. When we receive another, we receive Jesus.
But we can't extend hospitality to those we don't acknowledge. We can't minister to someone if we don't take the time to listen to them and ascertain their needs. Because we don't personally come in contact with many who are hungry, in prison, or without clothing or shelter, we may believe we can avoid this mandate to extend hospitality. Because there aren't many itinerant preachers today, we may think we are home Scot-free. Let me proclaim that we aren't off the hook!
Several in this congregation have actively supported the refugees coming to Milwaukee. Our church contributed the funding to help establish a Somali-Bantu family three years ago and recently we have helped gather items for Burmese refugees. As I was preparing this sermon, I felt I should contribute a portion of my government stimulus check to the Burmese refugees as an act of hospitality. Most of these Burmese refugees are Baptists who are being welcomed by the Lutheran Social Services. I sent Ako an e-mail asking if I should send a check or Pick 'n Save cards. She suggested that I send a check because they now have a Burmese staff person who shops at Asian stores for much cheaper prices than Pick 'n Save. Later, I thought that maybe some of you would like to join me in this project. If so, please mark your check or put cash in a marked envelop in the offering plate. If you make a check out to Roundy, we can send one check from the congregation.
When we offer hospitality, sometimes we know we have served God and other times we are either plagued with doubt or know we made a mistake. Usually it is best to give through an organization that we trust, but sometimes a situation is presented to us that needs our discernment. I was overjoyed to offer hospitality to a young woman from the Philippines who came to Marysville to work at the hospital, two dirty and cold men who got off of a freight train, and a young man from Japan who was riding his bike across the country. My biggest failure of discernment was with a teenage girl in my Sunday school class who had been kicked out of her home by her mother and step-father and needed a place to stay. She was a brilliant sociopath and when we took her in for about eight months, she almost wrecked our family life.
To welcome Jesus' disciples put the hospitable person at risk. There was a cost to offering hospitality to a visiting evangelist or prophet or follower of Jesus. But by offering hospitality, they (and we) learn discernment and we also learn to take the good along with the bad. We seldom receive a reward from the one to whom hospitality is extended, but we do receive the presence of God, and what better reward is there?
Back in my Southern Baptist days, one minister gave a sermon on all of the crowns we receive in heaven as rewards for following Jesus - crowns of righteousness, glory and life. At the time I thought "Who wants to wear heavy jeweled crowns?" The rewards Jesus offers are intangible rewards - that of receiving Jesus - of receiving God!
The Prophetic Jesus calls us to be hospitable to those who need welcoming. In our text he is talking about receiving visiting Christian evangelists, prophets and his followers. However, in the broader context of Jesus' teaching, this call to hospitality is extended to the hungry, the sick, the naked, the imprisoned, children and strangers. The categories are broad - not narrow. The call is to listen to the need and then to the best of our ability, discern our responsibility to address those needs through love and support.
Churches need to make sure that those who enter their doors feel welcome. The Christian church is Christ's church - not our church! We are called to warmly welcome guests and members, even though our theology or background is different. We are called to unity in diversity.
Many years ago I read an autobiography by Fauzinja Kassendja titled Do They Hear You When You Cry? It's the story of a young African woman who escaped from her fundamentalist Muslim community in Angola because she was expected to marry a much older man who planned to have her circumcised - called female genital mutilation. After spending a great deal of money and effort to reach the United States and gain asylum, she was immediately imprisoned here under horrific conditions. If she were deported to her country, she would have been mutilated and severely punished or killed. Had it not been for a woman immigration attorney who came to her aid and worked tirelessly during a two year imprisonment where she almost died from maltreatment, she would never have gained asylum. The only hospitality Fauzinja received when she came to our country was from the young attorney who saved her life. I'm happy to say that today, women who seek refuge in the U. S. from acts of genital mutilation are admitted through our refugee program.
The banner outside the door to our sanctuary proclaims: All Are Welcome! May we be faithful to give life to these words - not only in our church and in our homes, but in our hearts!
06/29/2008
