Okay so I II III John for Beginners, that's the name of the course.
This is lesson number six, Life in the Early Church is the title of this
particular lesson and we're doing III John. So this is our final class
in this series of study on the epistles of the Apostle John. So the first
two of his three letters were mainly a defense of Christian doctrine against a
kind of hybrid Gnosticism that attempted to merge Greek philosophical ideas with
the Christian gospel, that's what was happening, that's what
was being taught. This caused both discouragement and division in the
church where this was happening and so John writes his first two epistles to
address these false teachings, both warning the false teachers about what
they were doing and reassuring the church as to the content the power and
the result of the true gospel in the life of every believer. That's what false
doctrine does, it undermines our faith it undermines our faith and if our
faith is undermined then our confidence we lose our confidence we lose our
confidence we lose our hope we lose our hope you know everything everything you
know falls from there. An interesting feature of this third letter we're about
to study is that aside from its teaching content this epistle also provides a
glimpse into the workings of the first century church. It seems that at that
time much of the ministry was carried out by itinerant or traveling preachers
who would go from congregation to congregation preaching and teaching as
they went. In each place they would preach publicly and they would hold
meetings in the homes where they were staying as guests. There was always the
danger of abuse in the system because false teachers and swindlers could
easily take advantage of the hospitality of the kind and trusting people who were
providing them with that hospitality. So in this
environment hospitality was a very important element in the life and growth
of the church it was risky but it was necessary. So John's third letter
mentions three men in the church: one who offered hospitality, one who didn't and
one who was in need of this hospitality. So let's just look at the characters
that are going to be spoken of in this in this letter. The first is Gaius who
supported and fed and took care of these traveling preachers offered hospitality
in his home. Diotrephes who had not received these people or even allow them
to preach even the good ones. And then there's Demetrius one who needed the
help or needed the hospitality possibly Demetrius was a messenger a missionary
sent by John. So in his letter John commends Gaius he warns Diotrephes
of a test of authority when he John would come to visit in person and he
also commends Demetrius the preacher to them. I mean this situation here was just
about power and the use of that power in the church.
One man exerting his authority to maintain power and control. So with this
in mind here's a possible outline for III John, this outline is going to help
us see the flow of the thinking as we review the letter line by line. So we
begin of course the first part is the introduction and John says, "The elder to
the beloved Gaius, whom I love in truth." So John doesn't name himself because the
recipient knows him and is aware of his position and his role in in the church.
He also uses the same introduction as II John, same introduction. Now
his use of the term elder suggests that he was known by this time as the last
surviving Apostle, advanced in years, filled with
wisdom and the Spirit. It was a reference to him alone as the elder, notice he
doesn't say one of the elders or an elder, but he says the elder so you know
they understood who the elder was in the church at that time. In other words where
church leaders were concerned the reference was always to the elders here
he says the elder. His connection to Gaius is the same as the connection to
all others he loved him in connection with the truth. Now the truth of course
here is the gospel itself and all that the gospel produces in a person. So his
love for Gaius has been produced by the truth in him and motivated by the fact
that Gaius shares with John and others the knowledge and the belief in this
truth; it's the thing that binds all of us together, isn't it different
people different backgrounds different nationalities different education you
know different everything different and yet we come together easily why because
we're united in the truth we believe the same thing about Jesus Christ and that's
what motivates our actions not only our actions how we live in the
world but it motivates our actions in our relationship with with one another.
So the elder apostle loves Gaius because he is a faithful brother in the Lord and
loves him in this manner. So this is the agape love right that we talk about in
the New Testament. Second section is the blessings or the blessing rather verses
2-4 just verse 2 he says, "Beloved, I pray that in all respects you
may prosper and be in good health just as your soul prospers." So John says that
his prayers are for Gaius is material and physical well-being as well as the
spiritual well-being. A complete blessing considers all facets of life: material,
physical and spirit. In essence John prays for a actually a
balanced life that's what he wants he wants for Gaius a balanced life enriched
in every area of life material ok physical spiritual emotional. Verse
3 he goes on to say, "For I was very glad when brethren came and testify to
your truth, that is, how you are walking in truth." So John is happy to offer this
prayer, it's almost reflexive because the news
on Gaius is that he continues to be faithful to the gospel truth. Don't we
feel the same way you meet somebody haven't seen in a while you know from
another congregation you know maybe you used to go to church together so
oh how so-and-so and how so and so and and brother you know brother Joe how's
he doing you know is he's still a deacon and then you hear no actually they put
him as one of our elders he's one of our elders now oh really oh that's wonderful
right aren't you happy to hear that somebody is going forward in Christ and
conversely aren't we unhappy when we hear yeah all brother Joe we haven't
seen him in months we don't know he doesn't come anymore you know and that's
always disappointing right we always are encouraged by seeing the progress of
our brothers and sisters in Christ Jesus. So this is exactly the feeling that John
is expressing about Gaius he hears about Gaius and what gays is doing and
he's encouraged by his activity. He's walking in the truth means that he
lives by the revelation of the gospel and it's teaching. We think that
responding to the gospel like just one time act, we believe we repent
we confess our faith we're buried in baptism; but walking in truth means that
this cycle of response is an ongoing exercise that becomes the substance of
our daily life in truth. For example, I continually grow in my knowledge of and
belief in the Word of God its application in my life, every time I read
the Bible every time you come to the class I prepare the
class I'm the one who's blessed. If you've ever taught a Bible class you
know that the teacher always has more blessings why because the teachers
finding out stuff usually not enough time to share everything that he's
learned but he or she if you teach it ladies class or children but you know
what I'm saying if the teacher receives a great blessing from the study. So I'm
constantly challenged by the Holy Spirit about my own life my own ways my
attitude and I renew my efforts at repenting and disregarding old worldly
and sinful ways for the true and right way to live and to be and this is not
just the MO for those who teach, I mean the pressures on for those who teach, very
hard to teach something that you yourself are not making an effort at.
It's very difficult to do that but everyone should be like that what you
read what you hear should become part of who you are spiritually and I grow
bolder and more adept at confessing Christ with my life my words my service
my giving my sacrifice. The very first time that I confessed Christ so I
repented, when I first did it was a cold November night
in front of two people and I was immersed in the water at the Lachine
Church of Christ in Montreal November 1977 but that was not the last time I
confessed Christ and for the first time I confessed Christ I confessed it in
front of two people Jim Metter and Bob Adams two people, but in the
last 40 years I have confessed Christ, millions maybe, I've been blessed the
Lord has provided me a platform a pulpit and now an electronic pulpit to continue
confessing Christ so the point I'm making is not everybody needs to be
preacher but everybody needs to continue in the confessing of Christ
as part of their Christian life they continue in repentance as an ongoing
exercise as part of their Christian life they continue in understanding the
gospel more deeply as they continue their walk in Christ. So John sees and
Gaius a man who is walking or living in this ongoing truth and he loves to see
this in him and it becomes an extension of his love for Christ.
So Gaius is a man who didn't just stop at that on the day he was baptized he
continued day 2 day 3 day 4 day 5 he continued to confess Christ continued in
the cycle of repentance and renewal continued in his understanding of God's
Word continued in his ability to demonstrate his faith here in this
instance by receiving by offering hospitality to preachers and
being a leader in the church. Verse 4, "I have no greater joy than this, to hear of
my children walking in the truth." As a matter of fact to see this phenomenon
take place and any member of the church causes John the greatest joy. So
observing the transformation of another into a more Christ-like image is a very
joyful and gratifying experience especially if you personally have helped
to nurture that person in Christ. That person that you may have baptized, that
young person for example that you may have baptized a couple of years ago at
camp, I'm just picking an example here, and all of a
sudden a year and a half later that same young person is getting up and
leading the prayer or perhaps doing a devo for the communion or joining the
youth group to go on a mission trip somewhere you know and you're inside
yourself he's like your spiritual child you're saying wow I remember that young
didn't know much when I started to teach him and look at him now. So this
is a universal experience of all Christians all right. He moves on
third part here of the outline encouraging workers for the truth verses
5 to 8, verse 5 and 6 he writes, "Beloved, you are acting
faithfully in whatever you accomplish for the brethren, and especially when
they are strangers, and they have testified to your love before the church.
You will do well to send them on their way in a manner worthy of God." So John
commends the work that Gaius and others are doing in providing hospitality for
these evangelists these missionaries that are coming their way.
Hospitality comes from a Greek word which means the love of strangers the
love of strangers. To offer food and lodging to strangers was not only an act
of faith it was also a great effort in spreading the gospel at that time.
John and the church back in Ephesus have heard reports of how Gaius
treated the missionary sent his way in a generous manner, he commends him and he
encourages him to continue in this and also provide supplies and resources for
their continuing journey after they leave him. Verse 7 and 8
he says, "For they went out for the sake of the Name, accepting nothing from the
Gentiles. Therefore we ought to support such men, so that we may be fellow
workers with the truth." So first concerning these missionaries
John says that their sole motivation was their faith in Christ, 'the Name' when he
says they did it for the name who else is the name right they did it for
Jesus and they didn't solicit or accept any payment from those that
they preached to meaning the Gentiles; in those days itinerant speakers not just
necessarily Christian preachers but itinerant orator as if you wish went
from place to place talking about various philosophical ideas and debating
and so on and so forth and they would be paid for this that's how they made their
living, he's saying but these preachers speakers they go from place to
place and they preach for free, they don't accept any money, what they accept
is the generous hospitality of the brethren. Again I make a
personal note same thing with Bible Talk which is part of the ministry of
this church, if you go on our website you never hear me saying send us money,
we do it for free people call or people they
say how can I download this or they ask permission sure you don't download
whatever you want you know you want to download 50 videos and make copies and
distribute them go ahead why can we do this well because the Church of Christ
supports this work along with other congregations and individuals. So we're
allowed to offer for free material that would cost hundreds and hundreds of
dollars we offer it for nothing to everyone, why? Because in the same way
that these people were supported in the first century to kind of offer the
gospel at no cost to Gentiles we offer the gospel and we offer teaching and so
on and so forth that no cost to not Gentiles but to unbelievers as well as
believers as well as members of the church why, because the church supports
this work in the same way that it was done in the first century, after all are
we not a New Testament church it's the way they did it in the New Testaments
the way we do it today. So this dedication and integrity needs to be
supported by believers he says, after all if the believers don't support the
missionaries who will? They can't go to Lowe's and ask for a grant
we're not the Boy Scouts or some community group, the church does not
solicit money from unbelievers. Though even though Gaius is not himself
actually teaching and preaching the word his effort at providing hospitality is
his participation, it's his contribution to the overall
evangelistic effort and this he says is acceptable by God. So those who support
World Bible School
sending correspondence courses mainly to Africa these days and all
those baptisms that Steve puts pictures on the website and on
the bulletin boards and people we don't know they have strange names that are
not like our names we just see pictures of people being baptized and churches
being planted. None of us I believe have ever been to Africa, none of us have
actually taught those people but many not me but many of you have sat in the
room and corrected the courses, many of you have written you know put
answers down to the questions and folded the stuff and mailed it back. In the same
way that Gaius participated in the mission work of the preachers who were
going around and around teaching in those days those of you who volunteer
and work with World Bible School participate in the success of that
ministry and participate also in the blessings that will come for that
ministry. So we can't all be in the mission field we all don't have the
ability to be effective personal workers but to the extent that we support and
assist this kind of work we share in that work and we share in the rewards
and that's the point that John is making here. Even though Gaius isn't doing any of
the preaching, he shares in the rewards that will come, why? Because he's
supporting that he's participating in the way that he can. Now he moves on
to the problem at hand reproving the opponents of the truth.
In verse 9 he says, "I wrote something to the church; but Diotrephes who loves to
be first among them, does not accept what we say." So John focuses on the issue that
is the reason for the letter, he has sent a previous letter; some scholars think he
is referring to a letter concerning an instruction to receive certain
missionaries from John which Diotrephes refuses to read to the church
and refuses to honor. Others think that he is referring to his second epistle.
Whichever it was Diotrephes was blocking communication between John and the
church in an attempt to challenge John's authority as an Apostle and teacher. Keep
reading verse 10, "For this reason, if I come, I will call attention to his deeds
which he does, unjustly accusing us with wicked words; and not satisfied with this,
he himself does not receive the brethren, either, and he forbids those who desire
to do so and puts them out of the church." So John now reviews the unacceptable and
sinful behavior of Diotrephes. Unjust accusations against John and other
leaders. I mean again you want to split the church start accusing the leaders,
divide the leaders among themselves and you don't have to go after the
four hundred members just break up the leadership and you'll eventually break
up the church, this is what's going on here. He was unwilling to receive
teachers and missionaries that were sent there and between the lines probably
sent there by John. There's interference with those who try to offer hospitality
even the ones who are ready to accept and offer
hospitality he interferes with that, and he creates division by putting out of
the church those who oppose him. So this man wanted the power of leadership and
tried to undermine John's authority as an Apostle and those who responded to
John in order to get this power. So this is like an old pattern nothing new here
this is an old pattern used even to this day. Some people in the church desire
power and authority and they refuse to follow the leadership in place so they
begin a quiet, sometimes not so quiet, campaign and it begins with criticism.
A campaign of criticism followed by negative commentary and then slander
against those who have a leadership role; it doesn't start with open warfare it
just starts with a whisper campaign. Do you really think so and so really how
good an elder do you think he is you know I mean really nice just between you
and me now, how do you think he's doing his job you know and that
that moves itself forward to well if I was in charge if I was
the if I was an elder well you know things would be different we get things
done here or we'd do things differently here you know I actually some guys who
preach smiling because they've been through this but if there's nothing new
about that it doesn't even have to be in the church, it could be in any kind of
organization where there's a leader or leaders it always starts as a little
whispering campaign. John says that he will deal with this person by exposing
his sins and misdeeds and John will expose Diotrephes sins by shining the
truth on them the light of truth on them. No fistfight no political intrigue no
debate or contest to see who's better or stronger or smarter, John will
demonstrate the other man's weakness by comparing his actions and attitude to
the word of truth, that's how he's going to deal with him. If you're thinking that
John's going to go to this church and get in there and slap people around
and take names, no no that's the military way that's corporate
takeover groups that act like that. No no John says if I
go there I will show the sinfulness of that activity by shining
the light of this truth on that action and that in itself will be damning and
condemning if you will. So let the gospel judge that's the point
let the gospel be the judge then the truth will come out and everyone will
see and decide for themselves who's right who's wrong. Verse 11, "Beloved,
do not imitate what is evil, but what is good. The one who does good is of God; the
one who does evil has not seen God." Again a reminder to Gaius in the church not to
be influenced by what this person is doing. It's tempting to fight fire with
fire.
You hear that alright I gotta fight fire with fire but you didn't get that from
the Bible, you didn't get that attitude from the New Testament. Evil with evil
power with greater power that's the world that's how the world operates but
this is the kingdom of God not the world, things operate differently in the
kingdom of God. They are encouraged, John here encourages the church, they're
encouraged to imitate the things that they have been taught that are good in
order to count the creeping evil that is making its way into the church. It's good
not to succumb to pride and selfish ambition, it's good to receive and offer
hospitality to the missionaries, it's good to face evil men by revealing their
sins and not sharing them. John tells them that those who act in this
way prove that they are and have been or recognize Jesus as God and those who do
not act in this way neither know the truth nor have they seen or recognized
that Jesus truly is God, not just another you know rabbi. What does Paul say in
Romans we overcome evil with yea good, but we don't overcome evil with more
evil you know fire with fire no no we overcoming evil with good. And so John
continues verse 12 commending the witness of truth so he says, "Demetrius
has received the good testimony from everyone, and from the truth itself; and
we add our testimony, and you know that our
testimony is true." So John gives a commendation to Demetrius, the teacher
missionary, being sent who may be at the center of this conflict.
So John gives three references here for Demetrius: one the church commends him
the church says Demetrius is a teacher, Demetrius is okay he's
sound in the doctrine of the gospel. The truth commends him meaning that he
preaches the truth and lives in accordance to his preaching. And then the
elder meaning John himself vouchers for his character and his work. I go back
to our own ministry and Bible Talk if you somebody is
watching it and they're thinking of maybe using our material in their church
to teach there's a section that tells you about the Bible
talk about the website itself about me who I am where I come from, but we make
sure to put in on our website that Bible Talk. TV is a work of the sponsored and
overseen by the Choctaw Church of Christ and we do that to reassure the people
who are using our material that we're not just some kind of lone ranger
evangelist out there spinning his own ministry. That our ministry is
folded into the work of a local congregation which happens to be this
one and it's easy enough for any individual out there to contact the
church either through email or the phone number to
find out who we are and that's necessary to reassure especially the brethren that
we are in good standing and our elders who know what we teach familiar with our
work can vouch for us. And this is what John is doing for
Demetrius he's saying this is a good guy the church accepts him he's
sound in the faith and John the elder also vouches for his character and
that should be enough for for anyone. And then he moves on to his conclusion
13-15 he says, "I had many things to write to you, but I'm not
willing to write them to you with pen and ink; but I hope to see you shortly,
and we will speak face-to-face. Peace be to you. The friends greet you. Greet the
friends by name." So John finishes up with some personal
notes on various points, he's formulated many things to say to Gaius but he
decides not to write them preferring to speak to Gaius you know face to face.
He's sending the letter ahead before his visit to prepare the way. He plans to go
there in person shortly after the letter arrives undoubtedly to arrive without
warning and deal with the brother without giving him a chance to stir up
trouble in advance. If the troublemaker knows that John is coming he might
step up his activity to create more trouble. So he offers the blessing
that these brethren need peace he greets the many mutual acquaintances that he
and Gaius share he ends on this positive personal and forward-looking note. So
there are a couple of lessons here that we can draw from this very brief very
personal letter from John to his Christian friend Gaius concerning the
problem of powerful men trying to dominate the church, again something that
has happened throughout history, why? Because people are people. People are
people. Those who lead in the church are men the elders are men the
ministers, they're sinful men and for some of these sinful men one of their
problems one of their sins one of their weaknesses may be the desire to have and
hold power over others that might be their particular sin.
So we shouldn't be surprised. So a couple of lessons: one, teaching the truth is
important. John commends them for knowing and
living according to the core truth, what they say and do and think how they
worship what they preach and teach all of it done according to what is true.
Another way of saying according to God's Word. This is another way as I say of
saying according to God's Word because Jesus says that it is God's Word that is
true, John 17:17. The only way this is possible is that they have learned the
truth from someone who has taught them, in their case it may have been John the
Apostle himself. So my point here is that in order to live according to the truth
one must be taught the truth, you can't guess, and the task of knowing teaching
and passing that truth along from generation to generation belongs to the
church, I Timothy 3:15 right. Paul says the church the pillar and support
of the truth, and within the church that task falls to every teacher and preacher
and ultimately to every elder. So from the nursery class to the adult Bible
class it's important that we are very careful to always teach the truth from
God's Word and not substitute this for human ideas no matter how noble those
ideas are. We can't live according to the truth and thus be pleasing to God unless
we're constantly being taught the truth by those who are responsible for this in
ministry, you got to do it. That's why every quarter we prepare the
adult education we try to have every quarter we try to have a class that
deals just with a Bible book a text an Old Testament book or new or a Bible
topic okay or perhaps a small discussion group type thing that deals with how
Christians can deal with various issues.
We don't have books on how to be successful in business or
how to make friends you need to go somewhere else for that here
we get you know we get 40 minutes every Sunday one time 40 minutes to teach
God's Word imagine if we stopped teaching God's Word in the church well
who's going to teach God's Word? Nobody. Second truth, those who teach the truth
deserve our support. In this congregation alone and I'm this is
probably a minimum number there are over 50 people in this congregation directly
involved in our education program these include of course elders and
ministers deacons teachers coordinators assistants, all of these people deserve
our support. Some make a living at it and deserve what they receive, others
volunteer and deserve our gratitude. All of these however deserve our cooperation
in getting our kids to class and maintaining our own presence and
encouraging their efforts to teach the truth. We're going to buy you
know we'll buy an overpriced souvenir to support our sports hero, we'll
spend a hundred bucks to get a jersey with the name of our favorite sports
person on it or film star but we often neglect to say thank you to those who
are leading our souls and those of our children to heaven, how about a thank you
to those people how about a thank you to the Sunday
school teacher who for 20 years that's been Sunday after Sunday faithfully
teaching children. How about a hundred bucks to get a t-shirt and put her name or his
name on it?
Those who teach the truth must also live by the truth there's a double-edged
sword there. Diotrephes may have denied hospitality and caused problems in the
church out of a warped sense of duty to protect or defend a truth that only he
saw, his actions however were contrary to the truth given by the Apostles and
received by the church. Demetrius on the other hand received
affirmation because his actions coincided with the truth that he taught
and that he received from the Apostles. It's not different to spot the
fakes, either their words don't match the words of Jesus or their actions don't
match their words, pretty simple. Figure that one out.
Remember that those who aspire to teach have the dual responsibility of teaching
only what is true and living according to that truth. Not to do this risks the
lives of our students as well as our as well as our own. One more here
hospitality is still an important and necessary ministry. I know that we rely
less on hospitality today to take care of our missionaries or our preachers but
hospitality is still crucial in the development of a New Testament church. If
we're not sharing our homes if we're not making strangers feel welcome if we're
not helping new families feel at home we are neglecting a primary
ministry of the church which is hospitality. Hospitality is inconvenient
it's expensive its time-consuming but this is what
makes it so pleasing to the Lord. When we offer hospitality we are truly giving of
ourselves and that's what makes it special and worthy of offering to the
Lord. So let's remember that we or our parents or our children will one day be
strangers, one of these days your kids are going to move to Dallas or move to
who knows you know somewhere Chicago, to spread their wings or to go
to college or maybe they get married and they're just moving away no more in that
little family orbit and they're going to be looking around for a church; you
can't believe how many phone calls I get from worried parents their brother Mike
said could you recommend a good church in so-and-so Kansas. Your kid's going to be
in a strange place one of these days and don't you wish when they walk into the
building they've got a Linda Ziegler they got a Barbara Brandon
in there meeting them at the door and saying welcome come on in you know
what's your name you know oh these are your children well let me help you find
a class for those two, don't you wish you they have those people at their
congregation to do that. So let's make sure that we do our part to keep this
blessing going around. All right this is the last lesson in
I II III John, I hope you've enjoyed this series learn something been
encouraged by it. Thank you for your attention.
We're dismissed.