Practice Hospitality (Part 1)
By Allan E. McNabb

In the last few weeks, we’ve been studying God’s word as it relates to personal work and evangelism.  Specifically, we’ve been talking about calling and visiting people.

Today, I want to continue our study with the topic of hospitality.

What is Hospitality
The Greek word philoxenia, translated hospitality literally means, “love of strangers.”  It is the act of entertaining strangers or guests.

Hospitality in the New Testament
God commands us to be hospitable.

• We are to practice hospitality (Rom. 12:13).
• We are to be hospitable to strangers (Heb. 13:2).

Hospitality is a quality of the saints.

• It is a qualification of elders (1 Tim. 3:2; Tit. 1:8).
• It is a qualification of widows who are supported by the church (1 Tim. 5:10).

We must be hospitable toward Christians.

• We must be hospitable to one another without complaining (1 Pet. 4:9).

First century Christians were hospitable beginning at Pentecost, eating meals together in their homes.

• The saints were sharing meals together from house to house, taking their meals together with gladness and sincerity of heart (Acts 2:46).

We will be judged as to whether we’ve been hospitable to the saints.

• Jesus tells us that judgment will be based, in part, regarding our treatment of the saints.  A faithful disciple is hospitable (Matt. 25:34-40).

In Part Two of this article, we will talk about the differences in our culture and the first century, and how hospitality is different.  We’ll also talk about the hard work that is required to be hospitable in our busy society.  And perhaps most importantly, we’ll talk about the role our young people have in hospitality.