Abraham And Sarah

The Pair Who Served God Lunch

READ Genesis 18:1–15

God appeared or spoke to Abraham multiple times, but the episode in Genesis 18 may be the most intriguing. In this passage, God showed up in human form. In fact, three men came to see Abraham. These three men appeared to be God and two angels.

Abraham’s response to God was immediate. He hurried toward the travelers and bowed, asking them to stay and relax before continuing their journey. When the men accepted his invitation, Abraham set out quickly to prepare a huge feast, with the help of his wife, Sarah. Abraham asked Sarah to take three seahs (in total, probably around sixty pounds) of the “finest flour” to knead into dough and bake into bread. In the meantime, Abraham prepared a choice calf and got some curds and milk.

We can see that Abraham’s meal was not a light continental breakfast. The size of this meal seems entirely disproportionate to the occasion. Three men showed up to Abraham’s tent, and he and Sarah proceeded to prepare a feast. This was a banquet, with enough food for the travelers to take leftovers with them if they wished.

Though it may seem like a small thing, radical hospitality is an important way believers can live out their faith. Quite likely with the story of Abraham and the three visitors in mind, the writer of Hebrews said, “Do not forget to show hospitality to strangers, for by so doing some people have shown hospitality to angels without knowing it” (13:2).

Yet our motivation for hospitality should not be that we hope the folks we serve are angels in disguise (though that is a fantastic thought!). Our kindness should be part and parcel of living out the Christian faith with other people. Recall what Jesus said about those who feed the hungry, dress the naked, give water to the thirsty, care for the sick, and visit the imprisoned: “Whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me” (Matthew 25:40). How we treat others—especially the marginalized—is a reflection of what we really think of Christ himself. Our love for Christ should overflow into kindness and hospitality for those around us.

Jesus himself made a veiled reference to the story of Abraham, Sarah, and the three visitors. In Matthew 13:33, he said, “The kingdom of heaven is like yeast that a woman took and mixed into about sixty pounds of flour until it worked all through the dough.” Where the Bible says “about sixty pounds,” the Greek text says tria sata, three measures totaling about sixty pounds. Here Christ connects the hospitality of Sarah and Abraham to what the kingdom of heaven is like! The kingdom of God is characterized by generosity and care for others.

Consider where there are opportunities for you to practice hospitality and generosity in your life. Is there a ministry at a local prison you could volunteer with? A mentoring program for elementary students at a nearby school? Maybe you could visit some elderly people from your church community who are now confined to a nursing home. Perhaps you could bless a couple with young children by offering to babysit (or pay for a babysitter) while they go out and spend some time together. Be creatively hospitable! As Romans 12:13 says, “Share with the Lord’s people who are in need. Practice hospitality.” When you follow that invitation, you echo the faithfulness of Abraham and Sarah. As Christ reminds us, practicing radical hospitality gives the world a picture of the kingdom of heaven. What an exciting invitation!