Peace 12
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The Emmaus Disciples by Abraham Bloemaert
c 1622 |
Thus
far in our discussion of the biblical means of obtaining peace I have been
fairly predictable. Methods such as trusting the Lord, developing your relationship
with Him and with His church, living right, and enjoying His creation have been
mentioned. I am not afraid to be predictable. After all, much biblical teaching
is predictable for those who know the Lord well. Having said that, I am also
not afraid to be unpredictable if I am convinced I am being biblical. Such is
the case with today’s method of obtaining peace. It is not one you would
normally expect, I think.
About six months before Jesus died, He
made one final effort at evangelizing Judea. It had never welcomed Him. As the
old statement says, Galilee gave Him a home while Judea gave Him a cross. He
had systematically preached through it earlier in His ministry, and
sporadically here and there in the interval since. But now, just a few months
before His death, He organizes His followers for one last stab at the geographical
heart of Judaism. Thus it is that He sends teams of advance men throughout the
region to prepare for His last preaching tour of it.
We pick up the story at this point in Luke
10.
1
After these things the Lord appointed other seventy also, and sent them two and
two before his face into every city and place, whither he himself would come.
2
Therefore said he unto them, The harvest truly is great, but the labourers are
few: pray ye therefore the Lord of the harvest, that he would send forth
labourers into his harvest.
3
Go your ways: behold, I send you forth as lambs among wolves.
4
Carry neither purse, nor scrip, nor shoes: and salute no man by the way.
5
And into whatsoever house ye enter, first say, Peace be to this house.
6
And if the son of peace be there, your peace shall rest upon it: if not,
it shall turn to you again.
7
And in the same house remain, eating and drinking such things as they give: for
the labourer is worthy of his hire. Go not from house to house.
8
And into whatsoever city ye enter, and they receive you, eat such things as are
set before you:
9
And heal the sick that are therein, and say unto them, The kingdom of God is
come nigh unto you.
10
But into whatsoever city ye enter, and they receive you not, go your ways out
into the streets of the same, and say,
11
Even the very dust of your city, which cleaveth on us, we do wipe off against
you: notwithstanding be ye sure of this, that the kingdom of God is come nigh
unto you.
12
But I say unto you, that it shall be more tolerable in that day for Sodom, than
for that city.
I do not believe this passage is
primarily intended to teach us how to obtain peace. I do believe, however, that
we can find some applicable truth here that is often overlooked. Peace comes to
our homes when we are hospitable to those preaching the Gospel.
The Roman era Middle Eastern
civilization did not have a structure of hotels and restaurants. In its place,
a culture of hospitality formed, a culture that was continually cultivated from
generation to generation. To this day, two millennia later, the hospitality of
the Middle Eastern peoples is the best in the world. It is part of who they are
and a core part.
In a church context, then, when an
evangelist traveled from place to place he did not drive an RV or pillow his
head in a three star hotel. He went by faith, believing if he preached the Word
that God’s people in that area would provide for him. They would take him into
their homes, feed him at their table, and meet his physical needs for the
length of his stay among them.
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Christ in the House of Mary and Martha
by Johannes Vermeer, c 1675 |
It is this to which Jesus alludes in Luke
10. He is readying one last preaching push through Judea. In preparation, He
will send teams of men into each Judean hill town. If that town is receptive to
the message proclaiming Christ it will be seen in the hospitality they extend
to that team. If that town is not receptive to Christ’s message, well then,
that, too, will be seen in the lack of hospitality they extend toward that
team.
In 21st century America, hospitality
is a dying grace. It has been replaced with the cheap substitute of “entertaining.”
Yet even that is largely only found in the business class eager to impress
others with the square footage of their suburban McMansion. Such a thing has
nothing to do with actual, biblical hospitality. Hospitality is not about
impressing people. It is about opening up your home, and using every means at
your disposal to make people feel welcomed, encouraged, taken in, and
refreshed. It is not display; it is the opening up of yourself and of your
life, inviting others into the peace and sanctity and happiness of your family circle.
It is relationships grown to the point of being relaxed with one another, not
all dressed up at church, but all dressed down at home. It is a practical,
encouraging opening of your heart and hearth to God’s children. In short, it is loving your neighbor as yourself.
It is a tragedy that this has all the
appearances of a dying art. It is eminently edifying and entirely scriptural.
We are commanded to be given to hospitality (Romans 12.13). We are told
to use hospitality one to another without grudging *I Peter 4.9). As in
other areas of the Christian life, the pastor is specifically instructed to
lead in this. A bishop must be… given to hospitality (I Timothy 3.2). He
is told to be a lover of hospitality (Titus 1.8). It builds deep
relationships, fosters unity in and between churches, and lowers the guard of
the lost.
In addition to all of these comes yet one
further blessing: it brings peace. Homes that are hospitable homes, families
whose lives are marked by hospitality are peaceful homes and families. And
into whatsoever house ye enter, first say, Peace be to this house. And if the
son of peace be there, your peace shall rest upon it (Luke 10.5-6).
I have mentioned a time or two in this
blog series that when I purchased my home here in Dubuque last year I decided
to name it Saint’s Rest. I chose that name because I want it to reflect what my
home is to me and mine, yes, but also to all those who come within its walls. I
want to live in a peaceful place, but more than that, I want my home to be a place
of rest, refreshment, and encouragement for God’s people.
As I write this it is Saturday afternoon.
Last night, we hosted two families from our church in our home. We ate a
delicious Mexican themed meal al fresco on the deck, and then I built a fire
while a group played Ticket to Ride in the gathering dark. Lamps were brought
out, music was turned on, and the backyard echoed to the sound of laughter.
Later, we all gathered around the flames and fellowshipped late into the night.
Tonight, twenty-five or so men from our church will gather on the same deck and
patio. We will eat some delicious food prepared by a man in our church who is
an excellent cook. We will hear an area pastor give us a thought from the Word
of God. Then while some shoot pool, others will gather around the same firepit still
warm with last night’s ashes. We will mingle life and stories and food and
biblical discussion in the broth of hospitality. And the men will be edified, I
hope.
I do not think I could count how many
people walk through the front doors of our home for a meal in a year’s time. A couple
of hundred, maybe? Maybe more. Some stay a short time. Some stay late into the
evening. Some stay until the next morning. Some are family. Some are friends traveling
through. Some are preachers weary in the fight. Some are our own church
members. Some are neighbors. All are warmly welcomed. I am sure there are saints
better at hospitality than Mandy and I are but I am not sure there are saints
more sincerely dedicated to it than we are.
My parents are up in years, to put it
mildly. But the last time I was in their home in Michigan I found a refrigerator
covered in missionary’s prayer cards, each one a family that had stayed in
their home, eaten at their table, and gone away refreshed in body and spirit.
It has been that way all my life. I hope my children will say the same thing
about Mandy and me.
We are not a perfect family, by any
means, but it is no coincidence that we have a peaceful home. It is not because
we are wonderful people. It is because God blesses obedience. In this case, He
blesses the obedience of hospitality exercised toward His children with the
presence of peace in my house.
How does that happen? I do not know,
exactly, but I do know it does happen. Further, I invite you to undertake the
biblical grace of hospitality. Yes, you have to clean your house every time you
turn around. Yes, your grocery budget proverbially has a giant hole in it. Yes,
you have purchase more furniture and creatively use space to house and feed
people. But what you gain is much more than what it costs.
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Elisha Raise a Son of the Woman of Shunem
by Benjamin West, c 1765 |
Someone reading this somewhere in America
is thinking, “Yeah. This is exactly what my pastor needs to do. I hope he is
reading this.” If that is the case, may I gently say, you have it all
backwards. Hospitality ought to be exemplified by your pastor, yes, but it is
to be practiced by all the saints. If he does, copy him. If he does not, let
its ministry in your church begin with you.
Open your home, and your heart to God’s
people, known and unknown. And do not be surprised when peace comes tripping
through the door right behind Bro. and Sis. So-and-So. At some point, they will
depart, encouraged, refreshed, recharged, edified. The peace will stay.
Do you need peace? Embrace the ministry of
hospitality.
