Opening Prayer. Father God help us in our study of Your word so that we might become willing encouragers to those whose calling is to minister to others the truth of Your word. We are grateful for those ministers and teachers who have been a light in our lives. We are grateful for the purpose and truth you have allowed into our lives from the lips of those who spread your word. Lead us now as we study Your word as given to us by Your Apostle John. In Jesus name we pray...Amen
3rd John 1: 1-8 Encouraging Others
3Jn 1:1 From: The Elder, To: My dear friend Gaius, whom I genuinely love. 2 Dear friend, I pray that you are doing well in every way and that you are healthy, just as your soul is healthy. 3 I was overjoyed when some brothers arrived and testified about your truthfulness and how you live according to the truth. 4 I have no greater joy than to hear that my children are living according to the truth. 5 Dear friend, you are faithful in whatever you do for the brothers, especially when they are strangers. 6 They have testified before the church about your love. You will do well to send them on their way in a manner worthy of God. 7 After all, they went on their trip for the sake of the Name, accepting no support from gentiles. 8 Therefore, we ought to support such people so that we can become genuine helpers with them.
Discussion
Having studied the apostle John’s second epistle that believers are not to sanction or provide for false teachers, we now read how the church is to treat those who teach true, apostolic doctrine. The Third Epistle encourages the believer to the exercise of hospitality, whether towards those who are known followers, fellow believers, or those who are strangers, seeking aid on their way, provided that they come with the truth and for the truth's sake, and without salary or provision. Gaius received them, and was helpful to them in his own house and on their journey. Again the apostle insists on the truth, as characterizing real love. He rejoiced when the brethren, those whom Gaius had received into his house and helped on their journey, testified of the truth that was in him, as was his character, he walked in the truth. The apostle had no greater joy than that of hearing that his children walked in the truth. In receiving those who went forth to preach the truth, they helped the truth itself; they were co-workers with it.
John wrote to encourage those who were kind to others..- Gaius and Demetrius were commended for their faithful work in the church. They were held up as examples of faithful, sefless servants. Even in our world today, perhaps even more now than ever before, we shouldn't take for granted Christian workers who serve faithfully. We should always be positive and encouraging to those who do the work of the church, so they won't grow weary of serving. Genuine hospitality for Christian workers was needed then, and is still important today. This is important as faithful Christian teachers and missionaries need our support. Whenever you can extend hospitality to others, it will make you a partner in their ministry. Therefore, we ought to support such people so that we can become genuine helpers with them.
Questions
1. In John's 2nd letter we studied how discerning a Christian is to be about what?
2. In verse 2, John prays for Gaius' health and for his healthy soul, what is a healthy soul?
3. John mentions his great joy in verse four what does he say gives him great Joy?
4. How does Gaius send his visitors on their way in a manner worthy of God?
5. In these first eight verses, what do we understand about Gaius?
6. God is it, Jesus teaches it, and it speaks well of the Christians who lives the truth of it. What is it?
7. The one thing a Christian can do in showing their love for others is to offer them what?
8. What would Jesus do?
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3rd John 1: 9-14 What's wrong?
9 I wrote a letter to the church, but Diotrephes, who loves to be in charge, will not recognize our authority. 10 For this reason, when I come I will call attention to what he is doing in spreading false charges against us. And not content with that, he refuses to receive the brothers. He even tries to stop those who want to accept them and throws them out of the church. 11 Dear friend, do not imitate what is evil, but what is good. The person who does what is good is from God. The person who does what is evil has never seen God. 12 Demetrius has received a good report from everyone, including the truth itself. We, too, can testify to this report, and you know that our testimony is true. 13 Although I have a great deal to write to you, I would rather not write with pen and ink.14 Instead, I hope to see you soon and speak face to face. May peace be with you! Your friends greet you. Greet each of our friends by name.
Discussion
It appears that John has a rival in Diotrephes. Apparently this person Diotrephes has presumed to take some authority away from John. Probably an act of self promotion in some area of the church or he even has assumed control to such an extent that he is opposing John by rejecting John's authority. What was true some 2000 years ago is still true even today. There is usually one who wants the position of authority, and is willing to take control if not rebuffed. In any case John is not going to let it go. He is going to do something about it when he arrives. This man is abusive and controlling to such an extent that he ejects those whom he decides against. Noting this, John then tells Gaius to avoid imitating such evil behavior, and instead do what is good. John then reminds his readers that the person that does good is from God and the person that does evil has never seen God. Both the heart and mouth must be watched. The temper and spirit of Diotrephes was full of pride and ambition. It is bad not to do good ourselves; but it is worse to hinder those who would do good. Those cautions and counsels are most likely to be accepted, which are seasoned with love. Follow that which is good, for he that doeth good, as delighting therein, is born of God. Evil-workers vainly pretend or boast acquaintance with God. Let us not follow that which is proud, selfish, and of bad design, though the example may be given by persons of rank and power; but let us be followers of God, and walk in love, after the example of our Lord.
Questions
1. What would a Christian do with someone like Diotrophes, one who wants to be in control?
2. Have you ever had to make a type of decision, to do what is good, as opposed to what is evil?
3. What does John mean by the phrase “the person who does what is evil has never seen God”?
4. Demetrius has received a good report, including the truth itself. What does that mean?
5. What are the guiding principles for determining whether something is good or bad ?
6. What does a dissenting spirit do to a Church's effectiveness?
7. What is the best path to take when trying to work with a dissenting spirit?
8. What would Jesus do?
Closing Prayer. Be with us God as we leave here tonight, guide our thoughts and our ways that we do nothing which is contrary to your will, and help us to excell in doing those things that are pleasing in your sight. Be with those of our group and those on our hearts that need you loving healing care_____________ Father we pray for those mentioned here that you may bring to them the care and comfort they need to endure the struggle that they are in, and give them the peace and healing they need to recover their health. We pray these things in Jesus name Amen.
Pg.3
Meditation
The Three Epistles of John
Throughout 1st John is a constant interplay of love, righteousness, and belief. The author insisted upon the relationship of belief and love. The readers must remember to identify love with keeping the commandments. Because they are children of God, it should not be burdensome for them. Also, those born of God will gain the victory over the world through faith. John commonly used the verb “believe,” and only once did he use the noun “faith.” Faith is the victory. It was not the Gnostic victory of spirit over matter, but the Christian victory of righteousness over evil. Faith is brought again into the discussion when John warns his flock of false teachers.
This epistle unlike the other two is written more as a sermon, one to help strengthen people's faith in Jesus, To aid them in discernment of false teachers and false doctrine, and to help them understand why a being as great as the Son of God would have a mortal life and a mortal's agonizing death. As Christians we are to pattern our life after the living example of love and compassion that Jesus lived, and in so doing come to know a gracious and forgiving God.
Then 2nd John is written as a short letter from the Apostle to an unnamed "elect lady" Within the letter John warns about giving hospitality and opening our home to false teachers, and to always practice living the truth which is of God, and always avoiding selfishness and evil deeds. And in this second Epistle we learn that the love of which John wrote never goes contrary to the interest of truth. Faith comes from love. Love results from being born again. There were roving teachers of Gnosticism that propagated heresy in denying the reality of the incarnation of God in Christ. These antichrists did not abide in “the doctrine of Christ”. The readers were warned against such men. To such men they were not to offer Christian hospitality. They were not to give aid to those teachers of heresy.
Finally 3rd John gives us a brief letter to a friend "Gaius". John is particularly pleased with Gaius as one who is “Following the truth”. The act that particularly drew the “elder’s” praise had been Gaius’ hospitality to the itinerant missionaries who ministered to the church of which he was a member.
Here we also find an arrogant, domineering, man named Diotrephes, who had barred Demetrius from the church and had suppressed the elder’s letter. John promised to confront this man shortly if he was able to come himself.
Then we have Demetrius who was the bearer of this letter. Demetrius was given a threefold commendation: (1) he was widely known in the church as a man of good character, (2) his life revealed his Christianity through his loyalty to the truth, (3) John himself testified to the kind of man he was.
What would Jesus do? In conclusion, Jesus bids his disciples love for one another, John 13:35 “This is how everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another." love I today's world, it is not enough that we are Christians, there is a sense in which we are to become more and more thoroughly Christians in our daily life. Jesus again bids his disciples in John 15:8 “Herein is my Father glorified, that ye bear much fruit; so shall ye be my disciples”. May it be ever so with us, as we continue in the truth of God's word… Amen
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