Courageous Hospitality – Becoming a Hospitable People

As city dwellers, we've learned to remain anonymous; from our neighbors to our barista, we can navigate life without knowing the name or story of people we interact with on a daily basis. We believe that the vision of community that Christ has in mind is far more costly, far more intimate, far messier, and far more beautiful than what we’ve settled for. We believe that we start to become hospitable people simply by committing to a meal.Midtown Church exists to renew the reputation of the local church by revealing the kingdom of Jesus in Kansas City. A CULTURE OF ANONYMITYHarvey Cox in his book The Secular City, argues from Christianity that it is good that there are cities without a singular religious commitment– that our God is at work in the secular as much as he is in the sacred.Anonymity | an·o·nym·i·ty 1. not being known by name; unknown by name2. unknown or unrememberedHarvey Cox makes the argument that the anonymity we experience in urban life is a good thing. In small-town living, everyone knows your name, your family, and your business, but that cannot be replicated in the city. His solution is to enjoy the anonymity of urban life as the freedom to choose who you maintain a friendship with. Harvey Cox argues that it is okay, that you don’t know the name of your mailman, barista, or neighbor– that you are free to choose those with whom you would like to have a friendship. The problem with this is left to my own devices, why would I select friendships and relationships that challenge any of my own pre-existing ideas or comfortabilities? The Church does has adopted a functional theory of anonymity as well. A MEAL WITH JESUS Jesus had a habit of eating and drinking with sinners that brought the anger of the Pharisees. (Luke 5)It was at dinner a broken woman broke an expensive perfume bottle and poured it on the feet of her king. (Luke 7)It was at a dinner that Jesus instructed his disciples to invite those on the margins to their table, “When you give a dinner or a banquet, do not invite your friends or your brothers or your relatives or rich neighbors, lest they also invite you in return and you be repaid. 13 But when you give a feast, invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, the blind, 14 and you will be blessed, because they cannot repay you. For you will be repaid at the resurrection of the just.” (Luke 14)It was after a meal with Jesus that the notorious Zacheus declared – “Behold, Lord, the half of my goods I give to the poor. And if I have defrauded anyone of anything, I restore it fourfold.” (Luke 19:8)It was in the breaking of bread that two disciples who were heartbroken by the death of their rabbi, realized he was not dead but was alive. (Luke 24)In the last few hours of his life, Jesus chose to spend it with his disciples saying– “I eagerly desired to eat this meal with you… and do this in remembrance of me. Many of us are familiar with this story as it is told by the pastor every time we take communion “Do this”– was not a tiny cracker and a sip of juice– it was an invitation to do life around the table. In remembrance is not a simple reflection of the cross and Christ’s death, but the proclamation of Jesus’ story. THE FRACTIO PANIS (Frac-she-o Pa-niece)There is a fresco painting that archeologists discovered in the 1800s believe dates back to the 2nd century – so within the first 150 years of the Church after Jesus had already died, resurrected, and ascended. It is called “Fractio Panis” or in English the “Breaking of Bread”The early church understood that as they gathered around the table it was as if Jesus was there with them. 03. DEVOTED TO ONE ANOTHERActs 2:42-47 (ESV) | 42 And they devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and (1)the fellowship, to the (2)breaking of bread and the prayers. 43 And awe came upon every soul, and many wonders and signs were being done through the apostles. 44 And all who believed (3)were together and had all things in common. 45 And they were selling their possessions and belongings and distributing the proceeds to all, as any had need. 46 And day by day, attending the temple together and (4)breaking bread in their homes, they (5)received their food with glad and generous hearts, 47 praising God and having favor with all the people. And the Lord added to their number day by day those who were being saved.You’ll notice, Luke describes 4 specific activities–Devoted to teaching to the apostles’ teaching To fellowship and Breaking breadSharing (had all things in common)The prayersWe see this throughout the NT as Paul writes his letters to churches in passages like Romans 16, Colossians 4, Philemon 1.Romans 16:3–5 (ESV): “Greet Prisca and Aquila, my fellow workers in Christ Jesus.. [and] also the church in their house.”Colossians 4:15 (ESV): “15 Give my greetings to the brothers at Laodicea, and to Nympha and the church in her house.”Philemon 1–2 (ESV): “To Philemon our beloved fellow worker 2 and Apphia our sister and Archippus our fellow soldier, and the church in your house.”BECOMING FAMILY AROUND A TABLEThe beauty of gathering around a table is that the stranger, becomes a neighbor and a neighbor becomes family. Philoxenia (NT term for hospitality) – Love for strangerXenophobia – fear of the stranger.is essentially the opposite of xenophobia. In fact, the Greek term for hospitality is philoxenia or literally, love of stranger. This is the exact opposite of xenophobia or fear of the stranger. Gathering around a table is not simply what we do as a church– it is who we are as the people of God. For us to be hospitable people, we must learn to welcome all around our table. SPIRITUAL PRACTICE – THE MEAL AT MIDTOWN CHURCH One of the ways we learn to resist a culture of anonymity and become a hospitable people, is through microchurch. Microchurch is a small gathering of people around prayer, scripture, mission, and a simple meal. Next StepsIf you have never been a part of a microchurch, now is the time to join one. FIll out the form– midtownkc.church/microchurchIf you have been a part of a microchurch for a while, maybe now is the time to start a new one.