Sermon Tone Analysis

Conclusion from Last Week

“Keep the main thing the main thing,” how do we know we are walking in the truth, by the love we show to each other, and the way we are defending or being guardians of the truth of God’s word.

Note: Today John begins again with stressing that he finds his greatest joy to hear that his children are walking in the truth.

Then he quickly turns to support for those who are doing the work of the ministry and opposition to those who seek to do evil.

The similarities of 2 John and 3 John.

If the false teachers were beginning to penetrate their ranks, the the leadership of the Church would need to start exercising their authority to root out evil in the Church.

Apparently this is what was happening at Gaius’s Church.

He had received those from John who were true messengers for Christ, and had welcomed them in love, however, apparently not everyone had done so.

Diotrephes, a dominate personality, who not only rejected John’s message but also slandered the apostles himself.

In contrast John commends Demetrius.

He was probably the carrier of the letter along with other representatives of John.

v. 1 “Whom I love in the truth is further evidence of John’s desire to integrate himself with his readers the exact words in 2 John 1:2 “Whom I love in Truth.”

This would have been a tremendous encouragement to Gaius.

v. 2

Note: In the truth is within the body of faith.

We have a different bond, a special relationship with the body of Christ that is different than all other relationships.

*He prays for good health (physical and mental wellbeing)

*He prays for their soul (“as” the author is saying may you prosper in all ways, as you prosper spiritually.

For soul (psyche) 1 John 3:16 It is used only there and here in John’s epistles.

“By this we know love that he laid down his life for us, and we ought to lay down our lives for the brothers.”

Scripture does not place separation between the spiritual and the physical.

We are ‘in the body’.

We are grafted into the vine, therefore he is concerned about our physical-wellbeing.

John’s primary concern is, however, with the spiritual health of Gaius, which he defines in two ways.

He is a man who is ‘faithful to the truth’ (verses 3-4) and faithful in his love for the brothers (verses 5-8).

This was of course demonstrated by his love.

We see this played out in the generosity of his hospitality and his warm welcome

Remember that we learned last week that Truth and Love are inseparable when they are genuinely displayed in our lives.

Why does your reputation matter?

What do you think about Yourself?

What do other people think about you?

What does God think about you?

Big Idea: Keep in 100 with the Truth of your Testimony.

How does your life Prove It?

It proves it when....

1.

The things you Believe are the things you Live.

Note: Gaius was a man whose whole life was shaped by God’s truth.

Not only did he faithfully believe it but he continually practiced it.

Note: vs. 3 the brothers came and testified to Gaius and his faithfulness to walk in the truth.

So whenever a Christian stranger arrived, Gaius was ready to meet him and to welcome him.

Nothing had to be changed.

No special efforts had to be made.

He didn’t have to put on his best face for them.

Those who were with him for only a short time could not fail to be encouraged by his faithful, consistent integrity, as a Christian.

How Long Do Footprints Last on the Moon?

The first footprints put on the moon will probably be there a long, long time—maybe almost as long as the moon itself lasts.

Unlike on Earth, there is no erosion by wind or water on the moon.

Nothing gets washed away.

Since the Moon has no atmosphere, it is exposed to the solar wind, a stream of charged particles coming from the sun, and over time this acts almost like weather on Earth to scour surfaces on the moon, but the process is very, very slow.

The footprints left behind by astronauts on the moon could last 10 to 100 million years.

Preaching Angle:

We all leave behind lasting “footprints” in life.

Where we go, what we accomplish, the influence we have on others, these are the permanent legacy that we leave behind us.

Let us be careful with the lasting footprints we leave.

THE REPUTATION WE WANT ALL SHOULD SEEK TO OBTAIN

I believe that the greatest compliment that anyone can make about your spiritual life is that you are genuinely consistent in how you walk out the truth in your daily life.

You are faithfully consistent in the integrity with which you go about your daily life.

This is what brought John the greatest joy was in seeing the Church walk in maturity and devotion.

As Christians our number-one priority is to present Christ to this lost and broken world (Acts 1:8).

Because Jesus is honest, kind, loyal, and honorable, we should strive to be those things as well.

(Ephesians 5:1) “Be imitators of Christ Jesus.”

Note: consider the reputation of the Church today?

What Kind of reputation is the Church leaving on Culture?

*Faithful to the Truth

(3-4)

What would another Christian find if they came and lived as a House Guest?

Note: As you ponder and answer that question you must remember that Jesus is with you at home, work, school,and play every day.)

So what is a Good reputation and how do we maintain it?

People with good reputations are those who:

They Live with integrity

(Their private lives match their public personas.

There are no hidden agendas, double lives, or dishonest practices.

They live authentically, and, when they sin, they are quick to admit it and make it right with those they have offended.)

Armor of Integrity

During the time of the twelve Caesars, the Roman army would conduct morning inspections.

As the inspecting Centurion would come in front of each legionnaire, the soldier would strike with his right fist the armor breastplate that covered his heart.

The armor had to be strongest there in order to protect the heart from the sword thrusts and from arrow strikes.

As the soldier struck his armor, he would shout "integritas" [in-teg-ri-tas], which in Latin means material wholeness, completeness, and entirety.

The inspecting Centurion would listen closely for this affirmation and also for the ring that well kept armor would give off.

Satisfied that the armor was sound and that the soldier beneath it was protected, he would then move on to the next man.

At about the same time, the Praetorians or imperial bodyguard were ascending into power and influence; drawn from the best "politically correct" soldiers of the legions, they received the finest equipment and armor.

They no longer had to shout "integritas" to signify that their armor was sound.

Instead, as they struck their breastplate, they would shout "Hail Caesar," to signify that their heart belonged to the imperial personage—not to their unit—not to an institution—not to a code of ideals.

They armored themselves to serve the cause of a single man.

A century passed and the rift between the legion and the imperial bodyguard and its excesses grew larger.

To signify the difference between the two organizations, the legionnaire, upon striking his armor would no longer shout "integritas," but instead would shout "integer" [in-te-ger].

Integer means undiminished—complete—perfect.

It not only indicated that the armor was sound, it also indicated that the soldier wearing the armor was sound of character.

He was complete in his integrity…his heart was in the right place…his standards and morals were high.

He was not associated with the immoral conduct that was rapidly becoming the signature of the Praetorian Guards.

The armor of integrity continued to serve the legion well.

For over four centuries they held the line against the marauding Goths and Vandals, but by 383 A.D., the social decline that infected the republic and the Praetorian Guard had its effects upon the legion.

As a 4th century Roman general wrote, "When because of negligence and laziness, parade ground drills were abandoned, the customary armor began to feel heavy since the soldiers rarely, if ever, wore it.

Therefore, they first asked the emperor to set aside the breastplates and mail and then the helmets.

So our soldiers fought the Goths without any protection for the heart and head and were often beaten by archers.

Although there were many disasters, which led to the loss of great cities, no one tried to restore the armor to the infantry.

They took their armor off and when the armor came off—so too came their integrity."

It was only a matter of a few years until the legion rotted from within and was unable to hold the frontiers.

The barbarians were at the gates.

We should want to be through well of by others because of our integrity and the purity of our conduct.

However, it’s evil to want to be thought well of by other so much that, when push comes to shove, we compromise the integrity and purity of our conduct in order to get it.