Bible Text:

“And if you love those who love you, what reward do you have?…and if you greet only your brothers and sisters, what more are you doing than others?”             (Matthew 5:46-47)                                      

A man came to worship in a United Methodist church. He sat down for the few minutes before the service, but he kept his hat on. After a few minutes the head usher came to him and said, “Sir, we would really appreciate it if you would remove your hat.” The man thanked him, but did not make any move to change his attire. A few minutes later the president of the Church Council came up to the man and said, “Sir there’s a tradition in churches that you don’t wear hats in church.” The man said, “Yes, I know. Thank you very much.” The Church Council chair walked away and the man kept his hat on. A few minutes later the president of the United Methodist Women came up to the man. “Sir, it’s an old Christian tradition that men remove their hats in church.” The man gave an A-OK sign to the lady and she walked away, but he left his hat in place. 

After the service, the minister came up to the man and said, “Sir, why in the world would you leave your hat on in church? It’s not really appropriate to do that.” The man replied, “Listen, I’ve been coming to this church for three years and no one has ever spoken a word to me. Today I was greeted by the head usher, the chair of the Church Council and the President of the United Methodist Women. Not bad for one day, wouldn’t you say?”

 Churches are not always known for hospitality. We have our signs outside that say, “Visitors welcome” or “All are welcome” or “you are welcome.” A church in Mt. Lebanon has a sign that says, “Visitors expected.” But the reality is not always in keeping with the signs. All of you know of stories of those who have experienced churches otherwise: “No one spoke to me. We did not feel welcome at all.”

 Sometimes churches try to contrive a form of hospitality. In one church the minister, who wanted to increase the level of hospitality, decided to put a red “X” on one of the worship bulletins each Sunday morning. Whoever got the red “X” would receive a visit from the pastor that week—perhaps even a lunch or a dinner. No one knew from week to week who would receive the marked bulletin. One week a young girl opened her bulletin and found the red “X.” Turning to her mother she exclaimed in a rather loud voice, “Hey Mom, look! We won the minister!” 

Scripture often says or implies that we are to “practice hospitality.” Scripture speaks to the community of believers in this regard. 

We work at hospitality here. We are far from perfect. In some areas we have a ways to go. But we do work at it, and we are better than we were. 

We have hall hosts and greeters, and attentiveness at our new welcome center. We are a “Safe Sanctuary,” which implies we care deeply about children, youth, and vulnerable adults. We provide a regular place for food and rest on an 8-week cycle for a few of the exploding numbers of homeless people in America. We have a hospitality coordinator for our foodservice ministry. Our vision statement says who we are, who we want to be, and who we are working to become: “We are an open and hospitable community.” 

We are going on to perfection in true Wesleyan tradition. We have a growing passion for excellence that honors Jesus.  

A few weeks ago I read a statement which I found very interesting. It said, “People find healing in hospitable settings.” I was reminded of the original meaning of places we call hospitals. Some hospitals today are experienced as cold and unfeeling and indifferent. Originally, however, they were places of healing because they extended hospitality to their patients. 

The church has a clear calling to hospitality. This church has a clear calling to hospitality. We are called to be a place of exceptional, extraordinary, excellent hospitality. We are called partly because people find healing in hospitable settings. People find salvation (a form of healing) in hospitable settings. You and I find healing when we experience hospitality here. 

Jesus seems to say, “Open your hearts and your life to more than those whom you already know.” Jesus calls for radically redesigned hospitality from us. He puts it in the form of a couple of questions. These again are some of the “Master-full Questions” of Jesus. “If you love those who love you, what reward have you? If you greet only your brothers and sisters, what more are you doing than others?” Hospitality has some radical implications for us. What does that mean? 

AN OUTWARD EXPRESSION OF GRACE

 First of all, hospitality is an outward and visible expression of the grace of God. Hospitality signifies unconditional grace. Hospitality is a sign of God’s love.

 Many of you probably know that hospitality has a rich history in America. In the early frontier days of this country, certain homes were designated as places of hospitality for the circuit riders who rode on horseback from town to town and church to church. These homes were ready at a moment’s notice. They would provide immediate and unscheduled hospitality and warmth. 

During the Depression years, anybody who had a shed or a barn on their property would have a pile of clean hay available for wanderers who might be down on their luck. Extended family would welcome their uncle’s cousin’s nephew’s son, because he needed a place to stay for a while. 

Even some of our homes today have a room designated as a guestroom. The idea of a guestroom grew out of that same tradition. 

However, today we find that kind of instant hospitality a bit strange and maybe even frightening. We no longer dream of opening our homes or our property to strangers. We are afraid we would expose ourselves and our family to possible risk. Think about that family in Utah whose little girl was kidnapped several weeks ago. They now realize that they opened their home to a handyman who had a criminal record. How many of us have said to one another at times, “See, never trust a stranger.” 

The comedian Jacov Smirnoff once quipped, “Only in America do we use answering machines to screen calls and then have ‘call waiting’ so we don’t miss a call from someone we didn’t want to talk to in the first place!” 

Jesus calls disciples to exceptional, radically redesigned hospitality. The church is even more than a guestroom or a fresh bale of hay. 

I wondered this week what would happen if the man who challenged the phrase “under God” in the Pledge of Allegiance showed up in this church for worship, or at least to observe. Would we welcome him? Or would we boo and hiss him out of the building? 

Jesus implies that hospitality is unusual, extraordinary, and exceptional for disciples.

MORE THAN THOSE YOU KNOW

 Jesus said to open yourselves to more than those who are known brothers and sisters. Open the church to everyone.

 I came across an article about a Roman Catholic parish in Tulsa, Oklahoma that ran an advertisement in the Tulsa “World” to try to encourage people to come to church during the Lenten season. In its February 16^th ad the church extended a special welcome to… 

Single, twice divorced, under 30, gay, filthy rich, black and proud, poor as dirt, can’t sing, no speaka da English, married with pets, older than God, more Catholic than the Pope, workaholic, bad speller, screaming babies, three times divorced, passive/aggressive, obsessive/compulsive, tourists, seekers, doubters, believing hearts, and oh yes, you[i].

That kind of radical hospitality characterizes the church. Is it scary? Perhaps. Uncomfortable? Yes. But it is exactly the way Jesus dealt with people. Jesus confronted brokenness, sinfulness, lostness and greed with words something like this, “Come, be a part of the new community. Be a part of the Kingdom.”

 The United Methodist Church is embarking on a hospitality effort early this coming fall. I’m not sure how radical it is, but the process is interesting. There will be television and radio ads that say over and over again, “You will find a welcome in the United Methodist Church.” Billboards, banners and door hangers will say repeatedly, “Open hearts, open minds, open doors.” 

It is more than a campaign to bring people to church. It’s more than a clever slogan by advertising gurus. It is a call to very intentional hospitality. It is a call to consciousness-raising, inside the church and out. It is a call to changed hearts within the church. It is a call to conversion within, as well as an extension of welcome to the unchurched.

SOME CLEAR CLAIMS

Radically designed hospitality makes some clear claims upon us. You and I are part of the Kingdom opening process. You and I are a part of the radically redesigned hospitality.

 Hospitality means more than laying out the welcome mat, more than mopping the floors and cleaning the windows—shining the place in readiness. It means more than opening doors a little wider. You and I add the personal dimension—the incarnational dimension.

 Let me explain what I mean by that by way of illustration. Last year the Igniting Ministries effort of our denomination saturated a certain geographical area not too far from us. The television, radio and other media said, “The United Methodist Church is ready and open to welcome you.” It was a good message, well delivered by media sources.

 Afterwards, those who had been responsible for the campaign took a survey. They discovered a couple of interesting things. First, people had seen the promotions. Secondly, people had responded favorably. They liked the feel of the ads. But the survey found out something else very interesting. They found out that 6 out of 10 people who were either unchurched or marginally churched said they would attend a United Methodist church if invited. Six out of ten would come to a United Methodist church if personally invited.

 You see, hospitality requires energy and enthusiasm—and a lot of both. Hospitality requires reclaiming a valuable part of our United Methodist heritage. Hospitality requires a positive response to two penetrating questions of Jesus. In one of the letters of John, the writer says, “Love shows itself in action.” In the letter to the Hebrews, the writer says, “Do not neglect to show hospitality to strangers; thereby some have entertained angels unaware.”

 Jim Wallis is the leader of the Sojourners Christian community in Washington, DC. Each Saturday Sojourners feeds the hungry in the shadow of the White House. As they prepare their meal each week, one woman in the group prays the same prayer week after week. Just before the food is served, they gather and join hands and she prays, “Lord, we know that you will be coming through this line today, so help us to treat you well.”

 Think about that prayer as you leave church today. Think about that prayer as you see someone whom you do not know, and try to decide whether to at least say “hello” to that person. “Lord, we know you will be coming through this line today, so help us to treat you well.” 

Radically redesigned hospitality is our call. It is a part of our discipleship journey. Let’s make it a joyous priority for this community called Christ Church.