Becoming A Creature Of Habit 01 Series

BECOMING A CREATURE OF HABIT

Changing our ways in 2023

3 JOHN

INTRODUCTION: THE 3RD LETTER OF JOHN IS A VERY PERSONAL LETTER BETWEEN JOHN THE APOSTLE AND GAIUS. ALTHOUGH THE NAME GAIUS IS MENTIONED SEVERAL TIMES IN THE NEW TESTAMENT, WE REALLY DO NOT KNOW MUCH ABOUT HIM ACCEPT THAT HE WAS A DEAR/BELOVED FRIEND OF JOHN.

WHAT WE DO KNOW ABOUT HIM WAS WHAT HE WAS DOING AS A FOLLOWER OF CHRIST.

AND IT IS IN THIS LETTER THAT WE FIND A WEALTH OF INFORMATION ON BECOMING A HABITUAL CHRISTIAN BY HOW WE DO WHAT WE DO.

TRANSITION: SO, AS WE BEGIN THIS NEW YEAR, IT IS FITTING THAT WE SEEK TO EMBRACE THE TRUTH OF THIS SHORT LETTER WITH A POWERFUL MESSAGE; NOT ONLY TO GAIUS, BUT TO US AS WELL.

I. THE FIRST HABIT –HEALTH

3 John 2 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.

a. HERE IN THIS VERSE PAUL TALKS ABOUT TWO TYPES OF HEALTH

i. PHYSICAL HEALTH

ii. SOUL/SPIRITUAL HEALTH

b. WHAT DOES THE BIBLE SAY ABOUT PHYSICAL HEALTH

i. LET’S BE HONEST RIGHT HERE, WE COULD ALL DO BETTER PHYSICALLY

1. BY THE WAY, DON’T MAKE A RESOLUTION TO DO BETTER WITH PHYSICAL HEALTH, BECAUSE ACCORDING TO OUR CALENDAR, IN A LITTLE MORE THAN 2 WEEKS YOU WILL BE DUMPING THAT RESOLUTION

2. AND IF YOU ARE THINKING ABOUT THAT GYM MEMBERSHIP, TRY IT BEFORE YOU BY IT.

3. EVERY YEAR, I SEE A WHOLE NEW FLOCK OF PEOPLE IN THE GYM, MOST OF WHICH ARE GONE BY THE MIDDLE OF JANUARY AND THE BEGINNING OF FEBRUARY. IT WAS NOT FOR THEM, AND THEY ARE REMINDED OF THAT WITH THE MONTHLY MEMBERSHIP PAYMENT FOR THE FIRST YEAR

1 Timothy 4:8 For physical training is of some value, but godliness has value for all things, holding promise for both the present life and the life to come.

ii. WHAT THE SCRIPTURE DOES TELL US IS THAT PHYSICAL TRAINING HAS SOME VALUE, OR VALUE IN THE PHYSICAL REALM

iii. IN OTHER WORDS, THE VALUE OF GOOD HEALTH HAS VALUE AS LONG AS WE ARE ON THIS PLANET.

iv. NOW AS I SHARE THIS WITH YOU, I AM KEENLY AWARE OF

1. I DO NOT POINT A FINGER AT YOU WITHOUT HAVING THREE-POINTED BACK AT ME

2. SCRIPTURE REMINDS ME THAT MY BODY AS A FOLLOWER OF CHRIST HAS A SPECIAL PURPOSE

1Corinthians 6:19–20 Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; 20 you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your body.

3. THEREFORE, MY PHYSICAL CARE IS AN IMPORTANT TESTIMONY TO MY SPIRITUAL VALUE UNTIL JESUS CALLS ME HOME!

c. WHAT DOES THE BIBLE SAY ABOUT SPIRITUAL HEALTH?

i. Colossians 3:16 Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom, and as you sing psalms, hymns and spiritual songs with gratitude in your hearts to God.

1. I AM TO GET GOD’S WORD INTO MY LIFE. THE SENSE IS THAT THE WORD OF CHRIST IS TO RESIDE IN MY HOME RICHLY/ABUNDANTLY

2. HERE IS THE SENSE OF WHAT IS BEING SAID. HAVE YOU EVER GONE INTO A HOME WHERE THERE IS A THEME TO THE HOUSE? AS SOON AS YOU GO IN THERE, YOU REALIZE THAT THIS IS A _____ HOUSE

ILLUSTRATION: “ALMOST” AUNT KIM AND HER HOUSE OF STRAWBERRIES

3. THE WORD OF GOD IS TO HAVE SUCH A PLACE IN MY LIFE THAT IT BRINGS THE SPIRITUAL BEST OUT OF ME

a. HELPS ME TEACH

b. HELPS ME COUNSEL

c. HELPS ME WORSHIP

d. HELPS ME BE GRATEFUL

ii. 2 Timothy 3:16–17 All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, 17 so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.

1. WHEN YOU LOOK AT THIS VERSE, YOU NEED TO LOOK AT IT LIKE AN OREO COOKIE

a. THE WAFERS ARE: THE WORD OF GOD IS USEFUL/PROFITABLE AND “THOROUGHLY EQUIPPED FOR EVERY GOOD WORK”

b. THE CREAMY CENTER IS EVERYTHING ELSE

2. SPIRITUAL HEALTH COMES FROM EMBRACING THE VALUE OF THE WORD OF GOD FOR EQUIPPING ME SPIRITUALLY FOR ANYTHING THAT COMES MY WAY

I COULD SHARE MORE, BUT I THINK YOU GET THE POINT

CHALLENGE: If your physical health was based on your spiritual health, would you be in the hospital right now or on your way to the cemetery? Would you be starving to death because you neglect to nourish yourself on the spiritual food of God’s Word and Bible preaching? Examine yourself. Many Christian today would find that this prayer would be a rebuke to them because they are spiritually anemic or out of gas spiritually.