Turn Hostility into Hospitality

The above scriptures provide a window into Jesus’ attempt to give space for people to enter God’s Kingdom and find salvation. He risked his reputation as a rabbi by eating with the wrong people.

Jesus spent most of his time eating and drinking with people. It was through this act of hospitality that he was able to enter into meaningful dialogue and encounters with those who were “lost”.

In the cultural climate of Jesus’ day, there was much hostility among various groups of people. Yet in the presence of Jesus, much of this hostility was transformed into hospitality.

Out of Jesus’ own person flowed the grace and love of God. What I find interesting is that the only hostility that was created by Jesus was in the hearts of the so called religious people.

In their eyes they felt that being hospitable to tax collectors and “sinners” was spiritually contaminating. For Jesus, this was an opportunity to bring healing and wholeness.

We have made big strides here at ERCC to provide the same kind of hospitable space that Jesus would do if he were us. Most of the people that occupy space on our campus are not self-identifying Christians.

In fact, for a good number of these folks, they do not have warm feelings for anything that smacks of Christianity. But that is changing! Our hospitality is making a difference.

Those who come for tacos are finding space that is friendly and hospitable. Our services and fellowship times are growing in hospitable love and grace.

Our concerts open doors for people to see this place as a welcoming community. I am grateful to be leading a community that is dedicated in reaching out with the love of Jesus.

My prayer is that more and more people will “see” the love of Jesus Christ in His body. That in seeing the love of Jesus, they will come into God’s kingdom and experience this wonderful Savior and Lord in whom we follow.

May Jesus continue to live our lives as if he were us!

 Pastor Fred