Radical Hospitality

Mike King and Denise McKinney open up our discussion of Redeemer's DNA by talking about how we are called to live lives of radical hospitality. Radical Hospitality DNA | Week 1 May 1, 2016 | Mike King & Denise McKinney Radical Hospitality God’s hospitality welcomes. God’s hospitality invites the stranger in and helps the one who is struggling. Isaiah 61:1 (NLT) The Spirit of the Sovereign Lord is upon me, for the Lord has anointed me to bring good news to the poor. He has sent me to comfort the brokenhearted and to proclaim that captives will be released and prisoners will be freed. God’s hospitality is shown through a shared meal. Philippians 2:6-8 (NLT) Though he was God, he did not think of equality with God as something to cling to. Instead, he gave up his divine privileges; he took the humble position of a slave and was born as a human being. When he appeared in human form, he humbled himself in obedience to God and died a criminal’s death on a cross. 1 Thessalonians 2:5-8 (NIV) You know we never used flattery, nor did we put on a mask to cover up greed—God is our witness. We were not looking for praise from people, not from you or anyone else, even though as apostles of Christ we could have asserted our authority. Instead, we were like young children among you. Just as a nursing mother cares for her children, so we cared for you. Because we loved you so much, we were delighted to share with you not only the gospel of God but our lives as well. He was sharing the essence of his life with them. 1 Thessalonians 2:7b (NIV) Just as a nursing mother cares for her children, so we cared for you. To Grow and Thrive People don’t get left behind. The run leaders take people under their wing. 1 Thessalonians 2:9-12a (NIV) Surely you remember, brothers and sisters, our toil and hardship; we worked night and day in order not to be a burden to anyone while we preached the gospel of God to you. You are witnesses, and so is God, of how holy, righteous and blameless we were among you who believed. For you know that we dealt with each of you as a father deals with his own children, encouraging, comforting and urging you to live lives worthy of God... Living Hospitality Experiment They take good care of each other and they work tirelessly to make sure everyone finishes the race. “Hospitality is not so much a singular act of welcome, as it is a way, an orientation that attends to otherness, listening and learning, valuing and honoring. The hospitable one looks for God’s redemptive presence in the other, confident it is there, if one only has eyes to see and ears to hear.” - Amy Oden Who do we already run into in our regular routines that we could spend a little more time getting to know? What’s one question we could ask them that would help us express care to them? What can we do to listen to and learn about the people we meet so that God can show us his redemptive presence their lives? What kinds of things can we do to open up spaces on our legos so that we can help other people make life-giving connections? Where could we value and honor someone by imitating God’s example of welcome?