3rd John
Open your home!
“Would you open your Bibles with me to...”
Heb. 13:2 Do not forget to entertain strangers, for by so doing some have unwittingly entertained angels.
Pray
Intro
√ Entertaining angels
Calls to mind the Biblical account of Lot when he took two strangers into his home so that they would not have to sleep on the streets of Sodom.
Little did he know that they were angels sent by God to destroy the city and that they would rescue him from the destruction!
Ties into our study on 3rd John as he writes to encourage Christian hospitality.
√ Written to a Christian
Whereas…
1st John was written to a Church
2nd John to a home
3rd John is written to an individual Christian.
It is a personal letter from the apostle John to a man named Gaius (vs. 1). As such it is one of only two personal letters in the New Testament (i.e. Timothy & Titus written with a larger group in mind.)
√ Purpose of the letter
Once again we find John emphasizing two main points…
"truth and love"
Surprise! J
However, in 3rd John the application of truth and love in the life of a believer is markedly different than in 1st & 2nd John.
1st John - close the door of the church to false teachers
2nd John - close the door of your home to false teachers
In 3rd John we find him encouraging a believer to open the door of his home & the church to those who teach the truth!
The reason that John had to write is that one of the leaders within the church had closed the door of the church and the home to those John sent to minister the truth.
Ap. We're called to open our homes to the servants of the Lord.
Christian hospitality is still much needed today. There are Christians whose ministry requires them to travel often from their home.
One can only endure the impersonal environment of a hotel for so long!
A warm Christian home and a home cooked meal in a strange city or community can be a real blessing to those on the road.
So we want to take John’s instruction to heart, for you never know when you might be the one to encourage a servant of the Lord…
…or even entertain angels unaware!
Walking in the truth (vs. 1-4)
3John 1 THE ELDER, To the beloved Gaius, whom I love in truth:
3John 2 Beloved, I pray that you may prosper in all things and be in health, just as your soul prospers.
3John 3 For I rejoiced greatly when brethren came and testified of the truth that is in you, just as you walk in the truth.
3John 4 I have no greater joy than to hear that my children walk in truth.
√ Walking in the truth
First of all we note that John identifies himself in the same manner as he did in his 2nd epistle…
"The elder"
…or literally…
"the old man"! J
You'll remember that the Greek word here is "presbyteros" and was also used in the early Church to identify those who were eyewitnesses of Jesus' life, death, and resurrection.
A title of spiritual authority.
And that he is writing to an individual Christian by the name of Gaius.
Outside of this section of scripture we don't have any other information about his man.
From the letter we can discern that he was a close friend, and Christian brother of John, perhaps even a convert of John's! (i.e. "my children" - vs. 4)
Probably a man of some influence, both in the local church and the community.
A man with a great Christian testimony! Note vs. 3…
"For I rejoiced greatly when brethren came and testified of the truth that is in you, just as you walk in the truth."
That is, this man was doing the very things that John encouraged Christians to do in his 1st epistle, that is…
“walk in the truth!”
Here was a man who lived his Christian faith in such a way that his faith was evident to others.
He didn't have to tell people that he was a Christian, you could tell by looking at him!
His life was a testimony for Jesus - his conduct was like His Lord, his speech was like Jesus - he was the real deal!
Ap. The best witness - walk in the truth!
We're reminded by John's commendation of this man that the best witness any of us can have is to simply…
…do the things that Jesus did! Just live the life!
* Even non-believers respect those who practice what they preach!
Working for the truth (vs. 5-8)
3John 5 Beloved, you do faithfully whatever you do for the brethren and for strangers,
3John 6 who have borne witness of your love before the church. If you send them forward on their journey in a manner worthy of God, you will do well,
3John 7 because they went forth for His name’s sake, taking nothing from the Gentiles.
3John 8 We therefore ought to receive such, that we may become fellow workers for the truth.
√ Working for the truth
Regarding his Christian testimony, John writes that it was Gaius' hospitality to travelers that had gained him attention - all the way to the church in which John made his home.
Ex. Traveling ministers, evangelists, apostles, preachers, teachers, all needed support when on the road.
No credit cards, no way to wire money, dangerous or impractical to carry enough funds for a long mission trip.
Therefore, traveling ministers relied on the kindness and hospitality of local believers and churches to help them along the way.
Apparently, Gaius was one who had extended this kindness by not only opening his home, but also providing for the needs of these ministers so that they could continue their journey!
What kind of things may he have done for them?
Feed and house them while they were ministering in his area.
Do their laundry, mend their clothes, repair their packs.
Provide a safe place to rest, maybe even heal up.
Encourage them with kind words and prayer.
Then, when they were ready to move on to the next place of ministry he sent them with full packs, money in their pockets, and refreshed in their spirits all without ever making his guests feel for a second that they were a burden to him!
This guy was a real blessing!
Ap. Did you note the list? None of those things were really difficult!
Ex. Teaching, preaching, leading worship
Christians often think they can’t be of any real service to the Lord because they aren’t gifted in the areas of ministry “up front”.
Simply doing someone’s laundry, or cleaning their home, feeding them, etc., is just as important to getting the job of ministry done!
Don’t sell your gifting short! If God has given you the gift to make other’s lives easier – you have just as great a reward as a “Billy Graham”!
√ Fellow worker
John's encouragement to Gaius was that he continue to show this same hospitality to others for in doing so he would be a fellow worker in the ministry.
3John 8 We therefore ought to receive such, that we may become fellow workers for the truth.
What a great reminder that we all have a part to play in the work of spreading the Good News, and that not everyone is called to "go out".
Rather, some are called to stay behind and support those who are called to go out to share the gospel with the lost.
That's John's point in vs. 7…
3John 7 because they went forth for His name’s sake, taking nothing from the Gentiles.
"Gentiles" as used here by John means "unbelievers". Note how the NLT translates vs. 7…
3John 7 For they are traveling for the Lord and accept nothing from those who are not Christians.
John's point is that it was obviously inappropriate for these ministers to seek support from the lost whom they were trying to reach!
Therefore, it is our Christian duty as a local church and as an individual believer to do what we can to help those who are called to take the Gospel to the lost.
Even today there is something inherently wrong with a preacher who asks for support from those he is offering the free gift of God's salvation!
Ex. Taking offerings at crusades - very uncomfortable!
I like Greg Laurie's approach with the Harvest Crusades, the largest contributor in any given community is his own church!
Ex. ~ 90 people from Greg's fellowship, plus 38 teens, going to work the crusade in New Zealand - all paid their own way!
Or, right here at Calvary Chapel in the Ozarks, our first mission trip and we have 17 people going who put up the cash to pay their way so they could minister to others!
Ap. Be a fellow worker
While you may not be called to full time mission work in some other part of the world, we're all called to be involved in the work of spreading the Gospel!
Pray, send support, open your home, open your heart to help those called to go.
Welcoming the truth (vs. 9-10)
3John 9 I wrote to the church, but Diotrephes, who loves to have the preeminence among them, does not receive us.
3John 10 Therefore, if I come, I will call to mind his deeds which he does, prating against us with malicious words. And not content with that, he himself does not receive the brethren, and forbids those who wish to, putting them out of the church.
√ Welcoming the truth
We now discover one reason that John was writing to an individual within the local church, rather than writing to the church.
Because he'd already tried writing to the church but there was a self-appointed leader there that rejected John's request!
Note vs. 9
3John 9 I wrote to the church, but Diotrephes, who loves to have the preeminence among them, does not receive us.
Apparently this man was a very forceful, authoritarian, and intimidating guy who for unknown reasons decided that he wasn't going to do as John asked!
Can you imagine rejecting a message from John!
Unfortunately guys like this are still with us today. Note the characteristics of their behavior listed in vs. 10…
1) Gossiping maliciously about John and the other leaders in the church!
2) Refused to open the door of the church to the ministers sent by John!
3) Excommunicated those who did open their door to these servants of Jesus!
As for his motivation, the only clue we have is found in vs. 9 where John tells us that this man…
"love(ed) to have the preeminence among them"
That is, this guy was an egomaniac! He had to be the center of attention, he couldn't stand to have anyone else around that might be more spiritually gifted than he…
…so he appointed himself to be the head of the local church and controlled it with a heavy authoritarian hand.
The result was that the church rather than welcoming those who brought the truth, closed their door to them and missed out on the blessing they brought.
Ap. Leadership by intimidation is not Christ-like
Watch out for folks in the church who like to try and intimidate you.
If you ever feel that someone is trying to take your freedom to choose away from you through manipulation, or intimidation…
…don’t receive it!
The example of Jesus was leadership by example. You will never once find the Lord trying to force anyone to do anything.
Witnessing for the truth (vs. 11-14)
3John 11 Beloved, do not imitate what is evil, but what is good. He who does good is of God, but he who does evil has not seen God.
3John 12 Demetrius has a good testimony from all, and from the truth itself. And we also bear witness, and you know that our testimony is true.
3John 13 I had many things to write, but I do not wish to write to you with pen and ink;
3John 14 but I hope to see you shortly, and we shall speak face to face. Peace to you. Our friends greet you. Greet the friends by name.
√ Witnessing for the truth
In contrast to Diotrephes, John commends a man by the name of Demetrius. Note what John says about this man’s character in vs. 12…
“Demetrius has a good testimony from all, and from the truth itself. And we also bear witness, and you know that our testimony is true”
He’s got a “good testimony” with everyone because his…
Conduct
Speech
Attitude
…reveal that the Truth is in him! He’s not a false teacher, or a pretend Christian, this guy’s for real and everyone including the apostle John can see that he’s a witness for the truth.
√ Open your home
Part of John’s purpose in writing to his friend Gaius was to ask that he extend the same hospitality for which he was so well known, to this man – Demetrius.
Demetrius was sent out by John for some work of ministry. He may have already run into a roadblock with Diotrephes, so he was in need of help.
So, John seeks the help of a trusted friend to help this servant of Christ in a far-away place.
Ap. A good testimony
In almost every church you’ll find a Diotrephes, and a Demetrius!
Those that are like Demetrius are the ones who really live the true Christian life. They make for a healthy local church.
I thank God that we have so many in our fellowship that are living the true Christian life! Folks who are excited about serving Jesus, people who count it a privilege to do anything for the Lord (vs. a selective servant!).
We each chose which kind of Christian witness we’re going to have.
A good witness, or a bad one!
John’s encouragement is that we chose to be a good witness so that the truth of Jesus would shine in our lives.
Close
√ Open your home and heart to support the work of God
Walking in the Truth
Working for the Truth
Welcome the Truth
Witness for the Truth
Remember, we get a share of the rewards, which Jesus will give to those we helped in ministry.
And who knows whether you may one day entertain angels unaware!