3 John 9-10
9-10 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. (ESV)
The Main Idea:
Because Christ’s church is built on apostolic truth and is ordered by humble love, we must mark and resist the self-promoting leader, imitate the good, and prize the warm, face-to-face fellowship of the saints, for our conduct always reveals whose we are
1. The Warning Against Diotrephes (vv. 9–10)
1.1 Diotrephes represents the opposite of Gaius
1.2 His pride manifests in rejecting apostolic authority
1.3 “Likes to put himself first” indicates self-centred leadership
1.4 His behaviour reveals a heart untransformed by the Gospel
1.5 Exemplifies the church discipline principle from Matthew 18