Posts
March 27, 2014
Pastor Jeff
Lasseigne
Tonight's text: 3 John
It has been said that the church
wouldn't have any problems if it wasn't for all the people.
3 John 1:1-8 NKJV
[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. [5] Beloved, you do faithfully whatever you do for the brethren and for
strangers, [6] who have borne witness of your love before the church. If you
send them forward on their journey in a manner worthy of God, you will do well,
[7] because they went forth for His name's sake, taking nothing from the
Gentiles. [8] We therefore ought to receive such, that we may become fellow
workers for the truth.
1. The Good
Gaius the diligent- John calls
him beloved and in the the truth.
Many are doing well spiritually
but very poorly physically. It is better to have this then the opposite.
The spiritual is more important,
but physical health is important and should be prayed for.
The word "truth" is
used four times in the first four verses. Gaius is describe this way.
He walks in truth and walk in
genuine works
James 2:26 NKJV
[26] For as the body without the
spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also.
3 John 1:6 NKJV
[6] who have borne witness of
your love before the church. If you send them forward on their journey in a
manner worthy of God, you will do well,
Gaius operated in a God like
manner.
Matthew 10:39-42 NKJV
[39] He who finds his life will
lose it, and he who loses his life for My sake will find it. [40] "He who
receives you receives Me, and he who receives Me receives Him who sent Me. [41]
He who receives a prophet in the name of a prophet shall receive a prophet's
reward. And he who receives a righteous man in the name of a righteous man
shall receive a righteous man's reward. [42] And whoever gives one of these
little ones only a cup of cold water in the name of a disciple, assuredly, I
say to you, he shall by no means lose his reward."
2. The Bad
Diotrephes: the Dictator
3 John 1:9-11 NKJV
[9] I wrote to the church, but
Diotrephes, who loves to have the preeminence among them, does not receive us.
[10] Therefore, if I come, I will call to mind his deeds which he does, prating
against us with malicious words. And not content with that, he himself does not
receive the brethren, and forbids those who wish to, putting them out of the
church. [11] Beloved, do not imitate what is evil, but what is good. He who
does good is of God, but he who does evil has not seen God.
In the church we are either part
of the problem or part of the progress.
Learning from a bad example:
1. Don't seek to promote
yourself.
Don't be the big shot, that makes
you struggle with pride.
Mark 10:38 NKJV
[38] But Jesus said to them,
"You do not know what you ask. Are you able to drink the cup that I drink,
and be baptized with the baptism that I am baptized with?"
2. Don't resist authority.
You can't get away from it.
Spureon said - A man who will not
do well in his present place because he wants to be higher, then his current
place is already too high.
3. Don't put others down, to
build yourself up.
Winston Churchill - We are
masters of the unspoken words but slaves of the ones that we let slip out
4. Don't be vindictive.
Making people guilty by
association.
Don't be upset by others success.
Root, pray, help one another.
Diotrephes did not do these things.
He was kicking people out of the
church for being hospitable. 3 John 1:10 NKJV
[10] Therefore, if I come, I will
call to mind his deeds which he does, prating against us with malicious words.
And not content with that, he himself does not receive the brethren, and
forbids those who wish to, putting them out of the church.
5. Don't get yourself on God's
list. Proverbs 6
A list of things from Proverbs
that God does not like. Pride, a lying tongue, a heart that devises wicked
plans, be swift into running to evil, a false witness who speaks lies, he who
sells discord among the brethren.
Speaking of Bobby Jones, he would
not give up his integrity. Told the story of when he lost the US Open because
he gave himself a stroke for touching the ball even though no one saw it.
3 John 1:11 NKJV
[11] Beloved, do not imitate what
is evil, but what is good. He who does good is of God, but he who does evil has
not seen God.
3. The Godly
Demetrius: The Dependable
3 John 1:12 NKJV
[12] Demetrius has a good
testimony from all, and from the truth itself. And we also bear witness, and
you know that our testimony is true.
1. Be part of the progress, and
not part of the problem.
2. Truth and love must wok
together.
3. We share in the rewards of
those we help.
4. Always lean on prayer.
5. Use your spiritual gifts.
"True repentance is seldom
late, and late repentance is seldom true."
Romans 10:9-10 NKJV
[9] that if you confess with your
mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the
dead, you will be saved. [10] For with the heart one believes unto
righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.
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