Colossians 3:12-17

Making Room for the Church

Making room for anyone is tough because biblical hospitality is more than sharing a meal or inviting friends over. It is the work of making room in our lives for others. True hospitality is a posture of charity toward the poor, of welcome toward the displaced, and of humility and gentleness toward the hurting.

Acts 4 describes the early church this way: “Now the entire group of those who believed were of one heart and mind, and no one claimed that any of his possession was his own, but instead they held everything in common (v.32). Here, “everything in common” means that they shared everything, not just a hobby or two. In other words, the early church held the things of this world loosely so that none of the brothers and sisters would go without. We are called to do the same.

We are joined together by Christ with people who are not always like us, who don’t share our interests, and whose flaws or idiosyncrasies can sometimes drive us up the wall. But these divisions are superficial. In the Church, we are one body, the body of Christ. And so, while living in a biblical community can sometimes be tough, it is also the healthiest way to live and essential to following our Saviour. After all, just as He died for us, He also died for the person in the pew next to you. We are called to love those Jesus loves.

¹² Since God chose you to be the holy people he loves, you must clothe yourselves with tenderhearted mercy, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience. ¹³ Make allowance for each other’s faults, and forgive anyone who offends you. Remember, the Lord forgave you, so you must forgive others. ¹⁴ Above all, clothe yourselves with love, which binds us all together in perfect harmony. ¹⁵ And let the peace that comes from Christ rule in your hearts. For as members of one body you are called to live in peace. And always be thankful.

¹⁶ Let the message about Christ, in all its richness, fill your lives. Teach and counsel each other with all the wisdom he gives. Sing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs to God with thankful hearts. ¹⁷ And whatever you do or say, do it as a representative of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks through him to God the Father.

Colossians 3:12-17