
A. SERMON SLIDES
Slide 1:
Introduction to 3 John
3 John 1-4
Eternal Friend
Slide 2:
3 John 1–15 (ESV)
The elder to the beloved Gaius, whom I love in truth.
Beloved, I pray that all may go well with you and that you may be in good health, as it goes well with your soul. For I rejoiced greatly when the brothers came and testified to your truth, as indeed you are walking in the truth. I have no greater joy than to hear that my children are walking in the truth.
Beloved, it is a faithful thing you do in all your efforts for these brothers, strangers as they are, who testified to your love before the church. You will do well to send them on their journey in a manner worthy of God. For they have gone out for the sake of the name, accepting nothing from the Gentiles. Therefore we ought to support people like these, that we may be fellow workers for the truth.
I have written something to the church, but Diotrephes, who likes to put himself first, does not acknowledge our authority. So if I come, I will bring up what he is doing, talking wicked nonsense against us. And not content with that, he refuses to welcome the brothers, and also stops those who want to and puts them out of the church.
Beloved, do not imitate evil but imitate good. Whoever does good is from God; whoever does evil has not seen God. Demetrius has received a good testimony from everyone, and from the truth itself. We also add our testimony, and you know that our testimony is true.
I had much to write to you, but I would rather not write with pen and ink. I hope to see you soon, and we will talk face to face.
Peace be to you. The friends greet you. Greet the friends, each by name.
Slide 3:
Who was Gaius
Acts 19:29 (Gaius from Macedonia)
Acts 20:4 (Gaius from Derbe)
Romans 16:23, I Corinthians 1:14 (Gaius from Corinth)
3 John 1 (Gaius from Asia)
Slide 4:
Why Do We Have This Letter?
1) A great counterweight to 2 John
2) A great inside look into a messy church
3) A great opportunity to witness Truth and Love practically (In conjunction with 2 John)
Slide 5:
Our Road Map:
I. Important Salutation
II. John’s Reason for Joy
Slide 6:
Salutation
“The elder to the beloved (my dear friend) Gaius, whom I love in truth
Slide 7:
“Beloved, I pray that all may go well with you and that you may be in good health, as it goes well with your soul.”
“euodoo” = “Prosper” (Romans 1:10, I Corinthians 16:2)
Slide 8:
Reason for Joy
“For I rejoiced greatly when the brothers came and testified to your truth, as indeed you are walking in the truth. I have no greater joy than to hear that my children are walking in the truth.”
B. GROUP DISCUSSION
1) Read all of 3 John, and talk about the overarching message of this letter in your opinion. What are the minor themes, and major themes. Is there a primary reason for John to write this letter?
2) John is speaking into a messy church situation, one that has gotten out of control. In what ways is this comforting, and in what ways is this heart-breaking?
3) Explain how one may separate love and truth, and then make a case that they cannot be separated.
4) John’s greatest joy is to see a fellow Christian “walking in the truth,” a phrase he uses to mean “truly” Christian. Is that your greatest joy? If yes or no, why?
5) What do you think it looks like to “walk in truth?”
6) Praise and prayer.