Fellow Workers For The Truth

FELLOW WORKERS FOR THE TRUTH

3 John 1:5-9

(Antioch Baptist Church: Sunday, November 16th, 2025)

Honey bees visit over 2 million flowers and fly over 55,000 miles to produce a single pound of honey. It takes about 560 bees to make 1 pound of honey. A single worker bee produces a very small amount of honey in its lifetime, roughly 1/12th of a teaspoon.

This example from nature is a great illustration of how important it is for God’s people to work together. We are far more effective when we work together than if we attempt to be productive on our own. The Bible says, “Two are better than one, because they have a good reward for their toil. For if they fall, one will lift up his fellow. But woe to him who is alone when he falls and has not another to lift him up” (Ecclesiastes 4:9).

When I speak of working together, it is important for you to understand that this involves more than the members of this specific local assembly. We are members of Antioch Baptist Church, but even greater is the fact that we are members of the Church Universal. Our Savior expects all of His people to work together to advance His cause. To be successful in this endeavor we must be willing to cooperate with our fellow Saints locally, nationally, and internationally. This means that we must be focused on cooperation and guard against competition.

John’s Third letter is addressed to his beloved friend Gaius. Gaius was known by the Brethren as a man who exhibited great compassion and generous hospitality. He was a vibrant servant of Christ who walked in the truth and supported his fellow saints; those whom he knew, and even strangers that he encountered who were laboring for the cause of Christ.

John warned Gaius about a certain man in the church named Diotrephes who instead of working with the servants of Christ, worked against them. Furthermore, he rejected John’s apostolic authority and talked “wicked nonsense” about him. John goes on to declare that Diotrephes was one who “likes to put himself first”. Because of his desire for preeminence, Diotrephes “refused to welcome the brothers, and also stopped those who wanted to and put them out of the church” (v10).

Far too often, local churches compete for members, for influence, and for resources. Rather than competing, it is important for us to cooperate with our fellow Saints locally and globally. I would like to examine John’s commendation of Gaius and his instructions to him and consider the subject “Fellow Workers For The Truth”.

In verse eight John stresses the importance of Christian cooperation saying, “Therefore we ought to support people like these, that we may be fellow workers for the truth.” For us to be fellow workers for the truth, we must understand:

THE IMPORTANCE OF HOSPITALITY

v5 Beloved, it is a faithful thing you do in all your efforts for these brothers, strangers as they are, 6 who testified to your love before the church. You will do well to send them on their journey in a manner worthy of God.

John speaks of the “faithful thing you do”; this is a reference to the hospitality Gaius extended to traveling missionaries. “Hospitality” is the Christian virtue of welcoming and caring for strangers, enemies, and those in need without expecting anything in return. Gaius gladly opened his home to those brethren who had committed themselves to the preaching of the Gospel. He did this not only for those whom he knew personally, but also for “strangers”,

In the early days of the church, (and to some extent throughout Church history) itinerant preachers and missionaries were helped by other “brethren”; as they journeyed thorough a certain area. As they traveled and preached the Gospel, compassionate Christian brothers and sisters would provide them with food, a place to stay and various other necessities.

I remember hearing my grandparents talk about the days of “circuit preachers”. In the “horse and buggy days”, in certain regions there was a shortage of local clergy; as a result, some preachers would serve multiple churches in a designated area, known as a "circuit". It was common for a family within the church to invite the preacher into their home, provide him with meals and a place to stay when he was in the area.

Just before He ascended, Jesus stated that the Gospel would spread from Jerusalem, to Judea, to Samaria, and then all over the world. Certainly the Apostles, prophets, pastors, and evangelists were vital to this mission. But they would not have been as successful in their evangelistic and missionary efforts without the help and support of hospitable Christian brethren.

Gaius, Phoebe, Philemon, and countless other Saints in scripture extended compassion and hospitality to other Christians; some they knew and some they didn’t. We should follow their example and do the same today. Christian hospitality is not just an admirable attribute; it is a trait that God expects from His people.