If Mary is the First Lady of Christmas, then Elizabeth would be the second. As we meet Elizabeth, we find in her an opposite of Mary. Instead of single, Elizabeth is married. Instead of young like Mary, Elizabeth is up there in years. We don’t know how old Elizabeth is, but we know she is well past the time of having children. The angel came and told Mary she was going to have a baby, but the angel came to Elizabeth’s husband to give him the news. Yet despite these two women having any number of differences between them, Elizabeth showed Mary Hospitality, in the months leading up to the first Christmas.
Luke 1:39-40 - 39 And Mary arose in those days, and went into the hill country with haste, into a city of Juda;
40 And entered into the house of Zacharias, and saluted Elisabeth.
As we read this passage, we find two women who need each other, yet perhaps the most unlikely friends. Elizabeth is 6 months pregnant and much older. She spend the first 5 months of her pregnancy in hiding. Mary just found out she was going to have a baby before marriage, her very life was on the line. There was no calling ahead to and there was no making plans. When Mary showed up, she needed to be shown hospitality, and Elizabeth answered the call.
As you read this, perhaps it is the first time you have heard of hospitality. It’s not something we talk about every day. But in the New Testament, we see it as a command to the church to show hospitality. Peter actually tells his readers that when Christ returns we should be found showing hospitality.
1 Peter 4:9 - Use hospitality one to another without grudging.
Peter is telling us we should all be showing hospitality now, because we don’t know the hour or day Christ will return. But with it being something we so rarely talk about, what exactly is hospitality?
One definition I like is this: Biblical hospitality is when we give ourselves willingly to the needs of others. It is bigger than food and shelter. It is the outpouring of mercy and grace from God to others, without expectation for reciprocation.
We see this type hospitality shown throughout the Scriptures. In Genesis, we see an example of Biblical hospitality as angelic strangers showed up to the door of Abraham’s tent. In Genesis 18:1-8 we see Abraham with the Lord when three strangers show up. Abraham pleads with them to stay. He sends for water that they may wash their feet, he sets them under a comfortable shade tree, he has his wife start baking bread, and he kills a calf and serves the best meat, butter and milk to his guests. Abraham shows these men true biblical hospitality.
Hebrews 13:1-3 - Let brotherly love continue.
2 Be not forgetful to entertain strangers: for thereby some have entertained angels unawares.
3 Remember them that are in bonds, as bound with them; and them which suffer adversity, as being yourselves also in the body.
Paul reminds us of the reality that Abraham lived, that we should always show brotherly love because we never know to whom we show that hospitality. He also reminds us to show that brotherly love to those in need. Those who are in bonds and those who suffer adversity - we are to love them as we love ourselves. It may seem like a tall order, but remember it was Jesus who said, whatever you do to the least of these, you do to me.
As we continue in this Christmas Season, let us show that Biblical hospitality that Abraham showed, that Elizabeth showed, and that James, Paul, and Jesus told us to show!
No comments:
Post a Comment