3 John Chapter 1 Verses 9 – 10

· So, we get to the heart of the matter. Gaius receives the brethren which Diotrephes has forbidden. Why? Well, all we know is what John says here, that he loves to have the preeminence among the church. And this has resulted in Gaius, (in his own city), being put out of the church!

· “Loves to have the preeminence,” is one word in the Greek and it means to be ambitious towards and fond of being the most important person in the room. The holiest, the smartest, the cutest, the most successful. Man, does that not sound like everything that has to do with modern culture and especially American culture!? WOW!

· But this really has no place in the church. Wanting to do your best and striving to do your best is different than having to be the best at the expense of others. One is stemmed in work ethic, integrity and character. The other is stemmed in insecurity and fear! That’s just from a practical perspective… From a spiritual perspective, true maturity doesn’t highlight one’s own name! It highlights the name of Jesus!

· Jesus said the last shall be first and the first shall be last. Jesus said true authority and strength is not to make sure they know your name so that you can be somebody in their eyes but that the greatest amongst people are those that serve not themselves but others. Not as a command…, THAT’S A REVELATION! Serving those that aren’t worthy of your service doesn’t degrade your stature…, it reveals the health of your holiness and the strength of your intelligence! The measure of your personal potency! Pride is fear that has been bedazzled and it has no place in the church not only because it is sin but because it is pathetic in all practicality!

· If you are so inclined, spend 10 minutes Googling something like how serving others strengthens and benefits you… In terms of rapid increase personally, I’m not sure anything exists that gets that job done faster than setting out to be someone who serves someone else. (And this isn’t just a set out in the personal will, this is a surrender to the receiving and the walking in the grace of God!) Check this out. Just a few things to note about serving others. Serving others cultivates one’s inner strength. Serving others fosters a sense of purpose and resilience. Serving others allows both the giver and the receiver to grow through sharing in experiences. Serving others has the power to give hope, to strengthen community, it is proven to lead to longer life. Serving others leaves a mark on the world. Serving others cultivates empathy, bravery, nobility, mutual life improvement, deep-seeded healing, a sense of belonging, a sense that battles depression and isolation…, activates positive emotions and strengthens even the body’s immune system.

· Truly, I could go on and on… You know what works the opposite of all of those things? Being focused on serving yourself or not being a person who serves others! (Surrendering little or nothing to the service of the Lord) There is even proven data-driven conclusive studies that have found and published that the brain and body react almost identically to a person’s favorite meal, their romantic interest, and serving others!! Proverbs 11:25 says, “The generous soul will be made rich, and he who waters will also be watered himself.” So, serve the Lord because we are following Him, and…, and…, help yourself out!

· Oh boy…, offense alert! Bad day? Serve someone. Do something for the benefit purely of someone else with no personal agenda! Fix you right on up! Gods like, “Take two of these and call me in the morning!” This is the priestly prescription from our High Prist Himself! Tough go at it in the home? Get out and serve someone! God taking too long to answer your prayer? Get out and serve someone! Jesus said, “What you’ve done to the least of these you’ve done to Me!” This is part and partial to us overcoming the world! Walking by faith looks like serving! Walking by faith looks like inequality! You give from your resources and overflow what others do not have and in so doing, physically, spiritually, mentally, practically…, you become the overcomer the Bible describes are the people of God.

· Ready to be offended? You call me up and, “Oh Matt, I’m so down, I’m so discouraged, I’m so defeated…, I’ve lost my job, my car broke down, I’m not sleeping well, I’m feeling sick all the time…, I’m just in a season of struggling.” Ok…, and…, you’ve been in a prolonged season of not serving… Obeying the Lord, trusting the Lord, serving the Lord and serving others is preparation to win when faced with the worries of the world, y’all! I don’t mean to offend but all that negativity isn’t coming from the negative circumstance…, its coming as a result of a life that isn’t serving others in the Kingdom of God (and I’m not talking only about the church – if you know you know!!)!

· So why doesn’t the church slam the door on Diotrephes? Well, perhaps he can draw a big crowd. Perhaps he can fill the coffers with offerings! As sad as that is…, that may be why. Or it could be that people are just ok with being lorded over by someone who has worldly authority… But John even says that Diotrephes’ mouth is a problem…

· He is prating against us (John and Gaius) with malicious words. Look, no matter if John is a saint or a sinner, Diotrephes doing this is out of bounds and should not be so in the family of God.

3 John Chapter 1 Verse 11

· John makes clear that the ambition to be first among others, the prating against authorities (John is a well-known and an obvious pillar in the early church), speaking maliciously against another…, John makes clear that these things are evil. No buts, no defenses, no deflections, no excuses…, these things are evil. And good water and bitter water should not both come from the same stream…

· And notice the emphasis on reality. John doesn’t say he who believes is of God and he who doesn’t believe hasn’t seen God… John says he who does good… Why? Believe what you want in your head. What you do is reality of who you are…

3 John Chapter 1 Verse 12

· Demetrius most likely is the letter bearer and John provides an introduction for him as he carries this letter to Gaius. One thing I will say about him…, John describing him as having a good testimony from all may make him sound like a people pleaser but not so. Universal integrity, walking in truth and love, (100 truth/100 love), universal goodness to folks no matter who they are, what they believe, how they live, where they’re from…, universal integrity and universal goodness are the pathway to universal applause.

· Paul even said in 1 Timothy 3 that a bishop in the church, an overseer, even he must have a (1 Tim 3:7), “good testimony among those who are outside…”

3 John Chapter 1 Verses 13 – 14

· Help is on the way! God deploys John to first remind Gaius how much he is loved. To comfort him and console him. Be a friend…, and, John, the elder…, intends to come in person and help this situation. That point and that promise is ALL throughout the Bible!