Expanding horizons - hospitality & grace

Luke 10:38-42,          Genesis 18:1-10a

In these readings I think we encounter the God who pushes our boundaries and invites us to expand our understanding of what it means to love God and neighbour. I’m going to say quite a lot about the NT reading and then rather less about the OT reading.

 

I think it is no coincidence that Luke tells us this story right after Jesus tells the story of the Good Samaritan, which you might well have heard in last week’s lectionary reading. 

A quick recap -  a lawyer, testing Jesus, asks the question ‘what shall I do to inherit eternal life?’ and when Jesus points him to the law ‘Love God and your neighbour as yourself’ the man counters with ‘but who is my neighbour?’. Jesus then tells the story of the Jewish man who is robbed and beaten, ignored by two fellow Jews, but rescued by a Samaritan. Jesus finishes with the killer question  “which one was a neighbour?” - expanding the lawyer’s view of what constitutes a neighbour.

 

Then we get this story of Jesus with his good friends Mary & Martha. Their brother Lazarus is not mentioned here in Luke. The house is described as Martha’s home – she welcomes Jesus, then she give him the expected hospitality that you would give a guest. Except that Martha is distracted by having so much to do.

Meanwhile Mary is doing what no woman would normally do - she takes the place of the men of the household – listening at the feet of Jesus, whilst Martha does all the work.

 

Martha complains. 

I dare any of us to say we do not feel for her. 

But Jesus does not throw Mary out from his presence into the kitchen as Martha asks – he expands their understanding of what is going on.

First he expands Martha’s understanding of what hospitality means – it is more than being cumbered about with cares; more than just the provision of food – it is also about attention.

Just as the story of the Good Samaritan us more than just a story about doing the right thing – it challenges the very meaning of ‘neighbour’, so this interaction with Martha challenges the very meaning of ‘hospitality’.

 

Next, Jesus turns on its head the understanding of people of his day about who may learn  at his feet – not just men, but women too. He invites Mary to stay, to learn, he even commends her behaviour as choosing ‘the better part’.

In Jesus’ kingdom of love, all will need to learn and grow.

 

But I think Jesus also points to something about his purpose and identity.

I said that Martha complains to Jesus about Mary. In fact she says “Lord do you not care?”…

If you’re thinking you have heard that particular complaint to Jesus somewhere else, you’re right.  In Mark 4: 38 we have the story of the boat of disciples with Jesus, caught in a storm. Jesus is asleep on a cushion as the storm rages and the disciples wrestle to bring the boat to shore, and they cry out ‘Lord do you not care?’

Jesus stills the storm, and the disciples expand their view of who Jesus is – not just a good teacher.. lord of heaven and earth with power even over the elements.

 

In that story in Mark and in our story today from Luke the question is asked of Jesus “do you not care?” but in each case, of course the answer is yes – Jesus cares – but Jesus’ care is not just for the narrow concerns of those asking the question: Jesus points to something wider, fuller, more expansive.

 

Love your neighbour – but know that your love should know no barriers.

Show hospitality – but remember that engaging with people is more than just feeding them.

Do all this in the name of Jesus – but remember he is not just a good teacher, but the Lord of all the power of nature, too. 

So when we love our neighbour and show hospitality we do it in the name of jesus, for love of God and in the power of God with us.

I know you have expanded your hospitality here- to make the drop in for Ukrainian refugees. You don’t need me to remind you who your neighbour is.

Jesus asks us to expand yet further – how can hospitality mean growing a relationship with people, to whom else can the invitation be spread, and what would it mean to invite all those people to see and experience the love and presence of Jesus in what happens here?

 

And what of the story of Abraham’s hospitality to the strangers at the oaks of Mamre?

In one sense this shows us Middle Eastern hospitality at its very best – strangers are welcomed in, fed and watered, listened to. 

I am struck, though that this is hospitality promised by men and delivered by women..which was no doubt true in the time of Abraham, of Jesus, and even today in many parts of the world.

 

Yet again we see, in these visitors from God, an expansion of understanding. The three visitors to Abraham accept hospitality – but point to Sarah as having a different future – as mother of the nation promised to Abraham. This woman will not just deliver Abraham’s promise of hospitality, but will deliver God’s promise of a people who will honour him.

This seems such a crazy idea  - a role far beyond what she thought she could do   - that Sarah can only laugh.. until her son is born and she names him Isaac ‘laughter’.

 

So a final challenge to us all.

What promises of God might be fulfilled through us if we allow his grace to expand our horizons? In a time of warfare, and sickness, and financial instability we might want to laugh at the thought that we can be agents of God’s promise of life in all its fulness, for every one of God’s children. But where we laugh, God finds a way to expand every more fully human understanding of grace, joy and life.

 

To God’s praise and glory.

Amen.