My friend Jeff encountered a massive obstacle. Not due to any fault of his own, he faced the prospect of being homeless. The timing of this was formidable. He came out of complicated major surgery and faced release from the hospital. His heart cried out to God. Many professing believers said to him, “I’ll be praying for you. I’ll be thinking about you”. None said, “I have an extra room you can stay in.” Jeff felt very alone within his church family.
GENUINE HOSPITALITY
Where is the love described in Hebrews 13:1-3? “Let love of your fellow believers continue. Do not neglect to extend hospitality to strangers [especially among the family of believers—being friendly, cordial, and gracious, sharing the comforts of your home and doing your part generously].”
PAGANS FLED…THE CHRISTIANS STAYED
What is the church’s role in taking care of hurting people? The earliest Christian church rose to emergencies. “Hospital” comes from the Latin word hospes, meaning “guest” or “host,”. It originally referred to a place of lodging and care for travelers or strangers. Kyle King notes: “While the pagans fled out of fear of plagues sweeping through the cities, the Christians stayed to care for the sick and the dying. Not fearing the ‘sting’ of death because of their hope in heaven, the Christians became mobile nurses of plague victims. This effort not only revealed the radical love of Christ, but it also caused the Christian movement to grow even more rapidly.”
ENTERTAINING ANGELS
Furthermore, “The hospital became a primary way for the ‘preaching of the pulpit.’ How do we care for challenging individuals God puts before us? Say, we give a low-ball estimate of 700 for adult believers at GCC who can give love which comes at a personal cost: time, effort, patience, and money. Do you number among those who immediately answer, “Yes, count me in!”? Hebrews says, “some have entertained angels without knowing it.” Have you served angels?
REMEMBER…REMEMBER
Hebrews tells us to remember. “Remember those who are in prison, as if you were their fellow prisoner, and those who are mistreated, since you also are in the body [and subject to physical suffering].” This is not a suggestion; it is a command. True believers are supposed to be in the midst, caring for others when it is messy and inconvenient. This comes at a cost to our own plans and fortunes. Do you number among believers who readily offer this type of love? Was Jeff an angel who many chose to ignore?
That’s why a friend of ours anchors his ministry in Lancaster Prison. He not only ministers at the prison but also invites to GCC prisoners freshly released from the system. It can be messy and inconvenient, but God brings great blessings to his efforts.
2,800 HOURS OF CHANGING THE WORLD
Is GCC known as a safe haven, as a congregation which welcomes with open arms those who are neglected, without hope, and friendless? What would happen if every adult and teen in our congregation gave one hour a week to care for others? A low-ball estimate would total at least 700 hours of caring for believers, strangers, prisoners, and those in need of loving caring hands. One month of such ministry would mean 2,800 hours of community care. Can you imagine the impact that the Gospel could make in our county, our state, our country?
BOTH WORLD AND HEAVEN AWAIT YOU
Will it be said in your eulogy, that you “never forgot to care for the poor and miserable. He/she numbered among the more than 700 believers choosing to serve by displaying the radical love of Christ.” The world and heaven both wait for your response.
