Thought for the Day - Sunday 28 June

Thought for the Day – Sunday 28^th June

‘“Anyone who welcomes you welcomes me, and anyone who welcomes me welcomes the one who sent me. Whoever welcomes a prophet as a prophet will receive a prophet’s reward, and whoever welcomes a righteous person as a righteous person will receive a righteous person’s reward. And if anyone gives even a cup of cold water to one of these little ones who is my disciple, truly I tell you, that person will certainly not lose their reward.”’ (Matthew 10: 40-42)

Welcome and hospitality!

When you read the Vision or Mission Statements of most churches, within them you will usually find either or both of these words - if not explicitly expressed then implicitly implied. Indeed within our own Vision Statement we can see that applies – ‘Our Vision is to be a living, caring church at the heart of our communities – celebrating worship, offering support, giving a welcome and sharing the good news of Jesus.’  Both welcome and hospitality featuring there!

As Christians today we do seek to be welcoming and hospitable to folk – we offer a handshake of welcome, we have a welcoming chat, perhaps offer an invitation to stay after the service for coffee or a roll and sausage but I think here Jesus is talking of ‘welcome’ as something a little deeper than just a welcome to a lone person.

Welcome and hospitality were so ingrained in the culture at the time of Jesus that it would have been second nature to them to offer a welcome and hospitality to an individual, so it can seem a little strange that Jesus speaks in this way abut welcoming. However, really at that time the hospitality of welcome had grown into something greater than just foot-washing as a welcome or a bite to eat. It had grown into accepting and welcoming and honouring everything that individual person stood for along with all those who associated with them. So when you welcomed someone it wasn’t just one person you were welcoming it was actually everyone associated with that person too and also everything that person represented.

So when Jesus says those words to his disciples, ‘Whoever welcomes you, welcomes me’ it is kind of taken for granted that if someone welcomes the disciple, then they are also welcoming all those allied to that disciple, in this case Jesus and therefore everyone Jesus associated with too. It is almost like a biblical networking, rather like Facebook or What’s App today where more and more people become connected and part of a community.

Now we all know the company Jesus kept, so implied here is the fact that in welcoming a disciple, you are not only welcoming Jesus himself but also welcoming, the sinners, the tax collectors, the lost, the forgotten, the least in society and so on. Also, you are not only welcoming them but accepting them, honouring them, respecting them, valuing them and placing yourself not just beside the disciple you have initially welcomed or Jesus himself whom you have welcomed but beside all of these people too!

Here we see what a welcoming community is!

It is a community where everyone becomes closer, everyone is included and no one feels excluded. 

So as a community which has welcomed Jesus into its midst we must then live in such a way that all will feel welcome in our community, even if in that welcoming of the least we are moved out of our comfort zones.

To really live like this, is a whole new way of living, an ethical way of living, a kingdom way of living because when we welcome the least into our community we have already welcomed Jesus.

By the way, welcoming the least need not be difficult, after all giving a cup of water to a thirsty person is really not too hard. We should never underestimate the simple things we do which can seem so welcoming to others and are indeed kingdom work.

Things like sending a card to someone to let them know you are thinking of them; dropping off a paper to someone because they cannot get out the house; baking a cake or giving a pot of soup to someone when they have been bereaved; when you admire someone’s garden; when you ignore someone’s rudeness or grumpiness; when you find time to forgive – all of these simple acts are welcoming, they build up God’s Kingdom and create a welcoming community.

So come, as hymn 198 says, ‘Let us build a house where love can dwell’ and a community where love is found and all are welcome!

Prayer

Welcoming God, we come to you as we so often do, knowing that you are waiting with open arms, ready to welcome us, your family, in every place and time.

Welcoming Jesus, so often the recipient of hospitality and yet willing to sit with anyone, saint and sinner alike, we come to you knowing you are prepared to budge up and let us sit with you.

Welcoming Spirit, so often hidden from sight and yet so large a part of any gathering of God’s people, we come to you knowing that the whispers of welcome are all around us.

Knowing we are welcomed and yet knowing that we have not always been deserving of that welcome, your wide arms of grace, O God, are too much to take in.

When we come with our heads dipped in shame you gently lift our chins, gaze into our eyes, and say: welcome child, so good to see you.

Loving Lord, may we never take this for granted, may we try harder to live up to your gracious welcome, accept your love and, in turn, offer that same love and welcome to all whom we meet.

In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen