3 John 1 - What Does It Mean to Have a Kingdom Mindset?

Click Here To Read or Listen to 3 John 1 

3 John 1 is the shortest letter of the bible at 219 words. If you want to see a general overview of the book click on the link below. 

Click Here to Read About the Background, Purpose and Themes of 3 John 1

1 The elder, To my dear friend Gaius, whom I love in the truth. 2 Dear friend, I pray that you may enjoy good health and that all may go well with you, even as your soul is getting along well. 3 It gave me great joy when some believers came and testified about your faithfulness to the truth, telling how you continue to walk in it. 4 I have no greater joy than to hear that my children are walking in the truth.

We see the relational side of Paul once again, as he describes his relationship with Gaius. He calls him a "dear friend" twice. One of the joys of doing ministry together is the deep and lasting relationships we build with each other. Even if we are separated by distance, we long to see each other and enjoy fellowship again. Paul commends Gaius for standing up for the truth. We know that the persecution against Christians grew as the 1st century came to a close. Notice Gaius' faithfulness was to the "truth", which has been a big theme is all of John's writings. Gaius not only testified to the truth but is "continued to walk in the truth". 

Some people know the truth well, but don't live according to it. This is called "hypocrisy", and it is a huge problem in our culture as well. Many in the world stereotype Christians are hypocrites, even if falsely so. Note other people are noticing this, Gaius is not saying this about himself. Unlike Diotrephes, Gaius is humble For John there is "no greater joy" than seeing a man like Gaius living out his faith humbly and authentically. 

Does it give you joy when you see others walking in the truth? How would others testify about your faithfulness? 

5 Dear friend, you are faithful in what you are doing for the brothers and sisters, even though they are strangers to you. 6 They have told the church about your love. Please send them on their way in a manner that honors God. 7 It was for the sake of the Name that they went out, receiving no help from the pagans. 8 We ought therefore to show hospitality to such people so that we may work together for the truth. 

Gaius not only walked in truth for the people in his church but also welcomed strangers. This was referring to others who were traveling for the sake of the Name. The word Name in capital letters always refers to the "Name of Jesus". The Name above all names. At the Name of Jesus every knee will bow and every tongue confess that Jesus is Lord to the glory of the Father. (Philippians 2:10-11)

These people brought back testimony to the church about their Christ-like care for those in need. It is one thing to love those who love you, but quite another when we share Christ's love with those we don't know personally. By showing this kind of hospitality, Gaius and the believers did not have to rely on Non-Christians for support. 

This is why it is so important to support Christian causes and ministries outside of your own local church. While the bible instructs to give first to the local church, Paul also teaches us to give special offerings as the Holy Spirit convicts us. As Christians, we are always called to show kindness to outsiders, which is also a great witness to the world. 

This lesson also teaches us that the church is always bigger than our own church or organization. We need to have a "kingdom mindset" rather than thinking myopically about only our own ministry. We are always "better together". The apostle Paul had a  kingdom mindset, as we see by his missionary travels, and his desire to make it to Rome to bring them the gospel. 

Do you have a heart for missionaries and others who are spreading the Good News of the Gospel? Are you led by the Holy Spirit to give to other causes for the kingdom as the Spirit guides you?

9 I wrote to the church, but Diotrephes, who loves to be first, will not welcome us. 10 So when I come, I will call attention to what he is doing, spreading malicious nonsense about us. Not satisfied with that, he even refuses to welcome other believers. He also stops those who want to do so and puts them out of the church. 

While Paul has nothing but rave reviews for Gaius, he has nothing good to say about Diotrephes. Diotrephes is "selfish", "unwelcoming", and "spreading nasty rumors". Worst of all, he actively kicks out other believers. One would have to wonder if Diotrephes is even a Christian. 

 “To begin with, a man named Diotrephes had assumed an unwarranted and pernicious authority in the church, so much so that by the time of the writing of this letter John’s own authority had been challenged and those who had been sympathetic to John had been excommunicated from the local assembly. Moreover, due to this struggle, traveling missionaries had been rudely treated, including probably an official delegation from John.” (Boice)

11 Dear friend, do not imitate what is evil but what is good. Anyone who does what is good is from God. Anyone who does what is evil has not seen God. 12 Demetrius is well spoken of by everyone—and even by the truth itself. We also speak well of him, and you know that our testimony is true. 13 I have much to write you, but I do not want to do so with pen and ink. 14 I hope to see you soon, and we will talk face to face. 15 Peace to you. The friends here send their greetings. Greet the friends there by name.

Given what John just said about Diotrephes, it would seem that his indictment of him is not good. He says anyone who does what is "evil" has not seen of God. 

But John finishes with a another positive example of a Christian believer in Demetrius. Like Gaius, Demetrius is spoken well of by everyone, and his lifestyle aligns with the truth.   

John recommended this man to Gaius. Perhaps he was the one who carried the letter from John to Gaius, and John wanted Gaius to know that Demetrius was worthy of Christian hospitality..Demetrius has a good testimony from all, and from the truth itself: Demetrius was so faithful to the truth that even the truth was a witness on his behalf. - Guzik 

Whenever the gospel is growing people like Diotrephes will try to thwart its growth.  Apparently Diotrephes had some kind of leadership capacity in the church, but John encouraged Gaius to seek people like Demetrius. but to stay clear of people like him. 

Pastor Chuck Swindoll offers a nice summary of this short letter and what it should to us.

How do you show hospitality to other Christians, particularly those who serve you and others in your local church and at churches around the world? Showing hospitality to others—particularly strangers—requires a level of trust and acceptance that is not necessarily required of us in our everyday lives. It forces us to rely on a common bond in Jesus Christ, rather than a particular blood relationship or shared experience. It forces us out of our comfort zones and into a territory where we must place our trust in God. - Chuck Swindoll