Fellowship of Saints
A Sermon on Romans 12:13
Originally preached May 27, 1966
Scripture
13Distributing to the necessity of saints; given to hospitality.
Sermon Description
In this sermon on Romans 12:13 titled “Fellowship of the Saints,” Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones challenges the listeners to show hospitality. Preaching from Romans 12:13, one of the first things he clarifies is the true Pauline meaning of hospitality. In the book of Romans (and in other places in Scripture), the biblical meaning for hospitality is “loving strangers.” This means that when the biblical authors command believers to show hospitality, their command is one of evangelism rather than only fellowship with the saints. An important element of the Christian existence paired with hospitality is indeed contributing to the needs of the saints. Separate from hospitality but similar, Dr. Lloyd-Jones preaches that contributing to the needs of the saints shows the love of God within the hearts of Christians. A privilege that God has given His believers is that they may share in their suffering instead of enduring alone. Other Christians should be a welcome and wonderful sight for believers because of the burden and the privilege the saints carry. Dr. Lloyd-Jones exhorts his listeners by saying that Christians submit too much to the needs and expectations of the world. Rather, Christians must be the light of the world and share the good news of Jesus Christ with all those they come in contact with, especially through hospitality.
Sermon Breakdown
- The sermon focuses on Romans 12:13 which says "Distributing to the necessity of saints; given to hospitality."
- The verse contains two balanced statements: "distributing to the necessity of saints" and "given to hospitality." The first refers to meeting the needs of fellow Christians and the second refers to showing kindness to strangers.
- "Distributing" is too weak of a translation. A better translation is "entering into fellowship with the necessity of the saints." This means truly sharing in their burdens and needs.
- "Necessity" refers to bare necessities and essential needs, not desires or luxuries.
- "Saints" refers to all Christians, not just certain canonized individuals. All believers have been set apart by God.
- Hospitality refers to "loving strangers" or showing affection for strangers. It is more than just being hospitable. It means actively pursuing opportunities to show kindness to strangers.
- The early church dealt with persecution, lack of infrastructure, and travel difficulties so hospitality and caring for fellow Christians was extremely important.
- The sermon teaches that we should recognize fellow Christians, share in their burdens, and be eager to help meet their needs. We are all part of the same family of God.
- The sermon discusses the importance of doctrine and how our conduct should flow from our doctrine. Failure to help others in need shows a lack of understanding of being part of the body of Christ.
- The sermon discusses how to put this teaching into practice through discernment, fighting greed, and focusing on the rewards of eternity.
- The sermon gives several examples of how the New Testament reinforces this teaching, including Acts 2, Acts 4, 2 Corinthians 8, and 1 Timothy 6.
- The sermon distinguishes this teaching from communism. Christianity teaches stewardship, not forced redistribution of wealth. We give voluntarily out of love, not compulsion.
- The sermon notes that the primary call of Christians is to fellow Christians, not general philanthropy. We should focus first on the needs within the church.
- The sermon discusses difficulties in carrying out this teaching, including dealing with "professional beggars" and the need for discernment. We must be wise stewards.
Sermon Q&A
Questions and Answers about Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones' Sermon on Hospitality in Romans 12:13
What does "distributing to the necessity of saints" mean according to Dr. Lloyd-Jones?
According to Dr. Lloyd-Jones, this phrase means entering into fellowship or partnership with the necessities of saints. It's stronger than merely distributing resources - it means feeling that another believer's burden is your burden, sharing in their predicament, and entering into a kind of partnership with them in their position. As he explains, "You've entered into a kind of partnership with them in their position and in their predicament."
Who are the "saints" referred to in Romans 12:13?
Dr. Lloyd-Jones emphasizes that in the New Testament, the "saints" are all believers in Christ, not just specially designated individuals. He states, "In the New Testament, every member of the church is regarded as a saint." Saints are people who have been set apart by God, taken out of the world, and put into His kingdom. Lloyd-Jones contrasts this with Roman Catholic teaching, noting that "Saints are made by God, and all true Christians are saints."
What does "given to hospitality" actually mean in the original Greek?
Dr. Lloyd-Jones explains that the original Greek phrase is much stronger than our English translation suggests. It literally means "loving strangers" or "stranger loving." Additionally, the phrase "given to" is also much too weak - it actually means "to pursue hospitality" or "to follow after it." He provides examples from other passages where the same Greek word is translated as "follow after," "press toward the mark," or even "persecute" (in the sense of pursuing). It implies eagerness, zeal, and actively seeking opportunities to show hospitality.
How does Dr. Lloyd-Jones differentiate Christian giving from communism?
Dr. Lloyd-Jones clarifies that Christianity does not teach communism but rather stewardship. Christians still maintain their possessions but are governed by a spirit of love that compels them to give when they see brothers in need. The key differences he identifies are: 1. Communism compels giving by law; Christianity does it by love 2. Christianity is an appeal made to people in light of doctrine 3. Christianity is about stewardship rather than abandoning all private property 4. The goal is that "none of us is suffering from need" through voluntary sharing
What priority should Christians follow in their giving according to Dr. Lloyd-Jones?
Dr. Lloyd-Jones teaches that Christians should prioritize helping fellow believers first: "The primary call on the Christian is to his fellow Christians - 'do good unto all men, especially them that are of the household of faith.' They come first." He argues that churches should "seek out the Christians in needy countries" rather than simply participating in general secular philanthropy. While Christians can help others beyond the church if they are able, believers should "designate their gifts to their fellow Christians" as a priority.
How can Christians discern genuine needs from those of "professional beggars"?
Dr. Lloyd-Jones acknowledges this challenge and offers practical advice: 1. Exercise discernment (which he calls "a gift of discrimination") 2. Listen to people talk and assess their claims 3. In the early church, they used "letters of commendation" to verify travelers' claims 4. Remember stewardship requires calculation - "A steward is not a man who gives to the first man who asks him" 5. Pray for discernment to recognize truly worthy cases
What theological foundation does Dr. Lloyd-Jones see behind the command to show hospitality?
Dr. Lloyd-Jones roots this command in the doctrine of the church as the body of Christ (Romans 12:4-5). Believers are to help one another because "we are all the family of God" and "more closely related than we are by natural ties." He relates this to 1 Corinthians 12, where Paul teaches that "if any one member suffer, all the body suffers with it." The command flows from understanding our identity as members of Christ's body.
What motivation does Christ give for practicing hospitality according to Dr. Lloyd-Jones?
Dr. Lloyd-Jones points to Matthew 25, where Christ says, "Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me." When believers show hospitality, they are not only helping their fellow Christians but are ministering to Christ himself. This understanding transforms hospitality from mere charity to an act of devotion to Christ, with the reward of hearing "Well done, thou good and faithful servant."
How does Dr. Lloyd-Jones explain the relationship between money and hospitality?
Dr. Lloyd-Jones emphasizes that love of money is the great hindrance to showing hospitality. Citing Hebrews 13, he points out three kinds of love: brotherly love, love of strangers (hospitality), and love of money - which opposes the first two. He quotes "Let your manner of life be free from the love of money," explaining that "if you love money, you won't love your brother or the stranger." He also references 1 Timothy 6, where Paul warns that the love of money is a root of all evil and instructs the rich to be "ready to distribute, willing to communicate."
What spiritual rewards come from showing hospitality according to the sermon?
Dr. Lloyd-Jones identifies several spiritual rewards for practicing hospitality: 1. Pleasing Christ himself, since we do it "unto him" (Matthew 25) 2. Potentially "entertaining angels unawares" (Hebrews 13:2) 3. Being welcomed into heaven by those we've helped (Luke 16:9) 4. Laying up treasure in heaven and gaining assurance of eternal life (1 Timothy 6) 5. Hearing Christ's approval: "Well done, thou good and faithful servant"
The Book of Romans
Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones
Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones (1899-1981) was a Welsh evangelical minister who preached and taught in the Reformed tradition. His principal ministry was at Westminster Chapel, in central London, from 1939-1968, where he delivered multi-year expositions on books of the bible such as Romans, Ephesians and the Gospel of John. In addition to the MLJ Trust’s collection of 1,600 of these sermons in audio format, most of these great sermon series are available in book form (including a 14 volume collection of the Romans sermons), as are other series such as "Spiritual Depression", "Studies in the Sermon on the Mount" and "Great Biblical Doctrines". He is considered by many evangelical leaders today to be an authority on biblical truth and the sufficiency of Scripture.