One day a Jew from Alexandria came into Ephesus. The Bible says that Apollos was a man who had 'a thorough knowledge of the Scrip­tures'. He knew something of 'the way of the Lord' and spoke of what he knew with great fervour, but he did not know the Lord Jesus Christ. In the congregation that day were two believers, Priscilla and Aquila, young Christians who until very recently had been companions of the apostle Paul. They opened their home to this Apollos and 'explained to him the way of God more adequately'. The result of this act of hospi­tality, and the hearing and believing in Jesus Christ which followed, was to have a farreaching effect.

Priscilla and Aquila were simply doing what all Christians ought, as they are able, to practise. But the giving of hospitality and a readiness to open our homes to strangers seems to be something of a dying practice in the world today. With evil and deceit to be found on every side one reason for this lack of openness is understandable. However, such corruption existed also in the first century when the writer of the Epistle to the Hebrews gave the injunction:

Do not forget to entertain strangers for by so doing some people have entertained angels without knowing it. Hebrews 13:2

The Christian, if he is able, is to open his home to Christians and non-Christians alike.

Hospitality is to be seen as one of the best tools which the Christian has to make the Gospel known. It is clearly a legitimate means of evan­gelism and, as we have seen in Acts 18, it is one that is owned by God. With this passage in view let us consider some reflections upon the giving of Christian hospitality:

1. We should Exercise Wisdom⤒🔗

We are not called to invite anyone and everyone into our homes. We must exercise some measure of sanctified common sense. Is it a good thing, knowingly, to bring evil and even Satan into our homes? When Priscilla and Aquila invited the Alexandrian Jew Apollos into their home they did so having first of all heard him speak and knowing a little of his background. They knew him to be a zealous and God-fearing man, a man to whom they could probably give help.

2. We should Exercise a Prayer Ministry along with the Hospitality we give←⤒🔗

Can we doubt that when Apollos came as a guest of Priscilla and Aquila, prayer had been offered up by them for his conversion? We must also pray that our homes may be places of conversion for the unbeliever and of spiritual growth for the children of God. Prayer needs to go before and to follow after the visitors who enter our homes and we can pray more intelligently and earnestly for people and their needs as we come to know them better.

3. Our Homes should be the Easiest of Places in which to Speak of the Gospel←⤒🔗

We are on familiar territory, the atmosphere (at least for us) should be relaxed, so there is an ease and freedom of speech. Since our home is our domain, we also have the rule and authority in it. We may take a lead with less likelihood of giving offence and kindness and wisdom may well lead to a readiness to hear our opinions, views and faith. Often guests will listen on the grounds of respect whereas in another setting their attitude might be quite different.

4. The Giving of Hospitality Encourages us to be More Knowledge­able about the Gospel and more certain in Our Faith←⤒🔗

In order to speak in our homes about the Gospel, and especially to be able to explain it in a one-to-one situation, we need to understand it. Clearly, Priscilla and Aquila knew the Gospel for they were able to explain it to Apollos 'more adequately'.

5. Hospitality gives more Opportunities and Time to Explain the Gospel←⤒🔗

In the home there is more leisure to befriend an individual and to know what he or she believes; it will enable you to explain the way of God, starting at the point of your guest's present need. By inviting Apollos into their home, Priscilla and Aquila were able to build upon what he already believed and to show him that Jesus of Nazareth is the Messiah prophesied by John the Baptist. In the home there will also be time for questions to be asked and answered. Other tools for evangelism can also be used to explain points of difficulty, such as good Christian literature (which could be given or lent) and tapes of sermons on rele­vant points of Scripture. Or an invitation can be given to our visitors to return and meet more experienced believers at a later date.

6. The Giving of Hospitality Enables the Unbeliever to Come to Know Believers←⤒🔗

Real hospitality given to an unbeliever exposes the Christian so that the unbeliever sees more what the believer is like; he should see that the Christian is different and that the light of the Lord Jesus shines from him. True Christian hospitality should be an introduction into a warm fellowship which can result in friendships being made and spontaneous further visits.

7. The End Result of Hospitality can have Infinite and Eternal Conse­quences←⤒🔗

Who knows how the Lord will deal with a desire to give hospi­tality? Who will come through our doors and share some time with us? Another Apollos perhaps? Someone the Lord will use to take the Gospel to some distant part of the world? Priscilla and Aquila's hospi­tality to Apollos had, it seems, far-reaching effects for the whole of the Christian Church.

Acts 18.28 tells us,

he vigorously refuted the Jews in public debate, proving from the Scriptures that Jesus was the Christ.

So this passage in Acts 18 should be an encouragement to us all. Because of domestic circumstances, perhaps, we cannot all offer the hospitality which we would wish but we must all be hospitable. We must take every opportunity and in so doing we may have the privilege of entertaining those who are saints and those who are to become saints. Our homes are in the care of the same God who in times past has sent angels to call upon His people.