“Father Abraham’s Surprise” – Genesis 18:1-15 – June 15, 2008

Several years ago, Lin and I had the opportunity to travel in the Netherlands. We cruised up the Rhine River and made a port of call in Nigmegan. During our visit, our cruise line arranged to have all the passengers to be guests in local homes. It was the first time they ever attempted to arrange such an event of hospitality. Much to their surprise they had an overwhelming response from families in Nigmegan who were willing to host small groups of Americans.

The hospitality of the people of Nigmegan was like none I ever experienced before. They prepared a generous and wonderful supply of drinks and deserts. They gave us a personalized tour of their home. They told us about their work, their life in the Netherlands and all about their families. They were absolutely gracious hosts. It was an evening you didn’t want to end. We felt as though we had made some really terrific new friends.

The story about Abraham and Sarah is also a story of hospitality. Abraham ran to greet his visitors. He selected a quality calf from his herd. Sarah made cakes for their guests. Abraham provided water for them to wash their feet and a place to rest. Abraham and Sarah welcomed the three travelers in their home in a very special way as was the custom of their day.

Last week I attended the Annual Ohio Conference of the UCC at Tiffin. One of the workshops I participated in was on the subject of hospitality. Most congregations think of themselves as “friendly” folks. That is no less true here at St. Paul’s. What we learned however was that hospitality is more than just being friendly or nice. True hospitality is like the hospitality of Abraham who went the extra mile in welcoming his visitors. When a visitor appears on Sunday have you ever offered them a tour of our facilities? Have you ever thought about walking them to their car and inviting them for dinner? These were some of the suggestions that we learned at the workshop.

Notice that Abraham did more than just extend a warm welcome to his visitors. He honored them by “bowing down to the ground.” I believe that Abraham honored his guests much like we are honoring our fathers today. We recognize how they have shaped our lives. We acknowledge their special role in helping us to become grown ups.

Like most of you I will call my Dad today to wish him a happy father’s day. Unlike my mother, who always gets her four sons mixed up when we call, my Dad always knows which one of us is calling. He immediately says my name. He knows which son is calling and immediately asks how everything is going. In other words, although I have called to honor him for father’s day he has a way of turning it around and showing a genuine concern for me. Hospitality is all about being concerned with the agenda of the other instead of ourselves.

As it turns out the strangers who appeared to Abraham were actually messengers of God. They informed Abraham and Sarah that they would have a son. I wonder what would have happened had they not welcomed the visitors in their home. Perhaps they may not have been promised that they would have a son. Could it be that the divine intervention of God in their lives resulted in a reciprocating act of love to them in the gift of a son because of their hospitality?

The hospitality of Abraham and Sarah was not just about being friendly to strangers. It was about going beyond the call to welcome strangers in their homes. They were gracious as God is gracious. They were non-judgmental, as God is non-judgmental. They were generous and their hospitality was a radical hospitality. By welcoming the three visitors in their home they welcomed God in their lives.

When we welcome strangers into our lives God is welcomed. On the other hand, the more we keep ourselves isolated from people we don’t know or people who are different, the more we keep ourselves alienated from God.

In 1953 reporters and city officials gathered at the Chicago railroad station to greet the 1952 Nobel Peace Prize winner. When the train arrived, a giant of a man, six-feet-four, with bushy hair and a large mustache, stepped off the train. Cameras flashed and the city officials approached him with hands outstretched. Several folks told him how honored they were to greet him.

The man politely thanked them and then, looking over their heads, asked if he could be excused for a moment. He quickly walked through the crowed until he reached the place where an elderly black woman was struggling with two very large suitcases. He picked up the bags and escorted the woman to a bus. After helping her aboard the bus he wished her a safe journey. He then returned to the greeting party. “Sorry to have kept you waiting,” he said.

The man was Dr. Albert Schweitzer, the famous missionary doctor who had spent his life helping poor people in Africa. In response to Schweitzer’s action, one member of the reception committee said with great admiration to a reporter, “That’s the first time I ever saw a sermon walking.”

When we honor people who are different from ourselves we honor God. When we have the freedom to extend a welcome hand to people of another race, nation, language or place we welcome God.

By welcoming God into their lives, Abraham and Sarah received new hope. Although Sarah laughed I believed her laughing is misunderstood. I believe she was laughing at herself. To think that showing hospitality to a stranger would result in God showing hospitality to Sarah and her husband in such a remarkable way was beyond comprehension. But that is exactly how God can work. “Is anything too wonderful for the Lord?” the stranger asked.

Today we are also honoring our graduates. Some of them will be leaving home soon for college. Those who graduated from college are beginning new careers. They will be leaving the familiar relationships of family and friends. In the near future they will be meeting strangers. How they welcome new and different people in their lives will be directly related to how God will be welcomed in their lives.

While doing research for a doctoral thesis, a young man spent a year with a group of Navajo Indians on a reservation in the Southwest. He lived with one family, sleeping in their hut, eating their food, and living their lifestyle. The grandmother spoke no English and the two of them formed a very close relationship. They seemed to share the common language of love. Over the months he learned a few phrases of Navajo and she picked up a few words of English. When it was time for the young man to return to his university and write his thesis, the tribe held a going-away celebration. As he prepared to get into his pickup truck and drive away, the grandmother went to him to say goodbye. With tears in her eyes, she placed her hands on either side of his face and looked directly into his eyes. She said, “I like me best when I’m with you.”

God is like a welcome stranger, who we meet through our radical hospitality. Just as God surprised Abraham and Sarah with the gift of a son, God never fails to surprise us with meaningful relationships with others.

Dr. Keith Wagner, St. Paul’s United Church of Christ, Sidney, Ohio