Listen to Sermon
Pastor Tom Johnson, August 28, 2016
Our Scripture says, “Let mutual love continue. Do not neglect to show hospitality to strangers, for by doing that some have entertained angels without knowing it.” The author of the letter to the Hebrews makes frequent mention of the Hebrew Scripture. He assumes a wealth of knowledge of the stories and teachings of the Bible beginning with Genesis. This reference to entertaining angels unawares is a clear reference to the story of Abraham’s nephew Lot who moves to Sodom.
Two angels are sent by God to Sodom. We know they are angels but they appear as ordinary men. Lot is the first to extend hospitality to these visitors. He invites them over for a meal, to spend the night, and then to be on their way in the morning. But other citizens of Sodom threaten them with violence. Everyone thinks that the two angels are two men not angels. That changes when the angels strike those that threatened them with blindness and rain down sulfur and fire upon the city and deliver Lot and his family to safety.
Hospitality to strangers is still a sacred value that many cultures in the Middle East. Marcus Lutrell in his book Lone Survivor talks about how he was almost killed by the Taliban in Afghanistan. But the Pashtun people protected him in the village. Their code to befriend perfect strangers saved this American soldier’s life. There is a similar value in the hearts and minds of individuals who stand by the shores of Greece to welcome strangers fleeing from the violence in Syria.
What is so remarkable about this kind of hospitality is that this kindness is extended to people whose stories, character, and intentions are completely unknown. Instead of crying “stranger danger” they are given the benefit of the doubt. Let’s be realistic. Who would know—who would care if many of these people's needs were ignored? And yet food, clothing, and shelter is given to people even if no one thanks them, rewards them, or puts their good deeds on the evening news. This is integrity: doing the right thing even though no one is watching—even if others may be indifferent, apathetic, or even hostile to strangers who come across our paths.
It may seem like a better strategy to assume the worst about people we don't know. They could be criminals or terrorists. The new hire at your workplace may threaten your long standing position. The people who moved in next door might disturb your peace and lower the value of your home. The individual walking through the doors of our church for the first time may be here to judge us to see if we are worthy to be their new church home.
But our Scripture says to show mutual love—to live by the Royal Law or Golden Rule to love our neighbor as ourselves. And not just our familiar neighbor but to the stranger, foreigner, and people of unknown repute. Here we are called to treat such people as potential angels not devils in disguise. God invites us to assume the best about others not the worst. The Holy Spirit wants to open us up to the blessings that are hidden in a new relationship not the dangers.
The word angel in Hebrew means messenger. God sends angels into our lives to bring us a message. That means that each person that comes across our path—even the needy ones—are there potentially to teach us something about God and ourselves. So you didn’t sign up for the church picnic. You did not even know about it. But you are welcome. Come join us. Be our guests. God wants to enlarge our world through your company. There is a blessing awaiting each new friend. Think about our guests at communist meals every Saturday. What Jesus said can become true every week: “It is more blessed to give than to receive” (Acts 20:35). Because when we live by grace we witness and participate in the work of God.God loves surprises. He wants us to be poised for those hidden blessings behind every bush and every corner. This is what it means to entertain angels unawares: to open ourselves up to believe that God is at work often secretly and covertly to increase love, acceptance, and the experience of his grace in our daily lives—to assume the best about strangers—but even more importantly—assume the best about God and the message he is teaching us. God is sneaking his grace upon us. He brings us through difficult times, frightening experiences, and dark valleys. And he loves it when we look back and see his hand at work. We weren’t alone. He sent his angels. Maybe you were one of them.
Even though we may not recognize it at the time. We can say, “Look at how God was with me.” “Or look how God used me to assure someone of God’s love and presence.” He sends his angels into our lives even though we may not see it at the time. This is how the Gospel works. The good news of a person whose origin is unknown to us who crosses our path—like the teacher from Nazareth. Scripture says he came to his own but even his own did not receive him (John 1). “He had no form or majesty that we should look at him, and no beauty that we should desire him. He was despised and rejected by people…we esteemed him not,” the prophet Isaiah says (53:2,3). But he is God’s Angel veiled in human flesh. He divinity is hidden behind his humanity. The eternal has invaded the temporal. And once our eyes, hearts, and hands are open to this peculiar God, we are surprised again by his amazing grace.
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