Lesson transcript

Someone told me that Hospitality is much more than word today. Hospitality must be done
with Attention, courtesy, and be amiable, be cordial, be agreeable, be gracious and welcoming.

Well, it has been taught that Hospitality meets another person’s basic needs for rest, food, and
fellowship. It is a tangible expression of self-giving love. Jesus attached theological significance
to hospitality when He taught that feeding the hungry and giving drink to the thirsty were acts of
service done to Him (Matt. 25:34-40). Using one’s home for ministry may range from simply
inviting neighbors to a meal to the radical hospitality of lending a room to an abuse victim. It
may involve simple friendliness, an opportunity to offer prayer with someone, or the conducting
of Bible studies. True hospitality springs from the hearts of those who have been touched by
God’s love and want to express their love in words and actions.

Families sometimes complain that they lack the facilities, the time, and/or the energy to offer
hospitality. Others feel awkward, unskilled, and unsure about reaching beyond what is familiar in
order to associate with unbelievers. Some wish to avoid the complications to their lives that may
arise from becoming involved with others. Many contemporary families
confuse hospitality and entertaining.

And The net read: The book of Acts mentions "breaking of bread together" for times. Clearly,
the practice of shared meals associated with spiritual discussion and social interaction was
significant in apostolic times. Sometimes we forget that even in our family life the shared space
and time of a meal is important. Even in our house, we seldom sit at the table together to eat.
However, we often have our evening meal together sitting in front of the TV watching the news.
That, however, does not take the place of a shared meal where our phones and iPads are out of
reach and we actually talk to one another.

In our modern family life, we need to make an effort to return to the shared family meal where
the family can share and discuss. In the entertainment food industry, there is a growing interest in
"slow food", where food is prepared carefully from fresh ingredients and people take time to sit
and interact over the meal. In our family life, we could do with some more of that approach as

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well. Rather than grabbing processed, quick heat meals from the freezer, we could spend some
time preparing the meal together and sharing the preparation with family members.

In our church, we have what we call "study Groups". They are small societies with activities that
people can join in, usually once a week in the evening Like that which we do here. my friends
run such as this in Kenya (Ongata Rongai East Youths Group.) The members get together and
raise funds from one another, supporting the proposed church building.

And when we read in Acts how the early church broke bread together, I much think of the shared
Rwandan meals that we share together and how we are growing spiritually from the experience.
It is worth it!

But again, Don’t wrap your mind around our families and churches, the world is our field of
work too and our aim is bring many into the true light of saving the world. Ok. And this can be
done in such a way of reaching the people where they are itching.

Just a story: One Christmas, a rabbi from Russia visited an American family as part of a cultural
exchange program. His host family wanted to treat him to a new culinary experience, so they
took him out one evening to their favorite Chinese restaurant. After the meal, the Chinese waiter
brought each of them a little Christmas gift. It was a small, brass Christmas tree ornament that
was stamped with the words "Made in India."

They all laughed at the irony of receiving a "Made in India" gift from a Chinese restaurant. But
suddenly, everyone stopped chuckling when they noticed tears rolling down the rabbi's cheeks.
Had they offended him in some way?

"Nyet," the rabbi replied. "I was shedding tears of joy to be in a country in which a Buddhist
gives a Jew a Christmas gift made by a Hindu." What a way to put all people into consideration.

Such as this, show a high degree of hospitality and brings more growth to those involved. So
hospitality goes beyond our homes, to churches and work places, then to the world at large.

In case, Don’t forget, Heaven is more hospitable for everyone. The hospitality of heaven is such
high beyond your thinking. Christ wants us to do the same on earth. Why?

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Because heaven begins on earth (Earth is the preparation ground for heaven.) I pray that we grow
into the heavenly standards.

A thought from next quarter’s lesson

According to one count, Scripture contains 2,103 verses expressing God’s special concern for the
poor and oppressed. Compared to many other aspects of faith, doctrine, and Christian living in
general, the weight of references about ministering to those in need is overwhelming. We must
get serious about working to relieve the pain and suffering that exist around us. This doesn’t take
away from our work of spreading the gospel; on the contrary, it can become a powerful way of
doing it.

Of course, it’s a good thing to help others, just for the sake of helping them. We should “do
justly” (see

Mic. 6:8) simply because it is both right and good to “do justice.” And yet, is it not even better
when doing justice, when helping others in their immediate and temporal needs, also to point
them to the “reason for the hope that is in you” (1 Pet. 3:15, NKJV), which is the promise of
eternal life in Christ?

Jesus healed disease, gave sight to the blind, cured lepers, and even raised the dead. But all those
to whom He ministered were going to die sooner or later anyway, right? So, in the long run,
whatever good He did for them and their immediate needs, He also did more. Yes, He ministered
to the hurting, but then He bade them, Follow Me. And that’s precisely why we, too, should
minister to the hurting and then bid them, Follow Him.

No question, by seeking justice and goodness in the world, we are rehearsing the kingdom of
God (see Luke 4:18, 19) in a way that is at least as faithful, valid, and perhaps as effective as
preaching it. When we care for the poor and the oppressed, we are actually offering honor and
worship to God (see Isa. 58:6–10). But if we fail to minister in behalf of the hurting, the
suffering, and the broken, we misrepresent Him (see Prov. 14:31).

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This quarter, then, we are going to see what the Word of God says (and it says a lot) about our
duty to minister to the needs of those around us. “ ‘Freely you have received, freely give’ ”
(Matt. 10:8, NKJV). That says it all.

NOTE: I love to give an appeal always. I have to say we are not looking for a way to able to find
a way to form a single, united group. No! Adventism as Christian church will remain to the end
of human History. In fact for nearly two thousand years, doctrinal differences have splintered
Christians into hundreds of independent denominations. Let strangers join your family But don’t
let them evangelize you with worldliness. Let us welcome them with a careful handle, insulated
with the truth so as to overcome the heat of deceptions.

The essential element in sharing our faith is having the right message. But what is the right
message? Paul wrote: “For I determined to know nothing among you except Jesus Christ, and
Him crucified” (1 Corinthians 2:2).

Contrary to what some people think, you do not have to know philosophy or theology to share
Christ. You do not need a degree. Paul said you should know that Jesus died on your behalf, bore
your sins, and paid your penalty of death. As a result, you can receive the gift of eternal life from
the Father.

When you talk with unbelievers, center your conversation on the person of Jesus Christ. It’s His
claims and His life that you are sharing. Paul clearly understood this truth. That is why the
message of the cross was the focus of his preaching.

Salvation is not complicated. An eight-year-old can know Jesus as his Savior as readily as an
eighty-year-old. All that is necessary is faith in the Lord Jesus Christ and His atoning work on
Calvary.