Genesis: Worst Sin: Not What you think

Have you ever visited with a friend who went out of their way to make you feel welcome?  When you came for a meal, they knew you needed low salt food or that you are allergic to strawberries, they knew you are shying away from red meat or that dairy makes you sick.  The food they served was made with love and you in mind.  They made sure there was a place for you to rest after your drive.  Perhaps, music for those who enjoy it, and quiet for those who don’t. The restrooms were offered as was the kindness and care.  Have you ever been the recipient of this kind of radical hospitality?  It makes you feel loved and cared for.  It gives insight into God’s specific love for each of us.  We are not tolerated for our differences, but loved individually.

Last week, we celebrated with Abraham and Sarah as they welcomed the three visitors bringing news of Abraham and Sarah’s upcoming birth of Isaac.  We often end the story there.  However, the heavenly visitors do not leave just yet.  They have some work to do yet.  They travel from Abraham and Sarah’s place to overlook the city of Sodom and enter it.   Abraham’s nephew, Lot is prepared to offer this kind of hospitality as the heavenly visitors who have been visiting his uncle outside of town come to visit Sodom.  He urges them to come and stay with him.  He prepares a feast for them and makes sure they have space to sleep and wash.  Lot’s heart of hospitality offers the best to these unknown strangers among them.  However, as word gets out in town that strangers are in from out of town, mob mentality takes over and the gathering gang does not wish to offer hospitality, but rather make sure these visitors know who is boss! They need to exert power over them.

Now, here is the part where some of us shy away from this chapter of Genesis all together.  However, through the rest of the biblical narrative, we hear reminders of this passage.  In the popular culture, many have decided this passage related to human sexuality and should contribute to our understanding of LGBTQ relationships.  A closer study of text shows us that while there is undeniable issues of sexual conflict and abuse in this story, it is not specific to same gender relationships. In Ezekiel and Hebrews, Luke and Matthew, the biblical writers go out of their way to remind us that the real sin of Sodom and Gomorrah is hospitality.

Hospitality is a great value in Middle Eastern culture of biblical times and today.  This narrative is recorded in Genesis, because it is a glaring exception, rather than the standard way people were treated. Sodom was being judged for not upholding the commitment that would be after the Exodus articulated this way, “Welcome the stranger, because you yourselves were strangers in Egypt.” Hebrews says it, “Do not neglect to show hospitality to strangers.  Some have entertained angels unaware.”

But hospitality was the last thing on the minds of the people of Sodom.  Perhaps, we understand.  Culturally, more often than not, you and I are responding, reacting.  We are feeling attacked and put upon.  We are feeling as though, life is happening to us and it is all we can do to respond.  We have lots of theories and ideas for how others should have responded or acted, without a lot of reflection for how we might have.  We may even lash out at those around us, without meaning to hurt those closest to us, because our life feels out of control.

This is where the people of Sodom and Gomorrah were.  Responding to these strangers with vitriol and anger, instead of openness and hospitality.  So, caught up in feeling attacked and enraged that the only way they could respond was rage and attack.  In threats of gang rape and mob violence, the people of Sodom forgot the radical call of welcoming travelers and offering food and shelter, rest, and water.  The men with torches and anger demand the heavenly visitors submit to their hazing and initiation processes laden with sexual molestation and power.  Lot, seeking to defend them, even offers his daughters in their place.  (Another day, we need to contemplate why Lot would offer his daughters to be molested by the rioting gang outside of his door).  Their pride and power became more important than care for others.  Ultimately, this episode concludes with the temporary blinding of the mob and the destruction of the city.

The way we treat one another matters so deeply, this radical hospitality is at the core of who Jesus calls us to be and who God’s people have always been.  Since I was diagnosed with Celiac’s disease in February 2016, I learned a lot about toleration and hospitality.  I was someone who prided myself on eating anything offered to me.  I had been the recipient of loving and radical hospitality from so many parishioners over the years.  What a joy it is to receive someone’s heart of hospitality!

How embarrassed I felt when I realized I could not receive the same broad hospitality. I need to share more with others that eating gluten makes me incredibly sick in the short term and damages my intestines and immune system in the longer term. Some respond with toleration.  They put up with my change.  They offered something on the side. They felt inconvenienced and put upon.  Others have amazed me with their generous hearts.  They want to include and love at every turn.  I am inspired by their hospitality.

Sodom is the biblical narrative that calls us back not to respond with anger and resentment, not even to settle for toleration of those who are strangers, but rather embrace others with love.  Strangers, unknown guests.  Remember Lot ended up entertaining angels unaware.

The book of Hebrews reminds us to let mutual love continue.  Mutual love is: “You are loved, and so are they.” Our faith lived out in radical and Jesus-centered ways calls us to offer more than toleration to our brothers and sisters in faith, but full radical hospitality.  As our children return to school, as we baptize Max and remember our own baptismal vows, as the world around us seems to be turning up the level of anger and aggravation, let us focus in on the most important commandment:

Love God and Love God’s people like you love yourself.

You are loved and So, are they!

This is the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ, thanks be to God, Amen.

Old Testament Lesson: Genesis 18: 16-21; 19:1-7, 12-13, 27-28

Then the men set out from there, and they looked toward Sodom; and Abraham went with them to set them on their way. The Lord said, “Shall I hide from Abraham what I am about to do, seeing that Abraham shall become a great and mighty nation, and all the nations of the earth shall be blessed in him? No, for I have chosen him, that he may charge his children and his household after him to keep the way of the Lord by doing righteousness and justice; so that the Lord may bring about for Abraham what he has promised him.” Then the Lord said, ‘How great is the outcry against Sodom and Gomorrah and how very grave their sin! I must go down and see whether they have done altogether according to the outcry that has come to me; and if not, I will know.’

The two angels came to Sodom in the evening, and Lot was sitting in the gateway of Sodom. When Lot saw them, he rose to meet them, and bowed down with his face to the ground.  He said, ‘Please, my lords, turn aside to your servant’s house and spend the night, and wash your feet; then you can rise early and go on your way.” They said, “No; we will spend the night in the square.’  But he urged them strongly; so they turned aside to him and entered his house; and he made them a feast, and baked unleavened bread, and they ate.  But before they lay down, the men of the city, the men of Sodom, both young and old, all the people to the last man, surrounded the house; and they called to Lot, ‘Where are the men who came to you tonight? Bring them out to us, so that we may know them.’  Lot went out of the door to the men, shut the door after him, and said, ‘I beg you, my brothers, do not act so wickedly.

Then the men said to Lot, ‘Have you anyone else here? Sons-in-law, sons,   daughters, or anyone you have in the city—bring them out of the place. For we are about to destroy this place, because the outcry against its people has become great before the Lord, and the Lord has sent us to destroy it.’

Abraham went early in the morning to the place where he had stood before the Lord; and he looked down toward Sodom and Gomorrah and toward all the land of the Plain, and saw the smoke of the land going up like the smoke of a furnace.

New Testament Lesson: Hebrews 13:1-2

Let mutual love continue.  Do not neglect to show hospitality to strangers, for by   doing that some have entertained angels without knowing it.

Gospel Lesson:  Luke 17:28-30

Likewise, just as it was in the days of Lot: they were eating and drinking, buying and selling, planting and building,  but on the day that Lot left Sodom, it rained fire and sulfur from heaven and destroyed all of them—it will be like that on the day that the Son of Man is revealed.

Meditations For Your Week

Sunday, August 27-Saturday, September 2

 Sunday: “No, for I have chosen him, that he may charge his children and his household after him to keep the way of the Lord by doing righteousness and justice; so that the Lord may bring about for Abraham what he has promised him.” Genesis 18: 19. God shared with Abraham the depravity of Sodom, so that Abraham and descendants would put the love of God ahead of the selfishness of inhospitality.  As a descendant of Abraham, where are you welcoming the stranger?

Monday: He said, ‘Please, my lords, turn aside to your servant’s house and spend the night, and wash your feet; then you can rise early and go on your way.’ They said, ‘No; we will spend the night in the square.’ “Genesis 19:2.  Lot begged the heavenly visitors to receive hospitality in his home, because he knew that others would not offer kindness and compassion.  Where are you being urged to offer compassion to someone who does not often receive it.

Tuesday: “But he urged them strongly; so they turned aside to him and entered his house; and he made them a feast, and baked unleavened bread, and they ate”. Genesis 19:3 Feeding people is an essential part of God’s hospitality.    It is through the meal of Communion that our souls are fed.  Who are you feeding through your table fellowship?

Wednesday: “and [Lot] said, ‘I beg you, my brothers, do not act so wickedly” Genesis 19: 7.  How easy it is to get caught up in mob mentality.  Acting as others do.  Making assumptions and judgements without knowing the full story or first offering compassion.  God calls us to be set apart for mercy and compassion, justice, and hospitality.  Are you living as one set apart?

Thursday: “Likewise, just as it was in the days of Lot: they were eating and drinking, buying, and selling, planting and building, but on the day that Lot left Sodom, it rained fire and sulphur from heaven and destroyed all of them —it will be like that on the day that the Son of Man is revealed.” Luke 17: 28-30.  We are called radical and inclusive hospitality.  We are called to be aware and engaged, generous and invitational.  Without which, we miss the heart of the message of Jesus the Christ.  Where are you being called back to keep the main thing the main thing?

Friday: “Let mutual love continue.” Hebrews 13:1. It is easy to imagine that our love for any one person is accomplished.  We have tried hard, and we are finished.   Let mutual love continue reminds us that our work of love is ongoing.

Saturday: “Do not neglect to show hospitality to strangers, for by doing that some have entertained angels without knowing it.” Hebrews 13:2. Hospitality is not just a nicety.  It is valuing others as your value yourself.  How can you show hospitality to someone you do not know today?