3 John

Order of Service

• Call to Worship — Psalm 99
• Psalm — The Lord God Reigns in Majesty (Psalm 99B)
• Prayer of Invocation
• Confession of Sin — from 1 Kings 8
• Assurance of Pardon — John 3:16
• Hymn — Sing Choirs of New Jerusalem (#358)
• Pastoral Prayer
• Sermon
• Hymn — Blest Be the Tie That Binds (#409)
• Benediction — Hebrews 13:20-21

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Sermon Title: The Enduring Character of the Church

Scripture: 3 John 1–15

I. The Enduring Character of Christian Affection

A. Christian affection expressed in words

1. John addresses Gaius as "beloved" five times throughout the letter, demonstrating that even a great apostle openly names his love for a younger servant
2. John prays for Gaius's well-being in body and soul (3 John 2), reminding us that Christian affection encompasses the whole person — material and spiritual well-being together
3. John expresses his longing to speak face to face with Gaius (3 John 13–14), testifying that no technology replaces the richness of face-to-face fellowship
4. The letter closes with mutual greetings among friends known to one another by name (3 John 15), reflecting the depth of personal knowledge within the body

B. Christian affection expressed in deeds

1. John commends Gaius for tireless, active hospitality shown to traveling preachers — strangers who were received as brothers (3 John 5–8)
2. This reflects Paul's definition of love as bearing and enduring all things (1 Corinthians 13)
3. Christ himself commands his disciples to love one another as he has loved us, laying down his life for his friends (John 13:34)
4. The gospel is deeply personal and practical; as strangers waiting for our true country, we meet one another's needs in practical ways

II. The Enduring Character of Christian Perseverance in the Truth

A. The content of the truth — the name above every name

1. John refers to "the truth" no fewer than six times in this brief letter
2. The traveling preachers have gone out "for the sake of the name" (3 John 7) — the name of Jesus Christ, the whole content of the gospel
3. God has bestowed on him a name above every name; at the name of Jesus every knee will bow (Philippians 2:9–10)

B. The warning of Diotrephes — do not be like him (3 John 9–10)

1. At his heart lies the desire to put himself first, to be preeminent — he loves status and power in the church
2. He refuses to acknowledge John's apostolic authority, speaking wicked nonsense against it — a warning applicable in every age when church leaders reject the authority of God's word
3. He refuses to welcome faithful brothers, stops others who would, and attempts to excommunicate believers from the church
4. John signals he will address this through church discipline when he arrives — a proper mechanism for the church
5. Contrast with James and John's earlier desire for preeminence (Matthew 20; Mark 10) — John himself has grown by grace to see the emptiness of such ambition
6. Paul's charge to Timothy is equally the charge here: guard the good deposit, hold fast the pattern of sound words (2 Timothy 1:13); continue in what you have learned (2 Timothy 3:14)

C. The example of Demetrius — imitate good (3 John 11–12)

1. Demetrius has received a good testimony from everyone, from the truth itself, and from John — a threefold witness
2. He is commended to Gaius as one to follow, in contrast to Diotrephes
3. The church must be willing and able to discriminate between faithful teachers and false ones

D. The church's calling: mutual perseverance in the truth

1. Christ's people will persevere to the end — the perseverance of the saints is a sweet doctrine
2. The church is given to us so we have living examples of persevering faith, in various ages and stages of life, to encourage one another
3. We spur one another on: holding fast the good confession, walking in the truth, bearing one another's burdens in affection and deed