The Hospitable Family

Pastor Samson A. Arekete

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 Text: 1Pe 4:7-11
• 7. But the end of all things is at hand: be ye therefore
sober, and watch unto prayer.
• 8. And above all things have fervent charity among
yourselves: for charity shall cover the multitude of sins.
• 9. Use hospitality one to another without grudging.
• 10. As every man hath received the gift, even so minister
the same one to another, as good stewards of the
manifold grace of God.
• 11. If any man speak, let him speak as the oracles of God;
if any man minister, let him do it as of the ability which
God giveth: that God in all things may be glorified through
Jesus Christ, to whom be praise and dominion for ever and
ever. Amen.
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 Text: Heb 13:1-3
• 1. Let brotherly love continue.
• 2. Be not forgetful to entertain strangers: for
thereby some have entertained angels unawares.
• 3. Remember them that are in bonds, as bound
with them; and them which suffer adversity, as
being yourselves also in the body.

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 What is Hospitality?
• Hospitality is described as kindness in welcoming
guests or strangers.
• It is opening your heart and substances (your
home inclusive) to someone in need.
• Examples of the show of hospitality abound in the
Bible both in the Old and the New Testaments.

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 Hospitality is motivated by Love
• Either we are hospitable to people we know or to
people who are complete strangers, only love
motivates true hospitality.
• Hence, in Heb. 13:1, the bible says “Let brotherly
love continue”.
• It would appear from that passage, that
hospitality might have been abused and brethren
were now getting slack concerning it.

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 Hospitality is motivated by Love..
• Love is the highest attribute of believers in Christ
and if hospitality is one of the key by-products of
love, then we should not neglect it (Heb. 13:2).
• The finest attributes of Christianity is revealing by
through our hospitality.
• Hospitality does not happen when someone
visited your home alone, it happens anywhere
two or more people can me.

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 Hospitality is motivated by Love..
• Hospitality is not expressed only through giving, it
is expressed through a connect of spirits.
• If you meet people who are not hospitable in the
open market, you would know them.

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 Hospitality is motivated by Love..
• When I started working in FUTA around 1990, as a
bachelor, I would go to the market to buy
ingredients.
• I met a lady, she had a grinding machine and she
helped me to grind, I noticed a very friendly
disposition in her.
• She sorted my ingredients and judging by the
quantities of things I bought, she removed some
onions and told me that two much onions will
make my food to be bitter!
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 Hospitality is motivated by Love..
• Subsequently, when I get to the market, my business is
to go to her shop, she would buy all the ingredients
and washed then and grind for me.
• When I have change, she would return them. She
would not collect anything extra.
• I have never been to her home but you could sense an
hospitable spirit in her.
• If somebody meets you on the street and you to not
sense hospitality in him or her, do even expect it when
you visit their homes.

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 Hospitality is African
• Part of the culture that is cherished in the African
culture is hospitality.
• Growing up, in our village, where my parents you to
ply their trade, I saw a lot of display of hospitality.
• Even some people would come very late and my
mother would never complained; they most eat before
settling down to sleep.
• There is an adage in Yoruba land that says, a stranger
who come in late in the night will eat regrets (what a
pity!), not so with my mum.

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 Hospitality is African
• The western culture hardly promotes hospitality.
• Go your way, I go my way.
• If I visit you and you entertain me well, it is not
because I lacked food in my house! It is because I
love you that I like to visit you.

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 Rewards of hospitality
• A number of people have benefited from rewards
of hospitality.
• Abraham and Sarah were blessed with Isaac, and
Abraham was able to save Lot, his nephew (Gen. 18).
• When the Bible says some entertained angels
unknowingly, Abraham was a typical example.
• Heb. 13:2. Be not forgetful to entertain strangers:
for thereby some have entertained angels unawares.

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 Rewards of hospitality
• Lot also learned hospitality from her uncle, Abraham. He also
entertained angels unawares (Gen.19:1-3)
• Gen 19:1-3
• 1. And there came two angels to Sodom at even; and Lot sat in the
gate of Sodom: and Lot seeing them rose up to meet them; and he
bowed himself with his face toward the ground;
• 2. And he said, Behold now, my lords, turn in, I pray you, into your
servant's house, and tarry all night, and wash your feet, and ye shall
rise up early, and go on your ways. And they said, Nay; but we will
abide in the street all night.
• 3. And he pressed upon them greatly; and they turned in unto him,
and entered into his house; and he made them a feast, and did bake
unleavened bread, and they did eat.
• He enjoyed special mercy from the Lord and got delivered from
the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah.
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 Rewards of hospitality
• Gen 19:12-16
• 12. And the men said unto Lot, Hast thou here any besides? son in law, and
thy sons, and thy daughters, and whatsoever thou hast in the city, bring them
out of this place:
• 13. For we will destroy this place, because the cry of them is waxen great
before the face of the LORD; and the LORD hath sent us to destroy it.
• 14. And Lot went out, and spake unto his sons in law, which married his
daughters, and said, Up, get you out of this place; for the LORD will destroy
this city. But he seemed as one that mocked unto his sons in law.
• 15. And when the morning arose, then the angels hastened Lot, saying, Arise,
take thy wife, and thy two daughters, which are here; lest thou be consumed
in the iniquity of the city.
• 16. And while he lingered, the men laid hold upon his hand, and upon the
hand of his wife, and upon the hand of his two daughters; the LORD being
merciful unto him: and they brought him forth, and set him without the city.

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 Rewards of hospitality
• Rebekah was very hospitable to the servant of
Abraham and she later became the wife of his
master’s son, Isaac (Gen. 24:13-67).
• Also note the great role played by Laban the brother
of Rebekah.

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 Rewards of hospitality
• The hospitality of Rachael was noticeable in Gen.
29:1-30. This attracted Jacob to her.
• The hospitality of Reuel and his household was
demonstrated in Ex. 2:15-22
• You could also see the friendliness of Jacob and
Moses in these to passages. They were rewarded
with beautiful wives.

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 Rewards of hospitality
• The widow of Zarephat demonstrated her
hospitality by accepting to feed Elijah with her last
meal, and when her son fell sick and died, he was
brought back to life by Elijah (I Kg. 17:8-
• The rich Shunammite woman also got herself a
son through being hospitable to Prophet Elisha. (2
King4:8-17).
• And when her son died, Elisha also raised him back to
life (2 Kg. 4:18-37).
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 Rewards of hospitality
• Paul abode with Acquila and Pricilla.
• Act 18:1-3
• 1. After these things Paul departed from Athens, and
came to Corinth;
• 2. And found a certain Jew named Aquila, born in
Pontus, lately come from Italy, with his wife Priscilla;
(because that Claudius had commanded all Jews to
depart from Rome:) and came unto them.
• 3. And because he was of the same craft, he abode with
them, and wrought: for by their occupation they were
tentmakers.
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 Rewards of hospitality
• Apollos & Aquila and Priscilla
• Act 18:24-26
• 24. And a certain Jew named Apollos, born at Alexandria,
an eloquent man, and mighty in the scriptures, came to
Ephesus.
• 25. This man was instructed in the way of the Lord; and
being fervent in the spirit, he spake and taught diligently
the things of the Lord, knowing only the baptism of John.
• 26. And he began to speak boldly in the synagogue: whom
when Aquila and Priscilla had heard, they took him unto
them, and expounded unto him the way of God more
perfectly.
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 Hospitality is a Family Affair
• Sometimes, you find a man who is very hospitable
but the wife is hostile.
• Sometimes, it is the reverse.
• If the parents are hospitable but the children are,
it is not good enough.
• I remember a Lecturer of ours, any time we to
visited them, their first daughter would me
pinching us with her nails.

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 How should Hospitality be practiced?
• Generously
• Without grudging
• As much as you are blessed.
• 1 Pet. 4:9. Use hospitality one to another without
grudging.
• 10. As every man hath received the gift, even so
minister the same one to another, as good
stewards of the manifold grace of God.
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 Be Spirit-directed
• Today, a lot of people take advantage of one’s
generosity.
• We need to therefore be guided of God.
• A complete stranger you don’t know, be careful.
• You must have the right disposition in general but
you must pray in the specific situation.
• Many years ago if someone approaches you for a
particular need, once it is within your power you
do it. Today, care must be exercised.
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 Prayer Points
• O Lord, make our homes a place of your special
above.
• Father, grant me and my home a generous spirit of
hospitality.
• Father, the rewards that attends to generosity and
hospitality, let me not miss it in Jesus name.

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