Walking Together: Embracing Faith and Radical Hospitality
Summary
Today’s reflection centers on the journey of faith, the sacredness of spiritual encounters, and the radical hospitality that shapes Christian community. On this Father’s Day, we are reminded that regardless of our earthly experiences with fathers, we have a heavenly Father who loves us unconditionally, walks with us, and gives us grace, peace, and an eternal future. This assurance forms the foundation for how we relate to one another as fellow travelers on the spiritual path.
Drawing from a recent experience with the ancient practice of walking a labyrinth, we see how the Christian journey is not linear but winding, filled with moments of solitude and unexpected encounters. The labyrinth, inspired by early Christian pilgrimages to the Holy Land, serves as a metaphor for our own spiritual journeys—marked by confession, prayer, and the hope of encountering God in “thin places” where heaven and earth seem to touch. Along the way, we are given the gift of walking alongside others, sometimes only briefly, but always with the potential for transformation.
The story of Saul’s conversion in Acts 9 illustrates the profound impact of these encounters. Saul, a persecutor of Christians, is met by the risen Christ and then by Ananias, a disciple who, despite his fear and reservations, chooses to obey the Spirit and extend radical hospitality to Saul. This act of obedience and mercy not only changes Saul’s life but also shapes the future of the church. Barnabas, too, steps in to advocate for Saul, risking his own reputation to welcome a former enemy. These moments of courageous hospitality and trust in the Spirit are what fueled the growth and peace of the early Christian community.
We are challenged to see every person we meet as someone on a spiritual journey, with God already at work in their lives. Our willingness to walk alongside others, even those we fear or misunderstand, can be the very means by which God brings about transformation and new beginnings. The Spirit is always present, guiding us, inviting us to listen, to encourage, and to include. As we journey together, may we boast in the hope and love poured into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, trusting that God is with us and working through us for the sake of others.
Key Takeaways
- The Fatherhood of God transcends our earthly experiences, offering us a source of unwavering love, presence, and hope. No matter our relationship with our earthly fathers, we are invited to rest in the assurance that God never leaves us nor forsakes us, and He gives us grace and peace for every step of our journey. [45:37]
- The labyrinth of faith reminds us that spiritual journeys are rarely straightforward. Each person’s path is unique, with moments of solitude and times of walking alongside others. These intersections are sacred opportunities to share burdens, offer encouragement, and recognize the presence of God in our midst. [53:41]
- Radical hospitality is costly and often requires us to move beyond fear, prejudice, or past wounds. Ananias’ willingness to obey the Spirit and welcome Saul, despite legitimate fears, demonstrates that true Christian love is not about comfort but about trusting God’s vision for others—even those we least expect. [01:04:53]
- God is always at work in the hearts of those around us, even when we cannot see it. We are called to remember that no one is beyond the reach of God’s grace, and our role may be to walk alongside someone at a pivotal moment, offering the love, mercy, and inclusion that we ourselves have received. [01:03:15]
- The growth and peace of the early church were not the result of perfect people, but of a community willing to trust the Spirit, embrace the unlikely, and invest in relationships. Our own communities flourish when we intentionally listen, encourage, and include, recognizing that the Spirit is present in every encounter and every step of the journey. [01:11:38]
Youtube Chapters
[00:00] - Welcome
[00:45] - Announcements and New Family Introduction
[01:30] - Grace and Peace from God Our Father
[02:10] - Reflections on Fatherhood
[03:20] - Prayer and Centering
[04:10] - Spiritual Formation Practices
[05:15] - The Labyrinth: History and Meaning
[07:00] - Pilgrimage and the Search for Thin Places
[09:00] - The Labyrinth Walk: Lessons Learned
[11:00] - Acts 9: Saul’s Conversion Read Aloud
[16:00] - Ananias’ Radical Hospitality
[19:00] - The Cost and Power of Obedience
[21:00] - Barnabas and the Embrace of Community
[23:00] - The Spirit’s Work in Every Journey
[25:00] - Romans 5: Hope and the Presence of the Spirit
[27:00] - Closing Prayer and Invitation
Study Guide
Bible Study Discussion Guide
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### Bible Reading
- Acts 9:1-31 (Saul’s conversion and the roles of Ananias and Barnabas)
- Romans 5:1-5 (Hope, suffering, and the love of God poured out by the Spirit)
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### Observation Questions
1. In Acts 9, what were Saul’s intentions as he traveled to Damascus, and how did his journey change after his encounter with Jesus?
2. How did Ananias initially respond when God told him to go to Saul, and what reasons did he give for his hesitation?
3. What specific actions did Ananias and Barnabas take to welcome Saul into the Christian community?
4. According to Romans 5:1-5, what are the results of being justified by faith, and how does Paul describe the role of suffering in the Christian life?
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### Interpretation Questions
1. Why might Ananias have been afraid or reluctant to approach Saul, and what does his eventual obedience reveal about his faith? [[01:02:07]]
2. The sermon describes the Christian journey as a labyrinth, not a straight path. What does this metaphor suggest about the nature of spiritual growth and community? [[53:41]]
3. How does the story of Saul’s conversion challenge our assumptions about who is “beyond the reach” of God’s grace? [[01:03:15]]
4. In Romans 5, Paul says that “suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope.” How might this process have been at work in Saul’s story and in the early church? [[01:11:38]]
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### Application Questions
1. The sermon reminds us that God’s fatherhood offers unconditional love, regardless of our earthly experiences with fathers. How does this truth affect the way you view your own relationship with God and with others? [[45:37]]
2. Think about a time when you were called to walk alongside someone you didn’t understand, trust, or even like. What fears or hesitations did you have, and how did you respond? [[01:04:53]]
3. Ananias and Barnabas both took risks to welcome Saul. Is there someone in your life or community whom you find difficult to welcome or trust? What would it look like to extend “radical hospitality” to them this week? [[01:05:43]]
4. The labyrinth metaphor highlights that we sometimes walk alone and sometimes with others. Who are the people God has placed on your path right now, even if only for a short time? How can you be more intentional in encouraging or supporting them? [[53:41]]
5. The sermon says, “God is always at work in the hearts of those around us, even when we cannot see it.” How might this change the way you interact with people you disagree with or fear? [[01:03:15]]
6. The early church grew not because everyone was perfect, but because they trusted the Spirit and invested in relationships. What is one practical way you can listen, encourage, or include someone in your church or neighborhood this week? [[01:11:38]]
7. Paul writes in Romans 5 about boasting in the hope and love poured into our hearts by the Holy Spirit. What is one area of your life where you need to trust that God is with you and working through you for the sake of others? [[01:11:38]]
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Devotional
Day 1: God the Father’s Unfailing Presence and Love
No matter our earthly experiences with fathers, we are reminded that we have a Father in Heaven who loves us unconditionally, never leaves us nor forsakes us, and gives us His Spirit to walk with us daily. He has given us grace, peace, and an eternal future, inviting us to rest in His faithful presence and abundant love, regardless of where we find ourselves on our journey. [45:37]
Deuteronomy 31:6 (ESV)
Be strong and courageous. Do not fear or be in dread of them, for it is the Lord your God who goes with you. He will not leave you or forsake you.
Reflection: In what area of your life do you most need to trust that your Heavenly Father is present and will never leave you, even if others have let you down?
Day 2: Every Spiritual Journey Is Unique and Sacred
Each person’s spiritual journey is different, with moments of walking together and times of solitude, and it is a precious gift to walk alongside someone, even briefly, as we all seek to encounter God and be transformed by Him. The sacredness of these intersections reminds us to approach others with humility and gratitude, recognizing that God is at work in every life, often in ways we cannot see. [53:41]
Psalm 139:23-24 (ESV)
Search me, O God, and know my heart! Try me and know my thoughts! And see if there be any grievous way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting!
Reflection: Who has God placed on your path recently, and how might you intentionally walk alongside them, even for a short season, to encourage their journey?
Day 3: Radical Hospitality and Obedience to the Spirit
Ananias demonstrated radical hospitality and obedience by welcoming Saul, a former enemy, into the community, showing that true Christian love often means stepping beyond comfort and fear to embrace those whom God brings into our lives. Hospitality may cost us something, but it is through such Spirit-led acts that lives are transformed, communities are strengthened, and the love of Christ is made visible. [01:06:42]
Acts 9:17-19 (ESV)
So Ananias departed and entered the house. And laying his hands on him he said, “Brother Saul, the Lord Jesus who appeared to you on the road by which you came has sent me so that you may regain your sight and be filled with the Holy Spirit.” And immediately something like scales fell from his eyes, and he regained his sight. Then he rose and was baptized; and taking food, he was strengthened.
Reflection: Is there someone in your life whom you find difficult to welcome or trust? What would it look like to extend radical hospitality to them this week?
Day 4: God Sees Potential Where We See Obstacles
God is always working in the hearts of those around us, even those we might least expect, and He calls us to see others not for who they are now, but for who they can become through His grace and Spirit. By trusting God’s vision and responding to His prompting, we participate in His redemptive work, offering hope and new beginnings to those who may seem far from Him. [01:07:39]
1 Samuel 16:7 (ESV)
But the Lord said to Samuel, “Do not look on his appearance or on the height of his stature, because I have rejected him. For the Lord sees not as man sees: man looks on the outward appearance, but the Lord looks on the heart.”
Reflection: Who in your life have you written off as unlikely to change or grow? How can you begin to pray for them and see them through God’s eyes?
Day 5: The Spirit Walks With Us and Builds Community
Wherever we are on our spiritual journey, the Holy Spirit is with us, shaping us through suffering, perseverance, and hope, and surrounding us with a community that encourages and strengthens us in faith. We are called to be attentive to the Spirit’s leading, to notice those around us, and to be agents of encouragement and inclusion, just as others have done for us. [01:11:38]
Romans 5:1-5 (ESV)
Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. Through him we have also obtained access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and we rejoice in hope of the glory of God. Not only that, but we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, and hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us.
Reflection: How can you be more attentive to the Spirit’s presence today, and who might need your encouragement or inclusion as they walk their own journey of faith?
Quotes
But what I am reminded of, especially today, is that we have a Father in Heaven who absolutely loves us. We have a Father in Heaven who will never leave us nor forsake us. We have a Father in Heaven who has chosen not to sit distantly, but to give us His Spirit so that He can walk with us. We have a Father who has chosen to give us His everything so that one day we could have everything. [00:45:29] (37 seconds)
Always remember that God sees people not for who they are, but for who he knows they can be. And he knew what was in the heart of Paul. And thanks be to God to a relatively unknown disciple named Ananias who obeyed Christ by showing hospitality, showing mercy and compassion to someone who didn't deserve it. [01:07:50] (26 seconds)
And I think sometimes we forget that God is working in the lives and hearts of everyone we come into contact with. God is doing the work. God is tilling the soil in everyone. From the child to the condemned criminal, God is working in their life. Everyone is somewhere along this spiritual path. [01:03:28] (32 seconds)
Stop and take moments where you listen take note of everybody who comes in your way because you never know when someone may desperately need Spirit in you to love to encourage and to include. This is what fueled that early community. This is why peace and an increase in numbers reigned in that early day is because even through their fear they trusted the Spirit to move. Let's go and do likewise. [01:11:53] (38 seconds)
It's a little phrase called thin places. It's those places in the world where you actually see the sacred happening. Sometimes it's next to a hospital bed. Sometimes it's at a wedding. Sometimes it's in deep conversation with someone who's confessing or sharing their soul. Those places where the kingdom of heaven and earth are paper thin. [00:50:31] (25 seconds)
How many times has God moved me to connect with someone or walk alongside someone I don't really like or respect? Someone I don't agree with politically, morally, someone who scares me? How many times has God moved me to connect with someone who has wounded me deeply? How many times has the Spirit nudged us toward someone like that? And how many times have we not responded? [01:04:29] (40 seconds)
Now, at any given moment, we could come across a Saul on our spiritual journey. It could be one of these long stretches where you're side by side. It could be at a turn where you encounter each other briefly. when that happens, consider yourself blessed that God trusts you enough with the heart and spirit of the person who is right in front of you. [01:08:49] (32 seconds)
This is the kind of investment that fueled this Christian community. people who had no shot were suddenly invited into the community. And people walked alongside of them. Even if they may have walked right out of the community, they still had a soul friend for a brief moment at least. This is why the church was growing. [01:05:43] (28 seconds)
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