“But they urged him strongly, saying, ‘Stay with us, for it is toward evening and the day is now far spent.’ So he went in to stay with them. When he was at table with them, he took the bread and blessed and broke it and gave it to them. And their eyes were opened, and they recognised him. And he vanished from their sight.” (Luke 24:29-31 ESV)

In Luke 24:13-35, the disciples on the road to Emmaus encountered the risen Christ in three roles: Stranger, guest and host.

When Jesus first approached them, they did not recognise Him but included this stranger in their conversation. They were authentic in sharing with Him their sadness (Luke 24:17), dashed hopes (Luke 24:21) and personal testimony (Luke 24:22-23). This “stranger” then lectured them about their lack of faith and understanding, and went through the Scriptures with them (Luke 24:25-27).

Their hearts burned as they pondered the Scriptures with Jesus (Luke 24:32). Then, they played host to Jesus, inviting Him to stay with them and expressing care for His well-being (Luke 24:29).

In Luke 24:30-31, Jesus became the host, sharing the fellowship of table and bread with them. It was then in the breaking of bread that the disciples had their eyes opened to see Him as the risen Christ (Luke 24:35).

Fellowship of table and bread

Hospitality is hosting. The New Testament word for it – philoxenia – means “love for strangers”.

It is easy to be courteous in hospitality to strangers, and to provide for their practical needs. However, the disciples’ manner of engaging and hosting this “stranger” with such authenticity and humility is something challenging for me, as I would imagine for many Christians.

Perhaps we need to re-examine our preconceived notions of Christian hospitality. What if expressing Christian hospitality is not only opening our churches and homes, but also our heads, hearts and lives, to strangers?

What if expressing hospitality to strangers- and siblings-in-Christ alike is a primary way of serving and thus knowing Christ (Matthew 25:34-40)? What if welcoming a stranger, housing the homeless, feeding the hungry, visiting those who are sick or in prison, and so on, is when we get to see Christ? And it is in encountering Christ in the faces of what the world deems the least, that we get to join at the table of Christ and know Him (Luke 24:35)?

For some of us, it is easy to busy ourselves serving, hosting, doing, performing, because it makes us feel we are in control, useful and thus valuable. 

Yet, when that is the reason for service, it becomes a false heart that cannot truly know Christ. For God desires steadfast love and not sacrifice, knowing God and not burnt offerings (Hosea 6:6).

What we need is to serve Christ with the rested heart of a guest receiving the hospitality of Christ. For when we rest in Christ’s completed work of grace, and receive Him as our host, we then experience Him as the greatest delight at the meal table – He becomes the bread of life that we can truly taste and see to be good.

Hence, missions, rest and hospitality must be all intertwined in the Christian’s life. When we express hospitality with Christ-like love, resting in God’s grace, we get to experience the grace of Christ hosting us with His love.

Will we live this out every day in the quotidian moments, that we may experience such grace?

This devotion was first published in “Dwell: An Invitation to Rest, Reflect and Renew” by Blue Mountain Kelong (www.bluemountainkelong.com), and is republished with permission. 

The devotional book, which includes 25 reflections on Creation, Hospitality, Rest and Mission by such Christian leaders as Dr Tan Lai Yong, Leow Wen Pin and Rev Dr Keith Lai, goes towards the mission of Blue Mountain Kelong Social Enterprise, which strives to awaken hope and transform lives through community development.

Books can be purchased at $12 here.

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