The Christian Grace of Hospitality

The command to be Hospitable
At least three times, the New Testament commands believers - urges, exhorts them - to show hospitality.

Here they are.....

"Practise hospitality." Romans 12:13

 "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

"Offer hospitality to one another without grumbling." 1 Peter 4:9

So all redeemed followers of Jesus ought to practise the grace of hospitality. Elders are expected to show hospitality - before a man is appointed as an elder he must have a good track record of showing hospitality (e.g. Titus 1:8). We should ask around the church "Is this man hospitable?" "Does he often invite strangers into his home?"  Only when the answer is yes, do we appoint him.

The definition of hospitality
The Greek word behind "hospitality" means show kindness to strangers (philo-zenos, kindness to strangers). Hospitality is not inviting friends for a meal. It is not inviting my family members for a meal. It is deliberately seeking out the outcast, the lonely, the odd, the new, the difficult and inviting them in. It is being obedient to Jesus' invitation list:

"But when you give a banquet, invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, the blind..." Luke 14:13

In other words, hospitality has a sacrificial edge to it. The people we are called to invite back to our homes may never invite us back and at the end of the hospitality day we may be exhausted. But with the grace and power of God, we will also be singularly blessed.

Excuses for not showing hospitality
As a pastor for many years  I have heard them all, here they go, and they are all - if you want it plain - pathetic:

"My marriage / family life is rubbish so I wouldn't want it exposed." This excuse is never spoken out of course. The solution is to use the command to show hospitality to put things right in your marriage and family life.

"My wife/husband is unconverted." This is the only excuse with some weight. An unbelieving spouse may not want believers in the home, but you could try.

"We just cater for just me and me wife on a Sunday." It's called planning, just plan to cater next week for 4 people.

"I am too busy with the family and kids." And? Add a potato to the pot and you would be surprised what a joy it is to have someone new and different around the house - they may entertain the kids too.

"My food is too plain." You're not inviting people to a Bake Off, you're inviting them to a home, don't do anything different from any other time, swallow your pride and dish out simple easy to cook food. It's the people that count, not the grub.

"I live on my own." Even more reason to invite some people around. It will help you cure the disease of me-ism as you care for others. I know of a student who lived in a one-room bedsit and had a twin plate Baby Belling barely-a-cooker and yet showed hospitality - often.

"I have to have the relatives around." Find another time to show hospitality. Tell the relatives they are on their own this Sunday or that others are joining the family. Family members aren't our bosses, Christ is.

"I am a poor host." What has that got to do with the command? Become a better one - by practising hospitality! Jesus does not say "Show hospitality if you're a good host, but you don't need to if you're a poor one." Just as he does not say, "Don't steal as a general rule, but if you are poor in the honest department, well go ahead and nick stuff."Get better at not stealing stuff, and get better at showing hospitality.

The blunt truth of the matter is that there are no legitimate excuses for not showing hospitality...

...the benefits of showing hospitality
Are vast.

I can always tell believers and individuals who never invite people into their homes. They have no mirrors external to the family/individual. Their family / individual habits and customs are rather odd and strange. Inviting folk into our homes opens up our lives to the inspection - and the possibility of challenge and change. It's hard to own ten 50" flat screen TVs or seven PS4s if I am inviting people into my home every week. The regular presence of strangers will challenge my household practises and possibly my household greed.

Hospitality cures the dreaded disease of "me-ism", the disease which puts us at the centre of every universe and persuades us that we / our incy wincy family is what matters most. When we invite folk into our homes and for a season focus around their needs and sorrows and joys, it puts our lives into holy perspective.

Hospitality opens the door to remarkable invitees, that's my third blessing. Abraham, one day, all instinctively and naturally, invited three strangers to eat with him. My he put on a meal! One of the visitors turned out to be the Lord God himself in human form. Obedience, you see, is always rewarded richly by the Lord. He is no man's debtor.

Railway Home
My parents' home was a railway station for  waifs and strays. The lonely, crippled, stranger, weird and empty were all invited in. One day a man came to stay the weekend. For some holy reason he took a real kind interest in a scraggy teenager living in the home at that time. He challenged that young teenager not to waste his time, and not to waste his life. This was a life-changing event. I know, because that teenager was me. I have no idea who this man was, I have never seen him since. But one day on the golden shore I want to thank him. And I want to thank my parents for obeying the law of Christ, which includes loving the outsider.

All this blessing to their children, because my parents took seriously the command to show hospitality, and I challenge my readers too.

When did the Reformation Begin? 1517, 1519 or 1525?

The Swiss Reformation...
On a recent visit to Zurich I was surprised to find the Swiss celebrating the 500th anniversary of the Reformation in 2019! I always thought that the 500th anniversary was to be celebrated in 2017 - 500 years before Martin Luther nailed his 95 suggestions-for-discussion on the door of a church in Wittenberg (in custom with the times).

The Grossmunster Church - Zurich

"Oh no!" say the Swiss! The reformation began in earnest when Zwingli came to Zurich and became the preacher at the Grossmunster church - still standing today.

So this year, 2019, they are celebrating the 500th anniversary of the Reformation. Quite independently of Luther, Zwingli came to the same truths of the Gospel as he did, truths of salvation by grace, truth lost under the religious system of popery.

So what will it be, 1517 or 1519?

The Annabaptists - 1525
I am not sure either date should be regarded as the start of the Reformation. I prefer the date January 21st 1525 instead, and here is why.

Many (now virtually unknown) reformers wanted to go further than the famous Luthers and Zwinglis wished to go - they wanted to be more biblical. Good men like Zwingli wanted to reform the church through the state - using the magistrates. This was a fatal, not to mention foolish, mistake. Why? Because you cannot advance the cause of Christ with the sword and you can't advance the cause of His Kingdom with the help of unbelievers.

The forgotten reformers wanted to take the reformation further and were labelled Annabaptists - which means baptise again. It was a name they didn't want but was thrust upon them by the other reformers who said they wanted to be baptised "again" - after they had been baptised the first time, as infants. The Annabaptists saw their first baptism as false and believed that their adult baptism was their first baptism, but they were stuck with the name given to them by their enemies.

Anyway! The very first baptism of believing adults took place in Zurich on the 21st January 1525. A small faithful-to-Christ band of believers realised that Zwingli was not going to reform the church according to the New Testament and so they refused to have their babies baptised and got themselves baptised in obedience to Christ.

From this moment onwards they were hounded by the state, persecuted, imprisoned and killed for their faith. A famous old painting, below, depicts the first drowning of an Annabaptist ("You wanna be baptised again? We'll do it for you - permanently" - that was the sinister logic of drowning.) the drowning of Felix Manz.

As wonderful as the work of the "Magisterial Reformers" (who relied on the local magistrates to force through the reformation) was - for they recovered the Gospel - they did not go far enough and for me, I find the brave Annabaptists far more biblical, and thus I would want to date the Reformation from 1525, not 1517 (sorry Lutherans) or even 1519 (sorry Reformed folks).

The forgotten Anabaptists, or as they wanted to be called, the Brethren, wanted to separate church from state, just like the NT does. They wanted to baptise people who believed, not infants who were unaware, just as the NT does. They were far closer to us in our evangelical independent churches than the magisterial reformers who clung to the church-state error.

Felix Manz, Annabaptist, is drowned in the Limmat

So, I'm looking forward to a celebration in 2025!

What is the Meaning of Easter?

Let's Ask Google
If we ask the Internet what "Easter" means, we get answers like....

"the most important and oldest festival of the Christian Church, celebrating the resurrection of Christ," 

or,

"a festival and holiday commemorating the resurrection of Jesus from the dead."

Neither  is far off the mark. If we go back to the New Testament, where the word "Easter" is not found (nor any mention of celebrations or festivals), we discover the single event from which "Easter" comes: the glorious Resurrection of Jesus from the dead.

On "Easter" Sunday, Christians remember the resurrection of Jesus from the dead.

Jesus died on the Friday before the Sunday
To understand the Resurrection of Jesus from the dead, we must start on the Friday before, when Jesus died. Taken by the Roman authorities from the jealous Jewish leaders, Jesus was crucified, Roman style, on a Friday morning. Although both the Jewish and Roman authorities bear total responsibility for his death, in a remarkable way, it was allowed by God - and even "planned" by him. Although they put him to death, God was purposing and overruling something significant and wonderful. When Jesus Christ suffered, he was suffering for our sins. Acting as a substitute, he was paying the price that we ought to pay. He was dying in our place so that we might be set free, forgiven for all our sins. "God was in Christ reconcilling the world to himself." This is the glorious meaning of the crucifixion.

Jesus was then buried on that Friday.

Jesus rose early Sunday morning
Three days later according to Jewish reckoning (which counted any portion of a day as a "day", so, bit of Friday + all day Saturday + bit of Sunday = 3 days), Jesus rose from the dead! This miracle is at the heart of the Christian message for many reasons...

The meaning of the Resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead
The resurrection of Jesus proves that our sins have been paid for. While Jesus remained dead in the tomb he was still bearing the penalty of sin. It was only until he "un-died", he rose from the dead that he paid, in full, the penalty of our sin.

The resurrection of Jesus proves that Jesus spoke the truth. Because he had said that he would raise himself up from the grave.

The resurrection proves that there is life beyond the grave. What happens to us after we die? We all want to know! Well Jesus, the real man, continued to live beyond the grave and came back to prove to us that the soul continues to exist beyond death.

The resurrection of Jesus provides hope for all who believe in Jesus. Why? Because, Jesus promised to all who believe in him that they would also one day rise from the dead to eternal life. And more! That that new life beyond the grave could begin here and  now: the moment someone believes this Good News, God gives them the Holy Spirit who lives in their hearts and becomes a "down-deposit" of that eternal life to come, a foretaste of heaven here and now.

The meaning of it all = HOPE
This life is short. One day we will all die. And that looms towards us faster than we think. If this life is all there is, how pathetic is human existence! Here today, full of hopes and dreams which one day must come to nothing! But if the resurrection of Jesus is true - which it is! - and if the promise of Jesus to all who believe him is true - which it is! - then the short lives of all who believe in him will extend into a glorious eternity with God in new bodies and a transformed new heavens and earth where there is no sorrow, death or mourning.

This is the great hope that the resurrection of Jesus brings, and the true meaning of Easter!

Miracles and the Resurrection of Jesus Christ

Miracles Happen!
There is a widespread view in the West that miracles simply cannot happen. So turning water into wine, healing the sick (instantaneously), bringing the dead back to life and so on - these things can't happen.

This is what atheists like de Botton think and preach: Christianity's miracles are bunk (but he wants to cherry-pick the moral teachings of Jesus that he likes). 

This no-miracles-allowed is not a view that comes from science, but from a world-view or philosophy called "scientism." Scientism teaches that science is the only avenue to truth, and that if something can't be proved by the scientific method it don't exist, can't happen, is a myth.

Scientism is plain silly
This of course is a silly view. Science has been successful precisely because it has narrowed its field of interest all the way down to the physical world - and nothing else. It speaks only of what can be seen and touched and probed and tested. It, by it's own definition says nothing about meaning, emotions, souls, spirits, minds, God, angels, demons or Satan. Why? Because these things are out of its self-imposed remit.

Scientism is nothing other than a philosophical belief system designed to gain power over everyone else, "If what you believe isn't proved by our system - you're an outsider." Just a power play. Real and serious scientists reject such silly nonsense and see right through its thin power-hungry veneer.

Science allows all sorts of miracles
There is not one line of true science that denies the possibility of a miracle taking place. Let me explain. Scientists assume that nature normally runs according to laws. (Laws, which came from a great Lawgiver). This is such an important part of the work of scientist. A scientist assumes that when they come into the lab day after day, the same results will take place from the same experiments. He or she does not expect that an angel has tweaked the apparatus over night leading to a different result. So far, so good.

But strange as it may seem, although this is the universal assumption under which science works, there is not one single proof or experiment that could prove why this is true, or whether the laws could have been suspended in one region of space for a short period of time in the past, or could be suspended in the future. Not a single line anywhere! This is not really surprising: how could you formulate a law which precluded miracles taking place, that precludes nature working in a way differently than what it now does?

For example, the law which describes the attractive force  between any two bodies:

F = G*m(1)m(2)/r*r

tells us how the force varies under normal conditions, but it says nothing about the possibility of another way in which bodies might possibly interact.

There is simply no good reason why in one region of space the laws could not be suspended or replaced by another set of laws to produce a miracle.

Miracles today?
If someone claims a miracle has happened today - a healing perhaps - then there is every good reason to expect sound evidence for it. (Tragically many Christians talk about miracles as if they happen every day, six before breakfast for some of the, when in point of fact they don't,  because miracles are by their very nature exceptions. Watering down miracles in this way is dishonouring to God, because the world laughs at an easily deconstructed modern day "miracle" and then thinks it has reason to deny a real scriptural one.

The idea that we should not invite a doctor to attest to a miracle lest it be seen as a lack of faith is nothing short of charlatanry. Miracles stand out, they cry out, they amaze and astound. (And the greatest of them all is a new heart which humbly believes in God and in his Son, Jesus Christ).

The Glorious Resurrection of Jesus 
So there is absolutely nothing in the canons of science that can deny that Jesus Christ rose from the
dead on Easter Sunday morning! The evidence for the resurrection must lie in the many proofs and evidences that surround the accounts of this glorious event:

The tomb was empty!
Don't tell me the truth would not eventually come out if someone had stolen the body. Unfortunately for those who spin that tale, the disciples had no expectation of a resurrection!

The first witnesses were women!
In Jewish courts their evidence was discounted, but they are there in the Gospel accounts. The Gospel writers - oops! - forgot to smooth that one out! Proof of authentic accounts.

Some did not believe!
Thomas doubted, others at the end of Matthew 28 did not believe. There is no attempt by the writers to "smooth out difficulties." Doubt is OK, doubt is faith saying "I believe, help my unbelief." We would be surprised if everyone believed in one instant!

Many different people saw Jesus alive
For 40 days Jesus walked around, ate, talked, cooked and taught. In small groups and big groups. This is sustained witness, not a one hour could be misunderstood resurrection event!

People died for this miracle
If the resurrection was a fake, would anyone die for it? The resurrection is the central miracle of the Christian faith! Thousands both then and today across the world lay down their lives believing it. Would you die for a lie?

The church grew on the back of this miracle!
The moment, the day, that  anyone produced the dead body of Jesus would be the moment the Christian faith came to an end. But contrary to that impossibility, the church grew and grew and grew, founded on this one glorious miracle - that Jesus Christ who died for our sins has risen.

The meaning of the Resurrection
The resurrection of Jesus  authenticates the veracity of Jesus - he predicted it and it came to be. If he was right here, he's right elsewhere. The resurrection demonstrates that the cross was effective. We believe that Jesus suffered on the cross for our sins. How do we know that that suffering was sufficient? When it stopped happening - when Jesus stopped dying - when Jesus rose from the dead. The resurrection demonstrates that there is something - life - beyond the grave. And supremely the resurrection gives us hope. Because Jesus said - no he says:

‘I am the resurrection and the life. The one who believes in me will live, even though they die; and whoever lives by believing in me will never die. Do you believe this?’

Everyone who believes that Jesus rose from the dead will have eternal life! That's the promise from someone who always speaks the truth.

Who has won the most Nobel Prizes in the last 100 years?

Who wins all the prizes?

The short answer is 85% of all prizes have been won by those who assent to being Christians or Jews - 85% whose background worldview is "Judeo-Christian" (65% Christian, 20% Jew).

But first,

Our value in God's eyes has nothing to do with our human "abilities"
Our value, according to Christian doctrine, is completely disconnected with any human gifts or earthly achievements. Human value is determined by the fact that we are made in the image of God, and consequently human beings are of great value in God's eyes.

And this is how we should view one another - not as the world views each other, but as God views us.

In the church this "egalitarianism" ought to be even more visible: we do not view any believer through the lens of wealth, prestige, education, intelligence, or any other temporary, man-made label.

But the church, in this present age at least, is tragically too often beset by such worldly attitudes. Men and women who are regarded as "great" in the eyes of the world, are regarded as "great" in the eyes of the church. This should not be so. Educated people, or rich people, or people from aristocracy are often "promoted" or honoured above the equally noble professions of road sweepers, factory labourers and school cleaners. It should not be so! And if it had been so in the early church, The Twelve would not played any role in founding the church!

Contrary to all human thinking and judgement, God has consistently chosen the foolish of the world, because through them he can demonstrate his almighty power and get the glory for his wonderful works.

Of course there are some godly Christians who just happen to be wealthy, influential, clever, etc. And how we thank God for them. I have some wonderful Christians like this in the church I am privileged to belong to. 

A few shocks are a coming in heaven!
Won't the church in heaven look different from the church on earth! Here, the clever and famous are celebrated in the churches (instead of the hated and despised - who are in point of fact often much closer to the kingdom). In heaven we shall probably not hear of any of the earthly big shots who were known down here, but instead hear of complete unknowns who served the Lord in obscurity and had no education or any other earthly privileges. But they were godly, humble, frail, faithful, pure, poor, courageous - and of course bore the wounds of suffering and persecution.

So, why bother with Nobel Prizes?
So why bother with who won Nobel Prizes? What is a Nobel Prize? A prize awarded by a group of people on earth who make a human judgement, tied, as we all are, to their tiny transient temporary world-view. What one committee deems to be prize-worthy, another, in a short time, would scarcely deem to be so!

No Christian should be awed by Nobel Prizes or Nobel Prize winners - who in this world is to say that this person or that person are worthy winners?

(For goodness sake, the European Union won the "Peace" Prize of 2012! There is hardly a British man or woman who would award the EU a "peace" prize seven years later in 2019! A "war" prize, perhaps, but not a "peace" prize.)

No, a human panel of fallible judges makes the decision - not The Judge of all the Earth.

After saying all of this, it is interesting to discover who has been awarded these prizes, when it comes to the faith or beliefs of the winners. Why? Because there are folk who think that Christians don't or can't use reason. They say that faith and reason are opposites. They say that if you have faith it means you believe without any evidence. Of course this is about as untrue as it is possible for a statement to be untrue.

Example? The resurrection of Jesus is the central truth of the Christian faith. And Christians believe it only because of the considerable evidence before us, in the four Gospels and the rest of the New Testament - not to forget the witness of history which shows the dramatic growth of the church founded on this miracle.

So, who has been appointed Nobel Prizes over the last 100 years, we've arrived at last...

Are you ready?

• 65% have identified themselves as Christian
• 20% as of Jewish faith
• 11% as atheists, agnostics and freethinkers
• 1% as of Muslim faith 
• 3% other

There may be all sorts of reasons for these percentages - and indeed some worthy folk in the non-western world may have been completely overlooked by the European committee - but we cannot avoid the remarkable stat - that Christians and Jews make up 85% of the winners.

This, of course, comes as no surprise to those who know that Science was born in "Christian" Europe and in no other culture of the world precisely because of the soil of the Judeo-Christian consensus.

The faith of Nobel Prize Winners 1901-2000