Second and Third John are often described as the “twin epistles” —each describing John’s love for those he writes to and his joy at their faithfulness in leading others to know, love, and follow Jesus. He also offers a warning in each.
Third John is a letter written to a man named Gaius, commending another Jesus follower, Demetrius. Demetrius was a traveling minister, similar to many full-time domestic and international missionaries today. Like missionaries today, he relied on the hospitality and generosity of communities of believers to do so. John wrote to advocate for Demetrius and spur Gaius along, mentioning another man in the church, Diotrephes, who appears to be a hindrance to men like Demetrius. I believe there is something we can learn from each of these men. Let’s take a deeper look at each of these men:
Gaius is commended for his faithfulness in following Jesus’ teachings and for his generous spirit toward fellow believers passing through. Gaius appears to be a man who walked in both truth and love; living a life that reflected both the principles and the love of Jesus. John appealed to Gaius, and through him to those in his community to remain dedicated to the gospel, making it a reality in their everyday lives by the way they loved and cared for one another.
What can we learn from Gaius? One of the best ways to show the world the love of Jesus is to love other Christians well —serving them, holding them accountable to walking in truth.
Diotrephes seems to be another person of leadership and influence within the church (vs10). He is described as someone who loves importance and rejects accountability. He does not appear to walk in truth or in love —failing to support fellow believers and even hindering their work to help others come to know, love, and follow Jesus.
What can we learn from Diotrephes? The church exists so that people in my world may have the opportunity to know, love, and follow Jesus. The church is not a place for my own agenda or fame.
Lastly, John introduces Demetrius, a man who is well thought of among Jesus Followers and someone who has devoted his life to making Jesus known to those in his part of the world, sacrificing the comfort of home and familiarity for the sake of making Jesus known to others around the known world.
What can we learn from Demetrius? Following Jesus requires faith and sacrifice.
Take two minutes to reflect in silence.
Reflection:
- What might it look like for you to care for Christians like Demetrius — men and women called to full-time mission work around the world? Do you know anyone like Demetrius?
- How can you guard against a mindset like Diotrephes? How do we keep the mission and vision of God’s church before us instead of our own preference, agenda, or fame?
- What can we learn from the faith and sacrifice of men and women like Demetrius? What might God require of you in the way of faith and sacrifice in this season of your life?
- Prayer: Jesus, thank You for men and women like Gaius and Demetrius who encourage and challenge us to walk in truth and love. Help us to encourage and serve others in our local church and in Your global Church. Guard our hearts against self-importance and personal preference. Keep our eyes and hearts focused on the Gospel.
Family Devo: 3 John 1
By: Jana Whittington
Let's jump into the valuable letter of 3 John. It’s short but packed with great wisdom! In this letter, we learn about the importance of walking in truth and showing hospitality. Just like how you welcome friends into your home, we can also welcome others with kindness and love in our hearts. In 3 John, we read about a man named Gaius, who showed love and hospitality to traveling preachers. This teaches us that we should always welcome others with open hearts, just like how we invite friends over to hang out or play. When we do this, we're following Jesus' example of love.
John also talks about walking in truth. This means living our lives in a way that honors God's truth found in the Bible. Truth is so important! The words “truth” and “true” are used seven times in this short book! Just as we learn important lessons at school, we learn valuable lessons from the Bible that help us make good choices and live in a way that pleases God. John tells us to imitate what is good. We can look up to people who follow Jesus and learn from them. Whether it's your parents, teachers, or others, they can show us how to live in a way that makes God happy. John tells us about a man named Diotrephes, who did not welcome others and was a bad example. This teaches us that we should be careful not to follow bad examples and to show love and hospitality to others. We can grow to be kind, loving, and faithful followers of Jesus.
Prayer: Dear God, thank You for teaching us important lessons through Your Word. Help us to be like Gaius, showing love and hospitality to others, and always walking in Your truth. Help us to choose good examples to follow and to stay away from bad influences. In Jesus' name, Amen.