How Sad Is A Person With No Mission? Series

HOW SAD IS A PERSON WITHOUT A MISSION?

By Wade Martin Hughes, Sr. Kyfingers@aol.com

I. WHAT IS OUR MISSION ? ...

DEFINE:

MISSION:

TO BE ENTRUSTED

PURPOSE, PLAN, ASSIGNMENT, CHARGE,

The act of sending or being sent, to carry FAITH or humanitarian

work to others, to find direction, to change or convert others,

to be given a specific task,

A TASK OR DUTY, a person or a group of people that are SENT...

SENT FOR A SPECIFIC JOB, TASK...

Personal responsibilities...

NO CHURCH OR PERSON ARE PERFECT... 3RD JOHN TELLS US OF

SOME SEASONS OF STRIFE AND HURT...

JOHN ADDRESSES PEOPLE...

My friend said: I WOULD LOVE TO PASTOR IF IT WEREN'T FOR PEOPLE.

3RD JOHN HAS A DEEP LESSON DO NOT FOCUS ON NEGATIVE PEOPLE...

REJOICE AND BE FAITHFUL TO THE LOYAL---COMMITMENTED PEOPLE...

HAVE TENDER MERCIES...

YET KNOW WHEN TO REBUKE ERROR

II. JOHN'S 3 BOOKS EMPHASISED THREE GOD VALUES OF MISSIONS...

the 64th book of the Bible...

John 8:32 And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.

A. JOHN TEACHES US OF THREE MISSION ISSUES...

1. LOVE...

2. TRUTH...

3. JOY...

B. We must develop a DEEP DESIRE TO KNOW THE TRUTH...

WITH TRUTH WE CAN NOT SUSTAIN LOVE AND JOY...

III. LET US LOOK AT THE THIRD EPISTLE OF JOHN...

A STUDY OF THREE DIFFERENT PERSONALITIES AND THEIR MISSION IN LIFE...

A. GAIUS

B. DIOTRESHES

C. DEMETRIUS

IV. MISSION TYPE #1... GAIUS MISSION WAS TO BE A HELPER AND SPREAD

THE GOOD NEWS... GAIUS IS THE TYPE OF SUPPORTING AND HELPING

MINISTERS... A FAITHFUL WORKER... FINDING JOY IN THE LITTLE...

3 John 1:1 The elder unto the well beloved Gaius, whom I love in the truth.

2 Beloved, I wish above all things that thou mayest prosper and be in health, even as thy

soul prospereth.

3 For I rejoiced greatly, when the brethren came and testified of the truth that is in thee,

even as thou walkest in the truth.

4 I have no greater joy than to hear that my children walk in truth.

5 Beloved, thou doest faithfully whatsoever thou doest to the brethren, and to strangers;

6 Which have borne witness of thy charity before the church: whom if thou bring forward

on their journey after a godly sort, thou shalt do well:

7 Because that for his name's sake they went forth, taking nothing of the Gentiles.

8 We therefore ought to receive such, that we might be fellowhelpers to the truth.

A. 3rd John was written to a man named GAIUS.

WHO WAS GAIUS?

1. We have met GAUIS in several places...

2. GAIUS was a good man and helper to the leaders...

3. The book of 3rd JOHN does note a GOOD MAN named GAIUS...

4. GAIUS WAS A MACEDONIAN

B. Acts records GAIUS stood with PAUL ON SOME DARK DAYS...

THERE WAS A HEATHREN UP-RISING AGAINST PAUL AT EPHESUS...

GAIUS AND A FEW FRIENDS RISKED THEIR LIFE TO PULL PAUL

OUT OF THIS DANGER...

Acts 19:29 And the whole city was filled with confusion: and having caught Gaius and

Aristarchus, men of Macedonia, Paul's companions in travel, they rushed with one

accord into the theatre.

C. ACTS ALSO BEARS RECORD THAT GAIUS TRAVELED AND HELPED AND

SUPPORTED THE MEN OF GOD...

Acts 20:4 And there accompanied him into Asia Sopater of Berea; and of the

Thessalonians, Aristarchus and Secundus; and Gaius of Derbe, and Timotheus;

and of Asia, Tychicus and Trophimus.

D. ROMANS bears record that GAIUS was a generous host, and entertained in his

home... GAIUS entertained and hosts TRAVELING PREACHERS...

HE WAS A GIVER...

Romans 16:23 Gaius mine host, and of the whole church, saluteth you. Erastus

the chamberlain of the city saluteth you, and Quartus a brother.

E. GAIUS must have been one of Paul's first converts...

AS PAUL PERSONALLY BAPTIZED GAIUS...

1 Corinthians 1:14 I thank God that I baptized none of you, but Crispus and Gaius;

V. TYPE #2 THE SELF-FOCUSED MISSION... MANIPULATER, CONTROL ISSUES...

REJECTING AUTHORITY...

MISSION TYPE YOU WILL BE INTRODUCED TO IN THE CHURCH...

THE MISSION OF DIOTRESPHES... THE WORK OF MINISTRY BY THE FLESH...

A. DIOTRESPHES WAS AN ELDER, LEADER IN THE CHURCH...

HE DOES NOT ACCEPT TRUTH...

B. We call him IRON FIST...

3 John 1:9 I wrote unto the church: but Diotrephes, who loveth to have the preeminence

among them, receiveth us not.

10 Wherefore, if I come, I will remember his deeds which he doeth, prating against us with

malicious words: and not content therewith, neither doth he himself receive the brethren,

and forbiddeth them that would, and casteth them out of the church.

C. WE DO KNOW SOMETHINGS ABOUT DIOTREPHES...

1. He was a PROUD person...

2. He was ambitious... GOSSIP

3. He was EXCLUSIVE vs. inclusive... Us 4 and no more...