Who’s Your Stranger?
1 Timothy 3:1-7

A Qualification of an Overseer/Pastor/Elder:
Titus 1:7-8: “For an overseer, as God's steward, must be above reproach. He must not be arrogant or quick-tempered or a drunkard or violent or greedy for gain, but hospitable, a lover of good, self-controlled, upright, holy, and disciplined.”

“The entire Bible is a true historical account of God’s hospitality.” - Dustin Willis & Brandon Clements from “The Simplest Way to Change the World”

Hospitality has been both an attribute and expectation for all believers.
Attribute:
Acts 2:46 - “And day by day, attending the temple together and breaking bread in their homes, they received their food with glad and generous hearts,”
Acts 16:15 - “And after she was baptized, and her household as well, she urged us, saying, ‘If you have judged me to be faithful to the Lord, come to my house and stay.’ And she prevailed upon us.”
Acts 16:33-34 - “And he took them the same hour of the night and washed their wounds; and he was baptized at once, he and all his family. Then he brought them up into his house and set food before them. And he rejoiced along with his entire household that he had believed in God.”
Expectation:
Romans 12:13 - “Contribute to the needs of the saints and seek to show hospitality.”
1 Peter 4:9 - “Show hospitality to one another without grumbling.”

Biblical hospitality is “making strangers into neighbors and neighbors into the family of God.” - Rosaria Butterfield from “The Gospel Comes With a House Key”

Hebrews 13:2 - “Do not neglect to show hospitality to strangers, for thereby some have entertained angels unawares.”

Hospitality is more about blessing others, while entertaining is more about impressing others.

Hospitality is more about being interested rather than interesting.

Adopt the Always Rule: If you see a neighbor and you don’t know them, always drop everything you’re doing and meet them.

Take one next step:
Have one short conversation/greeting a day with a stranger.
Once a week, invite a neighbor or Church member to tag along with you.
Once a month, invite people from your Church and the community into your home (e.g. cookout, game night, watching movies/sports, play date)
Learn how to fix one easy meal for people. (Brownies will do.)
Once a month, plan to stay for 30 minutes after the Sunday morning worship service.
Once a year, invite a stranger or a neighbor to a holiday event (Easter, Thanksgiving, Christmas).