Three Kinds of Church Members

TEXT: 3 John 1-12

TOPIC: Three Kinds of Church Members

Pastor Bobby Earls, Northgate Baptist Church, Florence, SC,

Sunday morning, July 11, 2021

NOW – Please take your Bible this morning and open to the 3rd Epistle of John. If you are not familiar with 3 John you need to know that it is one of the shortest books of the Bible. It has only one chapter consisting of only 14 verses. The key verse is found in verse 11 which says, 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.

THEN - This is a personal and private letter written by John in which we read about three different individuals, three men, that were prominently know in the early church. While some consider all three to have been genuine believers, the behavior and mindset of at least one of the three causes us to rightfully question his true salvation. Their names were Gaius, Diotrephes and Demetrius.

ALWAYS – What we are going to learn from this little letter is that which was stated in verse 11. In the church of the Lord Jesus Christ, there are some who are good examples and some that are bad examples. We are to follow the ones who are good examples.

It is possible to follow the bad example and to do so is always detrimental to you and others. Someone has said, “When we get absorbed with a person we become like that person, for they influence us, and we in turn, influence others. Here, then, we have before us three pictures of three church members with the prayer in our hearts that God will give us grace to follow the two good examples and not the one!”

I. GAIUS, THE PROSPEROUSCHURCH MEMBER, 1-8

O how we should thank God for church members like Gaius! Four times John uses the word “beloved” when referring to Gaius, (vs. 1,2,5,11).

Verse 2 may indicate that Gauis was not in good health, or that he was recovering from poor health. We don’t know that for certain. The phrase inquiring about one’s health was a common means of writing during that time period.

What we do know is that his soul was healthy! He was spiritually healthy, happy and holy. Whatever the condition of the outer man, the inner man was prosperous.

A. So he had a Prosperous Soul.

B. But he also had a Prosperous Spirit.

Verses 3-4 tell us that Gaius had a good reputation. (Read 3-4)

“The brethren” were probably first century Evangelists, or missionaries, or quite simply fellow believers.

Not only did Gauis believe the truth, but he practiced it as well. The truth was not only in his head, but also in his heart.

Good works are an important part of the genuine believer’s life. James 2:20 says we should have a faith that works.

II. DIOTREPHES, THE PROUDCHURCH MEMBER, 9-10

3 John 9–10 (NKJV) 9 I wrote to the church, but Diotrephes, who loves to have the preeminence among them, does not receive us. 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.

Quite honestly, there are some church members we can afford to do without. Diotrephes was one of these.

To say that he “loved to have the pre-eminence” means that here was an individual, a Church member who always wanted to be first.

The word “preeminence” has the idea of “desiring to be first.” It conveys the idea of someone who is selfish, self-centered, and self-seeking. The language suggests a self-promoting demagogue, who served no one, but wanted all to serve only him. Diotrephes’ actions directly contradict Jesus’ and the NT’s teaching on servant-leadership in the church[1]

It was always about him. He had to be seen. He had to be heard. He had to have his way.

Someone has said, “You show me a person filled with themselves and I’ll show you a mighty small package!”

Diotrephes was filled with self. He was proud and boastful. He wanted to be boss.

How do we know this? We know based on how this Diotrephes acted?

1) He refused to allow John his proper role of leadership.

I wrote to the church, but Diotrephes, who loves to have the preeminence among them, does not receive us.

Whenever a church member wants position and prestige, he will attack God’s appointed leadership, whether that be the pastor or other spiritual leadership in the church.

Sometimes this attack is subtle and quite; and at other times, usually when he feels confident that he has enough of a following, he begins an all-out public assault on God’s man.

Diotrephes and those like him today usually start with a whispering campaign and try to undermine the pastor’s character or ministry.

Like Absalom in the O.T. he hints that the present leadership is not efficient and that he or someone else could handle things better.

2) He simply lied and spread false information about John. Verse 10. “Prating”means “to bring false charges.”

1 Timothy 5:13 – Paul speaks of some women who had become busy bodies in the church. And besides they learn to be idle, wandering about from house to house, and not only idle but also gossips and busybodies, saying things which they ought not.

Let me give you some good advice. Never trust a gossip or a busybody. I learned a long time ago that someone who will gossip to you will gossip about you!

BTW, do you know how to make a gossip’s tongue about ------- long? You cut off about that -----------------much of it!

In verse 19, he touches on the subject of dealing with such things as rumors, gossip, and false accusations.

Do not receive an accusation against an elder except from two or three witnesses. 1Timothy 5:19

** If church members today would learn to abide by this single verse, it would eliminate gossip against church leaders. Do not listen to an accusation against an elder unless it comes from two or three witnesses.

By the way, verse 17, tells us to, 17Let the elders who rule well be counted worthy of double honor, especially those who labor in the word and doctrine.

3) He also refused to helpother brethren in the church, in some cases running them off from the church.

I do not want to be a Diotrophes. This is the kind of member that destroys churches. Eager for power and authority, he neglects the truth of the Scriptures, grieves the Spirit of God, and scatters the flock.

III. DEMETRIUS, THE PLEASANTCHURCH MEMBER, 11-12

3 John 11–12 (NKJV) 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. 12Demetrius has a good testimony from all, and from the truth itself. And we also bear witness, and you know that our testimony is true.

I am so glad we can end with another positive example of a Christian church member. We leave Diotrophes, the proud Christian and look to Demetrius the pleasant Christian.

(Read 11-12)

3 things:

1) Everybody spoke well of him, v. 12.

2) Like Gaius, he lived out the truth, v. 12

3) He was commended by His spiritual leaders, v. 12

From the pastor down to the last person in the pew, Demetrius, received a good report, and a positive reference. He was Godly, Christ-honoring and Spirit-filled man of God.

Whereas John used 64 words to describe Diotrophes and the divisiveness he brought to the church, he used only 25 words to offer praise to Demetrius which proves that far more energy and effort goes into caudeling, correcting and correcting the damage caused by such negative church members!

May God help us to be more like Gaius, the prosperous church member or Demetrius, the pleasant church member than a Diotrephes, the church member. In fact may we join the poet who wrote:

May the love of Jesus fill me

As the waters fill the sea;

Him exalting, self abasing,

This is victory!

[1] John MacArthur Jr., ed., The MacArthur Study Bible, electronic ed. (Nashville, TN: Word Pub., 1997), 1981.