Hospitality - Biblical Character Curriculum

HOSPITALITY

Hospitality is cheerfully sharing food, shelter, and spiritual refreshment with those God brings into my life.

Hospitality in Scripture The Character of God

doors of opportunity to encourage others as you get to know them, offer advice, or share what God is teaching you. “That which we have seen and heard declare we unto you, that ye also may have fellowship with us: and truly our fellowship is with the Father, and with his Son Jesus Christ” (I John 1:3).

• Knowing God’s love for us is the basis for our hospitality. (See I John 3:17.)

• God provided for Elijah when he was in the wilderness by sending crows to feed him. (See I Kings 17:4.)

• Jesus offered “living water” (spiritual refreshment) to the Samaritan woman.

(See John 4:10.)

3. Without Thought of Reward. You may only want to be hospitable to your friends, but the Lord asks you to extend His love to those who cannot return your kindness.

“When thou makest a dinner or a supper, call not thy friends, nor thy brethren, neither thy kinsmen, nor thy rich neighbours; lest they also bid thee again, and a recompence be made thee” (Luke 14:12). Do you welcome and offer a smile to someone who has disabilities or is visiting your church? It's easy to be hospitable to our friends, but challenge yourself to purposefully extend hospitality to others as well. Share food, shelter, and spiritual refreshment, not for your own benefit, but so others can know God’s love.

• Jesus blessed the children who came to Him, sharing a picture of what acceptance is for all who come, especially the young.

(See Mark 10:13–16.)

• God provides the ultimate hospitality to believers when He shares Himself by giving us His Holy Spirit. (See Luke 11:5–13.)

Key Concepts 1. Welcomed by God. In Matthew 4:18–20, Jesus invited fishermen to join Him. In Matthew 19:14, Jesus warmly accepted little children who came to Him. Luke 2:32 says that He came to redeem both Jews and Gentiles. Over and over again, you see God welcoming mankind to Himself. What a privilege to be an extension of God’s hospitality to others! Do you have opportunities to share food, open your home, or spiritually encourage someone today?

Hospitality in My Life • II Kings 4:10—What is something that you could do to prepare and be ready for guests?

2. More Than a Meal. Hospitality is often thought of as welcoming someone into your home for a meal. Other acts of hospitality may include offering to care for a friend’s children while they run errands, sharing toys with someone who has no toys, and watching a neighbor’s animals so they can go on a vacation. Meeting physical needs often opens

• Romans 12:13—Who could you invite to your home? How can you make their visit spiritually refreshing?

• I Thessalonians 5:11—What are two ways you can extend hospitality to others?

• I Peter 4:9—Do you cheerfully welcome guests with a smile?

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• Matthew 5:47—Do you offer a kind “hello” to people other than your friends?

HOSPITALITY Hospitality is cheerfully sharing food, shelter, and spiritual refreshment with those God brings into my life.

Hospitality

in the Life of Aquila and Priscilla Read Acts 18:1:1–4, 18–26; Romans 16:3–5, and I Corinthians 16:19 and discuss the following questions: 1. W here had Aquila and Priscilla previously lived? “After these things Paul departed from Athens, and came to Corinth; and found a certain Jew named Aquila, born in Pontus, lately come from Italy, with his wife Priscilla . . . and came unto them” (Acts 18:1–2). Have you ever moved or known someone who moved into your neighborhood? How could you reach out to new neighbors?

into Syria, and with him Priscilla and Aquila” (Acts 18:18–19). When have you shared with others and found that it deepened your friendship with them?

2. W hat did Paul make while he was living at Aquila and Priscilla’s home? “And because he was of the same craft, he abode with them, and wrought: for by their occupation they were tentmakers” (Acts 18:3). What projects would your guests enjoy working on with you?

6. H ow did Paul acknowledge Priscilla and Aquila’s ministry of hospitality? “Greet Priscilla and Aquila my helpers in Christ Jesus: who have for my life laid down their own necks: unto whom not only I give thanks, but also all the churches of the Gentiles. Likewise greet the church that is in their house” (Romans 16:3–5a). Who has extended hospitality to you? Have you sent them a greeting, correspondence, or a thank you note?

3. W hat else did Paul do while he lived with Priscilla and Aquila for approximately 18 months? “And he continued there a year and six months, teaching the word of God among them” (Acts 18:11). Have you ever invited a pastor or spiritual leader to your home and been an encouragement to one another through your time together?

7. H ow did Aquila and Priscilla extend their hospitality to those in Ephesus? “The churches of Asia salute you. Aquila and Priscilla salute you much in the Lord, with the church that is in their house” (I Corinthians 16:19). How can you use hospitality for God’s kingdom and expand your ministry through your home and family?

4. W hat else did Paul do with Aquila and Priscilla that indicates their relationship was not stressed but strengthened by his long visit? “And Paul after this tarried there yet a good while, and then took his leave of the brethren, and sailed thence 2

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5. H ow were Aquila and Priscilla friendly and beneficial to Apollos? “When Aquila and Priscilla had heard, they took him unto them, and expounded unto him the way of God more perfectly” (Acts 18:24–26). When you see a need, how do you respond?

HOSPITALITY

Aquila and Priscilla Host the Church “Aquila and Priscilla salute you much in the Lord, with the church that is in their house.”

—I CORINTHIANS 16:19 3

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Hospitality is cheerfully sharing food, shelter, and spiritual refreshment with those God brings into my life.

HOSPITALITY

Hospitality is cheerfully sharing food, shelter, and spiritual refreshment with those God brings into my life.

Memory Verse HEBREWS 13:2 “Be not forgetful to entertain strangers: for thereby some have entertained angels unawares.”

Memory Verse Game: Disappearing Visual

Doers of the Word In the blank below, write how this verse could be applied in your life, e.g., “keep the house clean so it is ready for company,” or “invite someone for dinner,” or “cheerfully give up my room for guests.”

“Dear Lord, I yield my life to You and am willing to apply this verse. Help me to ____________________ _________________________________________. I ask that You would develop hospitality in my life. Amen.”

When the Lord gives you an opportunity to apply this verse, write it in your journal to later recall God’s working in your life.

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Either print this page or copy it onto a sheet of paper in the format shown above. Hold the sheet so the children can see the verse and read it together. Next, fold on the dotted line so that the verse is still visible but the reference is not. Have the children read the verse again, this time with the reference hidden. Can the children remember what the “missing” section of the verse is? If not, review the reference. (You may want to repeat the verse and hidden reference again before the next step.) Fold back the next line of the verse so that it “disappears.” Have the children read the verse and see if they can say from memory the part that is missing. Continue hiding the next line and reciting the verse until the Scripture has completely “disappeared” and the children are reciting the verse wholly from memory!

HOSPITALITY

Hospitality is cheerfully sharing food, shelter, and spiritual refreshment with those God brings into my life.

Craft Instructions Welcome Wreath Introduction Read to the children: “This month we are asking the Lord to develop hospitality in our lives. What a privilege to respond to the work He is doing to change us into the image of His Son! Today we are going to make a hospitality wreath to welcome guests into our home.”

Supplies Uncoated paper plate; scissors; a pencil with an eraser; red, yellow, and orange tissue paper; acorns; brown construction paper; brown yarn; Elmer’s glue; small dish or jar lid to hold poured-out glue.

Instructions Have one child cut the middle out of a paper plate so that all that is left is the rim approximately 1.5 inches wide. This outer circle will be the base of your welcome wreath.

Cut the letters to spell “welcome” out of brown construction paper (or write “welcome” on a small sign to place on your wreath). Attach the letters to the wreath with yarn or glue. Glue acorns to the wreath. Tape a loop of brown yarn to the back of the wreath for easy hanging.

As the children work, read and answer the following questions: “Who could we welcome into our home? What could we do to make them feel special? We can encourage others by inviting them over and sharing food, shelter, and spiritual refreshment.”

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Meanwhile, instruct a second child to cut two-inch squares of tissue paper. Pour a small amount of Elmer’s glue onto a small dish or jar lid. Put the eraser end of the pencil in the middle of a tissue paper square and wrap the tissue paper snugly around the pencil. Dip the tissue-covered pencil into the glue in the small dish. Then move the tissue-covered pencil to the paper plate.

Gently pull the pencil out of the tissue paper, leaving the tissue paper glued onto the wreath base. Repeat these steps with the different colors of tissue paper until the wreath’s paper plate base is covered.

HOSPITALITY

Hospitality is cheerfully sharing food, shelter, and spiritual refreshment with those God brings into my life.

Activity Page Word Search

“Be not forgetful to entertain strangers: for thereby some have entertained angels unawares” (Hebrews 13:2).

Hospitality: Cheerfully sharing food, shelter, and spiritual refreshment with those God brings into my life. *If finding the underlined words is too difficult or frustrating for your child, assign only a few words to find, such as “food” and “God.” Younger children could point to the ABC’s. Older children may enjoy the extra challenge of finding all the words instead of only the underlined words.

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Enjoy meditating on and thinking about the words of Hebrews 13:2 and the definition of hospitality as you find them in the word search below. The underlined words are hidden horizontally, vertically, diagonally, or backwards.

HYMN HISTORY

Hospitality is cheerfully sharing food, shelter, and spiritual refreshment with those God brings into my life.

“Make Me a Channel of Blessing” The young man strode across the stage and received his degree in Musical Education. Harper G. Smyth was graduating from the prestigious Institute of Musical Art in New York! What would the future hold for this promising young man?

Following his graduation, Smyth would become a performing member at the Metropolitan Opera House. An impressive start in his musical career, he would work there for two years. Leaving New York, Smyth would continue his musical career, directing church choirs, first in Indianapolis and later, in Atlanta.

Along the way, Smyth would have the prominent position of songleader for one of D.L. Moody’s key evangelists at the World’s Fair in Chicago in 1893. Smyth’s strong voice would lead the crowd in singing, readying their hearts for the message. It would be a great honor to be chosen as song leader for these evangelistic meetings, and Smyth would gladly fulfill the task with enthusiastic joy.

Ten years following the evangelistic effort, in 1903, Smyth would put words to his life’s desire.

Titled “Channels of Blessing,” the hymn asks: Is your life a channel of blessing?

Is the love of God flowing through you?

Are you telling the lost of the Savior?

Are you ready His service to do?

Smyth’s life was characterized by his desire to be a channel of God’s blessing to others. His book, Let’s Adventure in Personality, pointed others to the positive character traits of successful men. His voice studio trained others to sing to God’s glory. His church solos and choir directing led others to proclaim the glories of our great God. Smyth’s life was dedicated to offering and providing spiritual refreshment to others. Through his work with the Salvation Army, he specifically practiced hospitality in sharing food and shelter and bringing spiritual refreshment to many through his music ministry.

When we cheerfully show hospitality to others, there is great blessing, both for the recipient and for us! Jesus taught His disciples that showing concern for others is showing love to Him. (See Matthew 25:35–40.) Some ways to show hospitality to friends include inviting them to your home, 7

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This young graduate went on to more opportunities to live and be that channel of blessing that he desired to be. In Cleveland, Ohio, Smyth directed the music ministry at Euclid Avenue Baptist Church. He ministered there for over 30 years, from 1913 until his death in 1945. Smyth was very active in serving his Lord—from teaching to lecturing to mentoring. He served wherever asked; in 1924, he led the singing at a presidential national convention. Smyth also worked with the Salvation Army.

HYMN HISTORY

“Make Me a Channel of Blessing” | page 2

taking a meal to a family when a baby is born or someone is ill, or offering a person a place to rest.

Some ways to be hospitable to strangers include being involved in prison ministry, serving in a soup kitchen, or providing clothes to charitable agencies.

Smyth closes his hymn with a warning: We cannot be channels of blessing If our lives are not free from known sin; We will barriers be and a hindrance To those we are trying to win.

Cleveland Public Library/Photograph Collection

Let's heed this warning, cleanse our hearts for Christ, and joyfully practice hospitality and service to others!

Bibliography: Reynolds, William J., Hymns of Our Faith, Broadman Press, Nashville, 1964, pp. 97, 410.

International Who’s Who in Music and Musical Gazetteer, edited by Cesar Saerchinger, first ed. 1918, NY, Current Literature Publishing Company, p. 599.

This hymn and the other 11 featured hymns of this year’s character curriculum are available on CD. The hymns are sung by home educating families to piano accompaniment. Go to store.iblp.org/product/CBCH2.html for more information.

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Euclid Avenue Baptist Church in Cleveland, OH, where Harper G. Smyth served as choir director from 1913 until his death in 1945.

HOSPITALITY

Hospitality is cheerfully sharing food, shelter, and spiritual refreshment with those God brings into my life.

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Words and music by Harper G. Smyth (1873-1945)

1. Is your life a channel of bles-sing? Is the love of God flow - ing thru' you?

2. Is your life a channel of bles-sing? Are you bur-den'd for those who are lost?

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Refrain

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My life pos-ses-sing, my ser-vice bles-sing, Make me a channel - of bles-sing to-day.

©

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Make me a chan-nel of bles-ing to-day, Make me a chan-nel of bles-sing, I pray;