3 John 1-8
1-4 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.
5-8 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. (ESV)
The Main Idea (of the entire sermon):
Christian fellowship is founded upon the truth of the Gospel that believers walk in and is expressed practically through hospitality toward fellow believers, particularly those labouring in ministry, thereby transforming every supporter into a fellow worker for the truth
- Thematic Connections between John’s letters:
1. Truth: All three letters hold up “truth” as a central Christian virtue
• 1 John: “We are from the truth” (3:19)
• 2 John: “Grace, mercy, and peace will be with us, from God the Father and from
Jesus Christ the Father’s Son, in truth and love” (v. 3)
• 3 John: “Walking in the truth” (v. 3)
2. Love: The progression of love’s expression
• 1 John: Theological foundation of love (“God is love”)
• 2 John: Balance of truth and love (“love in truth”)
• 3 John: Practical application of love through hospitality
3. Obedience: The relationship between faith and works
• 1 John: Obedience as evidence of saving faith (“By this we know that we love
the children of God, when we love God and obey his commandments”)
• 2 John: Obedience as the expression of love for Christ (“And this is love,
that we walk according to his commandments”)
• 3 John: Obedience demonstrated through practical hospitality
Main idea of 3 John 1-8:
Christian fellowship rests upon the foundation of truth that believers must walk in consistently and finds its practical expression through faithful hospitality toward traveling Gospel workers, which makes those who support such ministry into fellow workers for the truth.
1. The Foundation: Truth as the Basis of Christian Fellowship (vv. 1-4)
2. The Practice: Faithfulness Demonstrated Through Hospitality (vv. 5-8)
3. The Application: Living Out These Truths Today
Three practical lessons from John’s commendation of Gaius.
• we’re called to be people of the truth who walk in the truth.
• we’re called to practice biblical hospitality.
• we’re called to be fellow workers for the truth through our support of Gospel ministry.