February 22, 2011
Extreme Loving Your Neighbor
Our Sunday school lesson last week began with the question, “Is it possible to carry one of God’s commands too far?” Apparently the addressees of the letter of 2 John were too generous and carried their hospitality to an extreme. John’s letter cautioned that they were being taken advantage of by traveling preachers. The next day during a segment on FOX News the religion reporter described some mainline churches offering their facilities to Muslims until they could build their mosque, ‘because it was the Christian thing to do’. Some of these churches have even removed their own religious icons so as not to offend the Muslims. To answer the teacher’s question, it does appear that we can carry the intent of God’s command too far.
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Gail;
-----I am analyst first. I take things apart, examine their pieces, then put them back together hoping for a better understanding. It drives a lot of people nuts. I get complaints about splitting hairs and being wishy-washy and such. But at the end of the matter, ideas are an assemblage of information and concepts which can be better understood once analyzed.
-----We relate to church as it is done in our culture today. For the most part, that involves a regular preacher hired by the church. There are some churches around that do not have a regular preacher, some because they are just going through a situation, and others because that is the way they do church. Their pulpit duties will be handled one Sunday by this person, the next by that one, etc. And some of these people will travel to their pulpit duties. Although this is the exception in our church experience, it was not the exception in the days when John wrote to the elect lady and her children. Preachers would travel through different areas spreading their messages to different people. The preacher who served only one pulpit was more the exception to them.
-----These traveling preachers needed food and shelter as much as did anyone else. To provide such for one made it possible for him to serve his message for a spell. Yet it was specifically greeting such a one to which John related the sharing of his work, as if that greeting were as fundamentally important as providing for his needs. How could saying’ “Howdy,” be so important? Frankly, it isn’t. “Howdy” is just a pleasantry. The Greek John chose to pen here is an often used term, mostly meaning to “rejoice” in combination with an even more used term meaning, “Say.” The Magi rejoiced at seeing The Star again; the father rejoiced at the return of his prodigal son; the chief priests and elders rejoiced at Judas; the friend of the bridegroom rejoices at the sound of the bridegroom’s voice. This “rejoice” is behind the “hail” of “Hail! The King of the Jews!” and it was how Zacchaeus received Jesus into his house. It is the “Hail” Jesus commonly heard upon being received by His disciples after His resurrection. It is much more than, “Good morning.” It connotes acceptance of what was hoped for, and with participation, validation, and honor. It is no wonder that this said rejoicing made one a part of the work. Providing food and shelter facilitated only somebody’s physical presence. This kind of greeting provides facilitation of his message.
-----So, if in the freezing, snowy night I found the bearer of bad doctrine freshly run out of town and shivering under a bush, would it be loving and right to say, “Howdy,” and give him a room for the night? Sure it would! But nothing is free. And you know me, Gail. He would have to pay with a hearing of my carrying on. And what about these Muslims? Are they literally freezing under a bush? Not at the price they are selling us their oil! Let ‘em go rent the White House.
Love you all,
Steve Corey
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