Hebrews 13:1-8

1 Keep on loving one another as brothers and sisters. 2 Do not forget to show hospitality to strangers, for by so doing some people have shown hospitality to angels without knowing it. 3Continue to remember those in prison as if you were together with them in prison, and those who are mistreated as if you yourselves were suffering.
4 Marriage should be honored by all, and the marriage bed kept pure, for God will judge the adulterer and all the sexually immoral. 5 Keep your lives free from the love of money and be content with what you have, because God has said,
“Never will I leave you; 
 never will I forsake you.”
6 So we say with confidence,
“The Lord is my helper; I will not be afraid. 
 What can mere mortals do to me?”
7 Remember your leaders, who spoke the word of God to you. Consider the outcome of their way of life and imitate their faith. 8 Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever.

Questions to consider:

• What characteristics of the new kingdom are given here?
• What attitudes toward God should result from an understanding of the privileges of the new covenant?
• List the actions and qualities which the author urges.
• With which of the above do you have problems? Why?

Possibilities for prayer:

“Do not forget to show hospitality to strangers, for by so doing some people have shown hospitality to angels without knowing it.”

Do you remember the story of Lot from the book of Genesis, who showed hospitality to strangers in his town, only to eventually discover that those strangers were actually angels. It seems that this story serves as an indication of the way in which we need to think carefully about the way we treat strangers who come into our lives. It is an encouragement to be hospitable to all people, those we know as well as those we don’t. Today, let’s pray for hearts of hospitality--that we might actually “entertain angels” without even knowing it.