My family gathered together last week for family wedding. It was great fun and afterwards we took family pictures with the bride and groom. But after the picture, three different people asked me, “Who are those people in OUR family photo?” It wasn’t a big group. But I didn’t know them either.
I was really happy being with my extended family and relatives – but that couple were standing alone, all by themselves and so, I took a big breath, walked over to the couple, intending to introduce myself and welcome them. But instead, they welcomed me, warmly, saying, “Hello Pam, it’s been so long since we have seen you…” I was even more stumped then and a little embarrassed. To be fair, they had the advantage. I officiated at the ceremony and so I had already introduced myself to the whole gathering. So, they knew who I was. But I did not have a clue as to who they were – and neither did the rest of my extended family – even though we were just in a family photo together.
I’ll admit that for nanosecond, when they called me by name, I was tempted to play along, hoping that my brain would remember who this couple was - but since none other family members had remembered either, I decided I might as well just ask…even if it was going to be embarrassing. And so, I apologized for not remembering their names… And then…which of these two things do you think happened:
a) they looked aghast and publicly shamed me for my thoughtlessness or …
b) They were more than gracious, reminding me of their names and said they were first cousins too!
Of course they welcomed me graciously. They were related by marriage – they were from my aunt’s side and I am from my uncle’s side of the family. They also turned out to be really nice people with whom we had a lot in common – she was even a pastor in a different denomination. I enjoyed getting to know them – and was so glad I went to welcome them – for I was given a lovely welcome by them instead!
Welcome. In our Gospel lesson of three verses, Jesus says the word “Welcome” six times!
As we have heard for the past two Sundays, Jesus has been preparing his disciples to be sent out to do what he has been doing, healing, preaching and proclaiming the good news. He’s also told them that it won’t always be easy because the cost of discipleship entails putting Jesus before tradition, family, and your own safety and status. They could be persecuted. Some would welcome them and others would not. Division would occur even amongst their families.
In today’s Gospel, Jesus sounds like parents sending their kid off on the school bus for the first time, tenderly calling the disciples, his “little ones” as he seeks to assure them to take the risk because his presence would be with them. “Whoever welcomes you, welcomes me; and whoever welcomes me, welcomes the one who sent me.”
Further, Jesus says there will be a reward for giving even a cup of cold water to one of his ‘little ones,” his disciples. Notice that it doesn’t take much to be welcoming. Even the tiniest gesture – a glass of cold water – will be rewarded. What is the reward you might ask? The reward is the presence of Jesus.
The disciples were being sent out into a world equipped not with a Visa card for a hotel stay, not with Bibles or credentials but only with the message of Jesus. And Jesus says, that’s enough, because while they weren’t carrying a lot of luggage, they were carrying Jesus.
Brothers and sisters, siblings of Christ, like the disciples, those first “sent out,” every Sunday, you too are “sent out” into the world that you live, work and play in to do God’s work in the neighborhood. We – you and me are sent out, bearing Christ and so – whatever we say or do – whether at a church potluck or at a community meeting or in the grocery store, we are bringing Jesus with us – and Jesus is bringing God the Father too.
One church, as a reminder to themselves of the presence of Jesus, always left one chair open in their gatherings. They called it the Jesus chair. It wasn’t a special chair marked with a crown, it was just an extra ordinary chair. And yet… it was a reminder that Jesus was with them.
One day, a woman from the neighborhood decided to check out the book club at that church. She had called and found out the details and had planned to get there early – but ended up arriving late. They had already begun but she noticed that there was an empty chair near the doorway and so she slipped into the chair and tried to be as unobtrusive as possible. The woman closest to her welcomed her – without making her feel awkward for being late – and she was accepted by the others too and made to feel at home. After the meeting, she thanked the woman next to her for being so welcoming. The woman answered, well, we always try to welcome newcomers – and besides you are sitting in the Jesus chair – so we had to welcome you in the same way we would welcome Jesus.
Welcome the stranger. This is a theme throughout the scriptures. In Hebrews we read, "Do not neglect to show hospitality to strangers, for by doing so some people have entertained angels without knowing it.” That verse might be referring to Abraham and Sarah who welcomed three strangers – who turned out to be messengers of God, sent to tell Abraham and Sarah that their prayer for a son would be answered. But there are other examples. The Samaritan woman at the well was invited into conversation and transformation when Jesus came and asked for a drink of water. And after the disciples on the road to Emmaus invited the stranger to stay with them, they discovered that it was Jesus who had been walking with them when he took on the role of host in the breaking of the bread and in the blessing of the meal.
They thought they were the ones doing a good deed by welcoming the stranger – only to discover that it was Jesus who was welcoming and blessing them.
Hospitality can work that way. The disciples thought they were welcoming the stranger… but then Jesus welcomed them. I thought I was welcoming the unknown couple to the wedding – but then they welcomed me. That is the tricky thing about hospitality and welcome. … are you the one sent out? Or are you the one rewarded for welcoming the stranger who is Jesus???
Yes.
Jesus is calling us to both welcome the stranger, the other and to do God’s work in our world, in our neighborhood. And we are rewarded with the presence of Jesus either way. It doesn’t matter how small the action. Just a cup of cold water. A cup of coffee and a cookie. Everything counts.
We like to think that we are the welcoming church on Welcome avenue. And sometimes we are! I have gotten some really good reports back of people feeling truly welcomed. But, there are times when we are not. There are times when we are so eager to connect with our church friends that we neglect a visitor, or someone sitting alone, or someone we do not know rather than reaching out and offering a cup of cold water, or a cup of coffee, a smile and an invitation to come and sit down with us.
Next week we are hosting the New Creation Worship and so it will be a great time for us to practice our hospitality – welcoming Jesus when we see the eyes of someone who we do not know by name. I realize that it is a holiday weekend, the morning after the 4th of July festivities and some of you will be gone. But this is not the only time or place where we can practice welcoming the stranger as if he or she were Jesus.
But this is an opportunity for us, and so I invite you, or rather Jesus invites you… to be mindful of being welcoming next week and in the weeks to come. Remember, you are not welcoming a stranger; you are welcoming Jesus, God the Father and their friend.
But this isn’t automatically in our wheelhouse. So, I thought we could practice by imagining a couple of scenarios for next week:
Here’s the first one:
You come to church next week and - heaven forbid – someone else is sitting in “your” pew. What are you going to do?
Well, you could: Tell them to leave because it is your pew. (It’s been done.) OR.. you could Say hello! Introduce yourself. Ask them their names. – AND then, ask them if you can join them? Let them welcome you.
Scenario 2
After worship, you see your friends and without intending to be exclusive, you form a circle to chat and catch up. Other people walk around you… and out the door. OR
You look for your church friends – AND you look for someone or someone’s you don’t know. Maybe they are standing by themselves. You invite these people to join you. You discover that you and they have lots of connections – including Jesus, who is standing right there too.
You get the idea. Every Sunday, after worship, Jesus sends us out, back into the world in which we live, work and play. And every time you dare to welcome a stranger, Jesus is with you and, who knows, he may even reveal himself to you in the breaking of the bread, in sharing a cup of water – or a cup of coffee. Thanks be to Jesus who welcomes you – and me – again and again and who continues to show up when we welcome another. Amen.