“UN-BECOMING UN-INTIMATE INMATES”

HEBREWS 13:1-9

13:1  Keep on loving each other as brothers.

2  Do not forget to entertain strangers, for by so doing some people have entertained angels without knowing it.

3  Remember those in prison as if you were their fellow prisoners, and those who are mistreated as if you yourselves were suffering.

4  Marriage should be honored by all, and the marriage bed kept pure, for God will judge the adulterer and all the sexually immoral.

5  Keep your lives free from the love of money and be content with what you have, because God has said, "Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you."

6  So we say with confidence, "The Lord is my helper; I will not be afraid. What can man do to me?"

7  Remember your leaders, who spoke the word of God to you. Consider the outcome of their way of life and imitate their faith.

8  Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever.

9  Do not be carried away by all kinds of strange teachings.

It happened back in 1961.  That’s when Sam Rayburn, the Speaker of the House, learned that he had cancer and that he didn’t have very long to live.  Shortly after he got the news Sam Rayburn surprised his colleagues.  He announced that he was going home to the little town of Bonham, Texas.   When his colleagues asked him why he was going back to Bonham, Texas when Washington D.C. had some of the finest medical facilities in the world his answer was simply. “Because,” he said, “in Bonham, Texas they know if you’re sick and they care when you die.”

I don’t know about you, but that story touches something deep inside me.  Maybe it’s because it reminds me of something we don’t have a lot of these days.  What we don’t have a lot of is genuine intimacy.  It’s sad but we live in a society that is very impersonal. In fact, it’s so impersonal that when you fill out any legal document do you know what the most important piece of information is on that legal document?  It’s not your name.  It’s your social security number.  Because of that when I introduce myself, instead of saying, ‘Hi, my name is Rick Hughes,’ I wonder if I should say, ‘Hi, I’m #031-44-9725’”  That’s not my real social security number.  What is real, however, is that we live in a society that is very impersonal. Do you remember when you used to know all your neighbors and your neighbor’s children? Not any more.  Isn’t it also interesting that even though we have all these new fangled ways of communicating with each other, people feel more alienated and isolated than ever? We have cell phones, email, fax machines, pagers, instant messaging, text messaging and webcams but people feel more alienated and isolated than ever.  We’ve become un-intimate inmates locked away inside our own skin.

That’s why I want to spend a few minutes and look at some words of advice that can be found in the Letter to the Hebrews.  That advice can help us bring a little more genuine intimacy into our lives.  The advice can help us un-become un-intimate inmates. The advice is right there in the second verse.  “Do not neglect to show hospitality to strangers, for thereby some have entertained angels without knowing it.” (paraphrased from the RSV and NRSV)  Those words are meant to bring to mind us of the Old Testament story that I shared with the children earlier this morning.  It’s the story where Abraham welcomed two men and later discovered that they were angel bringing him new from God of a wonderful blessings that he was going to receive. 

“Do not neglect to show hospitality to strangers. For thereby some have entertained angels without knowing it.”  Those words are important because a lot of people today do feel alienated and isolated. Sometimes you can’t help but feel the same way a young man felt when he fell madly in love with a young woman.  Then only problem though is that the young woman wasn’t madly in love with him.  So, the young man sat down and wrote her a love letter.  When she didn’t respond to the love letter he wrote her another love letter and then another and another.  He eventually got to the point where he was writing her three love letters every day.  Altogether he wrote 700 love letters and what did he get for all of his efforts?  Did the young woman fall madly in love with him? No, but she did end up marrying her mailman.

There’s a lot of people who feel alienated and isolated these days.  In fact, there might even be a few people here this morning who feel the same way a man and a woman felt one Sunday morning.  While they were listening to the sermon their minds began to wander.

First Person:    You – sitting in the pew next to me –

                        I don’t know you.

                        Oh, I know your name.

                        I know the “Hi, how are you?” part of you.

                        I know the “Rainy weather we’re having, isn’t it?” part of you.

                        But I don’t know you –

                        Not what you’re thinking,

                        Not where you’re going.

                        You sit so still:

                        Are you serene

                        Or are you simmering inside?

                        Are you content with life

                        Or are you churning?

                        Are you here because it’s a habit

                        Or because it’s a joy

                        Or because your mother brought you hears ago?

                        Is it expected of you?

                        Are you setting and example for the children?

                        Are you glad to be here

                        Or are you just tired?

                        Are you bored

                        Or are you filled with fire?

                        Are you tuned into what’s being said

                        Or are you disenchanted?

                        Did you come from a chaotic morning

                        Or from too much quiet?

                        Are you thinking about last night’s party

                        Or this afternoon’s ball game?

                        Or are you wondering what it’s all about?

                        Will you ever reveal yourself to me

                        Or are you just another person in the pew I’ll never know?

Second Person: You – sitting in the pew next to me –

                        I don’t know you.

                        Oh, I know your background.

                        I know you’re here just about every Sunday.

                        I know you’re very big around here –

                        Church school teacher, chairperson of this and that,

                        On all the important ministries.

                        Even went to the national meeting, didn’t you?

                        Who are you behind that smile,

                        Behind all that activity –

                        Are you for real?

                        Are you doing it all for your image

                        Or do you love Christ so much you’ve got to give your time?

                        Are you hustling

                        Or are you desperately trying to fill the emptiness in your life

                        Or are you overflowing with goodwill?

                        Would you tell me if I asked you

                        Or would you play a game with me?

                        Would you really care if I told you my problems?

                        Would you really listen

                        Or would you be looking over my shoulder?

                        Could I be honest with you

                        Or would my honesty make you nervous?

                        Would you take the time?

                        Would you be interested to know what I feel?

                        Would my doubts make you uneasy?

                        Would you want to get involved?

                        Do you even care what I’m all about?

                        Where I’m heading,

                        What I’m thinking…

                        Does the fact that we’re sitting side by side in God’s sanctuary

                        Make us community?

                        Or are you just another person in the pew I’ll never know?

First Person:    You – sitting in the pew next to me –

                        I’m lonely.

                        You’d be surprised at that, wouldn’t you?

                        How could I be lonely with all the family and friends I have?

                        I’m not lonesome, I’m lonely!

                        I want to reach out to somebody and say:

                        This is me.  This is really me.

                        But everybody passes quickly.

                        They’re all so busy.

                        Everything’s kept superficial

                        As if when we busy ourselves with enough things

                        We won’t have to think;

                        We won’t have to face our emotions.

                        Oh, I long to cut through our rote responses, our pleasantries, our right

    answers.

I want to say: I’m sorry you have a cold, and I’m glad we’re having

   weather.

But what are you doing inside there?

What kind of a somersault is going on deep inside of you?

Are you angry?

Are you hurt?

Are you frightened?

Are you confused?

Are you who you want to be?

                        I’d be interested in what you feel

                        Would you be interested in what I feel?

                        What I’m searching for, reaching for?

                        It’s all part of what I think it means to be here,

                        In God’s church.

                        Are you lonely too?

                        Do you wonder or do you have it all solved?

                        Or do you even care?

                        Are you just another person in the pew I’ll never know?

Second person: You – sitting in the pew next to me –

                        I’m scared.

                        Years are passing quickly

                        And I seem to have little control over my life.

                        It’s as though somebody else

                        Set out a course for me.

                        When did I decided on this life-style?

                        I’m scared by the subtleties of life.

                        I’m scared by what’s expected of me

                        By some unknown “they” out there.

                        I’m scared by the pushing, the pulling, the pressures.

                        Whoever decided that I had to live on this street in this house

                        And work like crazy to live on another street in a bigger house?

                        And that there’s no end to it…

                        Keep chasing…

                        My life dedicated to owning.

                        Whoever decided I owe my children bigger and better things?

                        I’m scared when I take a good look at my way of life.

                        I’m scared when I look at myself.

                        That’s why I’m here –

                        Because I’ve heard there is a better way.

                        I’ve heard that some people take Christ seriously.

                        I’ve heard that maybe in church I could become a new creation.

                        Is it possible?

                        Could I talk to you about it?

                        Would you laugh to think that successful me needs you?

                        Or would you be compassionate because you know I’m scared?

                        Maybe you’ll be the one to tell me…

                        Or are you just another person in the pew I’ll never know?

First person:    You – sitting in the pew next to me –

                        What are you really doing here?

                        Do you believe in Jesus Christ?

                        How much?

                        Enough to risk?

                        Risk your reputation?

                        Risk your friends?

                        Your money?

                        Do you?

                        Do you believe in Christ?

                        Or is Christianity a convenience?

                        Something to fill in on a census form,

                        Something one just goes along with,

                        Something undemanding.

                        Something nice…

                        Do you believe?

                        Do you know what you believe?

                        Will you share it with me?

                        Or are you just another person in the pew I’ll never know?

(At this point, the two person come out of their thoughts.  The service is over.  One turns to the other and says:)

Second person: Hi, how are you?

First person:    Oh, fine. Rainy weather we’re having isn’t it?

Second person: Yes, isn’t it?

(You Sitting Next To Me In The Pew, “Reaching For Rainbows” pp.51-56)
 

There is a way to get beyond all the feelings of being alienated and isolated..  It’s right there in the Letter to the Hebrews.  “Do not neglect to show hospitality to strangers for by doing so some have entertained angels unawares.”

Now having said that, it also needs to be said that there’s a right way and a wrong way of showing hospitality to strangers.   The right way and the wrong way can be seen in a saying that I’ve always liked.  The saying suggests that there are two kinds of people in the world.  There are those who walk into a room and say, “Here I am.”  Then, there are those who walk into a room and say, “There you are!” 

 “Here I am” people are always easy to spot.  They’re the ones who are always trying to impress you.  They’re always trying to show you how good they are; how important they are; how you’ll be better of if you have them as one of yours friends.  It doesn’t work though.  Instead it just drives people away. 

 “There you are!” people, on the other hand, are the ones who take the time to be there with you and for you.  They listen to what you have to say.  They want to hear what you have to say, and understand you and walk with you through all of life’s ups and downs.  Those are the people you want to be around. 

By the way, that’s one of the first lessons that I share with all of our student ministers. Usually, within the first couple of weeks I’ll ask the student minister, “Do you know what the most important thing is if you want to be a successful minister?”  I get all kinds of answers to that question and then I answer the question myself.  “What you really have to do,” I say, “is make sure that your congregation likes you.  You have to make sure that your congregation likes you because it isn’t going to do you any good to lead if nobody’s going to follow.  So, the most important thing is to make sure your congregation likes you and do you know what the best way is to make sure they like you?  You make sure that they know that you love them!”

In other words, you do your best to be an honest and sincere “There you are person.”  When you do that you begin to realize that there are angels all around you; angels who are unique and have wonderful stories to tell and amazing gifts to share. That’s what happened one day when a woman met a homeless on the street.  The experience proved to be a powerful one and led her to later write a poem.  This is what she wrote in her poem.

He walked with eyes lowered, and head to the ground.

When he saw me, he spoke, and I took in his sight.

He was scruffy and raggedy and his eyes held no light.

He said, “Ma’am I’m hungry.”  He was very polite.

I said to him softly, “No money have I,

But I’ll buy you some food with these food stamps of mine.”

So, I walked on in silence with this homeless old man,

Who said, “Give me your number – I’ll pay you back when I can.”

I looked in his eyes, where hopelessness lay.

And I said, “Never mind about that. No need to repay.”

As we walked down the aisles of the grocery store,

Like a child he picked something, and then asked for some more.

I gladly told him to fill all his needs,

Because in my lifetime, I’ve done some bad deeds.

I’ll never forget him, as he went on his way,

Because he gave me something I can never repay.

He gave me a chance to give what I could,

A chance to show love to the misunderstood –

A chance to feed someone when no one else would –

A chance to be special, a chance to be good.

I’ll ever be grateful to the stranger in rags,

For showing me Love in a few grocery bags,

For letting me be the one who had more,

For letting me answer his knock at my door.

You see, I’m no angel, thought I’ve wanted to be.

I’ve hurt many people by just being me,

And this man, yes this stranger, who passed me not by,

Set free for an instant an angel to fly.  (Chicken Soup for the Soul, v.4 p.76)

That’s what happens when you show hospitality to strangers.  That’s what happens when you become a “There you are person.”  You discover that there are angels all around you. Not only that but and you also discover that there’s a little bit of an angel in yourself. Then one day you wake up and you suddenly realize that you’re not spending all your time talking about the rainy weather that we’ve been having.  Amen.

Rev. Dr. Richard A. Hughes

September 2, 2007