This expository study of the letter of third John was preached at Bethany Community Church, Illinois (Five Points and Washington). Audio and abstracts are available for each lesson.
Faithful pastors have a sort of universal love language: seeing their people walk in the truth. Such was the case with the Apostle John as he wrote to his friend Gaius. He was concerned for his health and general well being, but his greatest joy was in hearing about Gaius’s faithfulness. Pastor Daniel says it this way: “The thing that will make a good spiritual shepherd happy (obedience to God through faith in Christ) is the same thing that will bring me the most joy.” Breaking this down further, he states the following: 1) Good shepherds really love you, 2) Good shepherds demonstrate love by wanting good things for you, 3) Good shepherds can have no greater joy than to find you walking in obedience to God, and 4) Therefore, making a good shepherd happy means that I am pursuing that which will bring me the greatest joy.
Summary by Seth Kempf, Bethany Community Church Staff
How should one receive a stranger who comes into town preaching the true gospel message? Gaius made a decision that John commended—he showed them hospitality. It might have felt like risky business at certain points and doubtless took some discernment along the way as people arrived, but through his faithful ministry he provides an example for believers today. Pastor Daniel applies the message of this text by emphasizing, “God calls us to joyfully participate in gospel ministry by providing hospitality to gospel workers.” He maintains, “Biblical hospitality is when I demonstrate my love for others by joyfully using my home and other resources to meet their physical needs.”
Summary by Seth Kempf, Bethany Community Church Staff
What exactly constitutes “gospel ministry?” It’s clear from John’s letter that there are people in gospel ministry that should be showed hospitality by those in the church, but what about the one who is welcoming such a person through hospitality? Is that individual in some way actively participating in the work of gospel ministry? As Pastor Daniel takes a second look at this text in this part two message, he argues that it certainly is just that and gives nine characteristics of biblical hospitality. Perhaps one of the more defining statements he makes to help illustrate such is in defining how this faithful work provides the platform for further gospel ministry: “Biblical hospitality is a tool for gospel proclamation.”
Summary by Seth Kempf, Bethany Community Church Staff
In John’s short letter, he quickly identifies what we might call a “good guy” and “bad guy” dichotomy. This is certainly an oversimplification of what was going on, but it’s hard to miss the contrast John seems to want everyone to notice. In one corner was the noble Gaius, a brother who welcomed gospel workers and walked in the truth. But in the other corner resided the divisive Diotrephes, an unloving person who was self-asserting and ungracious toward those who didn’t agree with him. Something needed to be done with character number two before matters got any worse. Pastor Daniel explores this text and shares the tragedy that exists when people in the church act as Diotrephes did. He states, “To destroy a church, proudly pursue your own glory instead of humbly pursuing God’s (to build a church…do the opposite!).”
Summary by Seth Kempf, Bethany Community Church Staff
“What am I supposed to do with this information?” It’s a question asked by a student who wants to know how to study for a test, by the recipient of gossip who wants to hold the gossiper accountable, and by the laborer who receives his co-worker’s memo by mistake. But John’s first readers may have also asked it when they got to this point of his letter. So far, they knew that Gaius was an example of a “good guy” and Diotrephes was definitely in the “bad guy” camp. So at this point, John said to them, “Here’s what you do—copy the good guy…oh, and consider one more: Demetrius.” Pastor Daniel echoes this by stating, “Imitate those who love and know the Lord Jesus Christ.”
Summary by Seth Kempf, Bethany Community Church Staff
Email is great. Texting is a gift. Video calling is an amazing technology. Good old-fashioned letter writing has a real warmth to it. But nothing beats true, face-to-face conversation where you can reach over and shake a hand, give a loved one a bear hug, or share life over a cup of coffee. John obviously saw value in sitting down with pen in hand to write a greeting and instruction to his friends, but he too knew what would be so much better; he wanted true, personal time with his brothers and sisters in Christ—that would allow him to actually pour into them in the ways he most wanted. These relationships within the body have always been of utmost importance. Pastor Daniel mentions this importance by stating, “It is in the context of friendship that the Christian life is to be lived,” and then, “Christ-like love produces Christ-exalting friendships.”
Summary by Seth Kempf, Bethany Community Church Staff