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An overview of 3 John 3 John 1:1-14 3J1:8 We ought therefore to show hospitality to such men so that we may work together for the truth. 3 John 1:8 (NIV84) 2 2

2 John - Truth and love are inseparable. 1 & 2 John - The supreme importance of our walking in the truth of who Jesus Christ is. 3 John - The importance of Christian hospitality for the spread of the Gospel. 2 John - Truth and love are inseparable. 3

3 John A. vv 1-8 – The Beloved Gaius; B. vv. 9-11 – The Rejecting Diotrephes; C. v. 12 – The Highly Esteemed Demetrius; D. vv. 13-14 – The Open-ended Closing. 4

3 John This entire letter addresses the huge importance of Christian hospitality. 5

A metaphor for the story of Third John “Are you sure you want to camp in MN?” In the ancient world, hospitality from local people was an absolute necessity. 6

A metaphor for the story of Third John The ancient secular world developed a means of giving tokens of hospitality called “sumbolon.” “Sumbolon” were means of verifying the identity of someone as a friend even when the person was a stranger. 7

John, in his third letter, writes to his friend Gaius to commend him for extending hospitality to his Christian brothers. Using his letter like a “Sumbola,” John informs Gaius of Demetrius. 8

John informs his readers of a very self-aggrandizing man named Diotrephes who was working to prevent people like Gaius from extending hospitality. 9

A. vv 1-8 – The Beloved Gaius 1. Hospitality Inspired 3 John 1:1 (NIV84) 3J1:1 The elder, To my dear friend [the beloved] Gaius, whom I love in the truth. from Ephesus … the headquarters for the Christian churches in Asia Minor. 10

A. vv 1-8 – The Beloved Gaius 1. Hospitality Inspired 3 John 1:1 (NIV84) 3J1:1 The elder, To my dear friend [the beloved] Gaius, whom I love in the truth. Gaius, a leader in the church, held in high regard. Faithful to the truth and in the truth. 11

A. vv 1-8 – The Beloved Gaius 1. Hospitality Inspired 3 John 1:1 (NIV84) 3J1:1 The elder, To my dear friend [the beloved] Gaius, whom I love in the truth. “My dear friend Gaius” makes it totally a horizontal relationship. “The beloved Gaius” puts it first as a vertical relationship where God loves Gaius. 12

A. vv 1-8 – The Beloved Gaius 1. Hospitality Inspired 3 John 1:2 (NIV84) 3J1:2 Dear friend [beloved], I pray that you may enjoy good health and that all may go well with you, even as your soul is getting along well. Uppermost in John’s desire for Gaius is the well being of his soul. 2 John 1:4 (NIV84) 2J1:4 It has given me great joy to find some of your children walking in the truth, just as the Father commanded us. 13

A. vv 1-8 – The Beloved Gaius 1. Hospitality Inspired 2 A. vv 1-8 – The Beloved Gaius 1. Hospitality Inspired 2. Hospitality Defined 3. Hospitality Commended 4. Hospitality Commissioned 14

3 John 1:3-8 (NIV84) 3J1:3 It gave me great joy to have some (or the) brothers come and tell about your faithfulness to the truth and how you continue to walk in the truth. 3J1:4 I have no greater joy than to hear that my children are walking in the truth. 3J1:5 Dear friend [beloved], you are faithful in what you are doing for the brothers, even though they are strangers to you. 3J1:6 They have told the church about your love. You will do well to send them on their way in a manner worthy of God. 3J1:7 It was for the sake of the Name that they went out, receiving no help from the pagans. 3J1:8 We ought therefore to show hospitality to such men so that we may work together for the truth. 15

A. vv 1-8 – The Beloved Gaius 2. Hospitality Defined 3 John 1:5 (NIV84) … you are faithful in what you are doing for the brothers, even though they are strangers to you, … Defining hospitality = love for the stranger. Philoxenia = philo (love) + xenia (stranger) 16

A. vv 1-8 – The Beloved Gaius 3. Hospitality Commended 3 John 1:3-4 (NIV84) … your faithfulness to the truth and how you continue to walk in the truth. What follows this faithfulness and walk? John commends Gaius for his faithfulness in showing hospitality! 17

A. vv 1-8 – The Beloved Gaius 3. Hospitality Commended Who are these brothers? 3 John 1:3 & 5 (NIV84) 3J1:3 … to have some (or the) brothers come .... 3J1:5 …, even though they are strangers to you. These brothers had received love from Gaius through his hospitality! 18

A. vv 1-8 – The Beloved Gaius 4. Hospitality Commissioned 3 John 1:6 (NIV84) Send these brothers on their way in a manner worthy of God. 3 John 1:7 (NIV84) These brothers are out on the road traveling for the sake of the Name. They are missionaries! 19

A. vv 1-8 – The Beloved Gaius 4. Hospitality Commissioned 3 John 1:8 (NIV84) These brothers are worthy of being shown hospitality because of their ministry and mission. 20

A. vv 1-8 – The Beloved Gaius The beloved Gaius one who excels in showing Christian hospitality to traveling missionaries! These traveling brothers are serving Christ! 21

First, to fulfill this mission of Christian hospitality, our souls need to be right with the Lord. Second, we must be ready to partner with other lovers and proclaimers of the truth about Jesus Christ by sacrificially helping sustain them in their ministries. 22

B. vv. 9-11 – The Rejecting Diotrephes 3 John 1:9-11 (NIV84) 3J1:9 I wrote to the church, but Diotrephes, who loves to be first, will have nothing to do with us. 3J1:10 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. 3J1:11 Dear friend [beloved], 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. 23

The most cherished gifts that Christ gives to His followers: a humble spirit, a servant heart, an outward focus on others, a compassion for the hurting, a joy in promoting others, a vision for what is yet to come. 24

B. vv. 9-11 – The Rejecting Diotrephes 1 B. vv. 9-11 – The Rejecting Diotrephes 1. Hospitality Incentive Exterminated 3 John 1:9 (NIV84) … he loves to be first. Colossians 1:18 (NIV84) 18 And He (Christ) is the head of the body, the church; He is the beginning and the firstborn from among the dead, so that in everything He might have the supremacy. 25

B. vv. 9-11 – The Rejecting Diotrephes 1 B. vv. 9-11 – The Rejecting Diotrephes 1. Hospitality Incentive Exterminated There is nothing like selfishness that exterminates the likelihood of hospitality more effectively. 26

B. vv. 9-11 – The Rejecting Diotrephes 2 B. vv. 9-11 – The Rejecting Diotrephes 2. Hospitality Promoters Disregarded 3 John 1:9 (NIV84) he will have nothing to do with us. 3 John 1:9 (NIV84) 3J1:9 I wrote to the church, but Diotrephes, …, will have nothing to do with us. 27

B. vv. 9-11 – The Rejecting Diotrephes 3. Hospitality Givers Accused 3 John 1:10 (NIV84) he is gossiping maliciously about us. 28

B. vv. 9-11 – The Rejecting Diotrephes 4 B. vv. 9-11 – The Rejecting Diotrephes 4. Hospitality Supporters Refused 3 John 1:10 (NIV84) … he refuses to welcome the brothers. 29

B. vv. 9-11 – The Rejecting Diotrephes 5. Hospitality Givers Abused 3 John 1:10 (NIV84) … those who want to welcome the brothers he puts them out of the church. 30

B. vv. 9-11 – The Rejecting Diotrephes 6 B. vv. 9-11 – The Rejecting Diotrephes 6. Hospitality Disincentive Revealed 3 John 1:11 (NIV84) Diotrephes is evil! … do not imitate what is evil…. 31

B. vv. 9-11 – The Rejecting Diotrephes 7 B. vv. 9-11 – The Rejecting Diotrephes 7. Hospitality Incentive Unveiled 3 John 1:11 (NIV84) … he has not see God. 32

Gaius was inspired to be hospitable … because he was in a joyful relationship with Jesus Christ that was grounded on the truth of who Jesus was and what He taught. That joy and that truth produced an overflowing of love that resulted in showing love for strangers, in being hospitable. 33

C. v. 12 – The Highly Esteemed Demetrius Hospitality Recommended Demetrius was one of “the brothers.” 3 John 1:12 (NIV84) 3J1:12 Demetrius is (1) well spoken of by everyone—and even (2) by the truth itself. (3) We also speak well of him, and you know that our testimony is true. This is John’s sumbola for Demetrius to show to Gaius so that he will receive warm hospitality. 34

D. vv. 13-14 – The Open-ended Closing Hospitality Fulfilling 3 John 1:13-14 (NIV84) 3J1:13 I have much to write you, but I do not want to do so with pen and ink. 3J1:14 I hope to see you soon, and we will talk face to face. Peace to you. The friends here send their greetings. Greet the friends there by name. Theory: is John did meet with Diotrephes and administered healthy church discipline. 35

2 John Being cautious in whom we welcome into the church. Giving Christian hospitality to credible and traveling ministers of the gospel. 2 John Being cautious in whom we welcome into the church. 36

----- 1 & 2 John ----- We participate in a joyful fellowship with Jesus Christ, God the Father and fellow believers, … because we participate in a truthful fellowship. ----- 3 John ----- We participate in an hospitable fellowship, … so we can focus on expanding the kingdom of God by lovingly spreading the Good News of Jesus Christ throughout the world. 37

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