3 John - What's Your Reputation? Series

Postcards: 3 John

Pastor Jefferson M. Williams

Chenoa Baptist Church

11-26-2023

Reputation

Each of us walked in here with something extremely valuable. You can’t see it but it’s real and follows us wherever we go. It can take years to build it and only moments to destroy it.

Taylor Swift wrote a whole album about it and Joan Jett had a hit singing about the fact she doesn’t care about hers.

Oxford defines it as “beliefs or opinions that are generally held about someone or something.”

Do you know what is it yet? It’s your reputation.

Do you have a good reputation? Are you thought of as kind, generous, thoughtful, or wise? Do people smile when you walk into a room or when your name is mentioned in a conversation?

Do you have a bad reputation? Are you known as a gossip, a liar, a cheat, and mean-spirited? Do people want to leave when you walk into a room?

Anyone who has waited tables will tell you that the worst day of the week to work is Sundays. Christians have a reputation for being rude, demanding, and cheap.

Solomon, the wisest man who ever lived, knew this and wrote these words to his sons:

A good name is more desirable than great riches; to be esteemed is better than silver or gold. (Prov 22:1)

Overview

John was Jesus’s closest friend during His earthly ministry. After the resurrection, John was a leader in the early church. He was the only apostle not murdered for his faith. He was eventually exiled to the island of Patmos.

He wrote five books of the Bible - John, I John, 2 John, 3 John, and Revelation.

He wrote 2 and 3 John as attachments to the letter of I John.

By the time of writing, 85 AD to 95 AD, he had been freed from Patmos and now was in Ephesus.

This morning, we are going to study the little letter of 3 John. It’s the last book written in the New Testament. It’s the shortest book in the Bible at about 200 words in English but, in it, we will meet three men whose reputations preceded them.

Turn with me to 3 John. (1907 in the pew Bible)

Gaius

“The elder,

To my dear friend Gaius, whom I love in the truth. Dear friend, I pray that you may enjoy good health and that all may go well with you, even as your soul is getting along well. 

* Living Spiritually

John identifies himself as “the elder.” He was the last of the apostles still alive and was, by now, an old man. By virtue of his walking with Jesus and his leadership in the church, he commended tremendous respect and authority.

He writes this short postcard to a man named Gaius. This was a very common Roman name so we really don’t know who he is. But John tells us that he had an incredible reputation.

Four times in this letter, John calls Gaius his “dear friend” which also means “beloved friend.” And he makes it personal by telling him that he loves him in the truth.

Men in our culture are often afraid to express their emotions to other men. John didn’t hesitate to say how much he loved Gaius.

And what drives that love? The truth of the Gospel had saved both of them and made them spiritual brothers.

John then does something that expresses his love. He prays for Gaius. And what does he pray?

That he would prosper and have good health, just as his soul was getting along well.

Prosperity Gospel false teachers quote this verse to prove that John wanted Gaius to “prosper.” But that’s not what John is saying.

In Greek, when he prays for Gaius to “prosper physically” the actual word is a combination of two words - good and road.

He is praying, continually, that Gaius’ life would be like a good journey and that all may go continually well for him.

Maybe Gaius had some health problems and John knew that so he prayed for him daily.

It is important that we pray for people when they go through physical problems but when is the last time you prayed for that person’s soul?

Gaius was alive spiritually even if his body wasn’t 100%.

Point to Ponder: How is your soul? Is it thriving? Is it dry? What if God answered the prayer that you would be blessed physically in accordance with the spiritual health of your soul?

* Walking the Walk

It gave me great joy when some believers came and testified about your faithfulness to the truth, telling how you continue to walk in it. I have no greater joy than to hear that my children are walking in the truth.

Gaius’s reputation preceded him! John has heard how others talk about him. They “testified” (bore witness) to his faithfulness.