Fellow Workers For The Truth

Alba 11-10-2024

FELLOW WORKERS FOR THE TRUTH

III John 5-8

A stranger was walking down a residential street and noticed a man struggling with a washing machine at the doorway of his house. When the newcomer volunteered to help, the homeowner was overjoyed, and the two men together began to work and struggle with the bulky appliance.

After several minutes of fruitless effort the two stopped and just stared at each other in frustration. They looked as if they were on the verge of total exhaustion. Finally, when they had caught their breath, the first man said to the homeowner, “We’ll never get this washing machine in there!” To which the homeowner replied, “In? I’m trying to move it out of here!”

Doesn't life go so much better when people work together instead of against each other? But you need to know what the task is in order to do that. Jesus gave a task to the church when He said in Matthew 28:18-20 “All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.”

That is His command. And that is our task. In the first century until now, people have been working to accomplish that goal. And it is best done when done together.

That is why the apostle John commends Gaius in John's third epistle. Gaius was a Christian man who gave the assistance needed to those who were traveling from church to church teaching the truth of the gospel. John says that the things Gaius was doing made him a fellow worker for the truth. For us to be like Gaius we need to follow his example and...

1. Work Faithfully

In III John 5-6 John says to Gaius, “Beloved, you do faithfully whatever you do for the brethren and for strangers, who have borne witness of your love before the church.” John calls his dear friend “Beloved”. He has heard of the good work that Gaius has done, especially in caring for the needs of the traveling teachers. These teachers were like the circuit riding preachers of a more recent era. John was faithful in providing for them as they spent time in his area.

Gaius had opened his house so that these who proclaimed the gospel could have a place to stay. He made up the guest bedroom and let them stay there. These were not relatives, they were not long lost friends. They were people that Gaius did not know. But they were fellow Christians taking the news of Jesus to people in his area. It could be that these were people that John had sent to this area. But whether that is true or not, Gaius opened his home and let them stay. He did so because he was a man who was faithful in the things of the Lord.

Those who had been staying at Gaius' house must have filled out a report to John, because he has heard that Gaius has been super supportive, and that Gaius has been acting out of love. The report of his actions was made known to John and people in the church. It was a report that John was glad to hear.

It takes people who are faithful to the Lord and faithful in their work to produce the positive outcome that the Lord desires. The work of the Lord advances when the work load is shared. It takes all working together or else it all falls apart.

Did you know that during World War II they figured that for every one man on the front lines, they needed approximately 20 personnel behind him to provide all kinds of logistical support? Without that support things would not have gone well. Everyone is needed, and each one must do their part.

Think of going to an orchestra concert. The selections chosen are from the great composers. All of the instruments needed are in place. A conductor who is among the best is in charge. Then the orchestra begins to play. At first, all seems to be going well.

But it soon becomes obvious that one of the horn players is off key. It may be a trumpet player or someone with a french horn, but they are not together with the rest of the orchestra. The result? In spite of everyone else doing their part and playing well, the overall sound of the orchestra is ruined. It takes everyone working together, being faithful to do their part, to have get a good result. The music sounds better when all are in tune with each other.