Whoever Welcomes You Welcomes Me

Short Talk (SHT210) “Whoever welcomes you welcomes me” © Jane Hulme 2020 SHORT TALK: “Whoever welcomes you welcomes me” Aim of Short talk: Use of Short talk: Main themes: Biblical references: Lectionary: Props: To encourage people that whenever they welcome and offer hospitality to another Christian, they are welcoming Jesus. This is a short All Age talk picking out one issue from the Lectionary Gospel reading of the Sunday main service. The talk stands alone and assumes that the Gospel Bible reading may not yet have been read to the congregation. It could be used for example, for the whole congregation before the children go out to their age specific groups, leaving the adults with a full sermon later. Welcome, Hospitality, Jesus Matthew 10:40-42 Year A – The 3rd Sunday after Trinity You will need to project a picture of a front door. You can find this in Appendix 1 .................................................................................................................. I want you to imagine that this front door (Project picture of the front door) is the front door of your house. • Imagine now that one day at midday, someone knocks on your front door. • When you open the door, there is Jesus standing on the front doorstep. • You are absolutely delighted to see Him, and you welcome Him into your home. You run around making sure that He has the best chair to sit in. • You make sure that He has a drink before you head off and prepare Him some lunch, leaving another member of your family to chat with Him. • What food do you think you would give Jesus? (Receive responses) I think that you would probably try to give Jesus the most delicious meal you could, wouldn’t you? • He is the Lord, after all. Now imagine one day at midday, someone else knocks on your front door. • When you open the door, there is a member of your church standing on the front doorstep. • This person is dressed very poorly, they don’t smell the best, but you know that they love Jesus. • Would you welcome them into your home? Would you run around and make sure that they had the best chair to sit in? © Jane Hulme 2020 2 Would you give them a drink and make sure that they were being treated well while you went and made them something to eat? • And I wonder what you would give them to eat? Would there be a big difference between how we treated Jesus if He came to our home, and how we treated a member of our church? • especially a member who looked rather bedraggled and didn’t smell the best. Jesus said something very encouraging to His disciples as He prepared to send them out with the message of God’s kingdom to the people who lived in the local towns. • He told that that “anyone who welcomes you welcomes me.” (Matthew 10:40) • “anyone who welcomes you welcomes me.” That is quite an amazing statement isn’t it? • Anyone who welcomes a fellow believer into their home and looks after their needs, is actually welcoming Jesus. How many times have you entertained Jesus in your homes recently? © Jane Hulme 2020 3 Appendix 1 – Picture 4 © Jane Hulme 2020