Welcoming The Stranger!
Reflection: In our day and age we are taught to fear strangers and generally protect our own against them. Of course some of this is wise given the age we live in especially in teaching our children good boundaries. But in our verses for today, we see a different message mainly applicable to us as adults. Hebrews 13:2 says to not neglect welcoming or showing hospitality to strangers for some have entertained angels while doing it. When Jesus talked about his second coming in Matthew 25, he tells those who he welcomed in heaven, “For I was thirsty and you gave me something to eat, I was a stranger and you invited me in.” When the disciples asked, “Where were you Lord?” He said, “When you fed the hungry and welcomed in the stranger, you welcomed me!”
In our New Testament lesson in Acts we see Peter traveling to Lydda, where he meets a man who is paralyzed and bedridden for 8 years. Typically in that culture there would be nothing that could be done for this man, and at worst he was blamed for his condition due to some past sin. But Peter sees the man who was a stranger to him and says, “Jesus Christ heals you, get up and roll up your mat.” Immediately the man got up. That man was lucky Peter didn’t pass by him that day and the result was that many others came to know the Lord.
I live in a culture that is a “mini United Nations” here in Irvine, CA. There are all kinds of ethnicities represented, Asian, Indian, Persian, American, European etc… In the church I pastor I am starting to see more diversity in our congregation, and we are slowly but surely beginning to look a little bit more like our diverse community. But the key change will be when we start breaking bread together in homes and doing bible study and fellowship together. There will have to be decisions made to welcome in strangers even within an existing body of believers.
Where do you need to be open to welcoming in the stranger in your midst, whether within or outside your faith community? Where is God calling you to show hospitality in world of busyness, where we often get caught up in our own stuff so that we forget to welcome Jesus in the form of a stranger. I would challenge you and your family to think about this in 2013, so that some strangers with not be strangers anymore, but experience the love of God in the power of Christian community. Amen.
Psalm 3
A psalm of David. When he fled from his son Absalom.
1 Lord, how many are my foes!
How many rise up against me!
2 Many are saying of me,
“God will not deliver him.”
3 But you, Lord, are a shield around me,
my glory, the One who lifts my head high.
4 I call out to the Lord,
and he answers me from his holy mountain.
5 I lie down and sleep;
I wake again, because the Lord sustains me.
6 I will not fear though tens of thousands
assail me on every side.
7 Arise, Lord!
Deliver me, my God!
Strike all my enemies on the jaw;
break the teeth of the wicked.
8 From the Lord comes deliverance.
May your blessing be on your people.
1 Chronicles 4:24-43
Simeon
24 The descendants of Simeon: Nemuel, Jamin, Jarib, Zerah and Shaul; 25 Shallum was Shaul’s son, Mibsam his son and Mishma his son. 26 The descendants of Mishma: Hammuel his son, Zakkur his son and Shimei his son. 27 Shimei had sixteen sons and six daughters, but his brothers did not have many children; so their entire clan did not become as numerous as the people of Judah. 28 They lived in Beersheba, Moladah, Hazar Shual, 29 Bilhah, Ezem, Tolad, 30 Bethuel, Hormah, Ziklag, 31 Beth Markaboth, Hazar Susim, Beth Biri and Shaaraim. These were their towns until the reign of David. 32 Their surrounding villages were Etam, Ain, Rimmon, Token and Ashan—five towns— 33 and all the villages around these towns as far as Baalath. These were their settlements. And they kept a genealogical record. 34 Meshobab, Jamlech, Joshah son of Amaziah, 35 Joel, Jehu son of Joshibiah, the son of Seraiah, the son of Asiel, 36 also Elioenai, Jaakobah, Jeshohaiah, Asaiah, Adiel, Jesimiel, Benaiah, 37 and Ziza son of Shiphi, the son of Allon, the son of Jedaiah, the son of Shimri, the son of Shemaiah. 38 The men listed above by name were leaders of their clans. Their families increased greatly, 39 and they went to the outskirts of Gedor to the east of the valley in search of pasture for their flocks. 40 They found rich, good pasture, and the land was spacious, peaceful and quiet. Some Hamites had lived there formerly.41 The men whose names were listed came in the days of Hezekiah king of Judah. They attacked the Hamites in their dwellings and also the Meunites who were there and completely destroyed them, as is evident to this day. Then they settled in their place, because there was pasture for their flocks. 42 And five hundred of these Simeonites, led by Pelatiah, Neariah, Rephaiah and Uzziel, the sons of Ishi, invaded the hill country of Seir. 43 They killed the remaining Amalekites who had escaped, and they have lived there to this day.
Acts 9:23-35
23 After many days had gone by, there was a conspiracy among the Jews to kill him, 24 but Saul learned of their plan. Day and night they kept close watch on the city gates in order to kill him. 25 But his followers took him by night and lowered him in a basket through an opening in the wall. 26 When he came to Jerusalem, he tried to join the disciples, but they were all afraid of him, not believing that he really was a disciple. 27 But Barnabas took him and brought him to the apostles. He told them how Saul on his journey had seen the Lord and that the Lord had spoken to him, and how in Damascus he had preached fearlessly in the name of Jesus. 28 So Saul stayed with them and moved about freely in Jerusalem, speaking boldly in the name of the Lord. 29 He talked and debated with the Hellenistic Jews, but they tried to kill him. 30 When the believers learned of this, they took him down to Caesarea and sent him off to Tarsus. 31 Then the church throughout Judea, Galilee and Samaria enjoyed a time of peace and was strengthened. Living in the fear of the Lord and encouraged by the Holy Spirit, it increased in numbers.
Aeneas and Dorcas
32 As Peter traveled about the country, he went to visit the Lord’s people who lived in Lydda. 33 There he found a man named Aeneas, who was paralyzed and had been bedridden for eight years. 34 “Aeneas,” Peter said to him, “Jesus Christ heals you. Get up and roll up your mat.” Immediately Aeneas got up. 35 All those who lived in Lydda and Sharon saw him and turned to the Lord.
The alien who resides with you shall be to you as the citizen among you. Leviticus 19:34
Do not neglect to show hospitality to strangers, for by doing that some have entertained angels without knowing it. Hebrews 13:2
Savior, as citizens of your kingdom and through your love for us, we can reach out to strangers so they may be a part of your heavenly hosts. In your name we pray. Amen.
In our New Testament lesson in Acts we see Peter traveling to Lydda, where he meets a man who is paralyzed and bedridden for 8 years. Typically in that culture there would be nothing that could be done for this man, and at worst he was blamed for his condition due to some past sin. But Peter sees the man who was a stranger to him and says, “Jesus Christ heals you, get up and roll up your mat.” Immediately the man got up. That man was lucky Peter didn’t pass by him that day and the result was that many others came to know the Lord.
I live in a culture that is a “mini United Nations” here in Irvine, CA. There are all kinds of ethnicities represented, Asian, Indian, Persian, American, European etc… In the church I pastor I am starting to see more diversity in our congregation, and we are slowly but surely beginning to look a little bit more like our diverse community. But the key change will be when we start breaking bread together in homes and doing bible study and fellowship together. There will have to be decisions made to welcome in strangers even within an existing body of believers.
Where do you need to be open to welcoming in the stranger in your midst, whether within or outside your faith community? Where is God calling you to show hospitality in world of busyness, where we often get caught up in our own stuff so that we forget to welcome Jesus in the form of a stranger. I would challenge you and your family to think about this in 2013, so that some strangers with not be strangers anymore, but experience the love of God in the power of Christian community. Amen.
Psalm 3
A psalm of David. When he fled from his son Absalom.
1 Lord, how many are my foes!
How many rise up against me!
2 Many are saying of me,
“God will not deliver him.”
3 But you, Lord, are a shield around me,
my glory, the One who lifts my head high.
4 I call out to the Lord,
and he answers me from his holy mountain.
5 I lie down and sleep;
I wake again, because the Lord sustains me.
6 I will not fear though tens of thousands
assail me on every side.
7 Arise, Lord!
Deliver me, my God!
Strike all my enemies on the jaw;
break the teeth of the wicked.
8 From the Lord comes deliverance.
May your blessing be on your people.
1 Chronicles 4:24-43
Simeon
24 The descendants of Simeon: Nemuel, Jamin, Jarib, Zerah and Shaul; 25 Shallum was Shaul’s son, Mibsam his son and Mishma his son. 26 The descendants of Mishma: Hammuel his son, Zakkur his son and Shimei his son. 27 Shimei had sixteen sons and six daughters, but his brothers did not have many children; so their entire clan did not become as numerous as the people of Judah. 28 They lived in Beersheba, Moladah, Hazar Shual, 29 Bilhah, Ezem, Tolad, 30 Bethuel, Hormah, Ziklag, 31 Beth Markaboth, Hazar Susim, Beth Biri and Shaaraim. These were their towns until the reign of David. 32 Their surrounding villages were Etam, Ain, Rimmon, Token and Ashan—five towns— 33 and all the villages around these towns as far as Baalath. These were their settlements. And they kept a genealogical record. 34 Meshobab, Jamlech, Joshah son of Amaziah, 35 Joel, Jehu son of Joshibiah, the son of Seraiah, the son of Asiel, 36 also Elioenai, Jaakobah, Jeshohaiah, Asaiah, Adiel, Jesimiel, Benaiah, 37 and Ziza son of Shiphi, the son of Allon, the son of Jedaiah, the son of Shimri, the son of Shemaiah. 38 The men listed above by name were leaders of their clans. Their families increased greatly, 39 and they went to the outskirts of Gedor to the east of the valley in search of pasture for their flocks. 40 They found rich, good pasture, and the land was spacious, peaceful and quiet. Some Hamites had lived there formerly.41 The men whose names were listed came in the days of Hezekiah king of Judah. They attacked the Hamites in their dwellings and also the Meunites who were there and completely destroyed them, as is evident to this day. Then they settled in their place, because there was pasture for their flocks. 42 And five hundred of these Simeonites, led by Pelatiah, Neariah, Rephaiah and Uzziel, the sons of Ishi, invaded the hill country of Seir. 43 They killed the remaining Amalekites who had escaped, and they have lived there to this day.
Acts 9:23-35
23 After many days had gone by, there was a conspiracy among the Jews to kill him, 24 but Saul learned of their plan. Day and night they kept close watch on the city gates in order to kill him. 25 But his followers took him by night and lowered him in a basket through an opening in the wall. 26 When he came to Jerusalem, he tried to join the disciples, but they were all afraid of him, not believing that he really was a disciple. 27 But Barnabas took him and brought him to the apostles. He told them how Saul on his journey had seen the Lord and that the Lord had spoken to him, and how in Damascus he had preached fearlessly in the name of Jesus. 28 So Saul stayed with them and moved about freely in Jerusalem, speaking boldly in the name of the Lord. 29 He talked and debated with the Hellenistic Jews, but they tried to kill him. 30 When the believers learned of this, they took him down to Caesarea and sent him off to Tarsus. 31 Then the church throughout Judea, Galilee and Samaria enjoyed a time of peace and was strengthened. Living in the fear of the Lord and encouraged by the Holy Spirit, it increased in numbers.
Aeneas and Dorcas
32 As Peter traveled about the country, he went to visit the Lord’s people who lived in Lydda. 33 There he found a man named Aeneas, who was paralyzed and had been bedridden for eight years. 34 “Aeneas,” Peter said to him, “Jesus Christ heals you. Get up and roll up your mat.” Immediately Aeneas got up. 35 All those who lived in Lydda and Sharon saw him and turned to the Lord.
The alien who resides with you shall be to you as the citizen among you. Leviticus 19:34
Do not neglect to show hospitality to strangers, for by doing that some have entertained angels without knowing it. Hebrews 13:2
Savior, as citizens of your kingdom and through your love for us, we can reach out to strangers so they may be a part of your heavenly hosts. In your name we pray. Amen.
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