Jay Leno once said that the Christmas tree is the perfect houseplant for him because it is already dead. And that’s probably true for many of us.
Growing house plants sometimes is hard work. One preacher was given a Peace Lily for a wedding gift. I don’t know what the symbolism means. Peace Lilies are strong plants. Weeks would go by before they would water it, then he would see it wilting and turning brown. So he would go over and pour a cup of water on the soil. Then a couple of days later, the plant would spring back to life.
Many times we approach our Christian life that way. We throw an occasional cup of water on it until we feel better about ourselves.
But about a year ago, that preacher started taking care of that plant. He began to water it everyday. Then one day, for the first time since their wedding, he saw a flower.
That is the difference between a healthy plant and a just barely living plant. A healthy plant produces a flower. A healthy plant does what it is designed to do.
And a healthy spiritual walk also does what it is designed to do. It produces something, and we see that in this letter of 3 John.
3 John gives to us a glimpse into the life and struggles of the church of the first century. Even the churches under the Apostle John’s care struggled with the truth and with personalities. This personal letter is about showing the right kind of hospitality to authentic, reliable Christian teachers who have been sent out by the Apostle John. To borrow the words of a New Testament scholar: “Third John is all about the Elder, who wrote it; Gaius, who received it; Diotrephes, who provoked it; and Demetrius, who carried it.”
Diotrephes was causing some problems in the house-church that he led. John wrote to his personal friend Gaius to tell him about this. In doing it he gives some traits of a growing Christian.
Like a healthy plant, a growing Christian will produce these fruits.
For any growing Christian these traits should be obvious to those with whom you work and live and play. To claim you’re a Christian without these traits is to claim you’re a live Christmas tree that is cut…headed to death.
The first trait of a healthy Christian life is to…
Live as if your report is good - 3 John 1:1-4
Do you remember report card day growing up? Some students live for report card day. I knew kids who received money for A’s and B’s. Some students hope their report is just good enough not to get into trouble.
In Christ, our lives should be such that our report is good. 3 John…verse 1….
The elder, To my dear friend Gaius, whom I love in the truth. [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. [3] It gave me great joy to have some brothers come and tell about your faithfulness to the truth and how you continue to walk in the truth. [4] I have no greater joy than to hear that my children are walking in the truth.
The report about Gaius is good. John has some extraordinary words about Gaius.
He hopes that Gaius’ body is as healthy as his spirit. That is amazing to me, and it shows that Gaius was spiritually fit.
We live in a society where physical fitness is honored. Athletes are heroes. Popular musicians are instructed “to look the part of the superstar”. Movie Stars pay large amounts of money for personal trainers.
Even in the time of the New Testament, people took serious consideration to physical fitness. Paul used examples of running races to describe the Spiritual life.
But to have our spiritual life set the standard for our physical fitness? What a new concept! But that is the description of Gaius. May you be as healthy as your spirit is.
With physical fitness the evidence is clear. You lose weight. You tone your muscles. Your entire appearance might change. When we become spiritually fit, the difference will show as well.
It will show in the way we interact with others. It will show in how we manage our time. It will be revealed in the things we think and talk about. Something about us will be different.
John Maxwell is an expert in the area of leadership, especially Chistian leadership. In his book Today Matters he makes a statement that applies to growth. He says;
The truth is, if we don’t take responsibility for our growth, it won’t happen. Growth is not automatic. If you believe it simply comes with age, you might turn out like the subject of singer and comedian Tennessee Ernie Ford’s comment, “He started at the bottom, and sort of liked it there.”
Some of us have become comfortable with where we are in regard to our spiritual fitness. And we start out at the bottom and find that we like it there. We measure faith by “church” involvement instead of by personal growth. For some reason in our culture we have grown to believe that complaining about a church ministry is spiritual…it’s not…All throughout the Bible there is this penetrating message that many of us…me and you are missing….and we are not to blow it off with a “whatever” attitude as if it doesn’t matter. Faith is measured in what we do…not how we feel AND not the issues we address. As I’ve been working through some areas that the modern church has adopted I’m coming up with this list of questions. One is, “what does this have to do with leading someone to Jesus Christ?” And now another one, What am I doing as evidence of my faith?
Spiritual Growth is not automatic. We don’t just grow because we have been a Christian for ten years. We must do something about it. We don’t become spiritually fit in a day. It takes time. The ultimate goal is to grow a healthy and mature faith. John describes it this way.
3 John 1:3 It gave me great joy to have some brothers come and tell about your faithfulness to the truth and how you continue to walk in the truth.
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John says that others described Gaius by his faithfulness to the truth. And that he continues to walk in the truth. We have to figure out what the truth is, not what we want it to be, not what we wish it would be, but what it is.
I believe I’m familiar with John’s writings and the truth to which he refers is that Jesus died, was buried and rose again and now we as his followers must give our life to His cause of loving people to the One who can save them. That’s the truth…..and that is the truth that Gaius must be walking in…the truth of who Jesus Christ is…that He is God. John says that the truth was in Gaius.
For years, people have tried to punch holes in the Gospel. They try to minimize its effect on the world, but the Gospel message of Jesus Christ remains true and unchanged after all of those years.
The newest attack on the truth of the Bible is political correctness. People once tried to scientifically debate it, but that didn’t work.
So they tried to culturally debate it, but that didn’t work either. Some even tried to legally suppress it, and that didn’t work.
But now, they want to claim that it is offensive, exclusive, and a radical idea, even to the point of comparing evangelicals who believe the Gospel, to the terrorists in the Middle East.
But John also says that Gaius walked in the truth. Literally, the Greek states that he “walked around” in the truth.
If people look at you, what do they say you walk around in? He walks around in an ego trip all the time. He walks around to the sound of his voice. She walks around in the latest styles. She walks around thinking highly of herself. What we do to others, someone is doing or saying of us. And someone is saying of you, maybe with different words a statement about the kind of person you are…and they formulate that opinion by what you do. And Gaius walked around in the truth of Jesus Christ.
The second trait of a healthy Christian life is to…
Live to produce children of the faith - 3 John 1:4
John writes in vs 4; I have no greater joy than to hear that my children are walking in the truth.
It is a compliment to the Apostle John that Gaius is walking in the faith. If you desire Christ at all you know that there is no greater joy than your children walking in the faith.
This week, my sermon writing partner Scot picked up his children from school and on the way home his daughter shouted, “Dad, we talked about Jesus at lunch today.”
Scot said, “you did?” She said, “yeah. Kyle Jewett said that no one is perfect.” And I said, “Jesus and God are perfect.” He said, “I wasn’t talking about that.” She said, “Well Kyle, you shouldn’t be talking that way because they are perfect.” And he said something back, and she hates to lose an argument and like every good woman she changed the subject so she could win, “Well Kyle, do you know the word Easter isn’t in the Bible?” It is too. No it’s not. And everyone at her table said it was and she was the only one that was right… (Scot had to correct her and let her know that it was in the KJV but that is an inaccurate translation due to the finding of such recent manuscripts that are actually later manuscripts for translation purposes which put us closer to the original writings and that the uncials and Syriac versions…I’m kidding he didn’t say all of that…She already knows that stuff!)
There is no greater joy than to see our children walking in the faith.
John is talking about our spiritual children. Have you had the opportunity to baptize someone into Christ? Why not? Making disciples and baptizing them and teaching them isn’t a church task, it’s a Christian’s passion…and growing Christians live their lives always trying to produce spiritual children in the faith.
One small part of the Christian life is living our lives to make a difference. And way too often we’ve heard the phrase, “I just live my life so others will know I’m a Christian.” What that means is… I’m a good person and I’m too scared to share my faith or bring up the subject of Christianity.
The main part of a growing Christian’s life is to intentionally build relationships to lead others to Christ and to stand in water and baptize them into a new life. So take a moment this morning and write down on your bulletin your top ten wanted list. Who are the top ten people you are going to begin to intentionally influence for Christ? I’ve instructed the ushers to go on lock down and no one gets to leave until you show them your list.
There is nothing greater…nothing…than baptizing someone into Christ…you should try it.
The third trait of a growing Christian is to…
Live faithful to other Christians.
John writes; 3 John 1:5-6
Dear friend, you are faithful in what you are doing for the brothers, even though they are strangers to you. [6] They have told the church about your love. You will do well to send them on their way in a manner worthy of God. It was for the sake of the Name that they went out, receiving no help from the pagans.
Obviously Gaius had helped other Christians who were traveling through even though they were strangers to him. He spoke well of other Christians and even went beyond providing necessities and loved them. He provided encouragement, and probably food and shelter. He opened his home and life to them.
Paul said, “We were delighted to share not only the gospel but our very lives as well.” He also wrote to the legalistic Christians in Galatia, 10 So then, while we have opportunity, let us do good to all men, and especially to those who are of the household of the faith.
You have heard it said that the church is the only army who shoots its wounded. We have that history.
Someone falls into sin and we keep our distance…forgetting the sin we have come out of and forgetting that the one who has fallen already feels guilty enough…they don’t need us to add to it. We’re a team that leaves our injured on the bench. A school that leaves our troubled in detention. A court system that leaves our hurting on probation. We have measured the worth of other Christians by what they can do for me or how they can promote me. We see value in Christianity by stage performance when we should measure a Christian’s worth by the heart of service and their consistency in leading others to Christ.
We have become an exclusive club with secret membership requirements which few can break into. We are closed when we need to be open. We think inwardly about the church rather than outwardly about how to lead the lost. We forget that Jesus said he came for the sick, not the righteous and then we forget who the sick really are.
Gaius was faithful to all Christians who lived to lead others to the Christ. If we’re growing in Christ, we will be faithful to one another as we lead others to Jesus.
The fourth trait of a growing Christian is to….
Live as if you are a servant - 3 John 1:9-10
John writes about a problem…we read in vs 9: I wrote to the church, but Diotrephes, who loves to be first, will have nothing to do with us. [10] So if I come, I will call attention to what he is doing, gossiping maliciously about us. Not satisfied with that, he refuses to welcome the brothers. He also stops those who want to do so and puts them out of the church.
We know that Diotrephes is selfish. He “loves to be first.” By our nature, we want to be first. Any time you have something for kids, they run up and try to be the first in line Teachers even have to figure out ways to have them take turns so they aren’t fighting about who is first all of the time.
Diotrephes would have nothing to do with John? Why not? Remember this is not the son of thunder anymore. No more calling down fire from heaven by this guy. He is the one now that says, “little children, let us love one another.” How could you not want anything to do with John? Diotrephes wanted to have all of the attention and control himself. He knew John would point out his self-centeredness and so he avoided John and those associated with him.
Everything in us detests men like Diotrephes. We can’t believe that people are so self-serving. But everything within us is plagued with this self-serving disease. We are just like Diotrephes…and our being cries out to be noticed and recognized and listened to. It’s the root of all our sin.
It’s the sin of Adam and Eve in the Garden…. “YOU can be like God.” We want God’s job….at least we want the worship of others which is only due to Him.
And whether it is on a stage in church or a hotel room after a night in a bar…we want to be served….we seek attention. And this is where Diotrephes lives in the middle of Self City…and worse he is using the church to stroke his own ego. Be careful about your ego…before you know it, your ego will rise up and consume you and though you might be doing good things in the name of Christ it will be to please your self and find a sense of worth for self in the name of Jesus. Do you see the contradiction? Serving Self in the Name of Jesus.
And in our church culture today we are flooded with self-seeking people in need of attention.
The Bible speaks of certain criteria that we should look to in deciding whether we should separate ourselves from fellowship with certain people:
Romans 16:17-18
I urge you, brothers, to watch out for those who cause divisions and put obstacles in your way that are contrary to the teaching you have learned. Keep away from them. [18] For such people are not serving our Lord Christ, but their own appetites. By smooth talk and flattery they deceive the minds of naive people.
Titus 3:10-11
Warn a divisive person once, and then warn him a second time. After that, have nothing to do with him. [11] You may be sure that such a man is warped and sinful; he is self-condemned.
Wait a minute here, these passages don’t say anything about not liking a person. What about a personality clash? Surely I can have nothing to do with the person I don’t agree with? You don’t understand that person is a little bit weird … Sorry, these reasons aren’t sufficient to justify not welcoming someone.
Diotrephes failed to welcome the brothers not because they deceived the minds of naïve people by smooth talk and flattery, not because they are divisive, but because… he desires to be first.
One of the biggest dangers of a church contracting The Diotrephes disease is that it starts to become inward reaching instead of outward stretching. Instead of being encouraged by new people coming into the church and welcoming them with open arms, such a church feels threatened because these new people might bring problems we can’t handle or they may be better singers, or better musicians, or better teachers, or make a better casserole or pie than we can. Or doesn’t it seem that the pastor has been spending more time with the new people recently?
The challenge presented by this attitude of Diotrephes is to overcome our tendencies to continue to nurse the exclusive club mentality. We need to stretch out and make people feel welcome … going beyond the simple hello and handshake during the service, going beyond the casual wave around town … and onto the dinner invitations … the surprise visits … the invitation to participate in church activities … the offer to drive to church…..
Diotrephes saw some people stretching out to welcome the brothers and 3 John records, "he stops those who want to do so and puts them out of the church"
Diotrephes and the people that were infected with his disease became so inward reaching that they became angry towards the people who knew the right thing to do and did it.
But not only that, Diotrephes was a gossip. He would talk about others in order to manipulate them into shape and control them.
Gossip is idle talk. Its when you talk about others behind their backs. It usually begins with the words, “Did you know?…” Or “I have a prayer concern.” I’ve heard gossip defined as, “verbal diarrhea” and I tend to agree.
Why do people gossip? It is heavily related to the desire to be first. When people gossip they are really saying, “Guess what I just found out?”, or “I know something you don’t know…”. Or look at me I know something important. In Diotrephes case his malicious gossip was intended to degrade the authority of the apostle’s leadership and puff up himself. You know the funny thing about gossiping is we’re ready to expound on the latest troubles or failures about someone, but we’re not doing the slightest thing to help them. And when we gossip…or complain about church leaders today we degrade their authority and rob them of the respect that is due.
Gossip is something that destroys people rather than builds them up. It causes distrust, anger, hurt feelings, broken relationships, and spreads Diotrephes disease like wildfire.
Ephesians 4:29
Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen.
James 3: 4-10
Or take ships as an example. Although they are so large and are driven by strong winds, they are steered by a very small rudder wherever the pilot wants to go. [5] Likewise the tongue is a small part of the body, but it makes great boasts. Consider what a great forest is set on fire by a small spark. [6] The tongue also is a fire, a world of evil among the parts of the body. It corrupts the whole person, sets the whole course of his life on fire, and is itself set on fire by hell. [7] All kinds of animals, birds, reptiles and creatures of the sea are being tamed and have been tamed by man, [8] but no man can tame the tongue. It is a restless evil, full of deadly poison. [9] With the tongue we praise our Lord and Father, and with it we curse men, who have been made in God’s likeness. [10] Out of the same mouth come praise and cursing. My brothers, this should not be.
What are you willing to do to stop gossip in its tracks when it comes around to you? Always remember, those of you who gossip are flashing a huge neon sign that says, “I’m Self-Serving.” “I have the Diotrephes Disease.”
Some people want to be served, they don’t want to serve. And it doesn’t matter how clear Jesus’ teaching is on this, they want no part of it. They won’t even welcome others, because they want things to stay their way. And yet the mark of a growing Christian is the ability to fight the internal desire to serve ourselves and instead serve others.
But here is how we are to live and serve: Philippians 2:3-5
Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves. [4] Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others. [5] Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus:
Do you have the symptoms of the Diotrephes disease or are you living out the cure?
What does it mean to serve others? You have to be ready to encourage those who are hurting, show love at times when you don’t feel like it and attempt to bring everyone around you into a stronger relationship with Jesus Christ.
A growing Christian will reach the point where it is natural to place self on the cabinet and humbly serve others, Christ and His church without any need for recognition.
The final trait of a growing Christian is to
Live for the good that others might find Christ - 3 John 1:11-12
Vs 11 Dear friend, do not imitate what is evil but what is good. Anyone who does what is good is from God. Anyone who does what is evil has not seen God. [12] Demetrius is well spoken of by everyone--and even by the truth itself. We also speak well of him, and you know that our testimony is true.
If you are looking for the good, the bad and the ugly in this letter, Demetrius would definitely be the Good. We don’t know much about him. I believe he could be the same Demetrius of Acts 19. In that passage those that make idols are upset because Paul’s work in converting people to Christianity is hurting their business. In verse 25 it is Demetrius who calls together the workmen in related trades, and says this:
Acts 19:25-28
"Men, you know we receive a good income from this business. [26] And you see and hear how this fellow Paul has convinced and led astray large numbers of people here in Ephesus and in practically the whole province of Asia. He says that man-made gods are no gods at all. [27] There is danger not only that our trade will lose its good name, but also that the temple of the great goddess Artemis will be discredited, and the goddess herself, who is worshiped throughout the province of Asia and the world, will be robbed of her divine majesty."
Demetrius was able to convince them to do something about this. So they beat up Gaius, the one that this letter is written to and Aristarchus. And have Paul arrested.
But for a minute, just think if this is the same Demetrius…it may not be…but what if he is? He saw Gaius and Aristarchus take the beating. He saw the fact that the Christians did not retaliate and maybe that was enough to make him investigate the claims of Christianity. Could it be that was the event that started him on the road to Christ? Maybe that is why his name is mentioned in Acts. It wouldn’t be the first time someone starts on that road by being one who persecutes. It appears that Paul started his journey to Christ when they put Stephen to death.
So if that happened, it is a result of the Christians living right lives and through that seeing others come to Christ.
Look at how Demetrius has been living in 3 John. He has lived a life that caused him to be respected by everyone. I thought it was interesting that he was spoken well by the truth itself. Wouldn’t that be a great thing to have said about us?
In verse 11 John tells us to imitate what is good. That is exactly what Demetrius was doing, imitating what he saw in good Christians.
But another thing to point out if this is the same Demetrius…and it is the same Gaius…and I would like to think that it is…. Demetrius caused the riot that had Gaius arrested and now Gaius is welcoming Demetrius into his home and providing for him.
That’s what it means to be a growing Christian, to love those who have offended us. To stand on the truth together, as a team with those with whom we clash. To realize that the truth of Christ is so much more important than our own personal feelings of being served. To be mature enough to put away our childish hurt feelings and stand along side those who stand for the truth even if we have been hurt.
This past Friday Scot did the funeral of a 35 year old Husband and Father. Great young man…no answer yet to how he died…just found him dead…. 35 years old in perfect health…worked out, ate right….
It made us think, when you and I die do we want to show up with complaints about the church and church leadership on our lips? Do we want to show up serving our selves when we have to appear before the One who served others better than anyone else? Won’t it appear a bit awkward to show up before the Greatest Servant of all time and say, “I didn’t get my way”? “Have you heard about?” I don’t want to die and ever appear to Jesus that I lived to serve my self…if any trait about a growing Christian is important it would have to be the ability to die to myself, put self in the cabinet and serve others. Because when I refuse to stroke my own ego and serve others…they will eventually come to the Christ.
