Gaius: 3 John 1-4
Sermon by: CH (CPT) Keith J. Andrews
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. Five years ago, when Monica and I got married, we brought home a Peace Lily from the wedding. We still have it. I asked Monica about it this week, and the plant is still alive. Peace Lilies are strong plants. Weeks would go by before we would water it, then I would see it wilting and turning brown. So I 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 in the some way. We throw an occasional cup of water on it until we feel better about ourselves.
Almost a year ago, I started taking care of that plant. I began to water it everyday. I actually considered repotting it. One day, for the first time since our wedding, I 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.
What about your spiritual walk? Is it healthy? Or is it just barely alive?
This evening, we are looking at a man named Gaius in 3 John Verses 1-4. John said that Gaius had a healthy faith. My prayer tonight is that we will see an example of a healthy faith and begin to grow through faithfulness and obedience.
Look with me at 3 John 1-4
1 The Elder, To the beloved Gaius, whom I love in truth:
2 Beloved, I pray that you may prosper in all things and be in health, just as your soul prospers. 3 For I rejoiced greatly when brethren came and testified of the truth that is in you, just as you walk in the truth. 4 I have no greater joy than to hear that my children walk in truth. (3 Jn. 1-4, NKJV)
Let us pray
Gaius was a friend of John. John, the author of the Gospel of John, first, second, and third John, and the book of Revelation, was one of the twelve disciples. We know him as the “Disciple that Jesus Loved.”
John has some extraordinary words about Gaius.
John writes to Gaius in Verse 2
2 Beloved, I pray that you may prosper in all things and be in health, just as your soul prospers. (3 Jn. 2, NKJV)
He hopes that Gaius’ body is as healthy as his spirit. That is amazing to me, and it shows that
I. 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!
John tells Gaius that he prays that Gauis will prosper and be healthy; just as his soul is healthy.
Wouldn’t that be wonderful for that to be said about us?
With physical fitness the evidence is clear. You lose weight. You tone your muscles. You entire appearance is changes. But 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 handle our affairs. It will show in how we manage our time. Something about us will be different.
I finished a book this week by John Maxwell. The book is a leadership book called Today Matters.
In the last chapter, 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 singers and comedian Tennessee Ernie Ford’s comment, “He started at the bottom, and sort of like it there.”
And the same is true of our spiritual growth. We 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. But, when we do this we miss the blessings that God has for us if we would just begin to grow.
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.
Spiritual Growth takes time. We don’t become spiritually fit in a day. It takes time. I talk to people all of the time who get excited about Jesus and read this Bible – Almost a Book a Day. They come to me excited and I’m genuinely excited for them. But then they hit Leviticus, and stop.
Just as you can’t run a marathon the first time out, you must take your time with your spiritual life. Take the time you need for your spiritual life to grow.
But we need to approach it slowly and deliberately, much like a walking plan, I saw in “All You” magazine called “Transform Your Body in just 12 Weeks”. This was the plan;
Week 1 and 2: 15-20 minutes 3 to 4 days a week.
Week 3 and 4: 20-25 minutes 4 to 5 days a week
Week 5: 25 minutes for 4 to 5 days
Week 6: 30 minutes for 5 days
Week 7: 30-35 minutes for 5 days
Week 8: 40 minutes for 5 to 6 days
Week 9, 10, 11: 45 to 50 minutes for 5 to 6 days
Week 12: walk 45 to 50 minutes six days a week.
For years, I have struggled with my daily devotion.
A couple of years, I did different “One Year” Bibles.
One time, I did what I heard Billy Graham does; five chapters in Old and three in the New Testament, one chapter of Proverbs, and three Psalms. That lasted about a month or so.
I’ve tried devotionals, reading straight through, workbooks—you name it I’ve tried it.
And for years, I have gone up and down trying to find the secret to spiritual discipline.
And I think I have found it, for me.
I developed my spiritual walk in much the same way as one would begin a fitness program.
I began journaling one page a day for several months. Last January, or so, I began reading one chapter in the Bible and journaling one page.
Over the summer, I added two pages of Journaling a day. In December, I added little prayer list. In January of this year, I added a chapter a day in an instructional book.
That is my plan. The point is not for you to follow me—the world doesn’t need another spiritual growth plan. The point is that it takes time to build a plan that works for you. A plan that allows God to speak to you; in a way that you will be able to listen and learn.
If we are going to grow spiritually, we must be just as deliberate and just a slow moving as a fitness plan.
I suggest that you read a little bit of Bible every day when you wake up. As you get comfortable with that, add a little prayer list. Work for consistency, more than quantity. The quantity will take care of itself.
The ultimate goal is to grow a healthy and mature faith.
John describes this with two words: Faith and Obedience.
Look at 3 John 3
3 For I rejoiced greatly when brethren came and testified of the truth that is in you, just as you walk in the truth. 4 I have no greater joy than to hear that my children walk in truth. (3 Jn. 3, NKJV)
.
John says that others described Gaius by his
Faithfulness – “the truth that is in you” and his Obedience – “you walk in the truth.”
First, lets look at Faithfulness
II. Gaius was faithful
John says that the truth was in Gaius. The truth of the Gospel was in every area of Gaius’ life. He trusted in God and in the salvation of Jesus Christ. He put his trust in the truth.
This past summer, the evangelist Billy Graham held his 417th Crusade. The crusade took place in New York. For over fifty years, Billy Graham has been preaching the gospel.
In New York he said;
“Circumstances and problems have changed. But deep inside, man hasn’t changed and the Gospel hasn’t changed.”
And Gaius put his trust; placed his faith in that same Gospel. He trusted in the truth.
For years, people have tried to punch holes in the Gospel. They try to minimize its effect on the world, but the Gospel remains true and unchanged after all of those years.
The newest attack is political correctness. People once tried to scientifically debate it – they lost. People tried to culturally debate it – they lost again. People have tried to legally suppress it. - they lost.
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 here in the Middle East.
The truth, however, will overcome this idea as well. The Gospel is unchanging and worthy of our trust; worth of our faith.
The late Bill Bright described the Gospel as Four Spiritual Laws.
He writes that “Just as there are physical laws that govern the physical universe, so are there spiritual laws which govern your relationship with God.”
These laws are unchanging. They happen every time. They can be found throughout scripture. It is not important whether or not they offend – we are not offended by gravity; except when gravity affects our appearance.
What is important is that they are true and worthy of our faith.
Law One states:
“God loves you and offers a wonderful plan for your life.”
Referring to John 3:16 and John 10:10. And if you are taking notes you can write these down.
Law Two states that
“Man is sinful and separated form God. Thus he cannot know and Experience God’s love and plan for his life.”
Referring to Romans 3:23 and Romans 6:23
Law Three States that
“Jesus Christ is God’s only provision for man’s sin. Through Him you can know an experience God’s Love and Plan for your life”
Referring to Romans 5:8, I Corinthians 15:3-6, and John 14:6
The Forth Law explains that
“We must individually receive Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord; then we can know and experience God’s love and plan for our lives.”
Referring to John 1:12 Ephesians 2:8-9, and Revelation 3:20.
These laws are as trust worthy as gravity. And Gaius placed his faith in these truths.
But,
III. Gaius was also obedient.
Verse 3 says that Gaius walked in the truth.
Literally, the Greek states the he “walked around” in the truth.
I have always heard that a good leader is one who leads by “walking around.”
While a leader walks around, he himself sets the standard; he makes the relationship possible for him to lead; he knows what is going on in his section, platoon, or company.
I remember that my father taught me;
“Soldiers do what their leaders check”
And they check by walking around.
This is true also in our faith. When you walk around, do you set the standard for faithfulness? I don’t mean being perfect.
Michel J. Fox said, “I am careful not to confuse excellence with perfection. Excellence, I can reach for; perfection is God’s business.”
We will fail. We will disappoint. But, if we are seeking to live in obedience to the word of God—we will be setting the standard for others to follow. We will be walking around in the truth.
You will also be growing in your spiritual walk.
Gaius was spiritually fit, which gave testimony to his faith, and was lived out in obedience.
And as we grow spiritually, we apply these truths to our faith, always learning to give more over to God, allowing him to control every area of our life.
And then we apply these truths to our obedience, and we learn to set the standard by living out our faith and making a difference in the world.
