Now we are going through third John. We've been going through we've gone through first John
we've gone through second John and now we're up to third John third John's another little epistle a smaller book and
What I really want to understand you when you get to third John you really start to see the big picture of what's happening
You know when you look at first John second John third John
It's almost like this trilogy of epistles that John is writing to a church
We noticed in second John that pastor John yes
He's an elder he introduced himself once again the reversal one the elder unto the world beloved guys
We see that John not only was he an apostle of Jesus Christ
But he took on the position as an elder or as a pastor and what we see in second John
Is that he is a pastor over multiple churches, right?
He's pastoring one church and is right into another church, and he's hoping to see them shortly and once again
He's right into that same church. I believe I'm gonna try to put it all together for years
We go through third John, but you may recall that in second John
He was writing in a very cryptic manner a very cryptic manner
But before we look at that I just wanted to notice verse number nine the third John verse number nine
I wrote unto the church
But diatrophes who loveth to have the preeminence among them the title for the sermon this morning is preeminence in the church
preeminence in
The church see diatrophes when it comes to this particular church wanted to have the preeminence in the church
And what does it mean to have the preeminence to have the position of most importance?
you know diatrophes wanted to be seen as the most important person in the church and
Brethren when it comes to think about our church our new life Baptist Church. Who is the most important person in this church?
It's not your pastor. You know it's not brother Robert Clagney. You know who I just you know
Thanks, it's Jesus Christ. You know Jesus Christ has a preeminence. You know this church is not about me
I know so many times you know it's almost like a fault
You know we introduced churches and some might say oh have you heard of this church?
And I'm like oh, and it's like well the pastor is pastor so-and-so ah that church
You know it's kind of like you know I mean it
I understand you know you sort of identify churches with pastors, but really at the end of the day
We want to make sure that it's Jesus Christ who exalted above all things and we teach what Christ is to tell us
Now when you look at verse number one
Let's look at it again third John verse number one the elder unto the well-beloved
Gaius whom I love in the truth you see that pastor John here
He has a church member Gaius who he calls well beloved
You know he has a close relationship with Gaius. Gaius is someone that he can count on you know
He's someone of the truth. He says whom I love in the truth
Gaius is someone who's seeking the truth. He's someone who's beloved right
He's someone that stands out in the church, and he's writing this epistle specifically
To Gaius now as an introduction is writing to this to Gaius
So Gaius can then give this letter to the church
Okay, cause we'll have a look at this later. John's been trying to write to the church
But it keeps getting blocked
All right now as I've meditated through first John second John third John and try to understand the whole story that's taking place here
Let me explain to you just in a nutshell what I believe is happening
Then we'll have a look at some of the details in this letter
What I believe is he wrote first John and first John's a powerful book, okay?
You know it's all about how we can fellowship with the Lord fellowship with the brethren how we can have sins forgiven
You know in our daily walk with our Lord Jesus Christ importance of maintain a clean life
You know teaching us about the separation between the flesh and the spirit the old man and the new man
It's a powerful epistle that John
It's a powerful sermon that John wrote to this particular church, and it seems like when this letter came
Into the church it seems like Diotrephes
Blocked it from being received by the church now eventually obviously he came to the church
But Diotrephes from what I can see here blocks that letter and so then John writes second John
Okay, and when you look at second John he writes it differently okay?
He writes it the elder unto the elect lady and her children
Now it looks like just a personal letter to some random lady in the church
Okay, and to her family her children
But what I had shown you when we looked at second John that this was very cryptic language the elect lady
There was the church he's writing to the whole church
But he's got to write it in a cryptic manner okay, and even when you look at verse number 13 in second John second John
13 it says the children of thy elect sister
Greet thee so he's got a sister church
That he's currently at and the children of his sister church the church members are
Greet in the other church where John is trying to get to all right, and I sort of said to you
Why is it cryptic you know it's kind of a question well?
We understand why it's cryptic when it gets to third John because as John is trying to write these letters to the church
Diatrophes is blocking the letters, and so hey the letters aren't getting to the church, okay?
He's got right in a cryptic manner for it to somehow reach now
He says look I'm just gonna write to Gaius right to the two
But the well beloved Gaius whom I love in the truth
And you'll soon see that his trust in Gaius to get this message to get this epistle out to the church
One thing that I noticed immediately is John's challenge trying to pass the multiple churches
And I can relate you know I you know I can relate now
Here's the thing you know poor pastor John doesn't have Jetstar that he can just jump on and be in Sydney in a couple of
hours right he doesn't have
Mobile phones and FaceTime and email and and you know messages on it and his phone
We can get a quick message out
You know he's completely dependent on being physically there to see the church and
Brethren what I like about it just for my sake is that I can see a pastor who has some challenges and
When we also see when a pastor is a long time away from his church
There are going to be people like Diatrophes who want to raise themselves up
They want to have the preeminence in the church
They want to make church all about themselves
And this is something we have to be on we have to be aware of like especially with me pastoring two churches
You know if I'm far away from blessed
Church for too long it may very well allow Diatrophes to raise up
You know and if I'm away from new life of the church too long it might allow that to happen here within this church
So it's just these are warnings for us as a church as a as a as a gathering
You know that we just want to praise God we want to elevate Jesus Christ
We have to be careful about certain people that come in to cause problems within a church
Now look at verse number two once again. We were here already introduced. Gaius is well beloved, but now it's over summer two
He says beloved just in case you have any doubts. You know he he loves Gaius
You know and and brethren I've learned over the years to love you
You know I mean the very fact that I left Sydney and left my comforts and left my job and left my contacts and my friends
And my family was because I felt like there were people on the Sunshine Coast needing to hear God's Word
Needing a good church needing a church that soul winning. That's what got me out here
It's not some you know to make a name for myself or to make myself comfortable
I'm very uncomfortable. You know especially the big move and we came because there were people who we loved you know one thing that you
Realize especially first John again another great teaching is how important or how?
faithful it is to love our brothers and sisters in the Lord and
The Lord has given me a special love for people that are scattered without a local church
You know I would love to start all the other churches, I know
We can start a church in in Brisbane. I know I know we can start a church in Melbourne
I know we can start a church in WA
You know I have a I'm confident we can start those churches and they'll flourish
But it's it'd be stretching me too far, but my heart is for scattered brethren
I get emails get phone calls people that are looking for a church, and it breaks my heart
It just breaks my heart that it's so much so that I just want to go and see even if it's just one person
One family just to be an encouragement to them
You know and you know if you have a desire one day to start a church and or be a pastor
You know maybe start multiple churches
You know you've got to develop a love for the brethren not only brethren that are in church
But especially for scattered sheep because that is the role of a pastor to bring the scattered sheep into the fold and to feed them
the green pastures of God's Word
So you see John he's got a love for guys beloved verse number two
I wish above all things that thou mayest prosper and be in health even as thy soul
Prospereth now look is the soul of guys prospering of course even as thy soul prosperous you know
John sees guys and says look your soul is doing so well
You know you not only are you saved, but you're on fire for God. You know you're doing well spiritually speaking
Right, but then he says not just in regards to his soul prospering
He said before that I wish all things that mayest prosper and be in good health
Besides just a soul prospering there, okay
But even as a soul prosperous now brethren one thing that we need to understand when it comes to the priorities in our life
health is important
prospering being productive being profitable in life is
Important, but what we really want to lock down first and foremost is that our soul is profiting
Okay, that you open God's Word and you nourish your soul and your spirit with the precious bread of life the Word of God
Alright that we do well we understand what God wants from us that we speak to God in prayer
That we spend time in fellowship that we spend time in church. That's the priority, but I also just like
Just like John wants of his church, just as just as much as John wants of guys brethren
I want you to prosper. I want you to be in good health like I want you guys to do so well in life
Like I want you guys to have good solid jobs
Right to be earning a great income that covers your cost a little extra
So you can enjoy your life and be a be generous be hospitable be all these things
You know I really at the bottom of my heart. I just want you guys to do so well in life
But it comes down to first of all your soul prospering
You know you're right with God you're doing well with him
You know what and God will know what your priorities where your priorities like
God will know where your treasure is because where your treasure is there your heart will be also
Hey get that right in life, and then God can bless you in all other areas of your life
Verse number three he says for I greatly rejoiced or I rejoiced greatly. I should say when the brethren came and
Testified of the truth that is in thee even as thou walkest in the truth
Now the first thing you notice is when the brethren came and testified of the truth that is in thee
So there are some brethren of this church that guys is part of that have come and visited
The church that John is currently pastoring and they said man guys is doing so well guys is walking in the truth
and when you heard that testimony John says I'm rejoicing greatly and
Brethren once again
You know when you do well when I see you flourish when I see your wisdom increase in the Word of God
When I see your maturity become more like Jesus Christ in your growth
And I see your love and your zeal grow and develop and maybe someone that has never
won a soul gets out there and preaches the gospel and wins a soul or someone who didn't think they could get up and preach a
Sermon gets up and preaches a great sermon boy. I rejoice
It gives me great happiness. It gives me great joy
You know one of the the greatest
Satisfactions I can have as a pastor is seeing my church members grow and develop and be more Christ-like
That's that gives me a lot of joy
You know personally you know even in the workplace when I was at when I was managing our teams and people
You know what gave me the greatest joy of being just a manager. You know and seeing teams was just seeing my employees
Develop you know seeing my employees come straight out of high school
You know get a job get the training get the experience get the confidence and then other people in the work other managers are like hey
I want your employee. I want them to work for me. I'm like yeah, you know what cuz are we trained them
Okay, and they're doing well, and they're valuable and I could rejoice when I saw my own employees
You know
Get promotions and get new positions and be valued and you know that's how I've always seen our life
I've always seen life to be about how can I be a positive influence on others?
And you know especially when it comes to the house of God what gives me the greatest joy seeing you become more like Christ
You know your wisdom develop
You know growing and your your knowledge of God's Word growing your love for God growing these things give me great joy
But brethren if that gives me great joy if that gives John great joy. What gives us great sadness
What would give pastors great sadness the complete opposite right when you see people lose their love for church when you see people lose
They're a lot the zeal for the Lord when you see people depart from church
And you know just seek the world and seek sin you know these things break the heart of any pastor
We should it should do it should break the heart of any pastor
So brethren you know if you want to give me a smile if you won't make me happy as a pastor
You know you don't need to give me gifts. You don't need to do anything nice
Just hey you develop you be more Christlike, and it's the greatest rejoicing. I can have as a church pastor
And
Then he says there even as they are Walker's at the end of us number three even as they are Walker's in the truth
Let me show you how these epistles are linked okay come back with me to 2nd John verse number 4 2nd John verse number 4
Again writing cryptically to the church right he says in verse number 4 2nd John 4. I rejoice greatly
well
that's what he said in 3rd John that I found of thy children walking in truth as
We have received the commandment from the Father so you can see how these are links. It's the same church
Okay, this is look. You know he says that you know in 2nd John
You know I rejoice about your children walking the trip again
Cryptically sounding like it's some random woman in the church that he's writing to
But when we get to 3rd John we see that guy as is one of these individuals that is rejoicing over that are walking the truth
And look even you know and I said look it gives me great joy to see my church growing truth
What also gives me great joy seeing my own
Blood you know flesh and blood children walking the truth. You know when it comes to my kids
I just want to tell you that you know the greatest thing you can do in your life is to serve Jesus
To love Jesus to to love the Bible. You know it comes to my boys. You don't have to be pastors. You don't have to be
evangelists
I
Just walk in the truth
Sorry guys just know God's word
know what God says and
Do what he says?
And you make me like his dad in the world
And for every father here you know if you if you know kids
If you just love God's Word and say look I'm gonna do the best I can to follow his word
You'll make your parents happy you put a smile on their face
More than getting a higher education more than getting the best paying job
You know what if you just love God's Word you know your parents can be so happy with you
you know they're going to receive you're gonna be just so joyful and
Please think about that children because you know your parents have made a lot of mistakes
And they know God's Word is the thing that's going to keep you
You know prospering life where your soul will prosper where you prosper in health and you prosper in all areas of life
Simply because you love God's Word so dearly
But anyway, you know it speaks of guys walking in the truth, and you know guys is a man who speaks
You know where others speak highly of you know it is clear
It is clear that in guys's life that the the Holy Spirit is working in him
You know the fact that he has such a great testimony the others speak highly of guys
You know you can see that he's definitely growing and you can see why in you know just by this introduction
Why you know if there's problems in the church?
Why John's got to go man? I've got to get this letter to the right person because it's got to be guys
He's someone that I can trust he's someone that's going to take this word
And and and and you know help the church move forward and then it says in back in third John verse number four
Third John verse number four I have no greater joy than to hear that my children walk in truth again
You can see the personal relationship that John has with his church
Remember he's talked about the woman the elect lady her children walk in truth when he gets a third John
He says no. It's my children walking in the truth. Okay. It's his church
You know he's been able to win some of these people to the Lord and he sees them as little children
Wanting them to grow and to mature just like anything just like what we introduced to you
So you can just see the love of John
Immediately the first few verses in this epistle the love of John just going forth toward the church
You know he wants to be a mentor mentor. He wants to be a guide
He wants to be a good shepherd
You know I can probably relate to John his heart's probably breaking because he loves the church
And he wants to be there again like I said he doesn't have the flight to just jump on whatever whatever this is
I don't know what church
This is but his heart's breaking to know that there are issues with you in the church
His heart is breaking that he knows as a Demetrius trying to elevate himself trying to cause issues
You know where he is a pastor where his own epistles are being rejected when they come into the into the church
You can see his broken hardness, but also his joy to know that there are faithful members in the church
Verse number five it says beloved thou doest faithfully
Whatsoever thou doest to the brethren and to strangers okay, so beloved that was faithfully
What's he doing faithfully to the brethren and to strangers?
Gaius and brethren I want you all to be a Gaius this morning
You know we're gonna have a look at another person shortly, but God if you can be a Gaius
Man, it's gonna make life so good at church look. He's faithful to the brethren
All right, so does guys love the brothers and sisters in the Lord at church. He loves them
He's faithful to the work toward them, but not only to the brethren he says and to
strangers
You know when visitors walk into the church no one knows their name. No one knows if they're saved all right
They might look rough around the edges
They're not gonna have all the church speak and the Bible speak you know you know who's there
Welcoming him. You know who's faithful toward those visitors those strangers. It's Gaius and
You know brethren you know think of
Our visitors think of people that come for a first time or people that might just be passing through
You know and many times you know such a coast is kind of this transit. You know
Area if people come and people go constantly we have people sometimes visiting and that's just over the weekend
They're going through or whatever it is. You know let's make sure we show them faithfulness
Let's make sure that we show them love. You know it's good to you know focus on the brethren
Hey, but we get to see each other a few times a week the visitors
We don't know if we'll ever see them again
Hey
We might have a visitor who just needs to feel loved a visitor that just needs to know there's a church preaching the truth
And hey, they'll potentially stick around they could become faithful and great members of our church
But first we need to show them you know how to be you know show them
Hospitality show them love show them that we're interested in their lives, and that is definitely Gaius right
He's not just forming his clicks. He's not just hanging around his friends
He's making sure that everybody is taken care of right if you see someone that is alone
He's the one out there trying to encourage them trying to develop friendships. That's a guy's character
Can you keep your finger there and come with me to Hebrews 13 come with me to Hebrews 13 verse number one?
Hebrews 13 and verse number one
Hebrews 13 verse number one which says let brotherly love continue
Now I always wonder what like God. Why do you have to write that in the scriptures?
You know why because many times brotherly love doesn't continue
Alright, because when we gather together when we see each other three times a week or whatever it is and maybe other times throughout the week
We can get sick of each other
All right like anyone that's been married all right you understand when you first meet that person wow they're amazing
Right there. They're wonderful
You can't see any defects in them
But as you spend time with them as you get married and you see them every single day
Every single hour you start to notice the defects you start to notice the bad habits
You know you start to frustrate one another well
You know it's no different with a church when you have a whole bunch of people coming together
And none of us have reached the standard of Christ we all have defects we all have failings
You know and we know yeah, man. I love my brother the Lord
I love my church, but as time develops you know little conflicts develop little annoyances develop
And you can drop that brotherly love you can be like
I'm just ticking the box to be at church and so God tells us in Hebrews 13 1 let brotherly love
Continue, but then verse number two not just brotherly love because we're looking at like third John puts in this way
Just number two be not forgetful to entertain strangers
So why is that in the Bible because churches can forget to entertain strangers
Churches can forget when visitors walk in are they're taken care of someone will talk to them
Don't worry about them, and they're off and it's like where they go
You know what makes me sad is when we have visitors. I actually want to get to the visitors
And then as I'm walking my way. It's like where they go did anyone see them. What were their names?
Why do they come how they hear about it? I don't know they just left
You know kind of you know one engage with those people you know and because look we've got these commandments be not forgetful to entertain
strangers
And it says for thereby some have entertained
angels
unawares
What?
Some have entertained angels
unawares
Well, I don't know like I don't know if God has ever sent us a stranger a visitor. That's walked in walked out
And it wasn't a human being
He may have very well being a heavenly host someone that God sent
Let's test out the hospitality and the love of new life at the church. I'll send my angel
And I hope we've entertained them. I hope we've greeted them
I hope we've shown them love right like if someone literally walked into the to this building
And it's an angel from the Lord we know that God sent this being
Wouldn't we be like?
excited
Wouldn't we be think wow that God
Chose us to send you know one of his heavenly hosts to get a direct. You know
experience of our church
You know I mean that would be excited, and you know we would want to talk to that angel. Hey, what's heaven like?
What's God like we know what secrets? Can you tell me?
You know whatever you know we probably want to be around that
Person, but sometimes visitors can walk in and we can forget to entertain them
We can forget to and look so God puts this and look I
Don't know probably not we probably never had a visit of an angel
Okay, but the fact is that it's in there for the in the Bible to remind us
Just how important visitors are it doesn't matter who it is a visitor comes in you should be thinking
You know what could this be an angel of the Lord?
You know is God putting that church to the test is God putting my friendship in my love in my hospitality to the test
I want to pass the test. I want new life after the church to pass the test and so brethren
Don't forget to love the brethren which is important
Let brotherly love continue, but also remind yourself to entertain and to welcome our visitors back to 3rd John 3rd John
verse number 6
3rd John verse number 6
So Gaius is a completely different person to diatrophes Gaius welcomes people to church
Diatrophes completely opposite. He's trying to push people out of the church
We just show you soon as we keep going okay verse number 6 verse number 6
Which have borne witness of thy charity before the church?
Okay, so everybody in the church has witness of the charity of Gaius
Okay, man. He loves the brethren he loves visitors
He says whom if they are bring forward on their journey after a godly sort thou shalt do well
So he's helping that person that visitor on their journey now what I believe this is speaking about specifically is
That like we've seen many times when you read through the epistles
And you read through the book of Acts and you see how churches began and you see how people are planting churches and trying to
ordain pastors
sometimes it takes time to plant a pastor or an elder into a church and so
Paul might be sending a Timotheus a Sylvanus to the church to preach
You know an Apollos or something like that. You know even you know when you think of first like when you think of 1st Corinthians
You know there are all these preachers that were sent to the church
Alright, because they were lacking leadership within their own church
And what I believe this is speaking specifically about is that because John could not physically be at that church sometimes
He would send preachers sometimes. He would send people to be there, and he says you know you guys you're someone
At the end of some six whom if they'll bring forward on their journey after a godly sort thou shalt do well
Okay, so what I believe this godly sort is that these people are doing God's business right they've come to the church
They've come to preach. They've come to teach they've come to give direction
And brethren when we have you know when you have guest preachers
Potentially in our church if we ever have another pastor come here or someone who stands behind this pulpit
You know let's try to ensure that they've got everything they need to be able to fulfill their task
And they also feel welcomed in the church
So these same people are the ones that I believe just by looking at it all together
That these same people as they've come to the church to help the church
They've gone back to John and to their old church where they spoke or were witnesses of
guys's
You know generosity and love and charity all right now. Let's skip verse number seven for now
We'll go back to some seven shortly, but let's go to verse number eight
It says we therefore ought to receive such so these are the people come into the church to help
We should receive them that we might be fellow helpers to the truth that we might be fellow helpers
To the truth
Now let me just take soul winning here. Just very quickly. Okay. We are a soul winning church
Amen now some people say I can never do it and look everyone that is a soul winner
Said at one point in the life. I can never do it
In fact some people that are so winning still say I can never do this when they go and knock that first door about that
That's still in their heart a little bit, okay, but you know what you can be you can be a silent partner
Okay, and what you would be in that regard is a fellow helper to the truth. You don't have to open your mouth
You're just there as a support
fellowship
Encouragement hold in the Bible hold in the tracks
You know making sure that if a dog runs out barking maybe you can distract the dog
So the message of the gospel doesn't get distracted by the hearer of the word and look you can be a fellow helper
You know I strongly encourage look
I'm never look if you if you're part of this church, and you never got soul winning
I will never look down on you. I want to know I will never treat you differently
You're valued in this church if you're a brother and sister in the Lord. I love you deeply okay
I never want anyone to ever feel inferior
Okay, but let me strongly encourage you say I can never do it
What you can do is never speak you can close your mouth and be that silent partner
And you can pray inwardly as the soul winners given the gospel and I look it'll make the soul winners day
For you to come out and be a fellow helper of the truth
All right now again
Let's go bring it back to the context though of this passage keep your finger there and come with me to Matthew chapter 10
Matthew chapter 10
So again just a reminder John is sending preachers John is sending helpers to the church
Gaius is receiving them Gaius is helping them all right and Reverend as we help one another in the work that we do
We are fellow helpers
Okay, and here's the advantage
What we're about to read in Matthew 10 these are the words of Christ this blows my mind
It blows my mind, okay
Because you know are there some people like you know
We've seen believers we've heard preachers we've seen faithful men and faithful women do great works for God and
Sometimes we feel wow they're doing so great
You know I'm gonna miss out
You know cuz I haven't done as well as they have or I can't do as well as they can or whatever it is
But Jesus tells us such an amazing teaching here in Matthew 10 verse 40, please Matthew 10 verse 40
Jesus Christ says he that receiveth you
receiveth me and
He that receiveth me
receiveth him that sent me
Reverend in church if we receive one another if we serve one another if we love one another
you know who we're serving you know who is receiving Christ and
If we receive Christ we receive the Father
You know when you go soloing in and someone opens the door and they want to hear what you have to say
They're not really receive
They are receiving you, but they're receiving Jesus, and they're receiving the Father they're hearing
What does God have to say to me as they speak to you as they listen to you as you open the word?
And this is what makes church really amazing
Because we talked about everyone having faults and issues and bad habits, and we're gonna rub each other the wrong way
But I ought to think of church when I'm looking at this congregation
I always be thinking Jesus Christ is seating in every seat of this building right now instead of seeing your face
I should see Jesus and
If I as a pastor as a preacher all I can see is Jesus
Man, I better not lie
Like I better not deceive because the one that knows his word the best is Jesus Christ
What I mean is obviously not Jesus. I'm not trying to say that
You know I'm not saying there's you know 40 Jesus's here this morning
You know but as we serve one another Christ as you serve him, and that's what makes church so special
You know even when your brother annoys you and your sister annoys you you still come and be a blessing and encouragement
You're doing it to Christ
You know set the flesh aside set the personality that you don't like aside and set your heart on Jesus
I'm gonna serve my brother and sister in the Lord as much as I would serve Jesus Christ if he was here this morning
He continues in Matthew 10 verse number 41 look at this here that receiveth a prophets in the name of a prophets
shall receive a
prophets reward
You might say man, I can never preach
Man, you know pastor Kevin for example, and I'm not a great pastor
You know surely you must be rewarded for I got by God, you know, you know, and I'm never gonna be a pastor
I'm never gonna pray a preacher
But you can get the preachers or the prophets reward
All you have to do is receive that prophets
Like if we ever have a guest preacher, and let's say they're visiting and you're like you know what I'll be your driver
I will take you from point A to point B. You don't have anywhere to stay stay at my place
You
Know what whatever rewards God was going to give what gives to that past all that preacher the one doing God's work
You're gonna share in that as well
simple mind being hospitable and a service that individual I
Mean doesn't that blow your mind?
Like he's doing all the hard work
All I have to do is be a support and a fellow helper and I get the same reward that he does
That's crazy. I mean, that's that's awesome. I should say
And then it says and he look you say well, you know, we don't have any many great prophets
He that receives a righteous man in the name of a righteous man shall receive a righteous man's
reward
Let's say your week's been pretty down the dumps. Let's say you've wasted your week for the Lord
You've not done great things for the Lord this week
But you know brother so-and-so sister so-and-so has they've been faithful
They've been serving the Lord faithfully and you're like man
God must be happy with them. God's gonna reward them this week
Well, you know what you go to that righteous man
You go to that righteous woman and support them love them pray for them. I tell God to bless them
Well, whatever reward God's gonna give that righteous man. He's gonna give to you
You get to share in the rewards. I mean this this is just amazing, right?
And then look at verse 142 and then Christ just breaks it down even to the smallest detail
He says and whosoever shall give to drink unto
one of these little ones a
cup of cold water
Only in the name of a disciple
Verily, I say unto you he shall in no wise lose his reward
Baron if you just pour a cup of water and give it to one of the little kids
Right because you love the kids in the church, whatever it is doesn't have to be the smallest thing
God says you're gonna be rewarded
Just for doing the smallest thing to probably who you might consider to be the most insignificant person a little child in the church
But they're not insignificant to Jesus Christ you do it to a little child
Christ says you'll be rewarded. You're not going to lose that reward
And so I say that to encourage people that might be newer to the faith
Those of you that might feel like I can never do what others do
Yeah, but you can be rewarded the same as others if you just receive those that are doing the hard work
That that blows my mind
But instead of you getting oh, I wish I was more like that
I don't like you know I feel uncomfortable because they're serving Christ, and I'm not you know what to say. They're serving Christ
I'm not what can I do also them?
I'll come alongside them. I'll support them. I'll love them. I'll encourage them. I'll pray for them
I'll do what I can to to be a help toward them, and I can share in that reward
I think that's that's amazing
Back to third John back to third John, please and we skipped verse number seven. Let's go back to verse number seven
He says because
That for his name's sake they went forth so these preachers these helpers come to the church all right
They've gone in the name of Christ. They went forth taken nothing of the Gentiles
All right back to guys
So as these people are traveling they're going to have needs all right. They're going to have probably a place to stay
Food and whatever it is they need right transportation. I don't know whatever whatever of their needs words
They were traveling from one church to the next church
But to guys this is look you know you receive them because as they went look they took nothing of the gentile the Gentiles here
I just referring to the unsaved people that are not of the church
He said look guys you you've taken care of the needs so well
but they don't even need to ask anybody else that they don't need to take anything from the Gentiles and
So they were provided by guys guys made sure they were accommodated for they had what they needed
And they didn't need to get their help anywhere else, and you can see that guys has been elevated for this
Now when I first prepared to preach on 3rd John
I prepared this for blessed our Baptist Church in Sydney
and this was sort of as they were coming out of the whole lockdowns the whole COVID lockdown situation and
Some of you guys know I mean, I'm sure some of you guys probably even took advantage of this
where
businesses were closed maybe your workplace was closed and you couldn't go to work and the government came in and stepped stepped in with a
What they called it JobKeeper, I think was called JobKeeper something like this
You know a JobKeeper payment right and that kept many businesses afloat that helped
You know at the end of the day getting money from the government doesn't help anyone in the long run
But you know besides that forget that for a moment
You know the idea was that they were being helped by the government because they were struggling
Financially and because you know New Life Baptist Church and blessed about the church are set up as businesses
I was getting all these emails from the government saying hey
You know what if your church is struggling because you don't have an attendance you can get payouts by the government
You know and if you're not earning X amount of income like you were before
You can apply for this and get that from the government
And you know what's something that I said in my heart I've always said when I first started the church
I said, you know what God if you want the church to succeed
You know what if Lord if you want me to be able to provide myself
I'm not going to go to the Gentiles
Like when it comes to church operations Lord, you know what the church needs
so Lord you have to make sure that it comes through and that it's provided for and
What blew my mind during COVID when people aren't working?
Okay, or very much less people are working people are locked down
the offering of both churches
increased
That's what blew my mind. It's like what how is that so maybe if I preach less people are more willing to give to church
That's not it God stepped in
You know what and when I when I looked at this I go you know what taking nothing of the Gentiles
That's something that has been praised like that's something praiseworthy
We don't need the world to take care of God's Church
You
Know there was a time again back in Sydney where someone was telling me pastor sign up for this you know
You know and and you know you will receive six thousand dollars by the government or something like that
Come what he was something like that, and that's going to help you
It's going to help the church, and I said brother look
I just I don't want to go to the government and ask them to help run our church
It's you know what if this church is going to succeed if new life is going to succeed
It's going to be out of God's people
You know God's going to move in the hearts of people and they're going to give faithfully
I'm never going to beg anyone, and I'm going to give my tithe my personal tithe
And I'm going to make sure you know what you know God if you want things to run if you want things continue
It's in your hands. It's your church. It's not my business. It's not the Gentiles business. It's yours and
I love how
We see this here like like it's praiseworthy that these travelers did not need the help of the Gentiles
There were plenty people someone like guys maybe others that make sure they had everything they needed as they went from church to church as they
went preaching
accommodation what they needed to go back they were taken care of
And again you see the heart of John
He's just he's just rejoicing that you know
Brethren love and care for one another to the point that go out of their way to make sure they've got everything they need to
Get through life
Okay, let's go to verse number nine
Now verse number nine helps us unlock this trilogy of books of John. He says I wrote unto the church
So I believe that's referring to first John okay. I wrote unto the church, but
Diotrephes who loveth to have the preeminence among them
receiveth us not
Now it says receive us not what did he not receive?
The writings to the church I wrote unto the church
Receiveth us not
Okay, John's right to the church. I want to send sermons. I want to send you letters. I want to be an encouragement
I want to guide the church
Diotrephes receives a letter I from Pastor John nope in the bin or whatever
Okay, this guy the church doesn't need to hear from Pastor John I
I
Mean this is a dangerous person
Dangerous person Diotrephes you say how do people like this get into the church?
They just come in
They just they look this how many times
Look Brethren read your Bible
When you read your Bible you you'll be shocked like if you if you've never read the Bible cover to cover
Read a cover to cover, and you'll be shocked. What's in there sometimes
One thing that you constantly see in the New Testament
wolves in sheep clothing
false brethren tears amongst the wheats
Okay, children of the devil even that creep into churches false prophets. It is just an epidemic and
When you read books like first Corinthians, and and you see that there are false
apostles there or false teachers and telling people hey don't listen to Paul and
Paul's like man. I started this church, and then you have Diotrephes don't listen to Pastor John
it's like how'd you you know what do they want they creep in and
They want to influence the church they want a follow in
Brethren I do not want to follow in
follow Jesus
Let me be an example of following Jesus as best as I can in my fallen flesh
At the end of the day brethren you see your eyes on Jesus and not pastor Kevin
Do I have this maybe I'll say this one more time I
Will let you down
I've already let some of you guys down. I think
Okay
Because that's human nature
And look when when I let you down you say well Lord my eyes should have been on you anyway
Okay and look if I've if I've done something to upset you if I've sinned against your transgress against you come to me
I'm not gonna kick you out of church say pastor. You know you've whatever and I'll be very quick to say sorry
Okay, because I know my personality. I know my dry sarcasm. You know I know I
Know because Christina tells me all the time
That's what's great about being married right good someone that points out your faults. I know my faults, and you know sometimes
I'm not the most personal
personal sometimes people can do great work, and I forget to thank them I
You know not that I want to I don't I want like I want to rejoice
I want to see you flourish, but you know I'm a human being I mess up sometimes whatever right
But you know I do not like diatrophies who love to have the preeminence
Brethren I don't want any diatrophies. I want guys in this church
We don't want to die trophies okay to have the preeminence to be to have the preeminence means to be prominent to be
superior of higher importance
I'm I don't think we've ever had anybody like that in our church
Or if someone's tried to come into our church and be that person. I think they realized I'm not going to achieve this
I'm out of here. I'll find the church where I can get the preeminence. I hope that's the case
But you know what if someone's a creep in here, and and I don't know be the main person be the one that everyone follows
Look you're wicked, and I don't want you in this church
Okay, you'll be found out. You'll be found out you know and
But look this happens this happens when pastors are not around
You know and
Look I have to visit blessed up at this church. I have to go to Sydney
Okay, you need to understand because I'm trying to stop this. I'm trying to stop diatrophies from creeping in
I'm trying to stop false brethren from creeping in I'm trying to stop people from saying hey don't receive pastor Kevin
Okay, I mean there have been elements of this that have played out over recent years
You know and it's always happens when I can't physically be there because of water closures or whatever these things happen
Don't forget when Moses went to
Mount Sinai, I think on Wednesday. I said my mount Zion by mistake see that's another fault that I have
I'll say the wrong thing sometimes my Moses went to Mount Sinai
He was there for 40 days and 49 to the pastor was gone for 40 days
What happens they worship in a false god?
They're dancing around some golden calf right look. It's just
When what's that saying when the cats away the mice will play
Okay, and look. I'm not saying you're all mice. It just takes a couple of mice
It just takes one bad person and they can really corrupt the church
Diatrophies is this person he wants the preeminence and
You know diatrophies doesn't want John to be highly spoken of
John's trying to show love he's trying to show them guidance and direction
Diatrophies says no, they don't we don't need pastor John. I've got it from you guys
You know follow me. I've got it under control even though these are John's little children
John started this church John got some of these people saved John is teaching these people and diatrophies comes in
I'll take it from here. We don't need you anymore John
Look
Pray for a full-time pastor at blessed up at this church
Praying okay, cuz I don't know how long this will take you know
I don't think I can continue for years on end going every single week unless the Lord gives me supernatural ability you know and
Ideally I want to be more like John where I can send some helpers. You know what guys I can't make this Sydney this week
Can you guys go?
It's hard because we will have full-time jobs, and I'm not trying to interrupt your life and and all those things
But you know what when those occasions come out
I think it would be wonderful we can send people back and forth and you know there are plenty of guys who's down in Sydney
But if you went down to preach at that church, they'll take you in they'll feed you they'll give you a car to drive
You know their hearts are truly open there at blessed up at this church
I'm not saying they're not open here either, but I'm saying you know because they appreciate the travel
They appreciate the hard work to get someone there to preach. They're very open
They're very generous lots of guys is there at blessed up at this church
So then we get
Come with me to um sorry where am I up to yeah come with me to?
Colossians, please keep your finger there in the book of 3rd John, but come with me to Colossians chapter 1
Colossians chapter 1 please
Colossians chapter 1 and verse number 18
That
Word preeminence, I just want to show you the other time that it's mentioned here in the New Testament
Colossians chapter 1 verse number 18
It says and he speaking of Jesus is the head of the body the church
Brethren who's the head of?
This church. It's Jesus yeah
Jesus is the head of this church. It says who is the beginning the firstborn from the dead and
in all things
He might have the preeminence in all things
Brethren as I'm preaching this morning. I don't want pastor Kevin to have the preeminence right now
I want it to be Jesus. I want your eyes on Jesus Christ as
You sing praises, and you sing hymns
Brethren you sing it for Jesus I
Want to hear your voices too, but I'd much rather Jesus hear your voices and hear your heart hear your lips
Hear your love Jesus
You know what and when the morning tea is presented
It's for Jesus and whoever ladies whoever organizes morning tea, and you have some I don't know some
Spooled brat take a bite. It's not nice throw it in the bin
Don't get offended. You say you know what I did it for Jesus
I did it for Jesus and when someone cleans the toilet, and I don't know there might be some pee stains
You know I want to do it for Jesus
It's all for Jesus right and as brother Matt's back there with the with the live streaming and the audio
And he's trying to make sure that you know there's a good projection out to the to those that listen online
Yes, it's great that the online listeners are a hearing and seen but brother Matt do it for Jesus
Do it for Jesus whatever we do brethren do it for Jesus
All
Right because diatrophes doesn't do it for Jesus. He does it for himself
He wants it for himself
Jesus Christ has the preeminence. He is the head of this church second Corinthians 3 11
I'll just read it for other foundation can no man lay then that is laid which is Jesus Christ
Not only is Jesus the head, but is the foundation of this church
This is the body of Christ not the body of pastor Kevin or not the body of diatrophes. This is the body of Christ
Please do everything for Jesus
You know what if you and I ever have a conflict
And you come to me and say pastor, but I did all this for you I
Did this and I did that and I did this and I did that
All you're telling me is this whole time. I never did it for Jesus
You
Know do it for Jesus. I've been in that position as a pastor
Where someone did not get their way? I did this for your past. I did it's like well. That's why
That's why it failed
Cuz church is about Jesus
Maybe you what you would have got your way if you did it for Jesus
But you did it for me
Or you did it for that or you did it for this look don't do it for me
Don't do it for do it for Jesus
I said you know when you serve one another serve one another as though you're serving Jesus Christ
Because when man says when man forgets to thank you
when man fails you
All right when pastor Kevin fails you whatever it is. You're like well. I did it for Jesus anyway
I'm gonna get rewarded by Jesus anyway, and that changes everything
Okay
That's Gaius, that's John, not Diotrephes
That's me. What can I get out of this? You know how do I get take advantage of this situation?
Verse number 10, please back to third John third John verse number 10
Wherefore if I come so John saying look I'm coming all right wherefore if I come I will remember
His deeds that's Diotrephes deeds
Okay, which he doeth so like
John's gonna come with a rod of correction all right. He's like man. You know what when I come. I'm also that Diotrephes
All right, I'll remember the deeds that he does
prating against us with malicious words
Okay, malicious is or prating is speaking foolishly malicious is harmful or hurtful words
So not only does he rejects the writings of John into the church, but he's speaking against pastor John
maliciously, okay
Foolishly same things to turn the hearts of the church against pastor John
and
Again, I've been there. I've been in that situation
and it hurts
It hurts so much
But again remind yourself, and I have to remind myself, but I'm doing it for Jesus anyway
You know maybe it's good sometimes to you know be offended slightly or you know for things to not always go your way
So I can just remember that I'm it's it's always been about Jesus anyway. I'm just gonna serve him
I'm gonna be faithful toward him. I'm gonna keep a clear conscience before Jesus
But this is Diotrephes. You know not only what I want preeminence. He's speaking against and look
I'm not saying this just cuz I'm the pastor
But look if someone comes up to you and says I've got to talk to you about pastor Kevin and
Starts downloading all these bad things and look I'm not perfect. I'm a sinner
I've got bad things too, but the look like anything anybody else any other situation
You say brother you got a problem with pastor Kevin go to him and talk to him one-on-one
Just like anybody else
I've had people come to me pastor. I want to bring up issue with this brother this sister
Have you spoken to them yet? No go and talk to them one-on-one. I don't need to hear it
I'll pray for you. I get the gist all right. Just I
Don't need to know anymore go and talk to them, please
You know but not Diotrephes. He wants to use malicious words
Wants to talk foolishly trying to turn the hearts of the church against pastor John here
And
Then it says in verse sorry let's keep going they're praying against us malicious words look at this and not content there with
The Mitreous not the Mitreous Diotrephes is not content. He's not satisfied. He's not a happy man
neither doffy look neither doffy receive the brethren and
forbid of them that would and cast of them out of the church
I
Get other people Johnny send other preachers guys is receiving them
Diotrephes is no get out of the church. We don't want you influencing. We don't want you. You know what you have to say
You know Diotrephes is trying to create a church environment that is centered around him
He wants people in the church that like him that listen to him that I yes people to him
forever one thing I learned a long time ago I
Said to Jesus Jesus. I'll work for you. Oh pastor. I'll preach. I'll pray you know
I'll do whatever you need me to do for your church to flourish, but I'm never going to pick and choose through that church
I'm never going to pick and choose. I'm never going to beg
I'm never going to be someone says pastor can't be in this church for whatever reason God bless you brother
I'm going to respect your decision. Hope you get yourself into a good church get yourself into a good church
But you're always welcome you always want you want to come back. You're always welcome the doors are open
No, I'm not trying to kick people out
I'm not trying to just bring in people that will be yes people to pastor Kevin
You know what Jesus builds his church, and I've got to let Jesus do what he has to do. You know to build his church
Diotrephes those
He wants only those that will get behind him anyone coming with a message from Pastor John or whatever other
Influences he casts them out of the church. He forbids them, and he says he's not content there with
Verse number 11
It says beloved so now he's writing to guys, but again. This is to go to the church, okay?
Beloved follow not that which is evil now that which is the evil in the context is
Diotrephes okay, so don't follow Diotrephes
But that which is good now, we'll soon see who that good is
He that doeth good is of God
But he that doeth evil hath not seen God
Okay like verse 11 might just seem like just a random verse
No, no keep in the context when the court when you see the context
It makes all sense because then he introduces to it the next person who is the one that is good verse number 12
Demetrius hath good report of all men
So now it's telling guys look there's Diotrephes and there's Demetrius in your church
Okay, so just remember those two names bring go back to verse number 11 beloved follow not that which is evil
Diotrephes, but that which is good
Demetrius he that doeth good is of God
Demetrius is saved
But he that doeth evil Diotrephes hath not seen God listen Diotrephes was not even saved
Okay, Diotrephes will and now you know why his actions are like this
But there's a reason why we emphasize the gospel
There's a reason why we check when people come to church. Have you understood the god?
I'm not trying to insult the intelligence of Christians that have been you know have been
So-called say for you know many many years. I don't insult anybody no
It's the most basic, but it's the most important doctrine like if someone says I've been a Christian for the last 20 years
I'm still going to ask so are you still 100 you know are you 100% sure if you were to die?
Would you go to heaven I still want to know?
Because I want no church is about saved people
You know what if I want to preach to the unsaved
That's what we go and knock doors and tell them the wonderful things that Christ has done for them
I'm not saying if you're unsaved you can't come hey an unsaved person can come here and sit here
And they can sit here for years if they want as long as they don't become a Diotrephes and causes problems
I hope that at some point the gospel will click up at some point
They will humble themselves and say you know what I was never safe to begin with I was still trusting my works
I was still trusting my efforts my eyes were still on myself. I realize now. It's always been Christ and Christ alone
But follow that which is good you know he's saying look work this out guys work it out
Diotrephes is not saved he hasn't even seen God he doesn't know anything about God this guy
But I guarantee you Diotrephes could pray great prayers guarantee you he could quote scriptures
And have some teaching and he had the appearance he had all the appearance downright you know nobody
would question just like a Judas Iscariot nobody would question that this one individual was never
God's one of God's children in the first place and brethren we have to be so careful you know our
church is little at this point in time it's easier to keep track of things but as our church grows
and there's gonna be more people in the church it's gonna get more difficult to identify a
false brother in the Lord but I trust that if we just remain true on doctrine we remain faithful
and we just remember that Christ gets the preeminence we can minimize the kind of damage
that false brethren can have in our church like I said I hope they just come in they try they
realize I'm not getting anywhere and they just go that's the ideal scenario verse number 12 again
we introduced Demetrius here Demetrius have good report of all men now it could be that Demetrius
is on his way to becoming the pastor of this church okay it could be because one of the
qualifications of a pastor I'll just read it to you in 1st Timothy chapter 3 verse 7 it says
moreover speaking about the pastor he must have a good report of them which are without lest he fall
into reproach and the snare of the devil so one of the qualifications of a pastor is he must have
a good report not just at church but them that are without his employers his family his friends
where people might say yeah he's weird because he's a believer he loves God he goes to church
but really at the end of the day he's a good guy like at the end of day when I spent time with him
I'm blessed you know what he is kind he's loving he's honest and true you know when it comes to
being a pastor you need to find that man with that quality within and without and it could be
that Demetrius you know that pastor John has his eyes on Demetrius to become the pastor of this
church let's number 12 again Demetrius have good report of all men and of the truth itself so he
knows the truth not only the people speak highly of him he's well received by people but he knows
the truth okay he knows God's Word he has the ability to teach and guide people in God's Word
it says yea and we also bear record and ye know that our record is true he goes look us everyone
that's come across Demetrius I know we bear record that Demetrius is the person the church ought to
get behind okay forget Diotrephes he doesn't even know God he says when I get there I'm gonna
remember what he's done I'm gonna remember the words that he said he's going to conduct church
discipline when he gets it I don't know why he has to get there maybe the church has been weakened
by the damage that Diotrephes has caused but he goes at the end of day guys get behind Demetrius
Demetrius is the man that's going to lead this church forward verse number 13 I had many things
to write but I will not with ink and pen write unto thee but I trust I shall shortly see thee
all right so he says look I want to write more but look I'm planning I'm shortly my plan is I'm
gonna be there soon shortly I'm gonna get there and we're gonna deal with Diotrephes okay and we
shall speak face to face peace be to thee our friends salute thee greet the friends by name
okay I love how many times the epistles end in this way you know to greet one another our friends
salute thee and again brethren when you come to church greet one another salute one another when
you leave say bye you know try to just just those basic things those little things goes a long way
for someone to feel that they received at church you know my goal before I before service starts my
goal it's not short on time but my goal is to try to say hello to everybody and sometimes I
don't get to everybody or whatever right because I just want people to feel and and like you're you
know you're a blessing to me when I see in church you bless me all right like I just feel man you
can make you made that effort to be here in the house of the Lord you must think that this pastor
has something of value to teach you and it gives me joy you know but brethren yeah let's let's
greet one another and make sure that we value each other that we appreciate one another and
that we know that we love one another all right let's pray