A Theology of Hospitality

Pohl (1999) notes, “The distinctive quality of Christian hospitality is that it offers a generous welcome to the ‘least,’ without concern for advantage or benefit to the host” (16).    In Mark 12:31 Jesus tells his followers that the second great commandment is to love your neighbor as yourself.  In Luke chapter ten, when asked to clarify who is ones neighbor, Jesus tells a story (parable) that makes the cultural outcast of his day, a Samaritan, the hero.   In doing this, Jesus states everyone that we encounter, including the outcast, is our neighbor.

Deuteronomy 14:28-29 instructed the Israelites.  Once every three years the people tithed their resources to support the widows, orphans and aliens.  Exodus 22:21, Leviticus 19:34 and Deuteronomy 10: 9-10 state that there is a social responsibility to treat “the alien” hospitably.  We are all cultural outsiders at some point and we need to be loving and so we must be empathetic to the Other. 

 

13:2 stresses the importance of hospitality because the hospital has unknowingly “entertained angels.”  This was exactly the case with Abraham and Lot in Genesis 18 and 19.  When this is coupled with Jesus teaching through the Parable of the sheep and the goats it is clear that Christians must make hospitality a high priority. 

Personally, identifying Christ and angels with the “least of these” changes the way I help the Other.  One marginalized group that I regular encounter is the homeless community.  My practice, when possible is to purchase food or other supplies when I encounter a homeless panhandler, rather than give money.  I believe my approach is valid, but I find myself convicted about my attitude and approach as I encounter the other in this situation.  If I see Jesus in this person, my superiority complex melts away.

Pohl, C.D. (1999). Making room: Recovering hospitality as a Christian tradition. Grand Rapids MI: Erdmans Publishing Company.  

Cultural Diversity Among the Different Generations

My co-worker and friend Michael Walden describes the suburban city we live in as “Lily-white Rockford.”  The culture of our congregation at Rockford United Methodist Church (RUMC) definitely mirrors the community around it.  

Being a Caucasian faith community does not make RUMC a mono-cultural faith community.  Livemore (2009) points out, “And few issues are challenging the pastors with whom I speak throughout the United States as much as that of how to deal with the passionate differences between the generational cultures within their churches…The challenges created by the cultural differences among various generational groups can equal some of those created by various socioethnic groups” (29).  Livemore (2009) uses the popular generational categories of Builders/Traditionalists – born before 1946, Boomers – born 1946 to 1965, Gen Xers – born 1965 to 1979, and Millennials – born 1980 or later (104-105). 

RUMC, like most congregations that are over 160 years old, has more than its fair share Builders.  It also has a large group of Boomers, Gen Xers, and Millenials.  In my three year tenure at RUMC I have witnessed numerous conflicts that were driven my cultural differences between the various generations. 

The Danger of the Single Story and Generational Diversity

Adichie (2009) states, “The single story creates stereotypes, and the problem with stereotypes is not that they are untrue, but that they are incomplete.  They make one story become the only story.”  Livemore (2009) tells a story of Gen Ex pastor who described the the Boomer’s at his church this way, “They’re lifeless.  They just go through the motions, following the order of service, waiting for the service to get out so they can get on with their lives” (168).  I have heard similar remarks concerning the many Builders who attend our traditional service.  Likewise, I have heard comments about how the younger generations and their contemporary worship style are disrespectful.

Single stories abound when generations critique each other.  I believe the discrimination among the ages is a huge problem partly because age discrimination is seldom recognized and addressed in our society.  Churches regularly create events solely for specific generations and the community never bats an eyelash.  The backlash for doing something similar based on ethnicity would make news headlines.  

A lack of empathy and a failure to see the differing views of people of different ages as cultural diversity is the biggest challenge facing RUMC today.  Many of our congregants allow a negative feeling about one aspect of a different generational to define the Other.  Learning to recognize the cultural diversity between the generations and learning to empathize with the Other are key beginning steps towards Cultural Intelligence, and more importantly, towards loving unity in Christ.

Adichie, C.N. (November 2009). Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie: The danger of a single story. [Video file]. Retrieved from http://www.ted.com/talks/chimamanda_adichie_the_danger_of_a_single_story.html

Livemore, D.A. (2009). Cultural intelligence: Improving your CQ to engage our multicultural world. Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Academic.

The New Birth

John3:1-17

Before we read today’s second scripture lesson I have a pop quiz for you all, after all I am an educator.  Raise your hand if you can recite John 3:16.  Ok, a little trickier, who can recite John 3:16 and 17?  Do I have a volunteer who will recite John 3:16 and 17 right now?

Ok, now raise your hand if you can tell me who Jesus was talking to in John 3?  Go ahead and shout it out.  It’s interesting isn’t it, for as famous a verse as John 3:16 is, so few of us knows anything about its context.  That’s what we are going to look at today.

Reading John 3:1-10 (NLT)

Please Join me in the Reading of God’s Word

¹ There was a man named Nicodemus, a Jewish religious leader who was a Pharisee.² After dark one evening, he came to speak with Jesus. “Rabbi,” he said, “we all know that God has sent you to teach us. Your miraculous signs are evidence that God is with you.”³ Jesus replied, “I tell you the truth, unless you are born again, you cannot see the Kingdom of God.”⁴ “What do you mean?” exclaimed Nicodemus. “How can an old man go back into his mother’s womb and be born again?”⁵ Jesus replied, “I assure you, no one can enter the Kingdom of God without
being born of water and the Spirit. ⁶ Humans can reproduce only human life, but the Holy Spirit gives birth to spiritual life. ⁷ So don’t be surprised when I say, ‘You must be born again.’⁸ The wind blows wherever it wants. Just as you can hear the wind but can’t tell where it comes from or where it is going, so you can’t explain how people are born of the Spirit.”⁹ “How are these things possible?” Nicodemus asked.¹⁰ Jesus replied, “You are a respected Jewish teacher, and yet you don’t understand these things?

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Reading of John 3:11-17 (NLT)

Please Join me in the Reading of God’s Word

¹¹ I assure you, we tell you what we know and have seen, and yet you won’t believe our testimony.¹² But if you don’t believe me when I tell you about earthly things, how can you possibly believe if I tell you about heavenly things?¹³ No one has ever gone to heaven and returned. But the Son of Man has come down from heaven.¹⁴ And as Moses lifted up the bronze snake on a pole in the wilderness, so the Son of Man must be lifted up, ¹⁵ so that everyone who believes in him will have eternal life. ¹⁶ “For God loved the world so much that he gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life.¹⁷ God sent his Son into the world not to judge the world, but to save the world through him.

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Boxes

I have in my hand a box.  It’s not just any normal box, as you can see. It is wrapped up all nice and neat with this beautiful festive paper.  Its creases are smooth; its decorative paper is beautiful.  As you can probably figure out, I did not wrap this box.  I had my wife wrap it for me.  If I had wrapped it, it would not look nearly as nice.  Its creases would be crooked and messy; the paper would not be nearly as pretty.  I would probably use the old sports section from the Grand Rapids press.

There is something you need to know about this pretty box.  If you were to get this box for Christmas you would be disappointed.  You see, if you open it up, you’ll find that it’s empty inside.  I think many of us are like this pretty box, we are so busy trying to look like we have it all together that we don’t address the fact that we are empty inside.  If we are honest with God, others and ourselves, our lives are a little more like a disheveled box, like one I would wrap.

Wesley Pt 1

There is a story, a true story, of an overzealous young minister.  He was considered a “whiz kid” setting himself apart with both his studies and conduct during his seminary years. 

His first appointment was an international mission.  During the trip to his over sees appointment turbulent weather made this young man realize his lack of faith, and his fear of death, which didn’t seem consistent with the concept of Salvation.  To make matters even worse, this young man’s time as a missionary was a complete failure which came to a head after he refused communion to a women he had unsuccessfully courted. 

Confused and bitter, this former “whiz kid” now doubted that he had true salvation and if not for a mentor who told him to preach salvation until he had obtained it, he would have left ministry all together.

Nicodemus

But let’s return to John chapter 3.  When we think John 3:16 and 17 we usually use it as a slogan of sorts for the lost.  We see it on signs and billboards, on t-shirts and bumper stickers.  These verses are often used in Evangelism, and that is a good thing.  But we have to understand something about Nicodemus; he was not a religious outsider.

Nicodemus was definitely one of the who’s who of the Jewish world.  Only the brightest pupils would have been allowed to become Pharisees.  And the Greek word translated as religious leader might actually have meant that Nicodemus was part of the Jewish ruling council.  In any event Nicodemus was some sort of Jewish official.  He was the “best of the best”.  We can safely assume that Nicodemus probably had the whole Jewish Bible, our Old Testament, memorized.

Despite all this, Nicodemus was empty.  He needed something more than what his religious status could bring him.  I think many of us might be able to relate to Nicodemus, I know I can.  We possess the religious knowledge, we can tell someone all about what it “means to be a Christian”, but we still need something more.  We look nice and neat, but inside we are empty, like that pretty box over there. 

Being Real

That is what brought Nicodemus to see Jesus.  Nicodemus is sometimes given a hard time for going to see Jesus at night, but it was still a big step for Nicodemus.  In coming to earnestly talk to Jesus, Nicodemus was admitting that he didn’t have it all together.  Personally, I admire his courage. 

There are a lot of possible reasons why Nicodemus didn’t come to Jesus during the day.  Maybe the only time to catch Jesus without a crowd was at night.  We see throughout scripture that Jesus was often times surrounded by a crowd.  Maybe he would be risking his position and perhaps even his life to genuinely talk to Jesus.  The official stance of the Pharisees appeared to be one of disapproval when it came to Jesus and his teachings.  Perhaps Nicodemus thought Jesus would not receive him if he came by day, you might recall that in scripture, when Pharisees or other religious leaders come to Jesus during the day, they are trying to trap him.  Maybe he thought Jesus would be suspicious.  Whatever the reason, Nicodemus does come, he decides to be real, to admit that he doesn’t have it all figured out. 

Born Again

Nicodemus is confused when Jesus cuts straight through the chit chat and tells him that he must be born again in verse 3.  It’s easy to judge Nicodemus for missing the metaphor, but we need to realize how radical being born again is, even if it is metaphorical.  I mean, wouldn’t it be just as impossible for a person to be reborn morally and spiritually?  How can we wipe out our life’s experiences, all our bad habits? 

Here we have to realize that we are not talking about an improved continuation of the old ways, the old religious practices, the old will power and moral code.  Rebirth means starting from scratch, being made anew.  This is new life given by God himself, through the Spirit.  There is a new order of being, as part of the Kingdom of God. 

Nicodemus, the Conclusion

So does Nicodemus ever figure it out?  This story doesn’t say but in John 19:39 and 40 we learn that Nicodemus is with Joseph of Arimathea when he asks for Jesus body after the crucifixion and that he helps Joseph prepare Jesus’ body for burial. 

Another pop quiz!  Who can tell me what happens to a Jew if they touch a dead body? (unclean).  And what does it mean if a Jew is unclean? (Cannot enter the temple for 7 days). More than likely, Nicodemus was not able to perform many of his religious duties for 7 days because he prepared Jesus’ body for burial.  Nicodemus no longer seemed to be worried about his social and religious status, did he?  It is my belief that Nicodemus did figure it out, that he was a new creation, a new baby. 

    

So What Now?

So what now?  What do us Christ followers who still feel like empty boxes do? 

Wesley Pt 2

To answer this, let’s explore the rest of the story of the former “whiz kid” turned giant failure.  What steps did this young man take to change his situation?  The answer is nothing, except maybe to get out of the way. 

While at a church service, which he reluctantly attended, by the way, the man experienced a new found peace, which he referred to as his heart being “strangely warmed.”  He felt a change, a change that God worked in his heart through faith in Christ.  He felt a renewing, he was born again.  This event is known today as the Aldersgate experience, and this young man was John Wesley, the founder of the Methodist movement, our forefather.   

The Curse is Lifted

Measuring up is the old way of life, a life that leads to failure, to death.  We have to let go of that to be born again.  We need to stop worrying about being judged and allow ourselves to be saved, to be born again.  I am convinced God will not transform us into a new creation if we hang on to the idea that we have to keep our wrapping paper nice and neat.  The old and the new cannot mix.  We have to let that go if we are to be born again.  We have to get out of the way and let God bring about a change in our hearts. 

Sometimes this is a daily matter.  There is a constant temptation to return to the old way of life, to the way of the law, to the way of measuring up.  When we give into this temptation we are no longer living as one who is born again.  We are setting ourselves up for failure.  We cannot possibly measure up; we cannot possibly be good enough. 

I’ve been there; I can relate to Nicodemus, I understand completely what John Wesley went through.  I’ve been labeled the “whiz kid”, the spiritual “golden boy” and when I tried to live up to the hype it’s ended very badly for me.  You know, I am glad so many people here at RUMC approve of the ministry I’m leading as the Director of Christian Education, but I don’t want to be your “golden boy.” When I try to measure up, I’m nothing more than a scared, short tempered, insecure little boy, who falls short as a husband, a father and an education director.  When I worry about being good enough, I’m not.  You are not either.  How can we possibly be good enough?   But, when I realize that I am not good enough, and that through Christ, that’s ok.  When I get out of the way and let go of the old way, then, through faith, through Jesus, I am born again, a completely new creation.  

I’m wondering today, will you join me, will you get out of the way and let God’s only son Jesus, make you a new creation? 

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Supporting Parents: Church as Clan

I am convinced that family ministry approaches that place the responsibility of discipling children and youth solely on the shoulders of youth do not work because they do not do enough to support parents.   I believe that today’s family, even the ideal nuclear family, is incomplete compared to the family structure prevalent during biblical times.  Garland (2012) states, “The structure of the ‘traditional family’ – breadwinning father and homemaker mother and their dependent children- has not been the historical reality for more than 5% of the history of Christianity” (p. 40).  Bennett (2001) observes, “In ancient Israel, as in most other ancient societies, the family was multigenerational and resembled nothing so much as a small village, the average household, for example, numbered somewhere between fifty and one hundred people” (46). 

When Deuteronomy 6:7 instructs parents to “Impress them (God’s commands) on your children” (NIV), it does so knowing that grandparents, aunts, uncles, adult siblings, and household servants would assist in the process.  For this reason, I believe it is unfair to expect parents at RUMC to live out that instruction without active help from the church.  RUMC has to fill the role that they family clan would have filled in ancient times.  That is why age specific ministries for children and youth, prevalent in the family-based model, are still necessary. 

Limiting the ministries and programs do need to be limited to allow for intergenerational opportunities is equally as important.  Intergenerational experiences not only foster faith interaction between parents and children, they create opportunities for children to be connected with caring adults from the congregation.  It is not enough for a youth worker and key volunteers to represent the sum of the adult support in families’ lives.  Powell, Griffin and Crawford pose, “What if instead of talking about one adult for every five (or seven) kids involved, we said we want a 5:1 adult-to-kid ratio in our youth ministries…I’m talking about five adults who are willing to commit to invest in one teenager in little, medium, and big ways” (79).  Intergenerational opportunities make room for these relationships to happen.  

Bennett, W. J. (2001). The Broken Hearth. New York, NY: Double Day.   

Garland, D.R. (2012). Family ministry: a comprehensive guide (2^nd ed.). Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press.  

Powell, K.E. & Griffen, B.M and Crawford, C.A. (2011). Sticky faith. Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan.