3 John - Love, Prayer, & Walking in Truth

Introduction

[READING - 3 John 1-4]

3 John 1–4 NASB95

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.

[PRAYER]

Things are hard for Gaius. He is trying to be faithful to Christ, to continue to show the hospitality of Christ to true preachers of Christ without supporting false teachers, but some others in his church have gone a different direction.

In order to understand that direction, we need to remember the circumstances surrounding 1, 2, 3 John.

Some false teachers popped up in the church teaching that Jesus didn’t really come in the flesh because in their view the flesh was evil.

This false teaching regarding the flesh led those who embraced it to ignore the fleshy or physical needs of others.

This false teaching regarding the flesh also led those who embraced it to engage in all manner of immorality in the flesh.

First John tells us that the false teachers and their followers left the church, but 2 John seems to indicate that they were trying to influence this church and gain support from it once again.

John warns them…

2 John 10–11 NASB95

10 If anyone comes to you and does not bring this teaching, do not receive him into your house, and do not give him a greeting; 11 for the one who gives him a greeting participates in his evil deeds.

Now that was a stern warning, and there were two ways to respond to that warning:

There was the Gaius Approach.

Some, like Gaius, were trying to do the hard work of determining which teachers were true and which were false.

He was trying to determine which teachers deserved hospitality and support and which did not.

Later in 3 John Gaius is introduced to Demetrius. The Apostle John says that he is a highly recommended and faithful brother who should be supported.

But there was also the Diotrephes Approach.

Diotrephes is mentioned later in 3 John.

He puts himself first.

He doesn’t listen or care about the Apostle John’s counsel.

He doesn’t show hospitality to faithful teachers like Demetrius, and he forbids others in the church to do so. He even kicked some out of the church because they showed hospitality to some of these faithful traveling preachers.

Perhaps his thought was, “The best way to avoid supporting false teachers is not to support any teachers.”

Discernment—determining what’s true from what’s false—is hard work.

The false teacher is like a wolf in sheep’s clothing. He’s hard to spot because in his disguise he blends in with the actual sheep.

He looks like a real preacher.

He sounds like a real preacher.

But he isn’t a real preacher.

The wolf is a false teacher.

And we must not support wolves.

We must, however, support real preachers.

So, our response to the hard work of discernment cannot be the Diotrephes Approach of, “I just won’t support anyone so I make certain I don’t support any false teachers.”

Instead, our response must be the Gaius Approach who was doing the hard work of discernment so he could do the necessary work of hospitality—giving support to true preachers and teachers of Christ Jesus.

[TS] As we look at 3 John 1-4 this morning I want you to notice three ENCOURAGEMENTS that John gives to Gaius—three ENCOURAGEMENTS to continue in this hard work of discernment and support…

Major Ideas

ENCOURAGEMENT #1: “I love you.” (3 John 1-2)

3 John 1–2 NASB95

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.

[EXP] In the opening of this letter from the Apostle John, Gaius is reminded that he is loved.

John emphasizes this by calling him “the beloved Gaius” in v. 1 and “beloved” in vv. 2, 5, and 11.

But also in v. 1, John says that he loves Gaius in truth.

John and Gaius share an allegiance to the truth as it is in Jesus; the truth revealed in the coming of Jesus in the flesh; the truth of his death on the cross in the flesh; and the truth of his resurrection from the dead in the flesh.

The love that John had for Gaius was built upon this truth in Jesus.

[APP] Some people think that we Christians only love those who believe like us, but that isn’t true. Jesus taught us to love all our neighbors, not just those that believe like we do. And he taught us to love our enemies, and our enemies surely don’t believe like us.

But although we are to love everyone, there is something different about that love we have for one another as brothers and sisters in Christ.

That something different is our shared belief in the truth as it is in Jesus.

[ILLUS] A friend of mine had two coworkers. One was Catholic and the other was Presbyterian.

As Baptists, we have our differences with the Presbyterians, but unless their from the crazy branch of Presbyterianism, we agree with the Presbyterians on the gospel—i.e., we agree with them on the truth as it is in Jesus.

Catholicism, however, is different. Catholicism doesn’t teach the truth concerning salvation in Jesus Christ.

The Bible teaches that salvation is by grace alone through faith alone in Christ alone to the glory of God alone.

Catholicism teaches that one is saved by a mixture of grace and merit, a mixture of faith and works.

My friend said that although she liked her Catholic coworker and got along well with her, there was just a deeper connection with her Presbyterian coworker. She said, “It’s like we share the same spirit.”

I said, “You do. He’s called The Holy Spirit.”

When John said that he loved Gaius in the truth, that’s the sort of thing he was referring to.

That shared belief in the truth about Jesus, which only comes by way of the Holy Spirit revealing that same truth to each of them.

[APP] I hope you feel that there is something different about the love you find here among your brothers and sisters in Christ.

I’m sure you have great neighbors.

I’m sure you have great friends.

I’m sure you have great family members.

But knowing that you are loved by your brothers and sisters in Christ, especially when others are set against you, is such a relief, such a rest.

I hope you find that here at Emmanuel.

I hope you love like that here at Emmanuel.

[TS] Gaius was loved. You are loved. Let’s look at the second ENCOURAGEMENT…

ENCOURAGEMENT #2: “I’m praying for you.” (3 John 2)

3 John 2 NASB95

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

[EXP] What an encouragement Gaius must have felt knowing that the Apostle John was praying for him.

John said that he was praying that Gaius would “prosper and be in good health.”

You might have thought that Leonard Nimoy who played Spock on Star Trek came up with the idea of “Live long and prosper,” but it was actually a blessing borrowed from Nimoy’s Jewish upbringing. The Apostle John, being the good Jewish boy that he was, prayed this blessing on Gaius.

We should note that it is right to pray for someone’s good health and material prosperity.

The health and wealth gospel of T. D. Jakes and Joel Osteen is no gospel at all, but health and wealth are not evil things in themselves.

They can, however, become idols to us, so we must keep things in their proper order—the soul must come first.

As you can see in v. 2, John only prays for the material and physical prosperity of Gaius on the foundation of Gaius’ spiritual prosperity.

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

[ILLUS] Before they made faith-based movies like Facing the Giants, Fireproof, and War Room, the Kendrick brothers made a movie called Flywheel.

I watched it a long time ago and can’t even remember why it’s called Flywheel, but I do remember one part of the movie.

A pastor is buying a car for (I think) his daughter. He decided to buy it from a used-car salesman in his church. The pastor looks at the car, asks some questions of the salesman, and then buys the car.

As they shake hands on the agreement, the pastor tells the salesman, “I want to pray for you.” The pastor then prays that the Lord would bless this salesman in proportion to his honesty in selling this car to the pastor.”

But here’s the thing: the salesman knows that he hasn’t been honest with the pastor about the car.

He knows it’s a piece of junk, and that he won’t be receiving a blessing in proportion to his honesty.

[APP] But what if your health was in proportion to the health of your soul, how healthy would you be? What if you wealth was in proportion to the prosperity of your soul, would you be in the poor house or would you be set for life?

Now, I want to be clear.

Soul prosperity doesn’t necessarily lead to health and wealth.

A man’s health and wealth are not trustworthy indicators as to the state of his soul.

But this is an opportunity to examine ourselves.

What if I prayed for you like this, “Lord, prosper him in the body and in wallet to the degree that he prospers in his soul?”

Would you have reason to expect prosperity in the body or in the wallet?

Or, like the used-car salesman in Flywheel, would you know better.

Your soul prospers as you trust in Jesus.

Your soul prospers as you pray to Jesus.

Your soul prospers as meditate on his word.

Your soul prospers as you sing his praises.

[APP] In any event, Gaius would’ve been encouraged to know that someone was praying for him.

Sometimes we hear about “power in prayer,” but the only power in prayer is in the one to whom we pray.

The Bible does say that the prayers of a righteous man are powerful and effective, and surely that was the praying of the Apostle John.

But, again, the real power of Christian prayer is the one to whom we pray.

You may think, “Well, that’s great, but who’s praying for me?

I am praying for you.

As you live out the Christian life, which is often hard, I’m praying for you.

As you live out the Christian life, which often doesn’t come with a lot of encouragement, I’m praying for you.

I’ve been reading through Isaiah in my own daily Bible reading, and everyday I find something to pray over everyone of you by name.

In recent days I’ve prayed that you would not forget that God will not forget you. He has you engraved on the palm of his hands. (Isaiah 49:15-16)

I’ve prayed that you all in your weariness would be sustained with a word from Jesus. (Isaiah 50:4)

I’ve prayed that you would all understand that God reigns—a comforting truth for his people, a terrifying truth for the wicked, but a reality for us all. (Isaiah 52:7)

I’ve prayed that you would find your satisfaction in the grace of God in Jesus Christ. (Isaiah 55)

I tell you that so you know that someone is praying for you.

But others in this church are praying for you too.

Are you praying for them?

But the really good news is that Jesus is praying for us. Romans 8:33-34 says…

Romans 8:33–34 NASB95

33 Who will bring a charge against God’s elect? God is the one who justifies; 34 who is the one who condemns? Christ Jesus is He who died, yes, rather who was raised, who is at the right hand of God, who also intercedes for us.

When this Christian life gets hard and you don’t feel loved, know that Jesus loves you.

When this Christian life gets hard and you don’t think anyone is praying for you, know that Jesus is praying for you.

[TS] You are loved. You are prayed for. And here’s the third ENCOURAGEMENT…

ENCOURAGEMENT #3: “You are walking in truth.” (3 John 3-4)

3 John 3–4 NASB95

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.

[EXP] John was very glad because he heard that Gaius was walking in truth.

Some of the brethren—perhaps some true teachers that John had sent out—had come to John perhaps telling him about Diotrephes and how he wouldn’t help them or give support to their ministry in any way, but they also told John about Gaius who showed them hospitality, supported them in their work to preach and teach the true gospel of Jesus Christ.

John said it gave him no greater joy than to hear that his children were walking in truth.

In this context, there are a couple of ways to walk in error but only one way to walk in truth.

Those walked in error who welcomed all teachers without discerning whether they were true or false teachers.

Those walked in error who shunned all teachers without discerning whether they were true or false teachers.

But in their midst was Gaius who was trying to walk in truth by doing the hard work of discernment so that he supported true teachers and gave no support to false teachers.

John was glad to hear about Gaius.

He no doubt wished he had a church full of people like Gaius.

[ILLUS] My friend was the best player on our high school soccer team. His dad coached us our sophomore through senior year, and sometimes he was hardest on his son, the best player on our team.

But during our senior banquet, his dad said about him, “If I had a team full of players like you, we would win state every year.”

(But we never won state because their were players like me on the team!)

But I think that’s how John felt about Gaius. “If I had a church full of folks like Gaius—a church full of folks who will to walk in truth, to do the hard work of discernment and the necessary work of hospitality—we’d be doing alright.”

[APP] But listen, this church can be full of people like Gaius—people who give no support to false teachers but show generous support to those who preach and teach the truth about Jesus.

But to be a church full of people like Gaius, we have to do the work, and we have to keep going even when its hard.

We can because we are loved.

We are prayed for.

And we are walking in truth.

[TS]…

Conclusion

[PRAYER]