Welcoming the Stranger: Living as Witnesses of Christ

Today, we gathered as a community of faith to reflect on what it means to be witnesses of the risen Christ in a world marked by division, fear, and injustice. Using the simple items in a traveler's backpack—a loaf of bread, a map, a bear with a heart, and a passport—we remembered that our journey as disciples is sustained by Christ’s love, guided by his example, and marked by a call to welcome and care for others, especially the stranger. The story of Jesus appearing to his disciples after the resurrection, offering peace and showing his wounds, reminds us that Christ is real, present, and calls us to be his witnesses—not just in word, but in action.

We are challenged to see immigration not as a political issue, but as a deeply spiritual and humanitarian concern. Scripture consistently commands us to welcome the stranger, to love the foreigner as ourselves, and to remember that we, too, are sojourners in this world. The resources we devote to exclusion and enforcement could instead be used to heal, educate, and uplift. Our faith compels us to ask: where is our heart, and how do our actions reflect the love of Christ?

Living as Easter people means we are empowered by the Holy Spirit to act with courage and compassion. We are not alone in this work; the Advocate is with us, and our community is vast, connected, and capable of making a difference. We are called to be informed, to learn the stories of others and our own, to pray, to support one another, and to act—whether through advocacy, hospitality, or simply offering a smile and a welcome. The journey is long and difficult, but we are sustained by the promise that all are welcome in God’s community, and that love, justice, and hope are stronger than fear and exclusion.

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Key Takeaways

• 1. The journey of faith is sustained by Christ’s love and presence, symbolized by the bread we share, the map that guides us, and the reminders of love we carry. Just as travelers need sustenance and direction, we need to continually return to the source of our hope and remember that Jesus walks with us, calling us to be his witnesses in every place we go. [20:41]
• 2. Welcoming the stranger is not optional for followers of Christ; it is a command rooted in both Old and New Testaments. We are reminded that our own stories are shaped by migration and movement, and that to love as Christ loves means to see the sacredness in every person, regardless of their origin or status. [39:31]
• 3. The resources we allocate as a society reveal our true values. When budgets prioritize enforcement and exclusion over care and inclusion, we must ask ourselves what kind of community we are building. As people of faith, we are called to advocate for a moral vision where love and justice guide our decisions, and where all may have life abundantly. [41:40]
• 4. Living as Easter and Pentecost people means we are empowered by the Holy Spirit to act with courage, creativity, and compassion. We are not alone in the work of justice and welcome; the Advocate is with us, and our networks of relationship are powerful tools for change. Our calling is to be love in action, even when the road is long and the challenges are great. [43:03]
• 5. Our acts of generosity, hospitality, and advocacy are not just traditions—they are acts of holy resistance against systems of fear and scarcity. Every gift, every welcome, every prayer is a declaration that God’s kingdom is breaking in, where justice rolls down like waters and all are truly free. [49:47]

Youtube Chapters

• [00:00] - Welcome
• [20:06] - Children’s Time: What’s in the Backpack?
• [21:25] - The Map and the Bear: Symbols of Love and Guidance
• [22:42] - Passport and Identity: Who We Are on the Journey
• [24:00] - Jesus Appears: Peace and Witness
• [24:40] - Called to Welcome and Kindness
• [26:03] - Being Jesus’s Helper: Everyday Acts of Welcome
• [27:44] - Prayers of Joys and Concerns
• [33:20] - Scripture Reading: Luke 24:36-49
• [36:05] - Slogans, Scripture, and True Welcome
• [38:09] - Immigration as a Humanitarian and Faith Issue
• [39:31] - Biblical Commands to Welcome the Stranger
• [41:40] - Budgets, Values, and Moral Vision
• [43:03] - Living as Easter and Pentecost People
• [45:41] - Our Stories: Descendants of Immigrants
• [47:06] - All Are Welcome: The Community of God
• [48:23] - Discipleship and Reflection Questions
• [49:47] - Offering as Holy Resistance
• [50:28] - Closing and Sending Forth

Bible Study Discussion Guide: Witnesses of the Risen Christ—Welcoming the Stranger

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Bible Reading

Luke 24:36-49 (ESV)
> As they were talking about these things, Jesus himself stood among them, and said to them, “Peace to you!” But they were startled and frightened and thought they saw a spirit. And he said to them, “Why are you troubled, and why do doubts arise in your hearts? See my hands and my feet, that it is I myself. Touch me, and see. For a spirit does not have flesh and bones as you see that I have.” And when he had said this, he showed them his hands and his feet. And while they still disbelieved for joy and were marveling, he said to them, “Have you anything here to eat?” They gave him a piece of broiled fish, and he took it and ate before them. Then he said to them, “These are my words that I spoke to you while I was still with you, that everything written about me in the Law of Moses and the Prophets and the Psalms must be fulfilled.” Then he opened their minds to understand the Scriptures, and said to them, “Thus it is written, that the Christ should suffer and on the third day rise from the dead, and that repentance for the forgiveness of sins should be proclaimed in his name to all nations, beginning from Jerusalem. You are witnesses of these things. And behold, I am sending the promise of my Father upon you. But stay in the city until you are clothed with power from on high.”

Leviticus 19:33-34 (ESV)
> “When a stranger sojourns with you in your land, you shall not do him wrong. You shall treat the stranger who sojourns with you as the native among you, and you shall love him as yourself, for you were strangers in the land of Egypt: I am the LORD your God.”

Matthew 25:40 (ESV)
> “And the King will answer them, ‘Truly, I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these my brothers, you did it to me.’”

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Observation Questions

1. In Luke 24:36-49, what are some of the ways Jesus proves to his disciples that he is truly risen and not just a spirit?
2. According to Leviticus 19:33-34, what specific instructions does God give about how to treat foreigners or strangers?
3. In the sermon, what items from the backpack were used as symbols for the journey of faith, and what did each represent? ([20:41])
4. What does Jesus say is the role of his disciples after his resurrection? ([24:40])

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Interpretation Questions

1. Why do you think Jesus chose to show his wounds and eat with the disciples after his resurrection? What message was he sending about his presence and reality?
2. The sermon says welcoming the stranger is not optional for followers of Christ, but a command. Why might this be so important in both the Old and New Testaments? ([39:31])
3. The pastor mentioned that budgets are “moral documents” and that how we allocate resources shows our values. What does this mean for us as individuals and as a church? ([41:40])
4. The sermon describes living as “Easter and Pentecost people” empowered by the Holy Spirit. What does it look like to live this way in the context of welcoming others and seeking justice? ([43:03])

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Application Questions

1. The sermon challenged us to see immigration not as a political issue, but as a spiritual and humanitarian concern. How does this perspective change the way you think about immigrants and refugees in your community? ([38:09])
2. The pastor encouraged simple acts of welcome, like offering a smile or a greeting to someone new. Can you think of a recent time when you welcomed a stranger? How did it feel, and what difference did it make? ([26:03])
3. The backpack items (bread, map, bear with a heart, passport) were used as reminders of Christ’s love, guidance, and our identity. Which of these symbols speaks to you most, and why? How can you carry that reminder into your week? ([21:25])
4. The sermon said, “Our acts of generosity, hospitality, and advocacy are not just traditions—they are acts of holy resistance against systems of fear and scarcity.” What is one specific way you can practice “holy resistance” this month? ([49:47])
5. The pastor asked, “Where is our heart, and how do our actions reflect the love of Christ?” Take a moment to reflect: Are there areas in your life where your actions don’t match your values? What is one step you can take to align them? ([41:40])
6. The sermon invited us to learn the stories of others and our own. Is there someone in your life whose story you need to hear? How can you take a step toward listening and understanding this week? ([45:41])
7. The pastor said, “We are not alone in this work; the Advocate is with us, and our community is vast, connected, and capable of making a difference.” Who can you partner with in your faith community to take action together? ([43:03])

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Closing Prayer Suggestion:
Invite the group to pray for courage, compassion, and the guidance of the Holy Spirit as they seek to be witnesses of Christ’s love in their daily lives, especially toward the stranger and those in need.