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What makes church feel like home? Though proper doctrine and practice are essential, we must realize that the church is a family. All who are in Christ are a part of this family. We are brothers and sisters and as such we are all obligated to practice hospitality to one another.

The writer of Hebrews makes a great point that God's people should be given to hospitality. In Heb. 13: 1,2 we read, "Let brotherly love continue. Do not forget to entertain strangers, for by so doing some have unwittingly entertained angels." I suspect that the Hebrew writer had in mind the hospitality that Abraham showed the heavenly visitors who showed up at his tents in Gen. 18. One of these three visitors is identified as "the Lord", and it is commonly believed this was a pre-incarnate appearance of Christ Himself. On that day Abraham gave rest and refreshment to these three "strangers."

The point that is firmly established by the Hebrews author is that God sees our hospitality or lack thereof. And while one may not be literally entertaining an angel, it is still our duty to promote love within the body of Christ by hosting others in our homes. In the post modern era of the church this seems to be a lost grace. With many of us not wanting such intrusions of our privacy. Yet we must always realize that we are expected to be different from the ordinary citizens of this world. Paul in Phil. 3:20 reminds us that "our citizenship is in heaven." This truth alone should cause us to make a serious effort to open our homes to the brethren. The family of God is a wonderful thing. It is to bad that many will never experience the joy and love of true fellowship with the brethren on this side of eternity. Think about it...David

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