"A Heaping Helping of our Hospitality"

Romans 12:13
Contribute to the needs of the saints and seek to show hospitality.

It's been said that South Floridians don't show hospitality. They say, 'we don't open our homes for company -this is not the deep south or midwest you know, we're tired, we have soccer, mom and dad (where that exists) both work and who has time for discipleship and Bible study anyway'?

Well, as per our response already to people's needs in our baby church, men's shepherd group attendance and other family shepherd groups coming on-line at CCC (see "Capturing Thoughts" ), that is not and should not be the case. Not according to scripture anyway. As Pastor and author John Piper wrote in his commentary on Ro. 12:13, “Contribute to the needs of the saints—that’s giving things away for the sake of others in need. And 'seek to show hospitality'—that’s not merely giving money and things away, that’s drawing others in, not just for meals now and then, but to stay with you if they need a place for a season. In times of official persecution it was a dangerous and subversive practice. For some today it still is. It was and is a radical way to live. That was the meaning it had in the early church. "

Therefore- that model is and will be our model as well. It should be the model for all those that claim Christ and allegiance to His kingdom. The early church caught and applied what they had heard and experienced by assuming that all their possessions were not really theirs but God’s and were to be used joyfully to meet each other’s needs. So we read in Acts 4:34, “There was not a needy person among them, for as many as were owners of lands or houses sold them and brought the proceeds of what was sold 35 and laid it at the apostles' feet, and it was distributed to each as any had need.” That’s how Romans 12:13 happened at the beginning.

Piper asked rhetorically in his message, "What are the rewards if we trust God’s promises, give lavishly, and open our homes to each other and the needy? The suffering of the saints will be relieved or at least diminished. That is what verse 12 means when it says, 'Contribute to the needs of the saints.' We lift a burden. We relieve stress. We give hope. And that’s a reward!"

If we like the Clampets of Bevery Hillbillies fame, give others a "heaping helping of our hospitality," we'll see the glory of God being displayed (Mt. 5:16), confirm our love for God and his love in us (1 Jo. 3:17), and lay up treasure in heaven. (Lu. 12:33-34). Piper concluded, "Lavish giving and open homes are close to the center of life in Christ. The reasons we don’t open our checkbooks and homes as often as we should are rooted in the bondage of fear and greed. The remedy is the pleasure of Christ’s presence and the certainty of Christ’s promise. My God will supply all your needs according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus. Our reward is the display of God’s glory, the good of others, and the joy of treasuring Christ together forever."

Therefore brothers and sisters of CCC, I exhort you to, “Contribute to the needs of the saints and seek to show hospitality.” Go to the web-site today.