“Do not forget to show hospitality to strangers, for by so doing some people have shown hospitality to angels without knowing it.”

Hebrews 13:2

How is your hospitality? According to biblical standards, hospitality goes beyond inviting friends over to our house. The biblical practice of hospitality is not about who you invite but how you respond to those who show up uninvited. Hospitality is how we treat the stranger.

In the twelfth chapter of Romans, Paul reminds us again to “Practice hospitality.” The Greek word used here is philonexia. J. D. Walt says he defines that word as “to pursue the stranger with the love of a family and make them feel at home.” Hospitality is not about people you know, but people you don’t yet know.

Hospitality is being open toward all people. Our natural instincts tell us to fear a stranger and to keep to ourself. As followers of Jesus, we are to be open and welcoming of the stranger. The scripture passage found in Hebrews 13:2 refers to when Abraham welcomed the three strangers. Because he showed hospitality, he received a blessing. Jesus says in Matthew 25:35, “I was a stranger and you welcomed me.” St. Benedict practiced this rule in his life: “Let all guests who arrive be received as Christ.”

Let us practice philonexia in our hearts, homes and churches. Hospitality is a key quality of Holy Spirit-filled people. We find many examples of how to practice hospitality throughout the Bible. Let us welcome the stranger, for we may be welcoming the Lord or entertaining angels without knowing it.

Peace, Pastor Kenn

“Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world. For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.’

Matthew 25:34-36 (NIV)

“Some of the Jews were persuaded and joined Paul and Silas, as did a large number of God-fearing Greeks and not a few prominent women.”

Acts 17:4 (NIV)

When I was a child, I used to love to go fishing at my grandparent’s pond. I mostly caught bluegill but on occasion I would land a nice bass. I didn’t use any fancy equipment or lures. I would grab an old fishing pole off the back porch and stop to dig up a few worms in the compost pile. Casual fishing kept me occupied for a few hours.

Professional fishermen approach things quite differently. They usually know where the fish are and when they are going to be striking at the bait. They study the area where they are going to fish. They know what type of fish they will find and what they like to eat. They have a plan on how they will fish and have the appropriate gear along so they can switch tactics to catch the fish.

Reading through the book of Acts we find that Paul knew how to attract and persuade people to follow Jesus. In Matthew 4:19, when Jesus called the first disciples, he said, “Follow me, and I will make you fishers of people.” Paul became a master angler. He knew where to find the people, and how to reason with them from the scriptures. He knew when to persist and when to move on to a new spot.

So, how about you? Are you following Jesus’ call to fish for people? Do you know the kind of “fish” that are in the pond of your town? It is so easy to say, “Let someone who has more experience do it.” If we are truly following Jesus, then we are called to be a part of the fishing business. Spend some time studying the New Testament and see how the master angler (Jesus) and his apostles and their protégés became proficient. We are in the fishing business. The good news is that we don’t have to go out alone. Friends can go fishing together. Jesus is willing and ready to help us become master anglers. Who’s in?

Peace, Pastor Kenn

Great is the Lord and most worthy of praise; his greatness no one can fathom. One generation commends your works to another; they tell of your mighty acts. They speak of the glorious splendor of your majesty- and I will meditate on your wonderful works. They tell of the power of your awesome works- and I will proclaim your great deeds. They celebrate your abundant goodness and joyfully sing of your righteousness.

Psalm 145:3-7 (NIV)

We are officially in the midst of summer and all of the outdoor activities to go with it. We have ballgames to attend, fishing, kayaking, vacations and on and on. In all of the busyness, do we get distracted and withhold our praises to God. Do we remember to thank God for getting us through a hectic work day, or for the beauty of creation? Distracted by the busyness and circumstances of our days, we can forget to praise God. It happens to all of us.

In Psalm 145, David is singing his praises to God. But, if you look closely you find that David is not alone in giving thanks. It says that there is one generation sharing God’s splendor and wonderful works with another generation. What a wonderful reminder of how parents, grandparents, children and grandchildren can all share together in thanking God for the beauty around us and the blessings we encounter every day.

Susan Kent says that in this Psalm we find the generational choir singing of God’s glorious splendor and David meditating on God’s wonderful works. David and the choir build off one another and point to God’s goodness and what God will continue to do. Uniting generations in worship and praise enriches the participants lives and promotes greater understanding. The bonding between generations has immeasurable potential to bring growth in both directions.

We must continue to strive to include all generations in our worship and coming together. God uses each of us to spread the gospel, so we must continue to encourage one another, to build us up and make us stronger. Practice thanksgiving and offering praise, as individuals and families. Let us not become too busy or distracted to raise our praises to God and to encourage one another. Take the time to meditate on these questions each day: Who can I raise up today with encouragement? What can I give thanks to God for today?

Peace, Pastor Kenn

For this reason I kneel before the Father, from whom every family in heaven and on earth derives its name. I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the Lord’s holy people, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge—that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God.

Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen.

Ephesians 3:14-21 (NIV)

Our scripture passage is a prayer for the church for union and love. It is also a prayer for our union and love in Jesus. The goal of our faith is to know this love that surpasses all understanding so that we may be filled to the brim of all the fullness of God. Faith is the center of living in union with Jesus.

Dan Wilt says that “Faith in Jesus, even when we do not see or feel his presence with us, is a key to Christian living.” We walk by faith and not by sight. Hebrews 11:1 says, “Now faith is the certainty of things hoped for, a proof of things not seen.” Faith is our guiding element.

We also have to put our faith into practice. To become better at playing an instrument or a sport requires daily practice. In the same way, we must take advantage of opportunities to express our love for God and others every day. We need to spend time meditating on God’s Word, worshipping, and building relationships. Invest time in prayer, mentoring and learning from others.

To help and encourage us, let this prayer written by Dan Wilt be a beginning guide as you begin each day: Lord Jesus, I am in you and you are in me. Increase my awareness of what it means to live in union with you, and to be loved by you. I pray that I might have power from your Spirit to know that you dwell in me. I pray that I might have the power to know your love that surpasses my understanding and that I may share it with others. And I pray for your church, the body of your people called by your name, that we might come into full maturity of faith, hope, and, especially, love. In Christ Jesus, I pray, amen.

Peace, Pastor Kenn

Part of my morning reflection time comes from a daily devotion email I receive from Seedbed called, “Wake-Up Call.” The writings each day are inspirational and help to dig deeper into the Bible. As I have been pondering our unique cooperative parish and the beginning of General Conference, the words put forth by Dan Wilt in his devotion on April 26 spoke volumes to me. I would like for you to reflect on these words:

“So in Christ we, though many, form one body, and each member belongs to all the others…Be devoted to one another in love. Honor one another above yourselves.” Romans 12:5, 10 (NIV)

Dan shares that as his children, their house had a saying: “Friends may come and go, but family is forever.” They were reminded of this phrase whenever siblings would fight or friendships would get in the way of sibling relationships. They also reminded their children that “Words create worlds.” These phrases are great reminders for families and for us who are brothers and sisters in Christ. We are part of the family of God and our actions impact those who are a part of our circle of love. We must care for one another.

It is only through identifying with and honoring our family members that healing can occur within churches or society. We cannot allow disagreements with our family members to compromise our love for them or stop us from taking actions that serve and honor them, even in the midst of disagreement. We can be truthful and loving at the same time, for we are in Christ together.

Dan states, “We belong to Jesus, and we belong to one another. Union with Christ reminds us of this irrepressible truth. Family love can be costly, but it is the welcome cost that comes with union with Christ and union with his people.” Jesus prayed in John 17:21 that we may be one. When we belong to one another and live out our union, that becomes the primary evidence that we are actually in union with Jesus as a community. Putting our union with Jesus and one another ahead of our opinions and valuing being loving more than being right, we can become one.

Let this be our prayer: O God, I am in you and you are in me. I understand that being in union with you means being in union with those who are in your covenant family. Help me resist the impulse to place my opinions before my love, or to place my views before my care for others. In Christ Jesus we pray. Amen

Peace, Pastor Kenn

“Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things above, not earthly things. For you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God.”

Colossians 3:1-3 (NIV)

You have probably experienced this: you are driving and receive an important phone call. As you are talking (hands free and not distracted of course), you suddenly discover that the call was dropped because you lost the signal. If we are honest, this can also happen in our spiritual lives. During a prayer our minds wander. We set out to do something for God but get sidetracked.

During this season of Lent, we have the opportunity to create time and a place where we can focus our minds on Jesus. Susan Kent says that we could have the most beautiful chapels for worship or a serene devotional space, but if our minds are not set, we can be like the Israelites wandering in the desert. Paul wrote to the Colossians to help encourage them and to readjust their focus. They were distracted by the things of the world and Paul reminds them to set their focus on the things above.

The original meaning of the word “set” was to direct one’s mind or to seek. To “set” your mind was not a passive activity. If we do not actively engage our minds or focus on a particular activity, what happens? It wanders and flits from one thought to another, or seeks something to occupy its time. Paul knew that the world was always offering distractions for a wandering mind and so encouraged the Colossians to actively direct their minds toward Jesus.

Theologian A. W. Tozer wrote, “The person who would know God must give time to Him.” When our hearts and minds are on Jesus, it is reflected in our lives. As we all know, setting our minds on the things above is sometimes easier said than done. Lent is an opportunity for us to reset our hearts and minds. Creating mental space may require physically moving to a space that allows your mind to focus (Mark 1:35). Creating space might mean replacing our normal routine with a different activity. What is taking up your mental space today? The world offers many things to distract us and drain us. We have a choice to reset and replace those things so that we may offer our time to the Lord and focus on what truly is important.

Peace, Pastor Kenn