Final Greetings

"Peace be to you. The friends greet you. Greet the friends, every one of them." 3 John, Final Greetings

When I read this I thought, "Every one?"

Why?


Maybe it was courtesy. Maybe it was just customary. I'm sure there's an answer, I just don't know at the moment.

Have I ever avoided eye-contact with someone at church? Yes. Have I ever decided to use the far staircase because I saw someone I didn't want to speak with? Yes.

Maybe I'm just weird. Or maybe there's a part of us that really doesn't want to greet every one.

What does it mean to "greet?" I have tiers:

1. Stranger, but recognize face: Smile with no teeth
2. Pastor/Elder: "Hi Elder/ Pastor!" , use I'm-happy-and-holy voice
4. Guy - moderate friend: Holy head-nod
5. Girl - moderate friend: Say hello, but keep walking
6. Guy - good friend: Do the cool hand grasp thing followed by manly half-hug
7. Girl - good friend: N/A

What does it mean to greet? The Greek word aspazomai literally means to "enfold in the arms...embrace"

In our day, or at least in our church, we probably can't do that literally. But in our minds don't we often push people away even if we don't push them away with our arms? In the same way, can't we express our genuine embrace when we greet even if we aren't literally hugging them?

Imagine...

What if we actually greeted every one? What if we were a fellowship where no one was left out, and everyone was welcomed? What if we were a church that learned to embrace instead of reject?

In the parable of "The Prodigal Son"one of the most tear-jerking moments is this:

.v20. And he arose and came to his father. But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and felt compassion, and ran and embraced him and kissed him.

But how is this kind of sacrificial, compassionate, resurrecting, embrace possible?

Jesus. Jesus not only opened up his arms to embrace us, but to have his wrists nailed to a cross to be rejected by the world, his followers, his friends, and finally, His Father.

Why? So that the Father that rejected Christ on the cross, would never have to reject us. Jesus left the embrace of the Father to secure for us an eternal embrace. So that when we're on our way to our final home, we will be greeted - every one of us.