3 JOHN 1:9-14
INTRODUCTION
Harry Truman once
commented on the importance of polls to leadership, with the following insight:
“I wonder how far Moses would have gone if he’d taken a poll in Egypt?
What would Jesus Christ have preached if He had taken a poll in Israel?
Where would the Reformation have gone if Martin Luther had taken a poll? It is
not the polls or public opinion of the moment that counts. It is right and
wrong and leadership—men with fortitude, honesty, and a belief in the
right—that makes epochs in the history of the world.”
I.
CAUTION ABOUT A DISLOYAL LEADER VV. 9-11
In verse 9, the Apostle
John refers to a letter that no longer exists. Many scholars think that this
letter was lost. Some think that Diotrephes destroyed the letter. This is sheer
speculation. You and I do not know whether Diotrephes destroyed it or declined
to read it to the church. But there is one thing that is sure. This man
Diotrephes rejected the Apostle John’s written instruction to receive the
itinerant evangelists. He refused to show hospitality to some of the traveling
servants of God.
When you compare
Diotrephes to Gaius you see a striking contrast. In behavior and character
Diotrephes was entirely different from Gaius. Gaius is portrayed as walking in
the truth, loving the brethren, entertaining the strangers. Diotrephes, on the
other hand, is seen as loving himself more than others and refusing to welcome
traveling evangelists, or to let others do so. This is a lay leader who wanted
to control the church. Either you do it his way or you will not get it done.
Have you worked under a leader like that? They are a pain in the neck. This is
dictatorship and not devotion to Christ. In these verses, the Apostle John
denounces Diotrephes. First, John denounces his refusal to listen to other
spiritual leaders. John accuses him of loving the preeminence. In other words,
he loves to have the foremost place. He loves to be the first among them. He
was just like the scribes and Pharisees. He loves to be seen as one in charge
of everything. He does not want to work behind the scenes. I tell you that in
heaven God will shock many of us. I believe that many Christians who work
behind the scenes will receive more and probably better rewards than those who
lead in the open. Second, John denounces him of his slander of the leaders. Do
you know that there are some leaders who begin well but go astray from the ways
of Christ, because they love fame and prestige more than integrity? Such people
become obstinate who will not listen to good and godly counsel. Their motto is
“I have to be in charge.” “I have to do my own thing. ““I have to do it my
way.”
Any Christian leader with such attitude is walking on a thin line;
he/she is not far from shame and disaster. Are you like that? Third, John denounces him for his bad example
in refusing to welcome any gospel teachers. Do you know that pastors who are
dictators do not want to give their pulpits to anybody? They do not invite
guest preachers because they do not want their membership to hear the truth and
liberating gospel. Such people are insecure and have all kinds of ulcers.
Fourth, John denounces Diotrephes for his attempt to expel those who opposed
his leadership. Many of such things happen in independent churches. They happen
in one-man churches. Either you shape up or ship out; either you comply, or you
are cast out. A church where the leader is a dictator is an abusive
environment. A church where the leader must oversee everything, else nothing
gets done is not the church, which Jesus died for. Ladies and gentlemen Jesus
alone must oversee His church. The Holy Spirit is the One who must direct the
affairs of a church and not a dictator.
Diotrephes has a problem
with personal ambition. Ladies and gentlemen if you want to enjoy good and long
life do not bring your personal ambition to the church of Christ.
Personal ambition has no place in the body of Christ. Due to personal ambition,
Diotrephes laid baseless and false accusations against Apostle John and his
team. This dictator evidently regarded John as a dangerous rival to his own
assumed authority in the church and sought to undermine his position by
slanderous gossip. He was strongly opposed to Apostle John and the traveling
evangelist or missionary. Would you do anything to maintain the status quo in
the church? Would you go your way to undermine others in other to maintain your
leadership position in the church? That is not the spirit of Christ.
Sins such as pride,
jealousy, and slander are still present in the church, and when a leader makes
a habit of encouraging sin and discouraging godly actions, he must be stopped.
If no one speaks up great harm can come to the church. We must confront sin in
the church. If we try to avoid it, it will continue to spread and infest many
people. A true Christian leader is a servant and not an autocrat. That does not
mean that you have to disrespect or walk on your spiritual leaders.
In verse 11, the Apostle
John shows that Diotrephes’ conduct is an example of that which must not be
imitated. He admonishes us not to emulate evil but what is good. Every person
is an imitator. It is natural for us to look to other people as our model and
to copy them. The Apostle John has spoken highly of Gaius, but now he speaks
with disappointment of Diotrephes, the self-ambitious leader. Who is your role
model? Young people who are your role models? The word of God says that your
role models should not be those who do evil, but those who do good.
There is a story about a
father and his son who were walking on the seashore one day. The boy was walking
behind his father and placing his feet in the mark that the sole of the
father’s shoe had left behind in the sand. When the father turned back and saw
what his son was doing, he asked him, son what are you doing? The boy said, “I
am learning to walk in your shoes.” That statement came home to the father.
Your children are watching you. The question is what kind of example are you
leaving them? What kind of mentor are you?
John goes on to say that one who does good is of God. In other words,
the person who practices what is good belongs to God. John is saying that when
you are truly redeemed by Jesus Christ, His behavior and conduct rob on you.
Therefore, to do good is the evidence of divine birth (Eph. 2:10); to do evil is to prove that you have
never seen God. This raises a question whether the self-ambitious Diotrephes is
a Christian at all. Sometimes you see the overwhelming inconsistency in
people’s life, and you begin to wonder whether they are Christians. John says
that a person who claims to be a Christian, but practices evil has not seen
God. He does not know God.
II. COMMENDATION OF A DEVOTED
LEADER V. 12
This is what those who
call all Christians hypocrites need to be mindful of. When you meet one mean or
bad Christian, do not conclude that all Christians are the same. This reminds
me of a story of hospitality and churches. Singer John Charles Thomas, at age
sixty-six wrote to a syndicated columnist Abigail Van Buren:
“I am presently
completing the second year of a three-year survey on the hospitality or lack of
it in churches. To date, of the 195 churches I have visited, I was spoken to in
only one by somebody other than an official greeter—and that was to ask me to
move my feet.”
This is a sad situation.
When you come to church late and your favorite seat is taken do not be rude and
ask the person to move to another seat. You look for another place to seat.
Lack of hospitality and simple etiquette has caused many churches to lose
potential persons for Christ and the church. At the same token when you have a
bad experience in one church that does not mean that all churches are like
that. When you have a bad deal from one self-centered Christian do not conclude
that all Christians are like that. Do not make such blanket and general
statement. Do not call it quits. You will soon see two or three good
Christians. Diotrephes is sandwiched between two devoted and godly leaders in
the persons of Gaius and Demetrius. We do not know too much about this
Demetrius, but the little that we know about him is commendable. Demetrius has
the witness from everyone, of the truth itself, and of John the apostle.
Demetrius has an impeccable character. He is a striking contrast to the corrupt
Diotrephes. While Diotrephes has no regard for truth; Demetrius had a high
regard for truth. The Apostle John personified truth as a witness to Demetrius’
character and teaching. In other words, if truth itself could speak, it would
speak on Demetrius’ behalf. Are you Diotrephes or Demetrius? If those who knew
you best were to say something about you what would they say? Do you recall the
story of the dog and the cat? The dog left home for good, but one day met the
cat. The dog asked the cat what are they saying about me in the house? The cat
answered wisely; they are talking about the circumstances that led to your
departure. Do not do anything that you wish you had not done. To put it
differently do not do anything that you would live to regret.
Demetrius had a good
testimony, and not only that John and his colleagues also bore witness to his
life. The genuineness of his Christian life was self-evident. The truth he
professed was embodied in him, so closely did his life conformed to it.
Demetrius practiced what he preached. His profession of faith was consistent
with his practice of the Christian life. Know that Gaius has not met Demetrius
before. Demetrius is one of the traveling evangelists, but Gaius likes what he
hears about this servant of God. To Gaius the Apostle John’s testimony alone is
enough. If you were to travel to a city where you were a total stranger, but
you have a friend who had mutual friends in that particular city, would they
feel free to recommend you to their friends?
Every Christian is a
witness. The question is, are you a good witness or bad one? Diotrephes was a
bad witness for Christ. He was a bad lay leader in the church. He had hijacked
the church of Christ. Therefore, John commends
Demetrius and condemns Diotrephes.
III. CONTEMPLATION OF A
DISCIPLINED LEADER VV. 13-14
The Apostle John has
many things to write to Gaius than space would allow. He is contemplating
visiting Gaius, and they would have much to talk about. Before I conclude the
message, let me show you something. In 2 John the emphasis is on the refusal to
show hospitality to false teachers. Third John on the other hand, urges
continued hospitality to those who teach the truth. This calls for a thorough
understanding of the word of God and discernment. A church or a pastor should
not give his pulpit to a false teacher or preacher. This requires discernment
of spirit and depth of insight into the word of God. We are to show hospitality
to the teachers of truth. We are to support them in any way we can, but we are
to avoid those who are false teachers and prophets. Hospitality is a strong sign
of support for teachers, preachers, evangelists, and missionaries of integrity.
It means giving them of your financial support so that their stay will be
comfortable and their work and travel will be easier. Look for creative ways to
show your support to God’s workers. Bro. Hope who is now in charge of our music
ministry is an asset to this church. Show hospitality to him. I thank God for
the Nwachukwu’s who are hosting him. I thank God for some of you who have
invited him to your homes. Do not wait to be told to show hospitality to him so
that he will feel at home here. Those who go their way to be a blessing to a
servant of God receive God’s blessing in return. Your creative way to show
hospitality can be in the form of a letter of encouragement, a “care” package,
financial support, an open home, gifts of personal effects, and prayer.
Sometimes people miss the blessings of God because of the way they treat men
and women of God.
In the stories of the
three women in the lives of Elijah and Elisha had the women been indifferent,
insensitive and refused to show hospitality, one of them would have lost her
family to her deceased husband’s debtors; the other would have been barren for
life; the third woman and her child would have died of famine.
In verse 14, John tells
Gaius that there are many catching up to do when he comes. The word “hope”
means a great expectancy, an eager anticipation. The apostle is anxious to see
Gaius face to face. But before John concludes his letter, he prays for peace
for Gaius. Gaius needs a double dose of God’s peace in his life. Why? Because
Diotrephes is a lay leader of the church where Gaius serves as the spiritual
leader. Diotrephes is a troublemaker in the church. He is causing strife in
this church; therefore, it is appropriate for John to pray for God’s peace for
Gaius. John extends the greetings of the Christian friends to Gaius. John also
tells Gaius to greet the friends by name. Even in a mega church Christians
should not lose their individual identity and importance in the group. God
wants the pastor and the members to know each other by name. The Good Shepherd
calls His own sheep by name.
