As we continue our studies in the writings of the Apostle John, we begin to look into the book of 3 John. My plan is to spend just two studies in this book. It is believed that John the Apostle wrote this book or letter around 85-95 AD. It was written to a man named Gaius in order to warn against rejecting true ministers and spiritual leadership.
Like 1 John, this letter does not address any specific church. It’s written from a pastor whose leadership and authority have been unduly rejected. So John now appeals to another leader to hear and receive his instructions.
The same situation still existed to cause the writing of this letter as was the case when John wrote his second letter to the chosen lady. 3 John is a general epistle governing traveling ministers. After the apostles died off, a clash arose over the ministers of local churches and the traveling ministers. There were some false ministers who had begun to fill the pulpits of the local churches and others who had begun to travel about taking advantage of the Christians who were kind enough to provide them food and lodging during their ministry and stay.
Because of this abuse, some within the churches arose and began to oppose all traveling minsters. In 2 John, John writes the elect or chosen lady to warn her of false teachers. But on the other hand, he writes this letter to Gaius to encourage him to receive the true prophets. This letter shows that the conflict had become so heated that Diotrephes was even trying to have church members expelled if they accepted the traveling minister. We’ll talk more about him next week. So let’s begin tonight’s study of 3 John: 1-8.
I think most everyone would agree that leadership within any church is critical. Church leaders are chosen to lead people to Jesus Christ. That means that how leaders live and behave is of critical importance. Their lives affect the lives of the whole church. I have heard said more than once at more than just this church, “What I do on my own time is MY business.” Not if you are chosen to be a church leader.
As a church leader, your behavior often determines the growth of believers and whether or not the church has a dynamic ministry for Christ. THIS is what the letter of 3 John is all about, leadership within the church.
Three leaders are seen, two were godly men and one was a troublemaker. The first leader was Gaius. He is a picture of the spiritual and beloved leader, a man who took the lead within the church by reaching out and helping all those who needed help.
READ v. 1. Gaius was a dear friend of John. Four times in this letter, John calls him dear friend—three of which are in these verse we look at tonight. Gaius was dear to the heart of John. He was deeply loved. Apparently they were close friends, but their friendship was not the main reason for their bond.
The main reason for their close bond was Christ. Gaius had trusted Jesus Christ as his Savior and was faithful to the call God had given him. He was a leader in the church and he did his job well. He lived for Christ and performed his functions for the sake of Christ and the church. John loved Gaius because he was both a dear friend and great servant of Christ.
READ v. 2. We see from this passage that Gaius prospered spiritually despite ill health. He was apparently a man who suffered some illness or disease or was at least subject to being sick a lot. His health crosses John’s mind, and John wants him to know that he is praying for his soul to prosper. Note two things:
1. Gauis’ soul DID prosper. John actually says that it “is getting along well.” The idea is that he was growing spiritually, growing stronger and stronger in Christ and in the fruit of the Spirit. He experienced the fullness of God day by day.
Gaius, the church leader, prospered in that he experienced both abundant and eternal life. He knew God’s care and guidance every day of his life.
2. John prayed for Gaius to enjoy good health and that all would go well with him. In this case, John wanted Gaius to be prosperous and fulfilled and satisfied in all of life.
This should be an encouragement to us to be praying for one another—for all believers—to be prosperous and fulfilled and satisfied in all that we undertake. Nothing can take the place of peace of heart and mind. And peace comes only through Jesus Christ.
READ v. 3-4. Gaius walked in the truth. Two things to note:
1. Gaius had a strong testimony among the believers of the church. Some of the believers had visited the city where John was and shared the testimony of Gaius with John. What they shared was this: Gaius walked in the truth. This means that he walked in the truth of Jesus Christ and in the truth of God’s Word.
Jesus said that He was the truth. He also said that the Word of God is truth. All that a person should be is written out in the Word of God. Gaius obeyed the Word of God. He walked in the truth of God’s Word and lived as God’s Word says to live. Can the same be said about you?
2. The second thing to note is that Gaius brought joy to the hearts of believers. Not only were the believers joying in the testimony of Gaius, but John himself joyed in Gaius as well. But note that John wasn’t joying in Gaius’ friendship, even though he was bound to be thankful for such a close friend as Gaius. John joyful over the Christian life Gaius was living, over the fact that Gaius walked in the truth.
We also have to make note that Gaius was apparently standing firm in the truth despite severe opposition from another church leader and a clique that the divisive leader had drawn around him.
What a person this man Gaius must have been. It’s difficult enough to stand against the normal temptations and trials of life, but when fellow believers begin to attack us, it makes standing up for the truth even more difficult. The tendency is to back off and just keep silent and let things run their course. But note Gaius. He stood up for the truth of Christ and God’s Word. He stood against those within the church who were not following the truth and were damaging and destroying the church by their divisiveness.
READ v. 5-8. This passage tells us why John was writing to Gaius and the church. There were some in the church who didn’t like the idea of traveling ministers visiting and holding meetings in their church. They were opposed to any kind of minister or ministry that wasn’t settled within the church itself. So they didn’t want traveling evangelists, missionaries, prophets, and teachers preaching and teaching in their church. They saw no use for their ministry.
They felt that:
• Believers could learn all they needed to know from their own ministers and from others in the settled ministry.
• They didn’t need to help in reaching out to the lost.
• They could carry out the mission of Christ without the help of traveling ministers.
This is going to be seen more clearly when the opposition is discussed in the next passage next week. But for now, let’s close this portion of the study out with three significant points:
1. Gaius was doing all he could to help the traveling ministers. He was opening his home and supporting them—so much that he had a strong testimony in the ministry of hospitality. Note that he even opened his home to strangers in order to reach and grow them in Christ.
2. Gaius is to continue to receive and support the traveling ministers. Gaius is told this is the godly way, the godly thing to do. That is, it’s exactly what God would do; therefore, it’s what the church leader is to do. There’s 2 reasons why:
a. Traveling ministers should be received and supported as they go forth for Christ. They have dedicated their lives to serve Christ by reaching the lost and growing believers, and the church needs their ministry. They have made the commitment by faith, without receiving a regular income.
b. Traveling ministers should be received and supported because it is our way to be fellow-workers in the truth. Traveling ministers, missionaries, prophets, and teachers alike are carrying the gospel of truth across the world.
The only question is: Are we in the local church going to be fellow workers with them? Yes we are and yes we do. Every month of every year is dedicated to supporting a missionary cause. Annie Armstrong, Jan-Mar. Lone Star Church Starting, April- May. World Hunger, June & October, Mary Hill Davis, July-Sept., and Lottie Moon, Nov.-Dec.
John says that it is the very thing that God Himself would do. So keep up the good work and thank you for allowing your church funds to help in sharing the truth with the world. Gaius is a dynamic example for leaders of the church to follow.
This passage should encourage us to:
• Open our hearts to college students who are away from home.
• Single parents with children
• The homeless, the needy, the hungry.
• Be open to supporting the missionaries who are in the fields by faith sharing the Gospel of Jesus Christ.
• Be open to the various ministries that are part of our church as well as those that are traveling through. Support our Bible study groups, our youth and children ministries, the various groups who share the gospel through song.
I close with what Peter said in 1 Peter 4:9, “Offer hospitality to one another without grumbling.”
