# Hospitality and Two Single Men



## Theoretical (Jun 29, 2008)

A Christian friend and I will be roommates starting this July in a 2 bedroom apartment. One big priority he and I want is for us to learn a lot of hospitality.

However, a question does come to mind with this idea. How does Christian hospitality differ from "hanging out with friends" or throwing a dinner party (not that there's anything wrong with either of those things)? In particular, how should hospitality on the Lord's Day differ from what is done on other days?


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## Theoretical (Jun 30, 2008)

Theoretical said:


> A Christian friend and I will be roommates starting this July in a 2 bedroom apartment. One big priority he and I want is for us to learn a lot of hospitality.
> 
> However, a question does come to mind with this idea. How does Christian hospitality differ from "hanging out with friends" or throwing a dinner party (not that there's anything wrong with either of those things)? In particular, how should hospitality on the Lord's Day differ from what is done on other days?



bump


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## danmpem (Jun 30, 2008)

I used to live in a house with a bunch of fellow Christian guys. We would take in ANYONE who needed a place to stay. We had an open door policy as our front door was never locked. Our home was a place of refuge for anyone who needed it. I lived there for two years, and loved every minute of it.

While just about everyone I lived with (eight roommates) was all for being hospitable to anyone - travelers, homeless, etc. - some did not have the librality as I did on who could come in and when.

The way I think about it, everyone is going to error in some way in this. Either they are going to be a little too restrictive on strangers (or whoever) staying the night, or they are going to be way too free on letting anyone in (this is me here). I did have some belongings stolen, and we were taken advantage of by some people at times; but, I would rather risk something as little as that than to leave someone who really does need a place to stay for the night. Being that vulnerable changed me as a person in more ways than I could ever describe. I want to live in another place where my roommates are open to that. And while I'm not one who likes having a little shopping list of qualities in a future wife, this has got to be something she loves doing.

So many of us here can't preach a sermon, lead an elder board meeting, or write a dissertation to save our lives, but we can be used as a blessing to the sick, poor, hungry, and those without a home.


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## Leslie (Jun 30, 2008)

I have fond memories of the Jesus Movement during the 70's. Two single guys, both new Christians and extreme hippie-sorts, had an open apartment for all comers on Friday and Saturday nights, open for worship. The floor was packed to the last square inch with bodies and dogs and even babies. Into this lively worship scene walked an elderly gentleman dressed in a suit, a white shirt and tie, and a very short haircut, carrying a big pulpit Bible. I thought, "Oh, oh, a fundamentalist-Jesus People cultural conflict." Not so. Someone pulled out the only chair in the apartment so he could sit down. Then the guitars were laid aside while they asked him to open his Bible and teach them from the Word. He did (without a judgmental attitude) and they listened attentively. It was absolutely beautiful and memorable, how the grace of God bridged the cultural gap.


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## Kim G (Jun 30, 2008)

Theoretical said:


> How does Christian hospitality differ from "hanging out with friends" or throwing a dinner party (not that there's anything wrong with either of those things)? In particular, how should hospitality on the Lord's Day differ from what is done on other days?



My husband and I have been trying to learn Christian hospitality as well. We have been inviting newly married couples that we don't know from our church to get to know them better at our home. This is different than "hanging out with friends" because we don't know them very well. 

It's also not a dinner party. Recently I became convicted that I could spend too much time worrying about a difficult meal and miss out on fellowship. So instead I'll get sub rolls, some lunch meat, veggies, chips, brownies, etc.--not the cheapest of these, but something simple (this also seems more appropriate on a Lord's Day). Allow the conversation to be brought around to the things of the Lord. It's a blessing to hear people's testimonies of praise to God.


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## a mere housewife (Jun 30, 2008)

My husband's parents in Mexico have always taken people in. They once took in a man who had escaped from a mental institution and believed he was from outer space. The only things they've ever had stolen from these people were a basketball and a radio. {edit: I got this wrong: the radio was stolen, and a basketball left in exchange.}

You might also think of people in your church who are alone on Sundays, or new to your congregation, or who travel a distance to come to church and it's difficult for them to return between services. My parents always had a crowd of people over when we were growing up --most of them lived alone or were otherwise in some kind of hardship or inconvenience. My mom would make a roast the night before, and it was a great treat for some of the college students who otherwise subsisted on Ramen.

Incidentally they once extended hospitality to a family they didn't know who were passing through from Canada: I was very ill and barely met the family. A few months later, when I had determined to stop praying as there didn't seem to be any way to communicate with God, I received a call from the lady out of the blue while the rest of my family were at church. I told her they were all gone and she said she knew they would be and had called to speak to me, in the belief that God had wanted her to tell me to keep praying. I am not a charismatic: I don't know how to explain these things. But it was the most complete refutation of what I had been thinking, and I believe that those who are 'mindful to entertain strangers' will never be the loser by it.

Here and in Mexico Ruben has been careful to invite all the families in the church over at least once. This way we have a chance to develop a relationship with people we might not otherwise have much contact with, and to be more aware of needs outside of our own age and interest group.


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## Scott1 (Jun 30, 2008)

From the Westminster Confession of Faith XXI:



> VIII. This Sabbath is to be kept holy unto the Lord when men, after a due preparing of their hearts, and ordering of their common affairs beforehand, do not only observe an holy rest all the day from their own works, words, and thoughts about their wordly employments and recreations,[38] but also are taken up the whole time in the public and private exercises of His worship, and in the duties of necessity and mercy.39





> [38] EXO 20:8 Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy. EXO 16:23 And he said unto them, This is that which the Lord hath said, To morrow is the rest of the holy sabbath unto the Lord: bake that which ye will bake to day, and seethe that ye will seethe; and that which remaineth over lay up for you to be kept until the morning. 25 And Moses said, Eat that to day; for to day is a sabbath unto the Lord: to day ye shall not find it in the field. 26 Six days ye shall gather it; but on the seventh day, which is the sabbath, in it there shall be none. 29 See, for that the Lord hath given you the sabbath, therefore he giveth you on the sixth day the bread of two days; abide ye every man in his place, let no man go out of his place on the seventh day. 30 So the people rested on the seventh day. 31:15 Six days may work be done; but in the seventh is the sabbath of rest, holy to the Lord: whosoever doeth any work in the sabbath day, he shall surely be put to death. 16 Wherefore the children of Israel shall keep the sabbath, to observe the sabbath throughout their generations, for a perpetual covenant. 17 It is a sign between me and the children of Israel for ever: for in six days the Lord made heaven and earth, and on the seventh day he rested, and was refreshed. ISA 58:13 If thou turn away thy foot from the sabbath, from doing thy pleasure on my holy day; and call the sabbath a delight, the holy of the Lord, honourable; and shalt honour him, not doing thine own ways, nor finding thine own pleasure, nor speaking thine own words. NEH 13:15 In those days saw I in Judah some treading wine presses on the sabbath, and bringing in sheaves, and lading asses; as also wine, grapes, and figs, and all manner of burdens, which they brought into Jerusalem on the sabbath day: and I testified against them in the day wherein they sold victuals. 16 There dwelt men of Tyre also therein, which brought fish, and all manner of ware, and sold on the sabbath unto the children of Judah, and in Jerusalem. 17 Then I contended with the nobles of Judah, and said unto them, What evil thing is this that ye do, and profane the sabbath day? 18 Did not your fathers thus, and did not our God bring all this evil upon us, and upon this city? yet ye bring more wrath upon Israel by profaning the sabbath. 19 And it came to pass, that when the gates of Jerusalem began to be dark before the sabbath, I commanded that the gates should be shut, and charged that they should not be opened till after the sabbath: and some of my servants set I at the gates, that there should no burden be brought in on the sabbath day. 21 Then I testified against them, and said unto them, Why lodge ye about the wall? if ye do so again, I will lay hands on you. From that time forth came they no more on the sabbath. 22 And I commanded the Levites that they should cleanse themselves, and that they should come and keep the gates, to sanctify the sabbath day. Remember me, O my God, concerning this also, and spare me according to the greatness of thy mercy.
> 
> [39] ISA 58:13 If thou turn away thy foot from the sabbath, from doing thy pleasure on my holy day; and call the sabbath a delight, the holy of the Lord, honourable; and shalt honour him, not doing thine own ways, nor finding thine own pleasure, nor speaking thine own words.






> how should hospitality on the Lord's Day differ from what is done on other days?



The fourth commandment still applies on the Lord's Day. "Hospitality" needs to conform to your focus on God and resting from your worldly employments and recreations. That means not doing, thinking, or talking about your job and entertaining yourself, even when you have company or are travelling.

This is impossible to do without God's grace. However, I can testify blessing comes with obedience to God in this.

It's even more important that you not abandon this when you have company- it is an opportunity to influence people for the Kingdom.

I cannot be dogmatic about every aspect of keeping the Sabbath because I'm not entirely sure on every point. I struggle with doing the right thing. For example, we try not to use the computer (our computer needs a sabbath rest, believe me) or use the telephone for casual conversation. In a necessity, we would, but I try to take leadership in my household in resting from these ordinary activities to create an environment in which we can focus on the Lord's Day.

When we had company recently, I sat down with our guest Saturday night and explained how (and why) we try to keep the Fourth Commandment. I told them we realize not everyone does this, and that they were not constrained to join us but that we would welcome them to do so in any part they wished to do so.

Our guest ended up going to Sunday School and Church with us and then joined us for lunch where we tried to focus our conversation of Scripture and explaining our Church practices. They had lots of questions. They did not join us for Bible reading but later did joined us for prayer time in the evening. After sundown on the Sabbath, we pulled out the scrapbooks and went into discussing a vacation.

Our guest left us requesting a list of churches "like ours" so they could see if there was something like this near them. 

Be faithful on the Lord's Day!


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