Missional Hospitality

Lesson 1Hospitality to Strangers....................................................3Job 31:16-23, 31-32

Lesson 2Hospitality to the Poor ....................................................8Ruth 2:2-17

Lesson 3Hospitality to the Sinners ..............................................13John 7:53 –8:11

Lesson 4Hospitality to Newcomers ..............................................181 Corinthians 14:20-33a

Lesson 5Hospitality to Christ ......................................................23Matthew 25:31-46

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Prepare Before the SessionRead the session for today in the Study Guide. Then read the options in this Teaching

Guide, placing checkmarks beside the activities you plan to include. After you have decidedwhich options to use, gather the appropriate materials.

WHAT’S IN YOUR TEACHING GUIDEThis Teaching Guide has three purposes:! to give the teacher tools for focusing on the content of the session in the Study Guide.! to give the teacher additional Bible background information.! to give the teacher variety and choice in preparation.

The Teaching Guide includes two major components: Teacher Helps and Teacher Options.

Teacher Helps

Teacher Options

Bible BackgroundThe Study Guide is your mainsource of Bible study material.This section helps you more fullyunderstand and interpret the Scripture text.

Teaching Outlineprovides you with an outlineof the main themes in theStudy Guide.

The next three sections provide a beginning, middle, and endfor the session, with focus paragraphs in between.

Focus Paragraphsare printed in italics at the top of the page because they

are the most important part of the Teaching Guide. Theseparagraphs will help you move your class from “what the text

meant” to “what the text means.”

You Can Choose!There is more material in each session than you can use, so choose the options from each sectionto tailor the session to the needs of your group.

Bible BackgroundJob on TrialThe book of Job consists

primarily of Job’s dialogue withhis accusing friends. Twenty-nine

of the forty-two chapters in the bookcontain Job’s debates with his friends.Our passage is in the last of these debates,where Job employs the “hospitalitydefense” to proclaim his goodness. It isobvious that Job needs no attorney topresent his case. He is more than capableof defending himself, and in chapter 31he rises to speak forcefully on his ownbehalf.

It might help us better understandthis passage from Job 31 if we think of itas Job’s defense of himself in an ancientcourtroom. He was on trial before hisfriends Eliphaz, Bildad, and Zophar, whohad accused him of wrongdoing. Thesefriends adhered to the common theologyof the day: good people prosper and evilpeople suffer. Since Job was experiencinggrave suffering, they concluded that hemust have done something terrible.

The technique he uses to proclaim hisinnocence involves the declaration of asolemn oath. In effect, Job makes apromise and calls down wrath uponhimself if that promise is not true. “If Ihave withheld anything that the poordesired,” he begins, and then continuesthrough a litany of inhospitable actionsthat he swears he has never done. In

essence Job says, “If I have not practicedhospitality all of my days let me be cursedby God.” The exact punishment hementions is graphic: “Let my shoulderblade fall from my shoulder, and let myarm be broken from its socket” (v. 22).

Job’s Kind of HospitalityJob spells out the specifics of hishospitable life. In doing so, he gives shape to the sometimes vague notion ofhospitality:

• “If I have withheld anything that thepoor desired” (v. 16). Job has been atten-tive to the poor people around him. Nextweek we will focus on taking care of thepoor as an aspect of biblical hospitality.Job declares he has done that.

• “Or have caused the eyes of the widow to fail” (v. 16). One of the accusationshurled at Job by Eliphaz was that he had “sent widows away empty-handed”(22:9a). Job speaks to that accusationhere. Widows looking for help have notbecome weary waiting for him. Theireyes have not failed because Job has beenthere for them, easy to see and ready tooffer aid.

• “Or have eaten my morsel alone, and theorphan has not eaten from it, for frommy youth I have reared the orphan like afather” (vv. 17-18). Here Job speaks to asecond accusation Eliphaz throws at

1Lesson Teaching Guide

HOSPITALITY TO STRANGERS

Job 31:16-23, 31-32

him: “the arms of the orphans you havecrushed” (22:9b). Job denies thatcharge. He has not eaten his foodalone but has shared it with theorphan. On top of that, he has beenlike a father to orphans who needed hiscare.

• “And from my mother’s womb I guidedthe widow” (v. 18). Again Job speaks tothe charge that he has been negligent towidows by asserting that all his life hehas been attentive to their needs.

• “If I have seen anyone perish for lack ofclothing, or a poor person withoutcovering, whose loins have not blessedme, and who has not warmed with thefleece of my sheep” (vv. 19-20). Providingwool and warmth for cold people hasalso warmed Job’s heart in return.

• “If I have raised my hand against theorphan, because I saw I had supportersat the gate” (v. 21). The NIV translatesthis verse, “If I have raised my handagainst the fatherless, knowing that Ihad influence in court.” The “gate” is areference to the place of justice. Job hasmost definitely not raised his handagainst the orphan. On the contrary, hehas defended their rights in the court ofjustice.

Job’s litany of hospitable deeds thenleads to his invocation of God’s wrath onhimself if all of this is not true. If all ofthis is not true, let his shoulder and armbe severed from his body.

A little later in chapter 31, he addsone more hospitable act in his owndefense: “If those of my tent ever said, ‘O that we might be sated with hisflesh!’—the stranger has not lodged in thestreet; I have opened my doors to the trav-eler” (vv. 31-32). Job’s hospitality hasextended to the traveling stranger whoneeds an open door and a hearty meal.The Hebrew word here is ger, whichdescribed a person uprooted from his

homeland to become a resident alien. Bylaw, such people could not own land andwere dependent on the generosity of thepeople for whom they worked (Balentine,

Introduction: The book of Job puzzles overthe suffering of a righteous man. The bulkof the book deals with Job’s conversationswith his friends Eliphaz, Bildad, andZophar. There are three rounds of debatesor dialogues in the book, and our passageis in the last of these three. In Job 31:16-23,31-32, Job answers his critics and proclaimshis innocence by pointing out his lifelongpractice of hospitality.

I. Job’s Life of Hospitality (31:16-21)A. He has met the desires of the poor

(31:16a).B. He has met the needs of widows

(31:16b).C. He has shared his bread with

orphans (31:17).D. He has treated orphans as if he were

their father (31:18a).E. He has guided widows in times of

distress (31:18b).F. He has provided clothes for the

needy (31:19).G. He has been warmed by providing

warmth for others (31:20).H. He has defended orphans at the

gate (the court of justice) (31:21).

II. Job’s Oath of Honesty (31:22-23)A. He wishes bodily harm upon himself

if what he has said is false (31:22).B. He fears God if he has spoken a lie

(31:23).

III. Further Examples of Job’s Hospitality(31:31-32)A. His servants have noticed his willing-

ness to feed others (31:31).B. He has opened his home to

strangers and travelers (31:32).

4 Lesson 1

491). Job had invited them into his house,fed them sumptuously, and made themfeel at home.

That list of hospitable actions givesshape to the sometimes nebulous conceptof hospitality. Over the next few weeks,we will probe some of these in moredepth. For this week, though, we simplywant to introduce the notion of biblicalhospitality and help people understandits importance.

Job as a ReminderThis passage reminds us of others thattrumpet the necessity of hospitality. Jesus’ parable of the Good Samaritan (Lk 10:25-37) is perhaps the most obviousexample, but there are other texts that

add weight to the notion that Christiansare called to be hospitable. ConsiderGenesis 18:1-8, where Abraham befriendsthree strangers and, in the process,receives the blessing of his life. Orconsider Paul’s counsel to Timothy andTitus (1 Tim 3:2, Titus 1:8) and his admonition to the Christians in Romeconcerning hospitality (Rom 12:13).Think of Peter’s advice in 1 Peter 4:9, andthe intriguing idea in Hebrews 13:2 thathospitable people sometimes entertainangels without knowing it.

There is no shortage of biblical mate-rial to probe, and by the time this sessionis completed, every class member shouldhave a new appreciation for Christianhospitality.

Teaching Guide 5

A Way to Begin

" Hospitality and FearDiscuss the fears people today may havewith respect to hospitality.

Questions! How can we be hospitable in a world of

gated communities, security codes, and identity theft?

! How can we balance these justifiablefears with the biblical admonitions tobe people with open hands, openhearts, and open homes?

" Giving and Receiving HospitalityInvite examples of how class membershave given and received hospitality.

Questions! Can you think of times when you

were especially helped by someone’shospitality?

! Can you think of times when you feltyour own hospitality was especiallymeaningful to someone?

! Has your hospitality ever backfired sothat the experience was not positive?

! How much does the current climate offear and distrust keep us from beinghospitable?

These questions, and others like them,can get people thinking about hospitalityin our world and lead into the passagefrom Job 31.

We’re all aware that our world seems to be growing less hospitable. We’reafraid to answer our doors, walk in the city after dark, or let our children playoutside. Paranoia and fear have gripped our culture. The idea of practicing

hospitality is definitely counter-cultural.

A Way to Explore Scripture

6 Lesson 1

" Hospitality in the Biblical WorldCut the page “Hospitality in the BiblicalWorld” (page 28) into slips and distributeto volunteers who will read the passagesaloud. After all the passages have beenread, ask the following questions:

Questions! Is it possible we have underestimated

the importance of hospitality?! Have we emphasized other Christian

disciplines to the exclusion of hospitality?

Read Job 31:16-23, 31-32. Discuss theimportance of hospitality in ancientcultures.

Questions! Why was hospitality such an important

issue in the biblical world?! Whom was ancient hospitality

intended to help? Why?! What did ancient people hope to gain

from showing hospitality to others?

" Hospitality in JobPicture Job in a courtroom. The prosecut-ing attorneys Eliphaz, Bildad, and Zopharhave already leveled their charges againsthim. But Job offers a rousing defense ofhis goodness. At least in this passage, hisdefense centers on his willingness to behospitable to others.

Ask the class to look closely at theverses in Job and to list his examples ofhospitality. Write their responses on theboard and, in effect, you’ll be outliningthe passage for them to see.

" Hospitality in Our WorldDiscuss the many aspects of Job’s hospi-tality as presented in the Outline forTeaching. Point out how specific theseactions are. Job’s faith was not “faith ingeneral”; it was “faith in particular.” Hegave to particular poor people, took careof particular widows, offered clothes toparticular needy people, and invitedparticular travelers to stay in his home.

Christian discipleship is always particular. We don’t love “the world.” Welove old Mrs. Franklin in the Alzheimer’sCenter down the street and littleSamantha with the freckles and missingfront tooth. We open our hearts, hands,and homes to specific people.

In our passage, Job uses his lifelong practice of hospitality to defend himselfagainst his critics. We probably wouldn’t think of adding hospitality to our

resume these days, but Job did. He thought his hospitality would be convincingevidence of genuine goodness and genuine faith.

A Way to End

" Small Things MatterIf you want to touch the world for Christ,think small. Remind the class that thesmall, “insignificant” things matter mostwhen it comes to being hospitable.Brainstorm as many such gestures as you can:

• Inviting a neighbor over for coffee• Putting a neighbor’s paper on his front

porch• Hosting a dinner party for friends• Bringing your spouse coffee in bed in

the morning, and taking your childrento a movie

Those activities don’t seem very “spiri-tual,” but they are more important thanwe realize. Actions really do speak louderthan words.

" Prayer for DisciplineAsk the class members if they can think of other specific ways they can practicehospitality this week. After a time ofsharing, close in prayer. You may offer thefollowing prayer or something like it:

O God, show us specific ways to prac-tice hospitality this week. Make ussensitive to the people around us whoneed a simple act of kindness. Help usas we move through the week to seeparticular people and to think small.In the name and spirit of Christ wepray, Amen.

ResourcesSamuel Balentine, Job, Smyth & Helwys Bible Commentary(Macon GA: Smyth & Helwys, 2006).

Mary Frances Owens, Ezra, Nehemiah, Esther, Job, Layman’sBible Book Commentary (Nashville: Broadman, 1983).

As we have seen, the Bible considers hospitality an important spiritual discipline.Use the final moments of this session to hone in on specific ways the class

members can show hospitality.

Teaching Guide 7

2Bible Background

Setting the StageBefore we examine our text in

Ruth 2, we need to understandwhat has happened in Ruth 1.

That chapter sets the stage for the passageabout Ruth and Boaz.

In chapter 1, we learn that a mannamed Elimelech, who lived in Bethlehemof Judah, left home because of a famine inthe land. He brought his wife and twosons to the land of Moab, about fortymiles southeast of Bethlehem on theother side of the Dead Sea, looking for abetter life. Unfortunately, the move toMoab turned out to be filled with tragedy.First, Elimelech died, leaving Naomi andthe two sons without a husband andfather. The two sons, Mahlon andChilion, married women from Moab. Tenyears later, Mahlon and Chilion died, too.That left Naomi and her two Moabitedaughters-in-law, Ruth and Orpah.

Naomi decided it was time to go backto Judah. Ruth and Orpah decided to gowith her, but Naomi encouraged them togo back to Moab. Reluctantly, Orpahagreed, but Ruth clung to her mother-in-law (1:16-17).

The two women pressed on andarrived back in Bethlehem. Naomi’sreturn caused quite a stir in the town, andshe and Ruth settled in to a life together.The final verse of chapter 1 tells us theyarrived in Bethlehem at the beginning of

the barley harvest, setting the stage forRuth’s encounter with Boaz in chapter 2.

Eyes to See and a Heart to RespondRuth went to the fields and began toglean. Gleaning was a primary means ofsupport for the poor. According toIsraelite law (Lev 19:9-10; 23:22; Deut24:19-22), the edges of fields were to beleft unharvested. The “gleanings,” whatwas not picked up initially by theharvesters, were left for the resident alien,the poor, the orphan, and the widow(Sakenfeld, 39).

It is not surprising that Ruth wouldglean in the fields. This was a commonpractice in Old Testament days. What wassurprising was the unusual grace andgenerosity Boaz showed Ruth. Boaz hadopen eyes and a heart to respond. He sawRuth in her poverty and then went out ofhis way to help her.

Boaz did several generous things: (1) he told her to glean only in his field (v. 8); (2) he warned her to be careful andordered the workers not to bother her (v. 9); (3) he offered her water (v. 9); (4) heoffered her food at mealtime (v. 14); and(5) he let her pick from the first fruits ofthe harvest, not the leftovers (vv. 15-16).

By the time Ruth was finished thatevening, she had gathered an ephah ofbarley, about 42 quarts—enough to feedRuth and Naomi for a week.

Lesson Teaching Guide

HOSPITALITY TO THE POOR

Ruth 2:2-17

An Example of the NormBoaz’s response to Ruth seems unusu-ally generous and gracious until youread other Old Testament passagesabout how to treat the poor. In truth,Boaz was doing what the prophets ofIsrael said was only fair and just. God’speople are to be generous and gracious topoor people.

Here is just a sampling of the OldTestament teaching about hospitality tothe poor:

Is [the fast God desires] not to shareyour bread with the hungry, andbring the homeless poor into yourhouse; when you see the naked, tocover them, and not to hide yourselffrom your own kin? …If you offeryour food to the hungry and satisfythe needs of the afflicted, then yourlight shall rise in the darkness andyour gloom be like the noonday. (Isa 58:7, 10)

Like a cage full of birds, their housesare full of treachery; therefore theyhave become great and rich, they havegrown fat and sleek. They know nolimits in deeds of wickedness; they donot judge with justice the cause of theorphan, to make it prosper, and theydo not defend the rights of the needy.“Shall I not punish them for thesethings?” says the LORD, “and shall Inot bring retribution on a nationsuch as this?” ( Jer 5:27-29)

Then I will draw near to you for judgment; I will be swift to bearwitness against the sorcerers, againstthe adulterers, against those whoswear falsely, against those whooppress the hired workers in theirwages, the widow and the orphan,against those who thrust aside thealien, and do not fear me, says theLORD of hosts. (Mal 3:5)

It turns out that Boaz is an exampleof the norm, a reminder of the way thingsare supposed to be for God’s people. Theycare for widows, orphans, foreigners, and

other vulnerable members of society.They look for ways to show hospitality tothe poor.

Boaz and JesusThe ultimate example of caring for thepoor is Jesus. As you read the Gospels, itis clear that he came for the last, the least,and the lost. Boaz’s generous treatment ofRuth brings to mind the way Jesus treated

Introduction: The story of Ruth and Boazgives us another example of biblical hospi-tality. The kindness Boaz showed Ruth in herpoverty is a reminder of the way Christiansare to treat poor people. It is a story ofgenerosity in action.

I. Ruth and Naomi (2:2-3)A. Ruth and Naomi converse (2:2).B. Ruth gleans in the fields (2:3).

II. Boaz Inquires about Ruth (2:4-7)A. Boaz greets his workers (2:4).B. Boaz asks about Ruth (2:5).C. The foreman identifies Ruth as a

Moabitess (2:6).D. The foreman tells of Ruth’s hard work

(2:7).

III. Boaz Shows Generosity to Ruth (2:8-16)A. Boaz tells Ruth to glean only in his

field (2:8).B. Boaz warns Ruth to be careful and

offers her water (2:9).C. Ruth expresses gratitude to Boaz

(2:10).D. Boaz commends Ruth for her faithful-

ness to Naomi (2:11-12).E. Ruth again thanks Boaz (2:13).F. Boaz offers food to Ruth (2:14).G.Boaz gives orders to let Ruth pick

among the sheaves (2:15-16).

IV. Ruth Picks Grain until Evening (2:17)

Teaching Guide 9

A Way to Begin

people. He saw them clearly, engagedthem in conversation, and treated themwith generosity and grace. If they neededhealing, he healed them. If they neededforgiveness, he forgave them. If theyneeded affirmation, he affirmed them. Ifthey needed food, he fed them.

Jesus told his followers that theywould be judged by how they treated “the

least of these” (Mt 25:40). Jesus’ peoplehave a distinctive trademark: they givefood to the hungry and water to thethirsty; they welcome strangers and giveclothes to the needy; they visit those whoare sick and in prison. That’s the wayJesus lived, and that’s the way he expectshis followers to live.

" The Magic EyeTo begin the session, tell the class about(or even better, show the class) one of theMagic Eye books. (Another option wouldbe the Where’s Waldo? books.) These bookshave hidden pictures that can’t be seen atfirst glance. Only by staring at length atthe page is one finally able to focus on thehidden picture. Use the book as an objectlesson to teach that middle- and upper-class people don’t always see the poor,either. The poor are there, but they’reinvisible. We have to give more than acasual glance to see their needs.

" Poverty in Our TownDo some research on poverty in your cityor town. Share facts about the number ofpeople on welfare, how many people areconsidered below the poverty line, andhow many are homeless.

Sharing this information might openthe eyes of the class members and enablethem to realize that poverty—even in yourcity or town—is a bigger problem thanthey know. You might also clip articlesfrom your local newspaper that tell aboutthe poor in your area.

Questions! What can we do to open our eyes to the

poor? ! How many poor people are in your line

of vision? ! Have you had an opportunity in recent

days to show hospitality to a poorperson?

The kindness Boaz showed Ruth is supposed to be the norm for Christians asthey relate to the poor. The key first step is seeing the poor, knocking downthe walls that blind us to the needs of the poor people around us.

10 Lesson 2

A Way to Explore Scripture

" Ruth and BoazProvide some of the background men -tioned in chapter 1 of Ruth: why Ruth wasin Bethlehem, her relationship to Naomi,the famous commitment verses in 1:16-17,and who Boaz was. Move into the text fortoday by asking the class some questions.

Questions! Why was Ruth in the field? ! What is gleaning? ! How did Boaz go above and beyond

the law? ! Did Ruth have success in her efforts in

the field? ! Did Ruth adequately express her grati-

tude to Boaz? ! Do you see Ruth’s long day in the field

as another indication of her devotionto Naomi?

Focus on the specifics of Boaz’s kind-ness to Ruth. His actions might not seemlike “big things”—giving her water, offer-ing her food, protecting her from otherworkers, and so on—but they were specificactions that helped her. This is anotheropportunity to hammer home the neces-sity of doing small things for God’s sake.Ministry to the poor can be as simple asgiving someone water, cooking someone ameal, or protecting someone from abuse.Boaz’s response is a classic example ofdoing specific things for one of “the leastof these.”

" The Bible and the PoorDistribute copies of “The Bible and thePoor” (page 29). Let class members readthe Scripture passages provided anddiscuss the biblical obligation to care forthe poor.

Questions! What did you hear in these passages

about how we should treat the poor? ! Can you think of other Bible verses that

address this issue? ! Can you think of similarities between

the way Boaz treated Ruth and the wayJesus treated people?

! If we took these passages seriously, howwould they change us?

Read Ruth 2:2-17. Boaz’s graciousresponse to Ruth’s plight is supposed tobe the way God’s people typically dealwith poor people. That Boaz seems espe-cially gracious and generous is probablyan indictment of us. His attitude andactions should be the rule, but they seemnow like the wonderful exception to therule.

Once we see the poor, we have to be like Boaz and do tangible things to meettheir needs. Seeing the needs is but a prelude to trying to meet the needs. Let

the story of Ruth’s encounter with Boaz serve as a paradigm for how to minister tothe poor.

Teaching Guide 11

A Way to End

12 Lesson 2

" Little ThingsThere is an old tale that underscores theimportance of little things. One night astorm came, causing thunder to roll andlightning to flash, causing the cow in thebarn to become frightened and kick overthe lantern, causing the lantern to fallinto the hay, causing the hay to catch onfire, causing the barn to burn down,causing the farmer to have untoldanguish and unusual expense. Littlethings can set tragedy in motion.

The story of Ruth and Boaz remindsus that the opposite is also true: littlethings can also set blessing in motion.Boaz’s kindness to Ruth resulted in amarriage and a son, and eventually achain of births that led to Jesus, theSavior of the world (Ruth 4:13, 17).

When Boaz offered Ruth his kindness,he had no idea where it would lead.Neither do we. But we do know we’recalled to see the Ruths of the world andtreat them the way Boaz did. We’re calledto see poor people and then do tangibleacts to help them. Where it all leads isGod’s business.

" A Little PrayerConclude with prayer. You may use theprayer provided below or somethingsimilar.

Our Father, open our eyes that we willsee the poor. Then show us specificways we can help them, even as Boazhelped Ruth. This we pray in the nameof the One who came for the last, theleast, and the lost—Jesus, our Lord.Amen.

ResourceKatherine Doob Sakenfeld, Ruth, Interpretation (Louisville:John Knox, 1999).

In just four short chapters, the book of Ruth manages to say something aboutdealing with hardship, caring for the poor, and trusting the sovereignty of

God. By the end of the story, we realize that Boaz’s simple acts of generosity boremuch fruit.

3Bible Background

A Dangerous TextOne of the first issues that

must be addressed whendealing with this text is its

authenticity. This famous story aboutJesus and the woman caught in the act ofadultery is not in the oldest biblicalmanuscripts, and in some of the manu-scripts where it is found, it is located in adifferent place. Some manuscripts have itat the end of John’s Gospel, and some putit at the end of Luke 21.

Therefore, questions of authenticityhave always swirled around this passage.One possible explanation for its absencefrom the early manuscripts is that thepassage was simply considered toodangerous by the early translators:

We cannot tell for certain, but itwould seem that in the very early daysthe people who edited the text of theNew Testament thought that this wasa dangerous story, a justification for alight view of adultery, and thereforeomitted it. After all, the ChristianChurch was a little island in a sea ofpaganism. Its members were so apt torelapse into a way of life wherechastity was unknown; and they wereforever open to pagan infection. Butas time went on the danger grew less,or then perhaps the danger was lessfeared, and the story, which had

always circulated by word of mouth,came back. (Barclay, 336)

According to this theory, the story ismissing from the early manuscriptsbecause it is so authentically Jesus that itis dangerous. William Barclay concludes,“In spite of the doubt that the moderntranslations cast on it, and in spite of thefact that the early manuscripts do notinclude it, we need not doubt that this is areal story about Jesus, although it was astory so gracious that for long men wereafraid to tell it” (336).

A Cast of CharactersTo understand the text fully, we have toknow something about the major charac-ters in the story. John lays out a cast ofthree main characters: the woman ac -cused of committing adultery; the scribesand Pharisees who accused her; and Jesus,who, as a rabbi, was approached to arbi-trate the case. Know-ing something aboutthe woman, her accusers, and Jesus willhelp us grasp the story.

The Woman. We know very little aboutthe woman in this story. No biographicalinformation is given. We don’t know hername or where she was from. However, wedo know three things about her.

We know she was guilty. Or, maybebetter said, we know the religious leadersaccused her of being guilty. They said,“this woman was caught in the very act of

Lesson Teaching Guide

HOSPITALITY TO SINNERS

John 7:53–8:11

committing adultery” (v. 4). How andwhere she was caught is not explained,but it would seem this woman had nocase in court. She had been caught red-handed in her crime.

We know she was condemned to die.The Old Testament texts spell out thepunishment for adultery in no uncertainterms. Leviticus 20:10 says that a manwho commits adultery with his neigh-bor’s wife is condemned to die, and so isthe woman. Deuteronomy 22:13-24 laysdown the penalty in the case of a girl whois already betrothed. She and the manwho seduced her are to be stoned outsidethe city gates. The Mishnah, the codifiedJewish law, specified that the penalty foradultery was strangulation. This woman’sfuture was bleak.

Finally, we know she was a pawn in alarger scheme. It would be logical to askabout the man who committed adulterywith her. The Law said he must die, too.Where was he? The religious leaders weretrying to put Jesus in an unwinnable situ-ation, and this woman was merely a pawnin their plot. The scribes and Phariseeswanted to back Jesus into a corner. Standup for the Law and sentence the womanto die, or stand up for the woman andshow you don’t adhere to the Law. Heads,you lose. Tails, you lose.

The scribes and Pharisees. We have acouple of men in our church who, onmore than one occasion, have served oncommittees to revise our church bylaws.They have updated old material, madestatements more concise, and generallymade our bylaws better. Any time we havea question about the bylaws, we go to oneof these men. They’ve worked with thematerial. They know the bylaws betterthan anyone else and can usually tell uswhat we need to know.

The scribes and Pharisees were likethat. They knew the Law, studied the Law,and interpreted the Law. Common peopledidn’t know the minute details of theLaw, but the scribes and Pharisees did.That was their job, and they took it very

seriously—so seriously, in fact, that theybecame nit-picking legalists and theobject of Jesus’ greatest frustration.

The scribes were legal experts. Someof them were Pharisees, but not all ofthem. Their job was copying and inter-preting the Law; they knew it backwardsand forwards. They knew exactly what theLaw prescribed for this woman.

Jesus. No matter how Jesus answeredthe religious leaders’ question, he wasdestined to lose. So he did a brilliantthing: he didn’t answer their question.Instead, he wrote something in the dirt.The religious leaders saw it and quietlybegan to drop their stones and their accu-sations. They drifted away, leaving only

Introduction: This passage depicts Jesusshowing hospitality to sinners. He washospitable to the woman who was guilty ofthe sin of adultery. He was also hospitableto the religious leaders who were guilty ofthe sins of legalism and judgmentalism. Heoffered grace and challenge to peoplecaught red-handed in their sins.

I. Jesus Goes to the Mount of Olives(7:53–8:1)

II. Jesus Goes to the Temple to Teach (8:2)

III. The Scribes and Pharisees Bring aWoman to Jesus (8:3-11)A. The woman is accused of adultery

(8:3-4).B. Jesus is asked about the woman’s

punishment (8:5).C. The religious leaders try to trap Jesus

and he writes in the dirt (8:6).D. Jesus addresses the religious leaders

about throwing stones (8:7-8).E. The religious leaders leave (8:9).F. Jesus questions the woman (8:10).G. Jesus offers grace and challenge to

the woman (8:11).

14 Lesson 3

Jesus and the accused woman. “Woman,where are they?” Jesus asked. “Has no onecondemned you?” She said, “No one, sir.”Then Jesus said, “Neither do I condemnyou. Go your way, and from now on donot sin again” (vv. 10-11).

He addressed her guilty past andoffered her forgiveness, and he addressed

her empty future and offered her chal-lenge. When you think about histreatment of the sinful scribes andPharisees, you realize he did the same forthem. He was gracious to them but alsochallenging. Jesus provides us the perfectmodel for showing hospitality to sinners.

Teaching Guide 15

A Way to Begin

" The Authenticity of the TextSome of the learners may have versions ofthe Bible that place this passage in brack-ets or provide a footnote saying it doesnot appear in the earliest versions of theBible. You might want to address thisissue briefly and relate Barclay’s theorythat the story was left out because it wasperceived as a dangerous text.

Questions! Is this passage identified in your Bible

as a questionable text?! Can you recall other passages whose

authenticity is sometimes questioned?! Does the “dangerous text” theory make

sense to you?

" Obvious and Subtle SinnersOn the board, write “Obvious Sins” and“Subtle Sins.” Ask class members to listsome of the obvious sins. They will proba-bly respond with adultery, murder, usingdrugs, stealing, and so on. Then ask theclass to list some of the subtle sins. Thesemight be harder for them to enumeratebut could include legalism, judgmental-ism, pride, apathy, greed, and many more.

Questions! What is the relationship between sins

being “obvious” or “subtle” and theirultimate seriousness before God?

! Have you heard more preaching againstthe “obvious” sins or against the“subtle” ones?

! Is it harder to overcome the “obvious”sins or the “subtle” ones? Why?

Some sins are easy to detect, like the woman’s adultery. Some sins are subtleand often overlooked, like the legalism and judgmentalism of the scribes andPharisees. The place to begin in probing this passage is by reminding the learn-

ers that “all of us sin and fall short of God’s glory” (Rom 3:23). When we talk abouthospitality to sinners, we’re not talking about hospitality to them; we’re talking abouthospitality to us.

A Way to Explore Scripture

16 Lesson 3

" The Woman, Her Accusers, andHer SaviorThe unnamed woman in the text wasguilty of adultery. According to the Law,she deserved death. Even so, she was alsoa pawn in a scheme to trap Jesus.

Questions! Do the biblical edicts about adultery

seem harsh to you?! Since the woman was caught in the act

of adultery, where was the maninvolved? Why wasn’t he broughtbefore Jesus?

! What chance did this lone woman haveagainst all these powerful men?

The scribes and Pharisees were expertsin the Law. They knew exactly what theLaw prescribed for this adulterouswoman. They brought her to Jesus simplyto entrap him. If he adhered to the Law,the woman would be sentenced to die. Ifhe offered her grace, he would be thumb-ing his nose at the Law. Either way, Jesuswould lose. This passage is anotherexample of the religious leaders trying toput Jesus in an unwinnable situation.

Questions! What do you know about the scribes

and Pharisees?! Why were they such a frustration to

Jesus?! What is legalism, and do you think it is

alive and well today?! Do legalism and judgmentalism always

go hand in hand?

Jesus saw the sins of all the partiesinvolved. He knew the woman was guiltyof adultery, but he also knew the religious

leaders had their own sins to face. Heoffered grace and challenge to both thewoman and the religious leaders.

Questions! What impresses you most about the

way Jesus handled this situation?! When we deal with sinners, do we

usually err on the side of grace or onthe side of challenge?

! How do we keep from being judgmen-tal toward people who have sinned?

! How can we challenge sinners withoutalienating them?

" Interview with a SinnerEnlist a volunteer early in the week torole-play the part of either the woman or one of her accusers. Provide him or her a copy of “Interview with a Sinner”(page 30). Use the suggested questions toconduct an interview in front of the class.Note that some answers are not providedin the biblical text and may requirecreative thinking.

This passage shows Jesus dealing with both obvious and subtle sins. He had toaddress the woman’s adultery, but he also had to address the religious leaders’

legalism and judgmentalism. The best way to move through this text is to bringthe characters on stage and let the learners see who they are.

A Way to End

" Repairing RelationshipsDistribute index cards to class members.Ask them to write the name of someonefrom whom they feel estranged. Thiscould be a family member, former friend,or fellow church member: anyone towardwhom they feel a wall of separation.

Read the following questions aloud.Invite class members to reflect silently onhow they would answer.

Questions! How has this person offended you?! What can you do to offer grace and

challenge to this person and restore therelationship?

! What in your life needs to be forgivenand changed to make the relationshipwork?

! What specific, maybe small, steps canyou take to show hospitality to thisperson?

Ask the learners to take the cardshome with them and pray about ways thatthey, as forgiven sinners themselves, canshow hospitality to the sinners on theirlists.

" A Prayer for ReconciliationClose with a prayer such as the following:

O God, you know that we are sinfulpeople who live in the midst of sinfulpeople. Sometimes our relationshipsget stretched and strained and need tobe repaired. Forgive us our sins as weforgive those who have sinned againstus. Give us the spirit of Jesus wholoved people even in their sin. Amen.

ResourceWilliam Barclay, The Gospel of John, vol. 2, The Daily StudyBible (Philadephia: Westminster, 1956).

The purpose of this session is to help us realize two key truths. First, we are allsinners in need of God’s forgiveness. Second, we are to follow Jesus’ example inrelating to the people in our lives. As Christ’s followers, we are to be both

gracious and challenging toward sinners.

Teaching Guide 17

Bible BackgroundMature WorshipOur passage begins with a

plea from Paul: “Brothers andsisters, do not be children in your

thinking; rather, be infants in evil, but inthinking be adults” (v. 20). In particular,Paul had in mind their thinking aboutworship.

One aspect of worship for these earlyChristians was speaking in tongues. Thiswas not speaking in a foreign language,but in an unknown language promptedby the ecstasy of their worship.

J. W. McGorman warns us againstbeing too quick to judge those who speakin tongues and says that we can overreactto this issue in three ways: (1) reacting“severely, even blasphemously, by alleging:‘It’s of the devil,’” (2) reacting “smugly byrelegating it to the neurotic fringe ofChristian discipleship,” and (3) reacting“summarily by declaring that the HolySpirit has not bestowed it since the apos-tolic age” (142). Even if the practice isforeign and strange to us, we mustremember that others find it helpful.

Even Paul spoke in tongues (14:18).However, in our text Paul downplays theplace of tongues and elevates the place ofpreaching.

Evidently, speaking in tongues hadbecome a problem in Corinth. Paulquotes a passage from Isaiah 28:9-12 toshow the futility of tongues. The people

of Israel in Isaiah’s day had not listened tothe prophets in their native Hebrewtongue, so they would get the word “bypeople of strange tongues and by the lipsof foreigners” (v. 21). Sure enough, theAssyrians captured them; but this strangenew tongue did not work either. Theywould not heed the message in Assyrianany more than they did when it was deliv-ered in Hebrew.

Using Isaiah is Paul’s creative way ofbolstering his argument that strangetongues don’t communicate. Then heshows why prophecy, or preaching, ismore persuasive and mature than speak-ing in tongues. His line of reasoning iseasy to follow: if everyone in the churchcomes together and speaks in tongues,newcomers to the Corinthian church willthink they’re crazy and run for the door!But if all speak in an intelligible way,those newcomers will hear the word ofGod and be moved by it. Therefore,prophesying is superior to speaking intongues. As Paul says, “in church I wouldrather speak five words with my mind, inorder to instruct others also, than tenthousand words in a tongue” (14:19).

Orderly WorshipBeginning in verse 26 Paul turns hisattention to specific changes theCorinthians needed to make in theirworship. His suggestions are practicalones, and can be summarized like this:

Lesson Teaching Guide

HOSPITALITY TO NEWCOMERS

1 Corinthians 14:20-33a4

• Everyone in the church should bringa hymn, a lesson, a revelation, atongue, or an interpretation thatencourages the other worshipers (v. 26).

• Let there be no more than two orthree who speak in tongues and thenonly one at a time and only if some -one can interpret. If no one canmake sense of what is being said, let the tongues-speakers be silent (vv. 27-28).

• Let only two or three preach, and letothers weigh what is said (v. 29).

• If someone else has something moreimportant to say (a “revelation”), letthat person speak first (v. 30).

• Take turns speaking so the worshipwill be orderly, “for God is a God notof disorder but of peace” (v. 33).

The thrust of these verses is theimportance of orderly worship. It’s easy to read between the lines and sense themadhouse that was disguised as worshipin Corinth. It must have been a noisy,chaotic scene. Some people were singinghymns, some were speaking in tongues,and some were preaching sermons—evidently all at the same time! It wouldhave been impossible to learn the gospelin such a setting. It certainly would bebeen impossible for newcomers amongthem to learn the basics of the Jesus story.

Hospitable WorshipThe principle that Paul lays down isapplicable to all churches: we have tomake sure our worship is hospitable tonewcomers. Even if people in ourchurches have never thought about speak-ing in tongues, we could have otherpractices that make newcomers want torun for the door.

The two ideas Paul mentions to theCorinthians—that worship should beboth edifying and orderly—give us a start-ing point as we fashion a plan for makingnewcomers feel welcome.

First, does our worship encouragepeople? Do people sense unity among us?Is our ecclesiastical personality warm and

inviting? Do people leave our worshipsaying, “God is really among you”?Second, is our worship orderly andconducive to hearing the still, small voiceof God? Can newcomers tell by the wayour services are planned and conductedthat worship is important to us?

Ideally, the answer to those questionsis “yes.” But we can probably all improveon our hospitality to newcomers. We canmake our worship more edifying, and wecan make our worship more orderly andsacred so they can experience the presenceof God among us.

Introduction: This passage addresses thesurface issue of speaking in tongues, butthe deeper issue is hospitality to newpeople in the church. Speaking in tongueswas becoming a hurdle in the Corinthianchurch that many newcomers couldn’tjump. Paul advised the Christians there tobe sensitive to the needs of newcomers andmake sure the gospel was presented clearly.

I. An Invitation to Maturity (v. 20)

II. An Example from the Old Testament (vv. 21-22)

III. Contrasting Tongues-speaking andProphecy (vv. 23-25).A. Tongues-speaking drives newcomers

away (v. 23).B. Prophecy enables newcomers to

believe (vv. 24-25).

IV. Practical Advice on Worship (vv. 26-33)A. Worship should build people up

(v. 26).B. Speaking in tongues should be

orderly (vv. 27-28).C. Prophesying should be orderly

(vv. 29-32).D. God is a God of order and peace

(v. 33).

Teaching Guide 19

A Way to Begin

The Study Guide mentions four traitsthat can make our worship inhospitableto newcomers: (1) cliques that excludenew people, (2) “stained-glass language”that sounds like tongues to newcomers,(3) forgetfulness that keeps us from beingsensitive to the difficulties of coming intoa new group, and (4) rigidity that won’tlet us do anything new or innovative.Those four traits are hospitality killers

and can make our churches closedsystems that shut newcomers out.

When we sense that our churcheshave slipped into one or more of thesetraits, it’s time we asked ourselves whatPaul asked the Corinthians: “Whatshould be done then, my friends?” (v. 26).Then we should make the necessarychanges that will lead us to hospitality.

" Mystery GuestsMy wife and I have signed up to be“mystery guests.” That means we occa-sionally get invitations to go to localrestaurants, observe how we’re welcomedand served and how the food tastes, andthen send in an e-mail report on our expe-rience. We then get reimbursed our mealmoney for serving as “mystery guests.” Ifyou have served in this capacity or knowsomeone who has, tell of that experience.Otherwise, just tell about the “mysteryguest” program.

Questions! What if a mystery guest came to our

church? ! What kind of experience would that

person have? ! What kind of score would our church

receive?

" Walking in the Newcomer’sShoes

Imagine a visitor’s experience at yourchurch. Think about finding a parkingplace, finding a Sunday school class or theworship center, and trying to find outinformation about the church. Get theclass thinking about how it would feel tonavigate all of that without help.

Questions! When you first came to our church, did

you feel welcomed?! What do you recall about your first visit

to our church?! What do you wish people would have

done for you?

This session addresses a facet of hospitality that often eludes our attention. Wemay assume that, as Christians, we are to be hospitable to strangers, the poor,and even sinners. But then we fail to extend hospitality to those who come to

our own church. We don’t snub them intentionally; we’ve just developed “ecclesiasticalhabits” that make us unwelcoming.

20 Lesson 4

A Way to Explore Scripture

" TonguesThe challenge in this session is how todeal with tongues without letting thatissue dominate the discussion. Theprimary point of the session is to get the learners to be more hospitable tonewcomers at church. Even so, it isunhelpful to ignore the tongues issue.While Paul loudly trumpets the superior-ity of preaching over speaking in tongues,he does say that he himself has spoken intongues.

Questions! Have you ever known anyone who

speaks in tongues?! Have you ever been in a church that

had to deal with the issue? Was theissue divisive?

! What is a Christ-like approach tospeaking in tongues?

" TruthDiscuss Paul’s reasons why the gift of prophecy is superior to tongues.Underscore the shortcoming of speakingin tongues in verse 23 and the advantageof prophesying in verses 24-25.

Questions! What differences do you notice in the

way the Corinthian church worshipedand the way our church worships?

! What can we do to communicate thegospel more effectively?

! How can we make our message plain sothat newcomers can comprehend it?

" A TourTake your class on a “field trip,” begin-ning at the front door to the sanctuary.Provide copies of your church’s bulletin.Challenge the class to imagine they areunchurched newcomers.

Questions! Where do you sit? Why? ! Who will be responsible for the first

impression you receive of the church?! What in the printed order of worship

might seem unusual?! Would anything tend to make a

newcomer nervous?

Read the lesson text. Discuss hownewcomers would likely respond to theCorinthians’ worship. How might this bethe same or different from how theymight respond to worship in yourchurch?

The Corinthian Christians thought that speaking in tongues was a wonderfulpractice, but newcomers thought it was strange. Paul reminded them that

prophecy was superior to tongues. His counsel to the Corinthians makes us ask,What is our church doing that is inhospitable to newcomers?

Teaching Guide 21

A Way to End

22 Lesson 4

" Taking Our PulseThe issue that was driving newcomersaway from the Corinthian church wasspeaking in tongues. It seemed wonderfulto the Christians but not so wonderful tonewcomers. It is likely that there are prac-tices and habits in our churches that wethink are wonderful but that actuallyrepel new people. It’s time to quit talkingabout the Corinthians and take our ownpulse.

Questions! How can we know what newcomers

think about our church? ! Can you think of anything we do that

might be an obstacle to newcomers? ! Will you vow to make it a priority to

practice hospitality to newcomers?

" Hospitality KillersDistribute copies of “Hospitality Killers”(page 31). Review these four unhealthyhabits or attitudes. (They are also dis -cussed in the Study Guide). Discuss thequestions provided.

" Closing PrayerClose the session with a prayer such as thefollowing:

Forgive us, O God, when we fail towelcome those who come to ourchurch. Keep us away from cliquesthat we might embrace all who come.Show us how to communicate thegood news without using stained-glasslanguage. Jog our memories that wemight remember what it’s like to be anewcomer. And keep us alive and freshthat others can catch our spirit. Thiswe pray, with gratitude and hope forour church, in the name and spirit ofChrist. Amen.

ResourceJ. W. McGorman, Layman’s Bible Commentary (Nashville:Broadman, 1980).

Underneath all of Paul’s counsel about tongues and worship is the principle of showing hospitality to newcomers. What, specifically, do we need to do (and

maybe quit doing) to make new people feel at home in our church?

Bible BackgroundIn the MeantimeIn the last week of his life,

Jesus gave us some of the mostpointed and profound teachings

in his entire ministry. Just days before hewould die on the cross, he had a lot to sayabout life in his new kingdom. InMatthew 25, he brings these teachings toa conclusion with three parables that tellwhat to do “in the meantime,” in thattime until he returns.

First, he tells the story of the tenvirgins (Mt 25:1-13). That story says, “Inthe meantime, stay prepared.” Until Jesuscomes back, his followers are to be likethe virgins with oil in their lamps, readyat all times for the bridegroom’s return.That parable ends with the admonition to “keep awake therefore, for you knowneither the day nor the hour” (25:13).

Second, he tells the story of thetalents (Mt 25:14-30). That story says, “In the meantime, use the gifts you have.”Until Jesus comes back, his followers areto be like the first two servants whoinvested their talents and multipliedthem. There is much kingdom work to bedone “in the meantime,” and Jesus’ peopleare to invest their lives in that work.

Third, he tells the story of the sheepand the goats (Mt 25:31-46). That storysays, “In the meantime, take care of ‘theleast of these.’” Until Jesus comes back,his followers are to give food to the

hungry, water to the thirsty, and clothesto the naked, to welcome the stranger,and to visit those who are sick and inprison. The parable ends with thereminder that when we do these things,we are ministering to Jesus himself:“Truly I tell you, just as you did it to oneof the least of these who are members ofmy family, you did it to me” (25:40).

As we close our study of missionalhospitality, this final story about thesheep and the goats reminds us that ourhospitality to “the least of these” is actu-ally hospitality to Jesus. We close ourstudy about hospitality with the reminderthat being hospitable to others is the waywe show our love to Jesus.

The Difference Between a Sheep and a GoatThough Jesus is just days away fromdeath on the cross, this story anticipatesanother day beyond that agony, a day“when the Son of Man comes in his glory,and all the angels with him; then he willsit on the throne of his glory” (v. 31).Beyond the cross, there will be not only aresurrection day but also a day of glorywhen Jesus returns to earth.

On that judgment day, Jesus “willseparate people one from another as ashepherd separates the sheep from thegoats” (v. 32). He will place the sheep athis right hand and the goats at his left.

To the sheep, he will offer a place inthe kingdom of God. The reason they are

5Lesson Teaching Guide

HOSPITALITY TO CHRIST

Matthew 25:31-46

welcomed is their hospitality. They fedthe hungry, gave water to the thirsty,befriended the stranger, gave clothes tothe naked, and took care of the sick andthose in prison. These sheep are surprisedthat they would be so rewarded and ques-tion Jesus as to their qualifications forinclusion in the kingdom. In effect, theysay, “When did we ever do anything todeserve such praise?” Jesus tells them thatin taking care of “the least of these,” theytook care of him.

To the goats, though, Jesus deliversbad news. They are accursed and banishedto eternal fire because they did not showhospitality to the hungry, the thirsty, thestranger, the naked, the sick, or theprisoner. The goats are shocked thatthey would be treated so harshly andcan’t remember ever slighting “the leastof these.” But Jesus simply tells them thatin neglecting these people who had needs,they neglected him. The sheep get eternallife, the goats get eternal punishment,and the sole criterion in the story ishospitality.

When you look at the sheep and thegoats, you notice a few simple differences,but these differences are obviously veryimportant to Jesus.

The sheep saw people with needs; the goatsdid not. The people welcomed into thekingdom had “eyes to see” people whowere hurting. The goats, for whateverreason, didn’t notice them. The firstquality of a servant is good eyes.

The sheep felt compassion for hurtingpeople; the goats did not. Not only did thesheep see “the least of these”; they werealso moved to compassion on theirbehalf. The goats, if they saw “the least ofthese” at all, didn’t feel that compassion.The second quality of a servant is a goodheart.

The sheep did small acts of kindness; thegoats did not. The acts of kindness in thisstory are small: offering a meal to ahungry person, giving a cup of water to athirsty person, making a stranger feelwelcome, giving clothes to one who isdestitute, visiting a sick person or

someone in prison. Those are simplethings to do, and you can understand whythe sheep would be shocked that doingsuch actions would merit such accolades,and why the goats would be shocked thatnot doing such actions would merit suchwrath. But Jesus’ kingdom rises and fallson little things. Jesus’ people see, feel, andthen act. The third quality of a servant isgood hands.

The sheep and the goats have onecharacteristic in common. Both are oblivi-ous to their lifestyles. The sheep can’timagine what they ever did to merit inclu-sion in the kingdom, and the goats can’t

24 Lesson 5

Introduction: This lesson reminds us thatthe hospitality we have been studying has ahidden recipient. Every time we show loveto one of these people, we show love toJesus.

I. The Final Judgment Described (vv. 31-33)A. Jesus comes in his glory (v. 31)B. People separated into sheep and

goats (vv. 32-33)

II. Commendation of the Sheep (vv. 34-40)A. The sheep inherit the kingdom

(v. 34)B. The good deeds of the sheep

(vv. 35-36) C. The sheep are surprised and ques-

tion Jesus (vv. 37-39)D. Jesus’ response to the sheep (v. 40)

III. Condemnation of the Goats (vv. 41-45)A. The goats are denied the kingdom

(v. 41)B. The bad deeds of the goats

(vv. 42-43)C. The goats are surprised and ques-

tion Jesus (v. 44)D. Jesus’ response to the goats (v. 45)

IV. The Eternal Destiny of the Sheep andthe Goats (v. 46)

imagine what they ever did to merit exclu-sion. Both are incredulous when Jesusdoes his judging.

Isn’t that true to life as we’ve experi-enced it? The hospitable are simplyhospitable by nature. They make it a habitto reach out to others, and it doesn’t seemlike a big deal to them at all. The inhos-pitable are that way by nature, too. Theymake it a habit to pass by wounded travel-ers on the side of the road without givingthem a second glance. We all settle into

our routines and eventually become blindto the deepest patterns of our lives.

The story of the sheep and the goats isan invitation to take off our blinders andopen our eyes. Do we regularly practicehospitality to others? Do we have goodeyes, a good heart, and good hands? Dowe know how important simple hospital-ity is to Jesus? Can we remember thatevery time we do something for “the leastof these,” we are befriending Jesushimself?

Teaching Guide 25

" Learning to SeeThroughout these sessions on hospitality,we’ve been made aware that seeing is all-important. If we don’t see people withneeds, we can’t help them. Begin thesession by explaining about our brain’sreticular activating system, which filtersout much of the stimuli around us. That’swhy we can look at something in our deskdrawer every day, for example, and notreally see it. Our brain’s reticular activat-ing system is filtering it out, and it doesn’tregister in our conscious mind. You mighttell of funny experiences you’ve had oflooking at things and not seeing them.

Questions! Have you ever had an experience where

your reticular activating system filteredout something you needed to see?

! Is it possible that we don’t see “the leastof these”?

! What can we do to keep the hungry, thethirsty, the stranger, the naked, thesick, and the prisoner from gettingfiltered out of our consciousness?

" Setting the StageSet the stage for the parable of the sheep and the goats by recapping theevents of this day as depicted in Matthew21:18–25:46. Tell some of the other thingsJesus taught that day.

Focus on the three parables found inMatthew 25: the ten virgins, the talents,and the sheep and the goats. As describedin the Bible Background section, explainhow these parables give us insight intowhat to do until Jesus returns: how to live“in the meantime.”

Every genuine follower of Jesus wants to thank him for his love and grace. Theparable of the sheep and goats reminds us that one of the best ways to dothat is to care for hurting people. When we give food to the hungry and water

to the thirsty, welcome the stranger, give clothes to the naked, and visit those who are sick andin prison, we are expressing our love to Christ. The main purpose of this session is to under-score the important of loving Jesus by taking care of “the least of these.”

A Way to Begin

26 Lesson 5

" Beyond SeeingEven if we learn to see “the least of these,”we still have to take the next two steps ofcompassion and action. We have to havegood eyes, for sure, but we also have tohave a good heart and good hands.Discuss the difference between the sheepand the goats in Jesus’ story.

Questions! What did the sheep do that the goats

didn’t?! Do you think the sheep deserved such

praise? ! Do you think the goats deserved such

condemnation? ! Does this parable underscore for you

the importance of hospitality?

" Telling the StoryTake a moment to tell the story ofMatthew 25:31-46 in your own words. Youmight want to use the teaching outline tohelp you walk through the story. Whenyou finish the story, ask the followingquestions.

Questions! Is it significant to you that this might

have been the last parable Jesus toldbefore his death?

! What surprises you about this story? ! How do we square this story with our

belief that we are saved by grace andnot by works?

! What do you make of the fact that boththe sheep and the goats are surprised atthe judgment?

" Jesus the JudgeRead Matthew 25:31-46. Distribute copiesof “Jesus the Judge” (page 32). Summarizethe information provided about Jewishtraditions of the final judgment and howJesus appropriates these traditions andapplies them to himself.

Discuss the questions provided on thehandout.

The parable of the sheep and the goats is an attempt to get us to see, to feelcompassion, and to act. It’s important to know that when we take care of “the

least of these,” we’re showing our love for Christ. Studying this passage can makeus see ourselves with new eyes and judge the quality of our hospitality. But we have to movebeyond seeing to doing.

A Way to Explore Scripture

" Remembering Where We’veBeenRemind the class of the five topics studiedin this unit on missional hospitality.Refresh their memory about the passagesfrom Job, Ruth, John, 1 Corinthians, andMatthew.

Questions! As you reflect on these passages, what

stands out in your memory? ! Did you learn anything new? ! Were you reminded of some things you

had forgotten?

" Making It PersonalNow that we’ve studied these passages, wehave to try to apply them in our everydaylives. Read the following questions to theclass and invite them to reflect silently onhow they would answer them.

Questions ! Is there one person who comes to your

mind who needs your hospitality? ! What can you do this week to touch

that person’s life? ! Will you try to see that person as a

thought of God and remember thatyour ministry to that person showsyour love for Christ?

" Praying for CompassionClose with a prayer such as the following:

O God, give us eyes that see, heartsthat feel, and hands that move. Leadus to one of “the least of these” thisweek that we might show our love forChrist, in whose name and spirit wepray, Amen.

For five Sundays now, we’ve been thinking about missional hospitality. Thisparable provides a fitting finale for the study. It reminds us how importanthospitality is to Jesus. It’s the basis for his judgment in the parable of the sheepand goats.

A Way to End

Teaching Guide 27

28

HOSPITALITY IN THE BIBLICAL WORLD

Genesis 18:1-8

Luke 10:25-37

Romans 12:13

1 Timothy 3:2

Titus 1:8

Hebrews 13:2

1 Peter 4:9

THE BIBLE AND THE POORIs [the fast God desires] not to share your bread with the hungry, and bring the homeless poor intoyour house; when you see the naked, to cover them, and not to hide yourself from your own kin? …Ifyou offer your food to the hungry and satisfy the needs of the afflicted, then your light shall rise in thedarkness and your gloom be like the noonday. (Isa 58:7, 10)

Like a cage full of birds, their houses are full of treachery; therefore they have become great and rich,they have grown fat and sleek. They know no limits in deeds of wickedness; they do not judge with jus-tice the cause of the orphan, to make it prosper, and they do not defend the rights of the needy. “ShallI not punish them for these things?” says the LORD, “and shall I not bring retribution on a nation suchas this?” (Jer 5:27-29)

Then I will draw near to you forjudgment; I will be swift to bearwitness against the sorcerers,against the adulterers, againstthose who swear falsely, againstthose who oppress the hiredworkers in their wages, thewidow and the orphan, againstthose who thrust aside the alien,and do not fear me, says the LORD

of hosts. (Mal 3:5)

29

INTERVIEW WITH THE SINNER(The following questions are suggestions for conducting an interview as described in theFormations Teaching Guide. Feel free to adapt as seems appropriate.)

The Woman

• How did you feel when you were “caught in the act”?

• What happened to the man you were with?

• How did the scribes and Pharisees treat you? What did you expect would happen to you?

• When did you realize they were taking you to Jesus? Had you ever heard of Jesus before?

• What did your accusers say to Jesus? How did he respond?

• Do you think of your sin and forgiveness differently because of this event?

• How did Jesus change things for you?

The Pharisee

• How did you find out about the woman?

• Why did you let the man go?

• How was the decision made to take her to

Jesus? If Jesus were not there, what would

you have done with the woman?

• What did you tell Jesus? How did he

respond?

• How did Jesus’ response make you feel?

• Do you think of your sin and forgiveness

differently because of this event?

• How did Jesus change things for you?

30

!HOSPITALITY KILLERS

Cliques

• Do you have a seat in the sanctuary you think of as “yours”? How do you respond if a newcomer sits in it?

• Are we careful to greet the worshipers around us, even if we don’t know them?

• How much time during the week do we spend with non-Christian friends or acquaintances?

• What can we do to stay away from cliques that exclude people?

Stained-glass Language

• How much jargon does our church use during worship? What would a newcomer make ofterms like “introit,” “gloria,” “doxology,” “missions moment,” “invitation,” or “altar call”?

• What other words or expressions might cause confusion for newcomers?

• Do we frequently refer to organizations within the church by their initials or an acronym thatleaves the uninitiated guessing?

• How can we avoid using stained-glass language that new people can’t understand?

Forgetfulness

• How long have you been a member of this church?

• When was the last time you worshiped someplace new? How did it feel?

• How would you like to be treated if you were a visitor at church?

• What specific things do we need to remember about welcoming new people?

Rigidity

• How do you respond when the worship leaders try something new or different?

• Are there certain elements that must be included in a worship service? What are they, and whyare they so important?

• On what elements of worship are you willing to compromise for the sake of including morepeople?

• What can we do to keep our church open, flexible, and dynamic?

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JESUS THE JUDGEThere was already of course a Jewish tradition about future judgment and the shape it would

take in the later prophetic material especially (see Isa 58:7; Ezek 18:7 and also the parables of

Enoch), and there is no reason Jesus could not have contributed to this line of discussion. We

have already seen ample evidence in this Gospel that Jesus viewed himself as a special Son of

David, one like but greater than Solomon, and here at the end of the ministry, having ridden

into town on a donkey like Zechariah’s king of peace, it would not be surprising if Jesus taught a

parable about his future role as King, judging human beings. Notice that in 1 Enoch 69:27 it is

the Son of Man who is portrayed as the final judge, as seems to be suggested in Daniel 7 itself.

First Enoch 62–63 seem also to be standing in the background. Here, however, the judge is said

to be Son of Man, shepherd, and King all rolled into one, and at least two of those images in

the Old Testament refer normally to God, as does the task of being the final judge. In other

words, we have Jesus portrayed as a plenipotentiary fulfilling the role of God, which comports

with earlier material in this Gospel that portrays Jesus as both human and as more than

human—as God’s Wisdom come in the flesh. In Jewish literature, when it came to the Gentile

nations, they would be judged by how they treated Israel (4 Ezra

7:37), but here they will be judged by how they view Jesus.

Ben Witherington, Matthew, Smyth & Helwys Bible Commentary (Macon GA: Smyth &Helwys, 2006) 465–66.

Discussion Prompters

(1) When thinking about the topic of future judgment, how likely is it that our thoughts will

turn to questions of hospitality to “the least”? Why is this?

(2) In this parable, Jesus describes himself as Son of Man, Shepherd, King, and Judge. How

might we read each of these titles in terms of what it tells us about hospitality?

(3) Given the exalted view of Jesus we find in Matthew, what does it mean that one serves him

while serving “the least”?

(4) How does this parable challenge the ways we usually think about final judgment? The ways

we usually think about hospitality? The ways we usually think about Jesus?

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