BECOMING A CREATURE OF HABIT 02
CHANGING OUR WAYS IN 2023
3 JOHN
INTRODUCTION: AS WE RETURN TO OUR SERIES IN 3RD JOHN, WE CONTINUE TO LOK AT THOSE ACTIONS THAT JOHN BROUGHT TO LIGHT THAT WERE EVIDENT IN HIS FRIEND GAIUS. THESE ACTIONS ARE GREAT HABITS FOR US TO DEVELOP AS WE BEGIN THIS NEW YEAR.
LAST WEEK, WE LOOKED AT TWO HABITS TO DEVELOP. THE FIRST WAS OUR HEALTH – BOTH PHYSICAL AND SPIRITUAL. BOTH HAVE APPLICATION TO OUR WALK WITH THE LORD. THE FIRST BECAUSE WE ARE A VISIBLE TESTIMONY AND THE LATTER AS WE HAVE A RESPONSIBILITY TO GROW IN OUR WALK WITH THE LORD. THE SECOND HABIT WAS OUR TESTIMONY. HOW WE LIVE OUR LIVES HAS AN IMPACT ON PEOPLE. IN THE CASE OF GAIUS HIS TESTIMONY WAS SO PROFOUND THAT JOHN WAS SOUGHT OUT NUMEROUS TIMES AND TOLD OF HOW GAIUS HAD BEEN MIN THEIR PRESENCE.
TRANSITION: THIS MORNING, WE WANT TO LOOK AT ANOTHER HABIT WE CAN DEVELOP AS SEEN IN THE LIFE OF GAIUS; FELLOWSHIP. IN VERSES 5-8 WE SEE FOUR ASPECTS OF FELLOWSHIP WORTHY OF CONSIDERATION.
3 JOHN 5–8 (NIV84)
5 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. 7 IT WAS FOR THE SAKE OF THE NAME THAT THEY WENT OUT, RECEIVING NO HELP FROM THE PAGANS. 8 WE OUGHT THEREFORE TO SHOW HOSPITALITY TO SUCH MEN SO THAT WE MAY WORK TOGETHER FOR THE TRUTH.
I. THE FIRST QUALITY OF FELLOWSHIP IS FAITHFULNESS
a. THIS IS THE FIRST THING JOHN COMMENDS GAIUS FOR – HIS FAITHFULNESS IN MINISTERING TO OTHERS
b. THIS IS AN IMPORTANT ISSUE
i. INNKEEPERS WERE CROOKED AND TREACHEROUS
ii. ROOMS WERE FILTHY AND FLEA INFESTED
iii. PROSTITUTES AND THIEVES LOOKED FOR A WAY TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF TRAVELERS.
c. TRAVELERS SOUGHT TO AVOID THESE PLACES AT ALL COSTS
i. DEVELOPED A NETWORKS OF FAMILY AND FRIENDS
ii. PEOPLE WERE IDENTIFIED BY SOME SORT OF TOKEN
iii. THE TOKENS WERE PAST DOWN THROUGH THE GENERATIONS
d. CHURCHES USED THIS SAME SYSTEM TO IDENTIFY TRAVELING PREACHERS WHO WOULD OTHERWISE BE UNKNOWN.
e. FAITHFULNESS IN THIS AREA DISPLAYS THE VERY ATTITUDE OF CHRIST
i. WHAT BETTER COMPARISON CAN A FOLLOWER OF CHRIST HAVE THEN TO HAVE ACTED IN A MANNER WORTHY OF GOD HIMSELF
KEY THOUGHT HERE: FAITHFULNESS IS NOT RELATIVE. WE DO NOT GRADE FAITHFULNESS ON A SCALE. WE ARE EITHER FAITHFUL OR WE ARE NOT
HERE ARE A FEW THINGS THAT CAN AND DO KEEP US FROM BEING FAITHFUL TO GOD
• WE ARE HARBORING SOME SECRET SIN. OSWALD CHAMBERS WRITES, "IF A MAN CANNOT GET THROUGH TO GOD, IT IS BECAUSE THERE IS A SECRET THING HE DOES NOT INTEND TO GIVE UP."
o FOR SOME REASON WE DO NOT WANT TO GIVE UP WHATEVER IT IS AND WHATEVER IT IS KEEPS US FROM BEING FAITHFUL TO GOD
• WE GOT STUCK IN THE PAST
o SOMETHING HAPPENED TO US AND WE FELT LIKE GOD WAS NOT THERE, SO WHY BE FAITHFUL TO HIM
o OR PERHAPS IT IS SOMETHING YOU BROUGHT TO GOD OVER AND OVER AND HE HAS NOT RESPONDED
• MAYBE WE ARE HOLDING A GRUDGE
o THE GRUDGE MAY BE AGAINST SOMEONE ELSE, BUT THAT GRUDGE ALSO BUILDS UP A WALL BETWEEN YOU AND GOD.
o THAT GRUDGE MAKES IT IMPOSSIBLE TO GET THROUGH TO GOD BY THE HOLY SPIRIT BECAUSE OUR HEARTS ARE NOT CLEAN
o THE ISSUE HERE IS FORGIVENESS. I AM CHOOSING NOT TO FORGIVE.
• OR OF COURSE, YOU CAN’T BE FAITHFUL TO GOD BECAUSE YOU LACK A RELATIONSHIP WITH HIM
IF WE ARE STRUGGLING IN ONE OF THESE AREAS, WE CANNOT BE FAITHFUL AS WE WOULD LIKE TO BE, AND AS GOD EXPECTS US TO BE. LIKE THE AUTHOR OF HEBREWS TELLS US – WE NEED TO LAY THINGS THAT TANGLE US UP IN ORDER TO RUN THE RACE GOD HAS PLANNED FOR US.
II. THE SECOND QUALITY OF FELLOWSHIP IS FAMILY
a. WHEN I USE THE WORD FAMILY, I AM REFERRING TO THE TREATMENT OF FOLKS.
b. YOU WILL NOTICE THAT JOHN POINTS OUT HOW GAIUS TREATED STRANGERS, NOT JUST BROTHERS
c. WE ALL KNOW OUR RESPONSIBILITY TO OTHERS IN THE FAITH.
i. ABOVE ALL ELSE WHAT WE DO FOR OTHER BELIEVERS WE ARE DOING FOR CHRIST
MATTHEW 25:40 (NIV84) “THE KING WILL REPLY, ‘I TELL YOU THE TRUTH, WHATEVER YOU DID FOR ONE OF THE LEAST OF THESE BROTHERS OF MINE, YOU DID FOR ME.’
ii. YET WE ALSO HAVE A RESPONSIBILITY TO THOSE WHO DO NOT KNOW CHRIST.
ROMANS 12:20 (NIV84)
20 ON THE CONTRARY:
“IF YOUR ENEMY IS HUNGRY, FEED HIM;
IF HE IS THIRSTY, GIVE HIM SOMETHING TO DRINK.
IN DOING THIS, YOU WILL HEAP BURNING COALS ON HIS HEAD.”
1. WHAT OFTEN GETS LOST IN THIS ACTIVITY IS OUR DESIRE TO DO THIS. WHY SHOULD WE CARE FOR OUR ENEMY?
2. THE ANSWER LIES IN THE FINAL SENTENCE – HEAP BURNING COALS ON HIS HEAD.
3. THIS IS WHAT PEOPLE DID IN THAT CULTURE WHEN THEY REALIZED THEY WERE WRONG AND WERE REPENTING.
4. WE MAY NOT HAVE UNDERSTOOD THAT, BUT THE ROMANS TO WHOM PAUL WAS WRITING CERTAINLY DID!
SINCE FELLOWSHIP IS SUCH AN ADMIRABLE QUALITY, AND BECAUSE IT IS HARD MANY TIMES TO TREAT THOSE I DO NOT ENGAGE WITH LIKE FAMILY, WHAT CAN I DO TO BREAK THIS CYCLE AND ENHANCE MY ABILITY TO PRACTICE FELLOWSHIP
• I HAVE TO START INSIDE OF ME BY ASKING GOD TO GIVE ME A HEART FOR THOSE WHO PUSH MY BUTTONS ON A REGULAR BASIS
o YOU CAN ALMOST SEE HOW THE WORDS OF JESUS FLOWED FROM HIS HEART WHEN HE SAID THESE WORDS, “FATHER FORGIVE THEM FOR THEY DO NOT KNOW WHAT THEY ARE DOING.”
• PRACTICE FORGIVENESS BY BEING THE FIRST TO FORGIVE. IF YOUR DESIRE NOT TO ENGAGE WITH CERTAIN PEOPLE IS HARBORING SOMETHING AGAINST THEM, OR A HURT THEY HAVE CAUSED YOU, FORGIVE THEM RIGHT NOW.
o AS I HAVE SAID BEFORE, FORGIVENESS IS MORE ABOUT YOU AND YOUR WALK THEN IT IS ABOUT THE PERSON YOU ARE FORGIVING.
o IF OUR WALK IS OUT OF STEP, OUR FELLOWSHIP IS OUT OF STEP AS WELL.
• FLIP THE SCRIPT. IN OTHER WORDS BE DELIBERATE IN SHOWING KINDNESS AS YOUR RESPONSE TO THEM
o DO NOT REPAY ANYONE EVIL FOR EVIL. BE CAREFUL TO DO WHAT IS RIGHT IN THE EYES OF EVERYONE. – ROMANS 12:17
• REMEMBER THEIR VALUE TO GOD. THEY WERE IMPORTANT ENOUGH FOR JESUS TO DIE FOR, EVEN IF THEY DO NOT KNOW THAT.
o YOU DO!
III. THE THIRD QUALITY OF FELLOWSHIP IS LOVE
a. THIS DISPLAY OF CHRISTIAN LOVE WOULD BE IN STARK CONTRAST TO DIOTREPHES, WHOM PAUL HAD ISSUE WITH BECAUSE HE LOVED TO BE FIRST RATHER THAN EXHIBIT THE LOVE OF CHRIST
b. SOME THINGS TO REMEMBER ABOUT LOVE
i. LOVE TAKES THE FIRST STEP. IN TERMS OF GOD – HE PURSUED US.
ii. LOVE TAKES THE SECOND STEP. LOVE IS NOT CONDITIONAL
iii. LOVE IS DEMONSTRATED IN PRACTICAL WAYS. THAT IS WHY IS SAY OFTEN THAT LOVE IS A VERB, AN ACTION WORD, AND NOT A NOUN. LOVE IS A STATE OF DOING, NOT A STATE OF BEING.
iv. LOVE DOESN’T KEEP SCORE. THAT HAS A LOT TO DO WITH WHAT WE JUST TALKED ABOUT
v. LOVE SERVES THE ONE IT LOVES
PERHAPS ONE OF THE REASON WE DO NOT PRACTICE TRUE FELLOWSHIP IS THAT WE ARE OUT OF STEP WITH THE MEANING OF LOVE, AND THEREFORE THE ROLE LOVE PLAYS IN FELLOWSHIP WITH OTHERS
IV. THE FORTH ASPECT OF LOVE IS RECIPROCITY
a. I BRING THIS UP NOW BECAUSE OF DIOTREPHES WHO JOHN DEALS WITH LATER IN THE LETTER. DIOTREPHES WAS IN IT FOR HIMSELF
b. THE WAY IN WHICH JOHN ADDRESSES THIS WHOLE ISSUE OF FELLOWSHIP SPEAKS OF THE SIMPLE TRUTH THAT FELLOWSHIP IS A TWO WAY STREET.
c. WE ARE ALL EXPECTED TO BE PEOPLE OF FELLOWSHIP
d. THAT MAKES EACH OF US IN THE CHURCH RESPONSIBLE FOR MAKING SURE WE ARE FELLOWSHIPPING THE RIGHT WAY AND FOR THE RIGHT MOTIVE – NOT JUST A MEAL
e. IF YOU NOTICE HERE, JOHN SPEAKS OF FELLOWSHIP IN TERMS OF HELP/ASSISTANCE, NOT JUST FOOD.
f. THE REASON IS THAT WHEN WE ARE IN FELLOWSHIP IN THE RIGHT MANNER THE END RESULT IS WE WORK TOGETHER FOR THE TRUTH
g. AND THE TRUTH OF THE GOSPEL IMPACTS THE WORLD!
