Gtcotr/ws102523
3 John 1
1 ¶ THE ELDER, To the beloved Gaius, whom I love in truth:
• The Elder – John the Apostle.
o Perhaps the only remaining Apostle
o Maybe the year AD85 or so
o Living at Ephesus
o Known and revered by most, but not by all
• 3 Men in the NT named Gaius: In Corinth; In Ephesus; In Derbe.
• We do not know which one it is, if any of the three.
2 Beloved, I pray that you may prosper in all things and be in health, just as your soul prospers.
• I earnestly desire and yearn in prayer:
o That prosperity and success would come easier in every area of life.
o The closer you get to Jesus, the wealthier and healthier you become.
o That your success and health be directly connected to your godliness.
▪ Including mental and emotional health
▪ Mental health is connected to godliness.
• Success in our pursuits is directly connected to godliness.
• When all the world around us is in chaos and division, we can remain successful and healthy in our pursuits when our pursuits are to be godly in all we do.
• We can find peace in the time of war.
• It becomes easier to reach our goals when our goals are godly goals.
3 ¶ For I rejoiced greatly when brethren came and testified of the truth that is in you, just as you walk in the truth.
• John followed the example of Jesus and sent his disciples out to preach the Gospel in places he hoped to visit at a later date.
• John rejoiced when he heard that his labors had not been in vain.
4 I have no greater joy than to hear that my children walk in truth.
• A clear and understandable expression of the heart.
• There is no greater joy!
• It should be the ultimate goal of every Believer to see their children walking in the truth of the Gospel of Jesus Christ.
5 Beloved, you do faithfully whatever you do for the brethren and for strangers,
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,
7 because they went forth for His name’s sake, taking nothing from the Gentiles.
8 We therefore ought to receive such, that we may become fellow workers for the truth.
• John commends Gaius for being faithful to help the members of the Church he attended and for also helping strangers who visit as well.
• Specifically those sent by the Apostle John as missionaries and traveling evangelists.
o Men who had gone out to spread the name of Jesus, who decided they would nothing from the lost to whom they were sent as a witness.
• We become fellow workers with those we support in the ministry.
9 ¶ I wrote to the church, but Diotrephes, who loves to have the preeminence among them, does not receive us.
• There will be 3 men mentioned in this letter John writes to Gaius.
o Gaius – a good and godly man – whom John commended.
o Diotrephes – an insecure and ungodly man – threatens.
o Demetrius – a good and godly man – commends.
• 2 of these 3 men are servants of the Church and accept the Elder Apostle John as a man who speaks with the authority of Jesus.
o Jesus gave John this authority on the cross.
o No one, more than John, has the authority to speak for Jesus in Church matters.
• But Diotrephes did not receive the Apostle John or his ambassadors.
o Because Diotrephes did not like the Apostle John. No doubt, because John was a man, Diotrephes had something he pointed to that John said or did that gave him and his followers a reason to dishonor John and disavow his authority.
▪ But John was a part of starting every mission and every Church and every ministry that came out of that upper room.
▪ How could Diotrephes, who would never have had the opportunity to be a leader in a Church if it had not been for the groundwork, persecution, and sacrifice of the Apostle John, think he could just denounce this man.
▪ Was it because he thought John was tooold? Or maybe he left Jerusalem during the persecution? Perhaps it was because John had been exiled – put in jail basically – was in disfavor with the government. I don’t know … but there was a second big reason as well …
o Because Diotrephes wanted people to believe he was the head guy, the most important, the last word, and the one in charge.
• Some Churches and missions efforts still have these spirits speaking to and controlling them today … and it’s not to their best.
• Can you imagine anyone in that day not listening to the Apostle John … the one who was called by Jesus from the fishing boat in the Galilee … the one who left all to follow Christ … the one who paid the price to make sure others around the world had a chance to know Jesus and have a Church … the one to whom Jesus gave the care of His mother?
• How could Diotrephes not listen to and not follow the words of John?
o Well, before we judge Diotrephes too harshly – perhaps we should look at our own lives and see if we are following the Holy Spirit anointed and inspired words of the Apostle John and the others Jesus sent to us in His name.
o I guess we should judge ourselves before we judge others.
o There is a spirit that makes a person want to be final say in their lives and in the lives of those they influence … it’s the unholy spirit of the anti-Christ. Which John said is now in the world.
o Continuing with Diotrephes … who was by the way, a Church leader.
▪ We may not be able to imitate every person who we find in Church leadership.
▪ Being a Church leader does not make a person godly.
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.
• Wow … that’s all … wow!
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.
• What an admonition …
• Do not imitate what is evil (Diotrephes) but what is good.
• It’s fairly simple to see who is following God and who is following evil.
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.
• Commended by his testimony.
• “Come on man” – really … just look at the truth.
• If you find out people are liars guess what? They are liars!
• But if their witness is true, follow the truth.
13 I had many things to write, but I do not wish to write to you with pen and ink;
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.
• Sometimes there are things that are just better face to face instead of in text messages.
• Discern the difference and the need.
• Not everything should be in writing …
• Friends and enemies … know which is which and treat them as they are.
o Fellowship with your friends.
o Pray for your enemies.
o May your godly pursuits become easier to achieve as your soul gets closer to Jesus.
