211205 3rd John: Imitating Christ

|OPENING SLIDE|

As an introduction, I invite you to open your Bibles to the book of John. John chapter 13. PAUSE

The setting is the night before the Passover, it is the night before Christ’s Crucifixion and Jesus is providing His final instructions to the 12 disciples before He goes to the cross.

What takes place in these verses needs to be understood by us as incredibly important instructions, guidance given at a critical time when the disciples needed to hear Him clearly… We as well need to hear Him clearly SHORT PAUSE and these instructions involve how we are to humbly serve each other...

In this passage, the Christ, the Son of God Most High acts out the very character of God and what He expects our character to be as well… starting in verse 3....

John 13 3 Jesus, knowing that the Father had given all things into His hands, and that He had come forth from God and was going back to God, 4 got up from supper, and laid aside His garments; and taking a towel, He girded Himself. 5 Then He poured water into the basin, and began to wash the disciples’ feet and to wipe them with the towel with which He was girded. LOOK UP

The King of Kings and Lord of Lords, the Creator of the Cosmos, has gotten down on His knees and wiped the filth off of His disciples and onto the towel which He had wrapped Himself with. LONG PAUSE 3 seconds or more

SOMBER The flawless Passover Lamb took upon Himself the dirt of the world and made His disciples perfectly clean… This is astonishing, there is nothing normal about this Messiah.

Drop down to verse 12

12 So when He had washed their feet, and taken His garments and reclined at the table again, He said to them, “Do you know what I have done to you?

It was as if He was saying, “Are you alert, are you aware, did you see this?”

How could they not? The precedent that was set by the religious leaders of the day was that of total ceremonial cleanliness… Their teacher had just humiliated Himself to scrub them and make them clean. “Do you know what I have done to you?”

The question must have hung heavy in the candlelight… PAUSE… Verse 13

13 “You call Me Teacher and Lord; and you are right, for so I am. 14 “If I then, the Lord and the Teacher, washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another’s feet. VERSE 15 IS KEY - CATCH THIS...15 “For I gave you an example that you also should do as I did to you. 16 “Truly, truly, I say to you, a slave is not greater than his master, nor is one who is sent greater than the one who sent him. PAUSE

17 “If you know these things, you are blessed if you do them. PAUSE

|INTRODUCTION SLIDE|

Jesus, chose this last most significant night to provide a lesson that could not be missed by His disciples...

The Christian life is one of service before self

|INTRODUCTION SLIDE 2|The Christian life is not about making ourselves first, it is not about elevating ourselves, it is not about making ourselves pre-eminent, but serving our brothers and sisters and We learn how to serve one another by learning how Christ served His church PAUSE

Today, we are going to be in the book of 3rd John. The last of John’s letters.

Last week, we read John’s letter to a body of believers that reminded us to walk faithfully in the truth not contenting ourselves to be misled by the world but believing Jesus Christ and loving one another - this is what we had been commanded.

|CONTEXT|

This week, in 3rd John, the elder John is writing to a particular individual - a dear friend of John’s, a man by the name of Gaius. He has received a report of Gaius’ conduct as well as that of a man by the name of Diotrephes.

The themes in the letter are incredibly similar, walking in truth and loving one another but in this instance, in this letter, John gives a clear cut example that Gaius could see with his own two eyes that John was talking about both a good example and an example of what he should not emulate - and what I hope to make this example abundantly clear as well.

We are to follow the good example and not imitate that which is evil. Because this is the core message of the letter I have chosen it to be my main point and it comes from verse 11 of 3rd John.

|MAIN POINT|

SPEAK SLOW 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 (3 John 11) PAUSE

Christ, has provided us an example, that we should do as He has done. Humbly serving one another, this is what is good, this is what is right, this is what is required.

The one who is known by walking in the truth, known by humbly serving the church is of God and knows God and understands what God requires of His servants. PAUSE The one who is self exalting, self magnifying, using words as weapons and is inhospitable has no relationship with God and does not know God’s Messiah.

Let’s go to prayer.

|BLANK|

PRAYER

Father, I am overwhelmed that You deemed fit to provide us instructions on how to live as You require. You are so gracious to Your servants, You have generously provided us everything that we need. A Messiah to make us clean, Your Word to instruct us in the good, right way and Your Holy Spirit to empower us to live as You desire.

Please make us especially sensitive to Your Word today and give us an appetite for it, that defines our life. May we be known as those that walk in truth and love. Help us as we seek to imitate Your cherished Son. It is in His precious name that we come to You, amen.

SERMON

If you have not already opened Your Bibles, please do so to 3rd John. I will begin in verse 1 with the elder John’s exhortation to Gaius.

|SLIDE|

I. Gaius Exhorted (v1-8)

A. Walking in truth* (v1-4)

3 John | 1 The elder to the beloved Gaius, whom I love in truth. 2 Beloved, I pray that in all respects you may prosper and be in good health, just as your soul prospers. 3 For I was very glad when brethren came and testified to your truth, that is, how you are walking in truth. 4 I have no greater joy than this, to hear of my children walking in the truth. ONE SECOND PAUSE

The elder and last surviving apostle, John, is writing to a man in one of the churches - likely in Asia, what we call Turkey today. ROLL HANDS He has been stimulated to write to Gaius, a man whose name means “one who makes glad,” because some itinerant traveling missionaries have returned to John and spoken well of Gaius - they had told John, that Gaius was walking in the truth, not deviating into heresy not falling into falsehood but standing in the truth of the Gospel and in verse two, almost as if he cannot help it John bursts into prayer, |VERSE SLIDE|

Beloved, I pray that in all respects you may prosper and be in good health, just as your soul prospers.

A beautiful prayer full of kindness and love, praying that Gaius be blessed abundantly even as he has evidently been blessed of God spiritually…

John is so happy that Gaius is walking in the truth that John goes so far in fact, to say he has no greater joy, nothing makes John happier than to hear that those he has nurtured in the Gospel are remaining in it… |APPLICATION SLIDE|

This is in stark contrast to some health and wealth preachers, whom I will not name, who have built whole doctrines upon this verse, which is so ironic because John is so happy that Gaius is walking in the truth, something health and wealth preachers deviate from, when they manipulate this text.

Health and wealth preachers have taken verse 2 out of context and distorted the truth of this verse, what the context clearly tells us it says, to justify a lifestyle of opulent luxury. Health and wealth preachers are not known for walking in the truth and their conduct couldn’t be further from the example that Christ demonstrated before going to the cross. |VERSE SLIDE|

SPEAK SLOWLY This is what I take from verse 2… It is good, it is fine, it is ok to pray that God bless those whom we love physically, materially - even financially, there is nothing wrong with that but more importantly than all these things it is good to pray for other’s spiritual health. ONE SECOND PAUSE

SPEAK SLOWLY Sometimes, on Sunday mornings, I am overwhelmed by the volume of prayer requests for physical healing... would to God that we were that concerned over the spiritual health, the salvation, sanctification and holiness of those that are around us.

The physical cannot be divorced from the spiritual and our prayers for blessing can include both, but I desire to hear from the body impassioned prayer requests for salvation and sanctification in addition to requests for healing. I desire to implore God to aid us in our particular struggles against the world, the flesh and the devil in addition to our weekly reports on our individual health. Our life is but a vapor, let us pray for that which is eternal.

Verse 5 |SLIDE|

B. Faithful actions with brothers (v5-6)

5 Beloved, (REMEMBER JOHN IS WRITING TO HIS FRIEND, TO GAIUS) you are acting faithfully in whatever you accomplish for the brethren, and especially when they are strangers; 6 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.

Gaius has manifested a key Christian character attribute. Hospitality, hospitality…

Gaius, received these fellow believers, itinerant missionaries even though he did not know them personally and cared for them. Gaius is hospitable. Hospitality, is indicative of a person that is more concerned with others than themselves.

Hospitality is a key Christian character attribute, it is so fundamental that it is a requirement that elders in Christ’s church posses it. It is so critical that a man cannot take a leadership position in the body unless they are more concerned with others than themselves.

John, is overjoyed at the report these traveling missionaries have returned about Gaius. He is encouraged and so he reaches out to him and tells him this is well noted, recognized and it is appreciated. Gaius’ love for the church, regardless of whether he knew these missionaries personally, has been well spoken of for 2,000 years now. His care for strangers that claim the name of Christ is a model for us.

Verse 7 |SLIDE|

C. Proper hospitality (v7-8)

7 For they went out for the sake of the Name, accepting nothing from the Gentiles. 8 Therefore we ought to support such men, so that we may be fellow workers with the truth.

These traveling missionaries went out, supported by God’s providence alone and not taking advantage of pagan sacrifices which could have sustained them. John tells Gaius, “you did well to support these truth bearers” and he adds a thought that should be drawn out at the end of verse 8.

That last clause, “So that we may be fellow workers with the truth.”

That last clause is interesting, because it tells us that our hospitality extended of missionaries and evangelists is not a second hand or less worthy work.

|APPLICATION SLIDE|

While every believer has a different ministry, all of us have a part in the Great Commission. This church, plainly speaking, is in a demographic that is... older, the vast majority of the body here is not young and is not necessarily capable of putting in the rigors of hard physical service but I have never seen a church as generous, as giving, as overtly concerned with global missions as this one.

God has generously, graciously, allowed us a part in His work. We can be fellow workers in the spread of the Gospel too! |VERSE SLIDE|

May I add one further thought. God is the One that causes the growth, one plants and another waters, but only God can bring about new life.

SPEAK REVERENTLY We owe Him everything for the new life we have but we owe Him even more for allowing us to participate in the work. Did you know that the work that we do for Him we are going to receive rewards for?!?

That is astonishing, He doesn’t need us and yet He graciously chooses to include us and to reward us for our participation. Let us throw our backs into the labor of spreading the Gospel whether by beating the street, or financially supporting our missionaries or by building up callouses on our knees praying that God would save even more. Let us work diligently as we are able to and let us give God glory for allowing us to participate in this honor… ONE SECOND PAUSE

Well, in verse 9 the letter takes a different turn, up until this point John has been exhorting Gaius, encouraging him and now he is going to provide an example for him of whom not to emulate - a man by the name of Diotrephes verse 9 |SLIDE|

II. Diotrephes Condemned (v9-10)

A. Does not accept the truth (v9)

B. Rejection of the brethren (v10)

C. Does not show hospitality (v10)

9 I wrote something to the church; but Diotrephes, who loves to be first among them, does not accept what we say. 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.

Apparently, John had reached out to the church in the area and Diotrephes, whose name means “nurtured by Zeus,” had rejected John’s authority and did three things, which were in complete contrast to Gaius. |SLIDE| He does not accept the truth. |SLIDE| He rejects the traveling missionaries |SLIDE| and does not show hospitality. Those that do want to be hospitable, Diotrephes kicked them out of the church. Diotrephes, who loves to be first among them, is concerned with his own pre-eminence, he loves to be first among them, and that position is rightfully reserved for Christ alone...PAUSE

Some of you all know this, but John was given a nickname by Jesus and it seems that even though John is quite old he still has much of the quality that Jesus recognized in him and nicknamed him for. Jesus called him and his brother Boanerges - which means “Sons of Thunder.” At one point in Luke 9 John and his brother James wanted to call down fire upon some Samaritans that rejected Jesus… apparently, he was just as bellicose, just as combative as he had been back then and Diotrephes’ conduct demands a response from this Son of Thunder - and he will receive it...

Verse 10 is translated in the NASB “if I come,” which lacks the right sense of what John is saying. Instead of “if” it should probably be translated “whenever.” The elder is going to come and when he does he will set things aright and remove this belligerent from authority.

PAUSE

Remember, the main point of the message? John is writing to Gaius and telling him whom he should emulate, whom he should copy and it is not guys like Diotrephes...

Verse 11 |SLIDE|

III. The Heart of the Message (v11)

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.

This is the heart of the message.

Beloved, we are to imitate Christ, we are not to imitate that which is evil or those who assert their own pre-eminence. |SLIDE| In our introduction we heard Christ’s clear cut command that we should do as He did. John 13:15 ““For I gave you an example that you also should do as I did to you.”

Humble service is the benchmark, it is the standard, it is what the Creator of all Creation exemplified and it is for us to follow too...

May I give us a final takeaway?

|APPLICATION SLIDE|

We all need models to pattern our conduct after. I have a couple of great men that I look up to and watch closely. I am very interested in how they handle life and how they deal with the hardships that come their way. I am intrigued by how they pursue holiness and humility, how fervently they pray and they are a benchmark for myself. They are not perfect but I have to look hard to find sin in their life... I would encourage us all to find those models and engage them, ask them about their faith and what makes it so vibrant.

Furthermore, I would remind us all that right or wrong our own conduct is also being watched. Right or wrong our actions are used to justify others behaviour. I mention that as a word of warning. We ought to be careful to present ourselves as an example to follow, not in hypocrisy or insincerity but as a people that are walking in truth and growing in it. We ought to be careful to present ourselves as an example to follow.

Well, in verse 11 John said not to imitate evil which is clearly pointing at Diotrephes but John does provide an example of who to emulate, a man by the name of Demetrius… Verse 12 |SLIDE|

IV. Demetrius Commended (v12)

12 Demetrius has received a good testimony from everyone, and from the truth itself; and we add our testimony, and you know that our testimony is true.

A. The testimony from the truth (v12)

John tells Gaius, “don’t imitate Diotrephes... imitate Demetrius.” Interestingly, it was Demetrius himself who as probably was carrying the letter that Gaius was reading. John presents Demetrius as a man who has a testimony from the truth… A strange phrase.

This phrase from the “truth itself” αὐτῆς τῆς ἀληθείας communicates that Demetrius walks a CLASP FINGERS consistent life of truthful behavior.PAUSE His is a life in lived accordance with God’s will. His life, his conduct, his behavior proves he is true.

RUEFULLY

Would that that could be said of us all.

Well, not only does Demetrius’ life and conduct present a self-evident case for his trustworthiness but John adds the weight of his own credibility to him. |SLIDE|

B. The testimony of the brethren (v12)

John vouches for Demetrius and says, “This guy is legitimate, you can trust him, listen to his counsel.” Undoubtedly, Demetrius did not just function as a mailman but he communicated the passion of John’s heart and Gaius heard the message explained in greater detail… John really didn’t write very much. The letter is just 219 words in Greek. A tiny letter but Demetrius must have filled in whatever holes were there so Gaius would know how to deal with the situation.

Verse 13

|SLIDE|

V. The Elder's Heart Revealed (v13-15)

A. The intimacy of total truth in love (v13-14)

B. Fellowship with our siblings who know the truth (v15)

13 I had many things to write to you, but I am not willing to write them to you with pen and ink; 14 but I hope to see you shortly, and we will speak face to face. 15 Peace be to you. The friends greet you. Greet the friends by name.

John, has much to say to his dear friend Gaius but wants to speak with him face to face. We learned last week that this phrase translated face to face is literally mouth to mouth, στόμα πρὸς στόμα, a very close personal expression. John wants to be with him and to speak to him. |SLIDE|

Closeness and proximity matter, I mentioned last week how critical it is that we not be satisfied with an arms distance relationship with our siblings in Christ. Live streamed worship services are a poor substitute for actually being with other believers and lifting up our voices in song and learning together how to worship better. A desire to fellowship with other believers who know the truth is a testimony to our heart’s desire.

Those who reject the truth cannot be in it’s presence for long before they leave. Our desire to be together is a testimony that we long for fellowship with our siblings who know the truth.

|CONCLUSION SLIDE|

Someday, we will never be separated… someday we will gather around the throne and be constantly amazed at being together in the presence of the One that loves us enough to die for us.

He is the One we long for, He is the One we adore and He is the One we are to model our conduct after. He gave us an example to follow. He demonstrated humble service, He showed how to love one another.

Our ultimate model is Christ, He loved us to death and serves us even now through His intercession with the Father. |CONCLUSION SLIDE|

Beloved, as we leave and go about ministry in our individual contexts remember that it is Christ we are to imitate and not the false teachers and those that are more concerned with self than our Savior.

Please stand with me and I will pray,

PRAYER