Date: July 2, 2023 

Scripture: Matthew 10:40-42

Scripture Reader: Melinda Goodick

Sermon Title: “Whom Do We Welcome?”

Preacher: Rev. Dr. Bob Jon

You can also listen on Podcast from iTunes and Spotify. Search for “Podcasting from Rev. Bob Jon.”

Several years ago, my former church was looking into expanding more missional opportunities. The UMC in the neighboring town, New Bedford, had a ministry called Mobile Loaves and Fish. They owned a truck that could offer some food such as sandwiches, fruits, and coffee on one side. The other side had clothing. As you can imagine, the word for this ministry originated in the miracle of Jesus, who fed 5000 on five loaves of bread and two fish. When I first learned about this ministry, I was excited to invite my former congregation to be part of this, especially the youth group. I wanted to teach our young people the joy and value of serving others. 

So, we joined the ministry for the first time. As we arrived in a parking lot in the middle of New Bedford, we saw many people already waiting for the truck to arrive. I could see many of them were homeless, as they were pushing a cart full of personal belongings. As I served people with hot coffee, I saw a man in his 50s or 60s with a sleeping bag. I just wanted to be friendly with him, so I asked, “Where did you sleep last night?” I tell you what. I guess this was the worst question to ask. His face turned so upset, and said, “Why do you want to know where I slept last night? Do you intend to come and rob me tonight?” I apologized to him, but he kept following me, swearing at me. 

When we say welcoming others with hospitality, we often think about saying hi to someone with smiles. When a congregation is asked, “What is the strength of your church?” 8 or 9 out of 10 congregations are likely to answer, “We are a very friendly church. We have a wonderful hospitality.” “Oh, we put out the best coffee table in our town.” Most of us would not want to go to a church where no one greets us or ask our names. But hospitality is more than just being friendly with visitors. As Ana María Pineda in Practicing Our Faith describes, hospitality means to “acknowledge a stranger as a human being made in God’s image.” Therefore, practicing hospitality may help open our eyes to see where Christ is today, especially among strangers. 

In our reading from Matthew 10, Jesus sends his twelve disciples to the town. He commissions them to proclaim the good news that the kingdom of heaven has come near. Jesus commanded them to cure the sick, raise the dead, cleanse those with skin diseases, and cast out demons in Jesus’ name. In other words, Jesus is inviting his disciples to be strangers and rely on the hospitality of those who may receive them or not. “Take no gold or silver. No bag for your trip. No extra clothing and sandals. You just go and bless whoever is worthy and welcomes you. But if they do not welcome you or listen to your message, just shake off the dust from your feet and move on to the next house.” 

Well, it is interesting that this text usually falls on the first Sunday of July when in the UMC, many pastors start their new appointment. I can imagine how convenient it would be for these pastors to say, “If you don’t welcome me or acknowledge my pastoral authority, I will shake the dust from my feet and move to another church.” I feel privileged to start my second year of ministry with you here at Aldersgate. But how would you feel if I said, “Hey people, I feel like no stranger in this church anymore. I am here to tell you whatever God told me to say. If you don’t like what I have to say, I will pack everything and move.” I know a pastor who threatened his congregation and moved to another church the next year. 

But Jesus’ words get at the heart of why we practice hospitality with strangers because he says, “Whoever welcomes you welcomes me, and whoever welcomes me welcomes the one who sent me.” In other words, when we welcome strangers, and acknowledge them as those who are created in the image of God, when we listen to them as ones who could challenge our status quo, help us listen to the cries of those who are oppressed and broken-hearted. It is like when we welcome strangers, we are welcoming God into our hearts. If you welcome a prophet, you will receive a prophet’s reward. Welcome a righteous person, you will receive the reward of the righteous. And give a cup of cold water to one of these little ones, they will receive the reward from God. 

It may sound great to us. But it is not easy to practice it. A couple of weeks ago, our men’s group volunteered for St. Paul Ministry in Lowell. In case you are not familiar with it, this ministry is housed in a Presbyterian church in Lowell and draws about 100 people to come and eat. Every night, a diverse faith community in Lowell and neighboring towns volunteer to bring food and serve these people. I brought my two boys with me, and it feels always great to see people from our church out there in the community to serve others. Robin, Debbie, Wendy, and Dottie are always there to welcome people and serve the food. As I stood handing out the plate with utensils, some people said, “I have my girlfriend outside waiting for me. Can I get one more plate?” I smile and give an extra plate or box. 

Then, this time a woman and man got into a verbal fight eventually, the woman hitting the food tray the man was holding. I could see the food flying all over here and there. The man got loud and started swearing at her. Oh, it got so ugly. There were some little children who came with their parents and ate dinner at the table. I immediately saw Matthias and my two boys. I went over to them to check how they were doing. Matthias shrugged and said, “I am OK.” My two boys were surprised to witness some violence, but I didn’t think they understood some foul language in English. I came back to my spot and leaned forward to Charles next to me and said, “Well, I have never seen food fly at the soup kitchen.” And he said, “Oh yes, it happens sometimes.” 

 So, let me ask you a question. “Where is God in that moment of violence and foul language?” Jesus said, “When I was hungry, you gave me food, I was thirsty, you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger, and you welcome me.” And when the righteous asked him, “Lord, when did we see you hungry, thirsty, and stranger, we did such things for you?” Jesus answered, “Truly I tell you, just as you did it to one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did it to me.” I did not appreciate the way this man and woman altercate violently at the soup kitchen. But Jesus is telling us that these are my brothers and sisters. And did you welcome them? If you did, it is like you welcomed me and if you welcomed me, you welcome the One who sent me.” 

Sometimes, we could be upset with strangers because they do not appreciate the hospitality we share with them. By giving our time, energy, and goodwill, we might have a predetermined way these people could show their appreciation, such as saying, “Thank you.” However, hospitality is more than that: a stranger becomes the host. Ana Pineda, again in her article, points out that in the New Testament, xenos, the word for stranger in Greek, means “guest” and at the same time “host.” The guest becomes the host. We may remember the two disciples on their way to Emmaus. Jesus joined them, disguising as a stranger. As they shared hospitality with Jesus inviting him to stay, their eyes were opened, and realized that it was Jesus who had been walking with them. 

When Henri Nouwen was visiting a town in Mexico, he was sitting on a bench in one of the village plazas. And he saw children being hugged, welcomed, and loved by so many people including not just their families, but also friends and neighbors. It was like the whole community was spending its evening showing affection for these little boys and girls and assuring them of how much they were loved. Nouwen bemoans that in our contemporary society, the responsibility of raising children often falls on the shoulders of their biological parents, in such a short circle of relationship. Therefore, Nouwen reflects, “The church is perhaps one of the few places left where we can meet people who are different than we are but with whom we can form a larger family.”^[1]

Dearly beloved of Aldersgate, I like the nickname of our church that is a church with a warm heart. A church with a warm heart. Whenever we gather, we feel warm in our hearts because we recognize the face of Christ on each other, regardless of who we are, or where we come from. We welcome strangers as if we welcome Jesus into our hearts. I think it is reflective of John Wesley’s heart-warming experience in 1738 that led him to go out everywhere to proclaim the good news of Christ, especially in places where people were neglected and marginalized. Because of his warm heart, he also denounced slavery in his time, raised money for the widow and orphans, and preached in the field, marketplace, and mine in his radical hospitality to meet people who were hungry for God.  

May God bless us all, as Christ continues to visit us as strangers. Amen. 

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^[1] Henri Nouwen, Reaching Out: The Three Movements of the Spiritual Life, 83.