In 1 John, the apostle urges his readers to know and believe the truth of who God is and he tells his readers that his relationship with the living God, through Christ, shapes his relationship with them. In fact, sharing those truths with the church brings him great joy.
While it’s not the intent of the passage, I think we can take away a foundational case for biblical hospitality in the first few verses, that can help equip us for living a life of welcome.
Many of us long for that feeling of “home.” We search for it in our actual houses and in our relationships with others – a way to “belong.”
We are made to feel loved and to belong – and we find fulfillment ultimately in relationship with Christ. As we grow closer to Him, He equips us to invite others into fellowship with Him… living the #invitinglife for the glory of God and the good of those He has called!
These takeaways from 1 John 1:1-4 can both inform and equip us to live a life of welcome!
- Jesus was both fully God and fully man… and the Godhead has existed from before the beginning of time.
- We have the opportunity to know God personally, in an ongoing, growing relationship. That relationship shapes how we do live with others… and we pursue both intentional relationships with our family in Christ, and purposeful interaction with our neighbor who doesn’t know Him.
- That relationship with God comes only through Christ, and it doesn’t just influence how we live here, but guarantees our life forever with God.
- True fellowship is always rooted in that relationship with Christ!
- Inviting others into that fellowship is a source of true JOY for believers!
As followers of Christ, we love with courage and authenticity – practicing biblical hospitality – offering TRUE “home” in fellowship with ourselves and with Christ.
“We love others because we have been shown what true love is through God… if we have truly been changed by God’s love, then that change impacts the way in which we serve and love others. It causes us to serve in revolutionary ways.” – The Bible Handbook, Daily Grace Co., p. 299
Resources:
Here are some of my favorite resources for studying the Bible, and for setting my heart on truth as I grow in living the #invitinglife! I think they’ll be a great help to you, too.
Hebrew Greek Keyword Study Bible
Daily Grace Co Bible Handbook
Growth Roots Journal
The LoFi Christian Playlist on Amazon Music
Rosaria Champagne Butterfield, The Gospel Comes with a House Key: Practicing Radically Ordinary Hospitality in Our Post-Christian World
(Affiliate links above help to support Everyday Welcome at no additional cost to you; some include discounts.)
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