WEEK 4 SERMON DISCUSSION QUESTIONS FOR GROUPS

Open Doors, Open Heart: Hospitality 

Introduction:

Hospitality is more than entertaining friends, preparing a perfect meal, or making sure the house looks presentable. Biblical hospitality is simply making room for people in our lives. Jesus demonstrated this repeatedly by eating, drinking, talking, and spending time with people others often overlooked. The table became a place where strangers became friends, outsiders felt welcomed, and lives were changed. Hospitality doesn’t require a large home, elaborate food, or special skills. It requires an open heart and a willingness to be present. When we welcome others, share what we have, and listen to their stories, we reflect the welcoming heart of Jesus.

Bottom Line: Repurpose what you’re already doing into an act of witness.

Something To Talk About:

1. Two reasons Jesus eating at Zacchaeus’ house was offensive: First, Zacchaeus was a tax collector. Tax collectors were viewed as traitors and sinners because they worked for Rome and were often associated with dishonesty and exploitation. Jesus wasn’t simply having lunch with a disliked neighbor. He was deliberately entering the home of someone society had rejected. Second, hospitality meant far more in that culture. Sharing a meal and entering someone’s home communicated acceptance, relationship, and friendship. Jesus wasn’t merely saying, “I tolerate Zacchaeus.” His willingness to eat with him demonstrated that Zacchaeus mattered to God. That is what makes this story so powerful. Jesus was willing to cross the social and religious boundaries others had built around Zacchaeus. He saw beyond the label “tax collector” and saw a person who needed grace. Sometimes following Jesus means opening our lives to people others have already written off.

1. The mission of Jesus was: seek and save the lost:  Jesus’ mission was to seek and save the lost, and one of His favorite methods was surprisingly simple: He ate and drank with people. Jesus sat at tables with tax collectors, sinners, friends, strangers, and those society often rejected. Around a meal, barriers came down, conversations became personal, and relationships were formed. Jesus showed us that ministry doesn’t always require a platform, program, or church building. Sometimes it simply requires an open chair and a shared meal. Following Jesus means making room at our tables and in our lives. Hospitality can become holy ground where people experience the love of Jesus.

1. The method of Jesus was eating and drinking: Jesus’ mission was to seek and save the lost, and one of His favorite methods was surprisingly simple: He ate and drank with people. Jesus sat at tables with tax collectors, sinners, friends, strangers, and those society often rejected. Around a meal, barriers came down, conversations became personal, and relationships were formed. Jesus showed us that ministry doesn’t always require a platform, program, or church building. Sometimes it simply requires an open chair and a shared meal. Following Jesus means making room at our tables and in our lives. Hospitality can become holy ground where people experience the love of Jesus.

Discussion Questions:

1. In Luke 19:1–10, what stands out to you most about Jesus’ encounter with Zacchaeus?
2. Zacchaeus was disliked and considered an outsider. Why do you think Jesus intentionally chose to spend time with him?
3. Jesus said, “The Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost” (Luke 19:10). What does this tell us about the mission of Jesus?
4. What does it mean to be “lost,” and who might be considered lost or overlooked in our community today?
5. Jesus didn’t simply preach to Zacchaeus—He invited Himself to his home. Why was sharing a meal such a powerful way to connect with him?
6. Throughout the Gospels, Jesus frequently ate and drank with people. What can we learn from His approach to relationships and ministry?
7. The crowd criticized Jesus for spending time with a “sinner.” Are there people or groups Christians sometimes hesitate to welcome into their lives? Why?
8. Zacchaeus’ encounter with Jesus resulted in dramatic life change. How can genuine relationships create opportunities for spiritual transformation?
9. What keeps us from practicing hospitality—busyness, discomfort, fear, inconvenience, or something else? How can we overcome those barriers?
10. Who is one person God may be calling you to make room for? What practical step could you take this week—sharing a meal, having coffee, inviting them over, or simply spending intentional time together?

Take one thing home with you:

Hospitality is important because it turns the love of Jesus into something people can actually experience. We can talk about love, grace, acceptance, and community, but hospitality gives those words a chair at the table. It says, “You matter. You are welcome. There is a place for you here.”

Jesus understood the power of being present with people. He ate with sinners, welcomed outsiders, listened to their stories, and entered their homes. He knew relationships often open doors that sermons alone cannot. Around a table, defenses come down, conversations deepen, and strangers can become friends.

Hospitality is also important because loneliness and isolation are everywhere. Many people are surrounded by others yet still feel unseen and unknown. Something as ordinary as sharing a meal, drinking coffee, or inviting someone into our lives can become an extraordinary expression of God’s love.

We don’t need perfect homes, impressive meals, or entertaining personalities. We simply need to make room.

Jesus came to seek and save the lost, and one of His methods was eating and drinking with people. When we practice hospitality, we follow His example—opening our tables, our schedules, and ultimately our hearts so others might experience the welcoming love of Jesus.