Abraham Entertaining Angels Unawares
Minister: | Rev. Ronald Van Overloop |
Date: | 11/11/2018 PM |
Text: | Genesis 18:1-8 |
Psalters: | 50, 2, 24, 305 |
Applicatory to the Lord's Supper |
- Interesting event.
- Abraham was sitting in his tent door when he saw three wayfarers passing near him (1,2a).
- He “ran” toward them. He did not wait to be approached, but stopped them; he would have been grieved if they passed by.
- Then he, a prince, sees them as of greater importance than himself: “bowed himself toward the ground” humbled himself.
- He is obliged to them: “if I have found favor in thy sight,” “I pray thee,” “thy servant” (two times), “wash your feet.”
- And he belittles his gifts to them: “little water,” “a morsel (fragment, bit) of bread” (fine flower, fatted calf, butter).
- It definitely was the custom of that day to receive strangers, giving them the best and serving them first.
- Sin always separates and divides, closing the heart to others, but the Spirit of Christ opens it wide in brotherly love.
- This is the fruit of God’s merciful work of regeneration and justification, evidencing the experience of God’s mercy.
- Abraham was sitting in his tent door when he saw three wayfarers passing near him (1,2a).
- The significance of this event is found in the Spirit using it as an powerful example of hospitality (Hebrews 13:2).
- God commanded hospitality to the stranger, as that given to family (Ex. 22:21; Deut. 10:18,19; 31:12).
- The apostles show that this principle of the O.T. law continues into the New: Rom. 12:13; I Peter 4:9; Heb. 13:16).
- Jesus commends hospitality in the judgment day (Matt. 25:35,36,42,43) and shows that it touches Him (Matt. 25:40,45).
- This remains our calling, though our circumstances have changed.
- God commanded hospitality to the stranger, as that given to family (Ex. 22:21; Deut. 10:18,19; 31:12).
- God rewards those who reflect Him and He delights in compassion to the stranger, fatherless and widow.
- The day that these heavenly guests visited was a day of rich blessing for Abraham and Sarah.
- Incentive for real hospitality is the realization that that we are entertaining Jesus Christ Himself.
- Jesus does not mean that hospitality is a work which earned one’s way into the kingdom of heaven, but that the love manifested in hospitality evidences the work of Jesus in one.