Caring for the Lord’s Workers

3 John 1-15

Reminder: Pray to God to set your heart right as you engage His word. The text you are about to study was not written to you but is written for you. So, before applying we must ask the following questions:

What did it mean to the original reader or original audience?

READ THE SCRIPTURE (Multiple times & translations and notice the words that standout)

Biblegateway (NIV) (My choice of all-round site. It is a great app, better on computers or on a cellphone)

StepBible (ESV) (Great on phone or computer with good resources.)

Hashtags:

#Hashtags

Topical Bible

Kevin's Teaching Blog About BLANK

Themes

Truth

Love

Hospitality

Cooperation in Christian ministry

Condemnation of malicious behaviour in the church

Topics

Commendation of Gaius

Condemnation of Diotrephes

Encouragement to Demetrius

Potential Sermon Titles: ??

Intro Questions to get us thinking:

Did you ever run out of money when you were away from home? What did you do?
Who extended loving hospitality to you when you needed it most?

ESV Text with Highlights

#God =
#People = The Apostle John, Gaius, Diotrephes, Demetrius
#Time =
#Place = The local church (specific location not mentioned)
#Obedient faith =
#Sin =
#Key Idea =

3 John 1-15

Greeting

¹The elder to the beloved Gaius, whom I love in truth.

²Beloved, I pray that all may go well with you and that you may be in good health, as it goes well with your soul. ³For I rejoiced greatly when the brothers came and testified to your truth, as indeed you are walking in the truth. ⁴I have no greater joy than to hear that my children are walking in the truth.

Support and Opposition

⁵Beloved, it is a faithful thing you do in all your efforts for these brothers, strangers as they are, ⁶who testified to your love before the church. You will do well to send them on their journey in a manner worthy of God. ⁷For they have gone out for the sake of the name, accepting nothing from the Gentiles. ⁸Therefore we ought to support people like these, that we may be fellow workers for the truth.

⁹I have written something to the church, but Diotrephes, who likes to put himself first, does not acknowledge our authority. ¹⁰So 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.

¹¹Beloved, do not imitate evil but imitate good. Whoever does good is from God; whoever does evil has not seen God. ¹²Demetrius 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.

Final Greetings

¹³I had much to write to you, but I would rather not write with pen and ink. ¹⁴I hope to see you soon, and we will talk face to face.

¹⁵Peace be to you. The friends greet you. Greet the friends, each by name.

OBSERVATIONS (Reflect on the topic and build the concept the writer is trying to communicate to the original audience)

ebible (NLT) (Best for having Bible sections divided by "pericope" or sections by thought)

Thematic Bible (Books and Chapters Structure)

Bible Hub = Outline, Themes, Topics, People, Locations, and Questions

STUDY RESOURCES (This takes some work and here are more resources than you can go through completely)

StudyLight (LEB) (Great site with commentaries by Burton Coffman)

NETBible (New English Translation) (Great for original text information)

BibleHub (HCSB) (Good on computer or app/phone with lots of well-organized information.)

BlueLetter (KJV) (A variety of resources and good on Phones / better on Computers)

Literal Word (NASB) (Works well on a smartphone or computer + for searching for words like a printed concordance)

Biblia.com (NCV) (Great on a computer especially if you have a logos account)

KnowingJesus (Phone / Computer and great for comparing translations)

https://www.openbible.info/labs/ai-bible-study/

God is ... What do we learn about God in this passage?
We are ... What do we learn about people in this passage?
What conflicts were going on in the church that prompted John to write this letter? What personality issues are involved? What type of character sketch would you draw for Gaius? Diotrephes? Demetrius?
In what ways does this letter tackle the hospitality issue differently than 2 John? Why is John urging that these teachers be cared for in their travels? Why would this be so important at this time?

Link to More Questions

APPLICATION (God wants us all to arrive at action, life-changing faith)

Heartlight (Great for practical application of scripture)

The Message (MSG) (An easy-to-read paraphrase that helps some with application)

Precept Austin Devotionals

Scripture Graphics

https://www.openbible.info/labs/ai-sermons/

How can you reflect Gaius' desire to be of help to itinerant Christian workers?
Has suspicion about the false motives or messages of some teachers soured as you against them all? What needs to change so you will not hinder the work of God by failing to encourage his true servants?
Do you find opening up your home (or your small group) to new people easy or difficult? Why is that?
In picking close friends (like Gaius was to John), what do you look for? How can you be that kind of friend to others?
I will ... What has the Holy Spirit revealed to us in this passage? How can I apply it to my life this week?
What transformative move needs to be made?
You can ... Who do you know who needs to hear this? Feel free to share with others by social media links at the bottom of this.