to 3rd John, and we will remain standing. 3rd John is on page 1,215 in the church Bibles. 1,215 in the church Bibles. 3rd John, verses one through 15. Again, that's on page 1,215. In the book of 3 John, friends, this is God's holy, inspired, infallible, and inerrant Word. The Elder, to the beloved Gaius, whom I love in truth. Beloved, I pray that all may go well with you, and that you may be in good health as it goes well with your soul. For I rejoiced greatly when the brothers came and testified to your truth as indeed you are walking in the truth. I have no greater joy than to hear that my children are walking in the truth. Beloved, it is a faithful thing you do in all your efforts for these brothers, strangers as they are, who testify to your love before the church. you will do well to send them on their journey in a manner worthy of God. For they have gone out for the sake of the name, accepting nothing from the Gentiles. Therefore, we ought to support people like these that we may be fellow workers for the truth. 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. Beloved, do not imitate evil, but imitate good. Whoever does good is from God. Whoever does evil has not seen God. Demetrius 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. I had much to write to you, but I would rather not write with pen and ink. I hope to see you soon, and we will talk face to face. Peace be to you. The friends greet you. Greet the friends each by name. Thus far the reading of God's own holy word. Let us ask his blessing on it. Our great God in heaven, Make each of our hearts and minds diligently attentive to your word that we might understand the message you would have us receive. Give us wisdom to apply your truth in our lives and power that we might put your word into practice. Cause us to think as you think, to feel as you feel, and to walk in righteousness for the sake of your most glorious and holy name. Amen. You may be seated. Beloved congregation and our Lord Jesus Christ, this is our final sermon in our series working through the letters of John. Third John is another short letter, very similar in length to second John, most likely because it also took up a single sheet of papyrus. Its content is very similar to 2 John. Here again we see the Apostle's emphasis on truth and love. Yet 3 John has its own unique themes which we will address today with our sermon being organized around the three names mentioned in this letter. First we'll look at John's encouragement of Gaius. Second, John's rebuke of diatrophies. And third, the good example of Demetrius. So first, John's encouragement of Gaius. Unlike in 2 John, here the elder is not writing to a church, but to an individual named Gaius. We do not know exactly who this man is. Gaius was a very common name in the first century. Perhaps he was a leader. in his local congregation. What is clear is that he has been very personally involved in showing hospitality to visiting evangelists, something John earnestly commends him in doing. Now, as you can see, John opens this letter by repeatedly expressing his sincere love for this dear brother. Verse one says, the elder to the beloved Gaius, whom I love in truth. And look also at the first word in verse two, and in verse five, and in verse 11. Three more times John identifies Gaius as beloved. Clearly John wants to make sure Gaius knows just how much he is loved. And why is John so concerned about this? Well, the circumstances of 3 John suggest that Gaius could really use some encouragement. So here's a man who is dedicated to showing Christian hospitality to missionaries as they come through his town and his church, visit his church. However, other members of his church apparently do not want to show hospitality to these visitors. They actually oppose doing so. In fact, verse 10 informs us that a certain man named Diotrephes is so opposed to welcoming the brothers that he also stops those who want to show hospitality and puts them out of the church. Naturally, we're led to conclude that Gaius himself, this man who clearly has been showing hospitality to the brothers, has likely been put out of his own congregation. Diotrephes has apparently taken matters into his own hands and excommunicated Gaius. Can you imagine how discouraging this would be? And so John tenderly, lovingly, repeatedly insists that although Gaius may not be loved by Diotrephes and his allies, Gaius is loved by those whose opinion actually matters. Again, notice verse one, the elder to the beloved Gaius whom I love in truth. In the original Greek, the word I is emphatic. In other words, diatrophies may not love you, Gaius, but I do. Now John does not only love Gaius, he also prays for Gaius. Verse 2. Beloved, I pray that all may go well with you and that you may be in good health as it goes well with your soul. John prays a very holistic blessing for Gaius. He prays for the well-being of his body and his soul. In fact, here in verse 2, John indicates that things already are going well for Gaius spiritually. And John prays that things may go as well for Gaius' physical health as they are going with his soul. This is a remarkable statement emphasizing Gaius' spiritual health and a tremendous encouragement given that he has apparently been thrown out of his local church. The message is, Gaius, you are in good spiritual health. You do not deserve to be excommunicated, to be thrown out. Now, verse two also exposes the lie of the modern health, wealth, and prosperity gospel. The reality is that many genuine, faithful believers do endure physical sickness, ailments, and hardships. For many Christians, they are more healthy in soul than in body. Friend, your physical health is not necessarily connected to your spiritual health at all. What matters is that are you repenting of your sins? Are you trusting in Jesus to forgive you of your sins and to cleanse you from all unrighteousness? God's grace to you in Jesus Christ is what determines your spiritual health. And yet verse two makes it very clear that we ought to pray for both the spiritual and physical well-being of our fellow Christians. Believer, do you realize the privilege you have to approach God's throne of grace? Are you actively asking God to bless your fellow believers, to richly bless them in soul and in body? Do you pray that God will give them a deeper knowledge of himself, that he will relieve their burdens and anxieties, that he will fill their hearts with peace? Do you ask God to provide a raise or a better job for your friend who is struggling financially? Do you pray that he will give rest to your friend who is feeling burnt out or healing to your friend who is afflicted by severe illness? Do you sincerely desire good things for the people you pray for? And when God answers your prayers for other people, do you rejoice in his answer for them even if you did not get the better job, or the raise, or the rest, or the healing that you desired for yourself? Do you in humility count others more significant than yourself? Friends, this is the beauty of John's heart. He truly desires and asks God for the very best for Gaius in every area of his life. This is the heart of Christ. for his people. And your heart, dear believer, your heart should be growing more and more like his heart. And so if you do not yet have this heart for others, then ask God to give you his heart. And so John prays for Gaius. Next, John also rejoices over Gaius. Verses three and four say, for I rejoice greatly when the brothers came and testified to your truth as indeed you are walking in the truth. I have no greater joy than to hear that my children are walking in the truth. Apparently some of the brothers had been with Gaius and witnessed his faithfulness to the truth. Now they've come to John and reported these things to him, and John was glad to hear the good news. After all, this is the true pastor's greatest joy, to see your congregants walking in the truth, fighting the good fight of the faith, living for the glory of Jesus Christ. And therefore, John rejoices in this news, and John feels it is important to share of his rejoicing with Gaius. I rejoice over you, brother, that you are faithfully walking with Christ, holding fast to the truth, even in the midst of opposition. Friends, let us be intentional and make sure that we also encourage one another in this way. Not puffing one another up with flattery. but encouraging one another by acknowledging in them the work of Christ, giving him glory for the good works that he is producing in our brothers and sisters. Take time to notice your fellow Christians walking in the truth, and take time to celebrate out loud the good work our God is doing in their lives. Well, next, John rejoices over Gaius. Sorry, that was what we just did. John rejoices over Gaius. Next, in verses five through eight, John goes on to specifically reassure Gaius in the work that he is doing. So here he writes, beloved, it is a faithful thing you do in all your efforts for these brothers, strangers as they are, who testify to your love before the church. You will do well to send them on their journey in a manner worthy of God. For they have gone out for the sake of the name, accepting nothing from the Gentiles. Therefore, we ought to support people like these, that we may be fellow workers for the truth. Now friends, remember this is exactly the work that Diotrephes is opposing. Diotrephes does not want these brothers to be welcomed, and we'll get to the reason for that shortly. But John's message is, Gaius, don't listen to Diotrephes. Don't worry about the way that he has thrown you and others out of the church. You are doing the right thing, brother. You are being faithful to Christ. Keep up the good work. You see, congregation, the truth is we absolutely must welcome and support those who truly labor for the name of Christ. Yes, back in 2 John, the apostle insisted that if anyone brings a false gospel or an incomplete gospel, we must not receive or welcome that person. We must not assist that person on their mission. But as for true teachers, as for those who have gone out for the sake of the name, We absolutely must support them in their work. In fact, in Matthew 25, when Jesus describes the final judgment, the separation of the sheep and the goats, he says, I was hungry and you gave me food. I was thirsty and you gave me drink. I was a stranger and you welcomed me. The godly ask, when did we see you a stranger? and welcome you. And you know Jesus answer. Truly, I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these, my brothers, you did it to me. Yes, friends, this is a very, very big deal. This is a matter of tremendous importance. We absolutely must honor Jesus by wholeheartedly receiving those who come in his name. And whether or not we do so is connected to the way we will be judged at the end of the age. In fact, look carefully at the end of verse six and notice precisely how John encourages Gaius to treat them. You will do well to send them on their journey in a manner worthy of God. Gaius should not only provide them food and housing while they are there, but also honorably furnish them with ample provisions for their continuing journey. And in verse seven, we see the reason why they should be so thoroughly honored, for they have gone out for the sake of the name. They are on an important mission to proclaim the gospel of Jesus Christ, to richly magnify his name, a mission which believers in Christ must wholeheartedly support. First Corinthians 9 14 says the Lord commanded that those who proclaim the gospel should get their living by the gospel. These evangelists going out should be amply supplied in order that they may completely focus on their mission of proclaiming God's word and as much as possible not be distracted by worldly concerns. What's more, verse seven explains that these men have accepted nothing from the Gentiles. They are not seeking monetary compensation from unbelievers, nor should they, because seeking financial support from the very people you are trying to evangelize could easily give the appearance of peddling God's word for your own profit, having worldly motives, for sharing this message. Christian missionaries should never need to look to unbelievers to finance the proclamation of the gospel because the church should be supporting them. It is the duty of the church to finance the sacred ministry. As Ian Hamilton puts it, Christian missionaries sent out in the name of Christ have a claim upon the resources of God's people. And we should not support such ministers grudgingly either, but as we read at the end of verse six, in a manner worthy of God. As David Jackman writes, our Lord is the most gracious and generous of givers, and it brings no credit to him if his ambassadors are impoverished because of the lack of generosity among their supporters. And why wouldn't we support the work of the Lord in this way? Notice what John writes in verse eight. We ought to support such people like these. Why? That we may be fellow workers for the truth. You see, as Christians, we all should want this very same thing. If we believe that the gospel is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, then why would we withhold our resources from those who are duly equipped and qualified and eager to proclaim the message. If you really believe this gospel, then won't you count it your privilege to partner in the work with your prayers, with your encouragement, and with your finances? When the work is truly for Christ, then Christians must wholeheartedly support it. And by supporting the work, we ourselves actually become involved in the work. One pastor explains, as we support those whom God has set apart and the church has sent, with our hospitality, money, and prayers, we share with them in their ministry. We are not all called to leave family and friends for the sake of the name, but we are all called to give ourselves and our God-given resources for Christ and for his kingdom. And when we do so, God sees us as fellow workers alongside of them, as if we were out there on the mission field ourselves. In Mark 9, 41, Jesus says, truly I say to you, whoever gives you a cup of cold water to drink because you belong to Christ will by no means lose his reward. Congregation, there is a very real reward for the work we do and the support we give in Jesus' name. And that is the reason we do all the work, as John writes in verse seven, it is for the sake of what? Of the name. Ultimately, it is all for Jesus Christ and for his glory. He is the reason missionaries go and he is the reason that we support them. But now we come to our second main point, John's rebuke of Diotrephes. Verse nine says, I have written something to the church, but Diotrephes, who likes to put himself first, does not acknowledge our authority. John already attempted to address this situation by writing a letter to the church, but that letter was apparently ignored. Perhaps Diotrephes destroyed the letter John wrote. Perhaps Diotrephes refused to read it to the church. Whatever the case, this wicked man has refused to acknowledge John's apostolic authority. He has refused to repent. Instead, he has doubled down in his sin and wickedness. In verse 10, John indicates that this man is talking wicked nonsense about us. Diotrephes is telling made up stories, spreading all sorts of malicious gossip about John and the other brothers. But that is not all he is doing. He also refuses to welcome the brothers and also stops those who want to and puts them out of the church. Diotrephes, who was evidently a very influential leader in the local church, is throwing his weight around to show everyone who is boss. He's not content to personally turn a cold shoulder to visiting Christian brothers. He's also determined to stop others from receiving them warmly. In fact, he has taken things so far that he's excommunicating those who want to show hospitality, throwing them out of the church. This is a gross and horrendous abuse of authority. Now the problem here is not with church discipline itself. Excommunication is a valid tool that God requires church leaders to use when someone obstinately continues to live in sin. But diatrophies is not using it that way. Diotrephes is using church discipline to get rid of people he dislikes because their righteous behavior is drawing attention to his own wicked behavior. This is something to be aware of. Church leaders must always be careful not to exercise church discipline to punish someone who's doing something they don't like, but only injustice. and in truth according to God's righteous standards. God will hold men accountable who abuse the keys of the kingdom. In fact, the early church father Augustine wrote, one thing I say deliberately as an unquestionable truth, that if any believer has been wrongfully excommunicated, the sentence will do harm rather to him who pronounces it than to him who suffers the wrong. For it is by the Holy Spirit dwelling in holy persons that anyone is loosed or bound. And he inflicts unmerited punishment upon no one. For by him the love which works not evil is shed abroad in our hearts. And here in our letter, John highlights the injustice of what Diotrephes is doing by repeatedly reaffirming his love for Gaius, by mentioning the well-being of Gaius' soul, by insisting that he rejoices in Gaius, and by describing what Gaius is doing for these brothers as a faithful thing, despite whatever Diotrephes may claim. Friends, when we're faced with a conflict between human authority and divine authority, we must obey God rather than men. And you may know that you are safe in doing so. Therefore, in obedience to God, Gaius must defy diatrophies by continuing to show hospitality to the brothers. But how did we get to this disastrous place? where Diotrephes, apparently an elder or minister in the local church, is actually opposed to visiting Christian evangelists, and so much so that he's throwing people out of the church. The answer is found in verse 9. There's a deep-rooted problem with this man's character. You see how John describes Diotrephes as a man who likes to put himself first. Now we need to pause here, and I need to let you in on a little secret. And that is that I have got a little bit of diatrophies in me. And I suspect so do you. Friends, the truth is we all like to put ourselves first, don't we? This is our natural sinful tendency. Diatrophies are simply acting from his sinful nature. He wanted to be in charge. He wanted to be number one and he certainly did not want anyone else stepping into his spotlight. This seems to be the reason he wasn't interested in welcoming the brothers because he had no interest in sharing the spotlight or sharing the pulpit with them. And one thing that is remarkable about third John is that here we see no evidence that diatrophy's opposition was motivated by theological or doctrinal error. In 1 John and in 2 John, the problem was people either denying or neglecting to teach certain doctrines about our Lord Jesus Christ. Here, however, John does not draw attention to a particular heresy or false teaching, but rather to a flawed and ungodly character. This is very important because it means that this danger can afflict churches that are otherwise doctrinally sound. It is possible for people who know, who believe, and even who teach the truth to become involved in this very wicked behavior that divides churches. And this is not merely hypothetical either. I know of and have seen this very thing happen in at least one United Reformed church where prideful men whose outward teaching was perfectly orthodox nevertheless brought untold damage upon their congregation because they loved to put themselves first. David Jackman writes, the picture John draws of this domineering man is horrific, destroying unity, flaunting authority. making up his own rules to safeguard his position, spreading lies about those whom he had designated his enemies, cutting off Christians on suspicion of guilt by association. This is what happens when someone who loves to be first decides to use the church to satisfy his inner longing for a position of preeminence, for his own personal aggrandizement. Friends, we must be earnestly on guard against us, especially those of us who are or who hope one day to serve as leaders in Christ's Church. In Mark 12, 38 through 40, Jesus says, beware of the scribes. who like to walk around in long robes and like greetings in the marketplaces and have the best seats in the synagogues and the places of honor at feasts, who devour widows' houses and for a pretense make long prayers. They will receive the greater condemnation. Jesus says, beware of this sort of person. Don't let him take your soul captive. How in the world could this man, Diotrephes, get such a foothold in his church that people actually went along with these excommunications? Well, friends, I suspect it is because people tend to like strong, charismatic leaders. And you must beware of them because they can draw you into their fan club. People like to be led, and sometimes they like to be led by very spiritually unhealthy leaders. So beware of that sort of person. And also beware of becoming that sort of person. In Mark 10, 42 through 45, Jesus describes the attitude his disciples should have. And Jesus called to them and said to them, you know that those who are considered rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their great ones exercise authority over them, but it shall not be so among you. But whoever would be great among you must be your servant, and whoever would be first among you must be slave of all. For even the son of man came not to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many. This is not what Diotrephes is doing in any way, shape, or form. He's full of selfish ambition. He's not interested in working for the sake of Jesus' name, but for the sake of his own name. This is disastrous, and as Ian Hamilton writes, it is a sin that puts a huge question mark over any Christian profession. As imitators of Christ, we must do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves. Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others. Friend, is that your heart? Are you focused on your own glory? Or are you all about the glory of Jesus Christ and the good of his people? The attitude we need to look for and cultivate here at Christ Reformed is the attitude of John the baptizer in John 3 30. Christ must increase, but I must decrease. And as a point of personal application to our congregation, this is especially important to remember as we officially bring on a second pastor. The reality is that people have different preferences, different styles of teaching and learning. And as some of you pointed out in our meeting a couple of months ago, this could lead to conflict. But it does not have to. So long as we all remember that this is all about Jesus Christ, and His glory. In 1 Corinthians 1, verses 10-13, Paul writes, I appeal to you, brothers, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that all of you agree and that there be no divisions among you, but that you be united in the same mind and the same judgment. For it has been reported to me by Chloe's people that there is quarreling among you, my brothers. What I mean is that each one of you says, I follow Paul, or I follow Apollos, or I follow Cephas, or I follow Christ. Is Christ divided? Was Paul crucified for you, or were you baptized in the name of Paul? Look, friends, it's not about me, or Kirk, or Joe, or any of us. It's all about Jesus. We're all on the same team. We are all working together for his great glory. So by God's grace, let us be very careful to remember this. So diatrophies, selfish ambition is a problem. Now what will John do about it? Verse 10 says, so if I come, I will bring up what he is doing. John is not going to avoid or tiptoe around the difficult issue or bring it up in a passive aggressive way. He's going to bring it up. One commentator suggests that John is in effect saying that he will initiate public church discipline against diatrophies. Too often, arrogant men are allowed to thrive in Christ's church because no one has the courage to oppose them. Failure to exercise godly, necessary discipline has been the ruin of many churches. This needs to happen. It starts with Matthew 18, 15. If your brother sins against you, go and tell him his fault between you and him alone. If he listens to you, you have gained your brother. But if he doesn't listen, then we must be faithful to follow the proceedings of official church discipline, which ultimately leads to a public rebuke and a lawful excommunication. 1 Timothy 5.20 says, as for those who persist in sin, rebuke them in the presence of all so that the rest may stand in fear. Brothers and sisters, let me ask you, are you willing to stand up to bullies? Are we committed to the plurality of elders and to avoiding any one man getting a big head and taking over? Will you speak up when Reverend Davenport needs to be pulled back a notch? Seriously, that is the sort of courage we need in this church. And if we biblically deal with problems as they begin to arise, rather than tolerate them and wait for them to blow up, if we are proactive in guarding the church, then God will be honored, and by God's grace, we may avoid a great deal of the damage that otherwise could happen. And so that takes care of diatrophies. Now third, John brings up Demetrius. Diotrephes was a bad example. Demetrius is a good example. Verse 11 says, Beloved, do not imitate evil, but imitate good. The people we look to, the people with whom we spend our time, have a big effect on our way of thinking and speaking and our behavior. 1 Corinthians 15.33 says, Do not be deceived. Bad company ruins good morals. If you spend a lot of your time with people who are bad examples, they will rub off on you. And look, it is no great mystery who is going to be a good example and who is going to be a bad example. Look at the second half of verse 11. Whoever does good is from God. Whoever does evil has not seen God. In other words, this is not that hard. It's not rocket surgery. You can get a very good idea of whether a person knows God by looking at that person's behavior. David Jackman suggests that John introduces Demetrius not so much to draw attention to him as a laudable individual, as to understand that a genuine Christian life cannot remain hidden. As Jesus said in Matthew 5, 14, you are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden. In other words, if you are a Christian, good luck hiding it. It's not going to happen. You are going to look different and people will be able to tell that you're different. That is John's point. At the beginning of verse 12, Demetrius has received a good testimony from everyone and from the truth itself. Everyone knows the truth about Demetrius. By the grace of God, he is a godly man. In fact, this reality is so obvious that it is self-evident. In verse 12, John not only writes that he has received a good testimony from everyone, but also from the truth itself. Now friend, could this be said of you? Is your genuine life in Christ evident to everyone around you? Is your ongoing growth in sanctification clear to the people who spend time with you? I praise God that for many of you it is evident. And by God's grace, may we all continue in doing good. We want to be so clearly on God's side, so fervently eager to imitate Christ that everyone will be able to see the reality of who we are in him. We want everyone to see that our heart's desire is to do everything for the sake of the name, to put Jesus first rather than ourselves. We'll finally look at the end of verse 12. Excuse me. Yes, everyone knows this about Demetrius. Yes, it is self-evident. The truth itself bears witness that he is from God. But just in case you have any lingering doubts, John wants to assure Gaius, we also add our testimony. And you know that our testimony is true. So John gives a final third confirmation of Demetrius based on the apostolic testimony so that Gaius may be absolutely certain and assured of the real situation and to whom he should listen, not Diotrephes, but Demetrius. And before we move on, I do want to make just one quick point of application here. Friends, we need to surround ourselves with good examples who spur us on to greater godliness. Certainly those may be found in the scriptures, so we need to be reading our Bibles. But another good place to find examples is in Christian biographies. Read about the lives of Christians and missionaries who have gone before us. And also gather good Christians around yourself. Build relationships with godly people in our church so that we will rub off on each other in good ways and encourage each other in the way we should go as iron sharpening iron. Beloved, do not imitate evil, but imitate good. And finally, in verses 13 and 14. John expresses a similar desire to what we saw last week in 2 John. I had much to write to you, but I would rather not write with pen and ink. I hope to see you soon, and we will talk face to face. Then in verse 15, John expresses a benediction. Peace be to you. Now this is a standard Jewish greeting, but as one commentator points out, in the context of this letter, Given the pressure that Gaius is under, given the state of war that seems to have existed in this local congregation, it seems to carry a deeper significance. Peace be to you. John's message seems to be, Gaius, whatever is happening, the peace that belongs to those who do good is a peace that no one can take away from you. And John continues on this note of comfort in the final two sentences of the letter. The friends greet you. Greet the friends, each by name. There's a lot we can take away from these parting words. What a comfort it is to reflect on our friendship with fellow believers, a friendship which should be clearly visible in every local body of believers. Here at Christ Reformed Church, we ought to be friends. with one another. We ought to know each other's names. And that means more than just, you know, oh, you're Greg, you're Tyler, you're Mark, you're Melissa, you're Rhonda. No, truly knowing a person's name means more than just knowing the label that they go by. It means knowing that person. Friends, each person here has a story that God knows, a story that God cares about, and we should care about it too. And for this to happen, we must be spending time together in each other's houses, doing activities together, walking together in our Lord's great commission to make disciples of all nations, starting right here in Sioux Falls. And so as we keep on working for the sake of the name of Jesus, let us also work at getting to know each other and also getting to know the new faces, the new people the Lord is bringing into our fellowship. Let's work at loving each other so that the same bond of love that we see between Gaius and John here in 3 John, That same bond of love might be present here in Christ Reformed Church. Congregation, as we all are united to Christ our Savior, may he unite us to one another in the bond of peace for the glory of his awesome and most holy name. Amen, let us pray. Our gracious God and Father in heaven, we thank you for these letters you wrote through your chosen apostle John. We thank you for the wisdom we've gleaned from these scriptures because of your Holy Spirit interpreting them to our hearts. Please make your word deeply effective in our lives. Bring us to repent of our sin and selfishness, and to see your goodness and grace toward us, and help us from now on to walk in your most holy ways. We pray that we would be encouraging and hospitable toward Christian missionaries, sending them in a manner worthy of you. Give us each a heart growing in the desire to see you glorified, and in the name of Jesus Christ, proclaim to all the nations. Give us opportunities to encourage those who are involved in your good work, whether by personally ministering your word or by supporting those who do. And please raise up more faithful workers through whom you will bring about the coming of your kingdom. Guard us and our church from people like Diotrephes. Protect each of our hearts from the desire to put ourselves first. Grant that we may adopt the attitude of Jesus, our Savior, and consider others more significant than ourselves. looking not only to our own interests, but also to their interests. Help us to surround ourselves with good examples, people devoted to you and to your glory and to your mission in the world. Send your Holy Spirit to equip us to imitate good, not evil, and to encourage one another in this, as we get to know our brothers and sisters here at Christ Reformed as dear friends. Create strong relationships with one another that we may truly know each other and love one another not merely on a superficial but a very deep level. Sharing our joys and our struggles. Provide more opportunities to spend time with each other that we might grow in these relationships. Please also bless us as we prepare to receive the Lord's Supper. And also be with us this afternoon in our various fellowship gatherings or in our Sabbath rest or whatever you have prepared for each of us this day. And bring all of us back here this evening to worship you again with reverence and awe as we give attention to your word from Psalm 23. Comfort us in the knowledge that you are our good shepherd. and fill our hearts with joy in you as we now approach your table. We ask all of these things. In Jesus' most precious and holy name, amen. Well, let us now respond to God's word, taking our