Week 35: August 27, 2017

Topic: Hospitality- Part 3

Bible Reading: 1 Peter 4: 1-9

The study shall continue by mentioning some of the people who are hospitable in the Bible and the outcome of their hospitality.

Examples of Hospitable People

There are many hospitable people in the Bible, and we shall begin with Abraham who is a friend of God due to his faith and hospitality James 2: 23.

Abraham: Abraham entertained three men without knowing that they were angels of the Lord. After they were refreshed, they asked for Sarah and one of them put the seal on the promise of God in her life saying, “I will certainly return to you according to the time of life, and behold, Sarah your wife shall have a son”. Though, Sarah did not believe because she has passed the menopause age.

Truly, Sarah had Isaac the following year according to the word of the angel, because of the hospitality of Abraham her husband.

They also told Abraham their mission to destroy Sodom and Gomorrah. Though Abraham interceded and pleaded with the angels and they agreed that if they found ten righteous people in the land they will spare the city of Sodom and Gomorrah.

Abraham had the opportunity to intercede on behalf of Sodom and Gomorrah because he was hospitable to the angels Genesis 18: 1-33. Brethren, do not fail to entertain strangers so that you will not miss/lose the opportunity to be hospitable to the people appointed by the Lord to transform your life.

Lot: Lot also accommodated and entertained the angels without knowing that the men were angels. This led to the salvation of his household before the city of Sodom and Gomorrah was destroyed.

Lot’s wife disobeyed the instructions of the angels that stated “Escape for your life! Do not look behind you nor stay anywhere in the plain. Escape to the mountains, lest you be destroyed”. She looked back and she became a pillar of salt Genesis 19: 1-26. The lives of Lot’s household were spared because of hospitality with the exception of his wife that looked back.

Laban: Laban entertained Abraham’s servant sent to get wife for Isaac his son. The servant was accommodated, and Rebekah was released to him so that she can marry Isaac Genesis 24: 29-41.

Laban: Laban the brother of Rebekah, was hospitable to Israel his nephew. The Lord blessed Laban and his household beyond their imagination because of the hospitality shown to Jacob called Israel Genesis 30: 25-28.

Jethro: Jethro the priest of Midian was hospitable to Moses and he gave Zipporah his daughter to Moses as wife. Due to his hospitality, he shared out of the fame of Moses one of the greatest prophets who ever lived on earth Exodus 2: 16-22.

Manoah: Manoah was hospitable to a man that delivered a message to his wife without knowing that the man was an angel of the Lord. His wife later conceived and gave birth to Samson, the strongest man to ever walk on the surface of the earth Judges 13: 2-20. Be hospitable to people so that your reproaches will turn to glory just like Manoah’s wife.

The Shunammite woman: The Shunammite woman was always hospitable to Prophet Elisha. Elisha prayed for her because she had no child and her husband was old. He said “About this time next year you shall embrace a son” and it came to pass. The woman conceived and bore a son according to the word of Elisha.

Then the son died, and Elisha woke him up 2 Kings 4: 8-35. If you want to realize your goals, be hospitable to people, and if you want everything that is spiritually dead in your life to resurrect, let hospitality be your watchword.

Zacchaeus: Zacchaeus received eternal salvation because of his desire to see our Lord Jesus Christ and his hospitality. Since he was short in stature, he climbed a sycamore tree; when Jesus Christ got to the spot, he looked up and said to him “Zacchaeus make haste and come down, for today I must stay at your house” Luke 19: 1-6. If you want eternal salvation be hospitable to people.

Finally beloved, it is fine and faithful work that you are doing whenever you render service to the brethren in the Lord and most especially when they are strangers. Every time you extend hospitality to Christian brothers and sisters, even when they are strangers, you make you faith visible. They will give report to the church wherever they are worshipping about the love and the hospitality that they received 3 John 1: 5-6. Remember that you are being faithful to God, whenever you care for the traveling Christians who pass through your location, even if they are strangers, they will tell the church of your loving friendship which will edify the faith of believers and win more souls into the kingdom of God.

The Seal: Job 31: 32: But no sojourner had to lodge in the street, for I have opened my doors to the travelers/strangers.