And I'd like you to turn in your Bibles if you would. The third John, you understand it's all about the elder to Gaius, then Diotrephes and Demetrius. It's all to Gaius in one sense. But there are three individuals in this passage. You understand that Gaius is the one that everybody loves. And that's true of Gaius. And Diotrephes is the one everybody is a little afraid of because he loves to have the preeminence. He's always causing problems in the church. And Demetrius is the one who stands as a perfect example to anybody and everybody. as they think about somebody who walks in the truth. So let's read third John together. You follow along as I read the elder to the beloved Gaius, whom I love in the truth, beloved. Notice how many times he says, beloved, beloved, I pray that you may prosper in all things and be in health just as your soul prospers. For I rejoice greatly when brethren came and testified of the truth that is in you, just as you walk in the truth. I have no greater joy than to hear that my children walk in the truth. Beloved, you do faithfully whatever you do for the brethren and for strangers were born witness of your love before the church. If you send them forward on their journey in a manner worthy of God, you will do well because they went forth for his name's sake, taking nothing from the Gentiles. We, therefore, ought to receive such that we may become fellow workers for the truth. I wrote to the church, but the atrophies who loves to have the preeminence among them does not receive us. Therefore, if I come, I will call to mind his deeds, which he does prattling against us with malicious words and not content with that. He himself does not receive the brethren and forbids those who wish to putting them out of the church beloved. Do not imitate what is evil, but what is good. He who does good is of God, but he who does evil has not seen God. Demetrius has a good testimony from all and from the truth itself. And we also bear witness and you know that our testimony is true. I have many things to write, but I do not wish to write to you with pen and ink. But I hope to see you shortly and we shall speak face-to-face. Peace to you, my friends. Greet you, greet the friends by name. We'll only look at the first eight verses today. If we think of Gaius, next week we'll look into Diotrephes and Demetrius. But today, as we think of Gaius and we think of this one who, according to verse five, verse four, I have no greater joy than to hear that my children walk in truth. There's somehow a connection here with a man by the name of John who considers himself to be the father in one sense of this individual called Gaius. And on Father's Day, what is more appropriate? And to think of what really brings joy to a father's heart or from the other perspective, we as fathers, what is it that we need to do as John does that to his son Gaius? What do we have to do to really help our kids? Let's look to the Lord in prayer. Father, today we do pray that the word of God would speak to us, as we just sang in that song, that your church may move forward. We, your people, may move forward into all the world. And I pray, Father, even tonight as we come together for Psalm 67 and think of your desire that the entire world would rejoice because the entire world would sense your blessing on them. because they see it in us. And so today father we pray that your word would have such impact in our lives that we really are different people and we are growing in the grace and knowledge of you. And we are people who love you more than anything else. We think today of our earthly fathers who are very very special to us. And then we think of you who is infinitely above that. Whatever flaws our earthly fathers have you do not have any of those. Whatever strength our earthly fathers have, you are far in excel of them. Today, Father, we come because we do have a great father. It's you. And we think of how you would speak to us as your children, if you could. We think of how John spoke to his son in the faith, Gaius. And we pray that as fathers we could learn and as kids we could learn. Today, Father, in a very special way, your word would have impact. And we'll thank you for we prayed in Jesus name. Well, I was thinking about Father's Day, and obviously I thought of my father and all of his little proverbs, and one of them was this. We used to work on our old house or work on the barn or whatever it is, and he would have this statement, the good old days, the way they were old, but they weren't all that good. There was something that goes in our minds that often thinks the good old days were somehow better than the day that they built houses better than they build now. They had better tractors than they have now. Whatever it is, we used to think everything's the good old days. And he just reminded me the good old days weren't really all that good. My dad was very thankful to live in the present and not to live in the past because the present is better than the past. And I think sometimes when you come to churches, we think, you know, I wish we could go back to New Testament days. The good old days in the New Testament, the Book of Acts days. Oh, what a great thing it'd be to live in the past when it was Paul and Peter and John and the good old days. Well, the truth is, as you read the scriptures, you understand the good old days weren't so good then either. As you read the book of Third John, you have the example of a glimpse into the life of an early church. And by picking out some individuals, the elder John helps us to see that the good old days weren't all that good. They had some good people, they had some bad people. And you can think of Colossae and the church at Galatia, Thessalonica, with their indifference, the Jerusalem church with their financial problems, and the list goes on. But in reality, the good old days weren't any better than the present days. It's very real, as you read 3 John. But today, we get to listen to a father talk to his son via letter. And we understand there was some good parts of that day, and I trust it's true in your life and in mine as well. You understand he introduces himself again as he did in Second John by the word elder. Very strange to us, but very appropriate in those days. They understood elders. They understood the need for elders, those mature people in your life. And in a sense, even though later he's going to call him his kid, he his kid realizes that his father is really his elder. And we need to understand that relationship and he takes that role. It's not a role of authority and power so much as a role of responsibility and care and provision. I'm your elder. That is to say, I'm responsible for you. I take care of you and I want to write to you. And today we read through this and we understand he has no greater joy. What is the father's no greater joy? What is it that helps us as fathers to look at our kids and have no greater joy? Or more appropriately, as we look at it today, I'd like for us to say, how do we how do we talk to our kids? Have you talked to your kids lately? What do you say to them? Well, a couple of things jump out at you immediately in verses one through eight. But we're just going to start with verse one to the beloved guests. Whom I love in truth, verse two, beloved. Verse 11, beloved. You notice who bore witness of your love. You understand that one of the things John did As an elder, you think, boy, that's cold and hard. No, as an elder who is mature, caring, responsible for his kids. He made sure he told him that he loved him. You understand that one of the greatest things you can do for your kids. Just keep reminding them by your words and by your actions. Do you love? That the beloved by you, they're well loved, you understand that When you love somebody doesn't mean you always give them what they want, doesn't mean you always prove of everything they do. It doesn't mean that somehow they're perfect and that's why you love them. You understand that everything about love is demonstrated not only by John here to Gaius, but also demonstrated by God who loved us indicates that somehow in the word love, as you know, means to see the value of somebody and therefore treat them as if they're valuable. They're important. They're special. Sometimes because they're special, you discipline them. Sometimes they're special, you give them something. Sometimes you do all kinds of things, but he wants to communicate to his child that he loves him. Now, as you catch the context of Third John later on, we're going to read, as we did read, Gaius is under attack. Diotrephes is going after him. Diotrephes wants to be the preeminent one. He wants to be in charge and Gaius is under attack for some of the things he does. And as he's under attack for some of the things he does, it's so important for him to hear from his dad. I love you. You're special to me. You're of great value to me. I really do love you. And he will say that four times to Gaius just to refresh him. And I'm sure how important it is. I remember back in my days, I wasn't very perfect. My dad had to deal with a kid who had a lot of flaws in it. But the one thing I never questioned was whether my dad loved me. I knew he loved me. He would sometimes say that to me. And I trust that we as dads will make sure that we say to our kids, you know, you're special. You're loved. Now, for Gaius, it was not just that he was loved by John, it was loved by everybody, apparently. That's what it says in verse five and six. I mean, everybody who knew him loved him. He was the kind of guy that everybody loved. But it's important for us to understand, first and foremost, we have to tell him that we love him. We really do, but as you read on, you quickly see this expanding out, it says this in verse two, beloved, I pray. It's not just that he says, you know, I love you. He says, I pray for you. How important that would have been for Gaius, who was under such great attack. To find out that somebody who really loved him, who was the elder, also was praying for him. That is to say, somebody that cared for him was looking out for his interest. And even though John was a distance from gas and wasn't there and couldn't do some things that you could do if you were present later on, he would say, I'm going to come to you. I want to see you face to face. He could do this. He could pray for them and he could pray for him. Notice the prayer, however, in verse two. Beloved, I pray that you may prosper in all things and be in health just as your soul prospers. As you read that, you understand that probably you put it all together. Three things that he's praying for. He cares about in his life. In verse two, you may prosper in all things. You be in health. Just as your soul also prospers and so in you list out those three things you understand, there's a there's a physical side to his life that John is interested in. There's a spiritual side of his life that John is interested in. He is interested in the entire person of Gaius. And just as his spiritual side is prospering, he wants the physical world in which he lives to prosper, and so perhaps it goes something like this. Gaius, I want you to prosper. I want you to succeed, not just Financially or whatever, I want you to be successful. I want you to prosper. I want you to do well in life, in all things, in every respect. I want your life to be a success. How important it is for us to hear from our fathers that they they really do care for us. They really do pray for us and they want us to be successful, to prosper. That is not to say they want us to be millionaires. That might not be prosperity for us. You understand that it's the blessing of the Lord that makes a man rich. And with it, he has no sorrow. We are not asking that God will give them tons of money because that success is the world would define it. But we want them to walk out into life and to be successful and to prosper by all the standards of God in their jobs, in their homes, in their life, in their neighborhood, all of those ways. So I'm just praying for you that you would be successful. You'd be prospering. You'd do well. You'd be on the right road. Literally, that's what the word prosper means being on the right road and to be in health. Apparently, Gaius had a little problem with his health because he goes on to say, just as your spiritual prosperity exists. So apparently Gaius had some physical problems. And so he's praying for him. By the way, I've noticed that when we come together to pray, it is very natural for us. to pray for the health of people. Did you notice that? I used to kind of resist that a little bit like that's not spiritual. We should be praying for their spiritual health. We shouldn't be praying for their physical health. I just it was not that I didn't think we should pray for physical health. Just seemed like we should have some kind of a balance in this whole thing. And and the more I realize from Third John, it's a wonderful thing to pray for the physical health of people. We can reach out to God. Right now, we have quite a list of people who need God's help, things that we really probably can't do anything about. And we pray for their health. And he's praying for Gaius' health. You know, it is tough when you walk through life and your health is not good. Somehow, if you're in pain or suffering or limitation because of your health, how difficult it is in life. And so he naturally prays for Gaius and he wants him to succeed. He wants him to prosper. He wants him to walk down all the right roads is literally what he wants for his life, for life and living. And he wants his health to be good. But he does balance it with this in verse two, with these words, just as your soul prospers. It's not like it's just physical. It's not like it's just that his physical life is successful. He has a great job and all those things. He wants him to be a success by every standard of God. He wants to walk on all the roads that God wants him to walk down. He wants him to succeed, to prosper. You know, it must have been a great encouragement to Gaius when his spiritual dad said to him, you know, I love you. I know you think nobody loves you anymore but I love you. And I pray for you. I pray that you stay on all the right roads in life. Your health will be there and spiritually you'll stay on all the right roads. I care for you and I pray for you. May I suggest to you some of the greatest words you can ever tell your kids. Are these. I'm praying for you. Of course you could do that with anybody. How encouraging it is to life and living to know that people are praying for you. But it goes on. It keeps expanding from I love you to I pray for you to these words in verse three. For I rejoice greatly when brethren came and testified of the truth that is in you just as you walk in the truth. I have no greater joy than to hear that my children walk in truth. As you read that section, he's he's very much aware that Gaius needs to know he loves him and Gaius needs to know that he prays for him and cares for him. But he also has to know that even though it seems like people are opposed to him and and not happy with him, he says, you know, you're the source of joy in my life. You really bring great joy to me. He stacks up those words, joy and verse three and then again in verse four, I rejoice greatly. Verse three, I have no greater joy. How encouraging it must have been to Gaius to know that his dad saw him as a source of great Great joy and I understand the word joy means that spontaneous from the heart. Happiness, perhaps gladness, joy. That flow that's positive when you think of something, it just makes you feel good. And although we understand it doesn't mean all your circumstances are right in life and by the world standard, there's something that just rejoices and rejoices greatly. I suspect for gay us and not for every kid what a what a privilege it is to hear from your dad. You know son you bring me great joy. You bring me great joy. Have you ever heard that from your dad. I'll never forget when I graduated from college. My dad came up to me and said you did well. That's all my dad said. My dad doesn't say much. It meant everything to me. It meant my dad was happy with me. He was rejoicing in me. He was thankful for me. But notice, as you read this passage, it's not just that it's anything. He says this. Here's what in verse says in verse three, for I rejoice greatly when brethren came and testified of the truth that is in you, just as you walk in the truth. And so the key there is I rejoice greatly that you walk in truth. As kids, we need to remember that, you know, as we walk It's a part of our life. We live out our life and it's based upon truth, God's truth. And we're living in that truth. We're walking in that truth that our conduct is matching the creed that was bred into us by our parents as they taught us. And our behavior matches our beliefs that were brought into our lives to the teaching of God's word that it is then that a father has the greatest joy. And we understand that for Gaius, he had to hear that not only was John happy and rejoicing greatly, but as it says in verse three, It was because, as people were talking about Gaius, every time they talked to John about Gaius and he just said, you know, he's walking in truth. He's walking in truth. He's walking in truth for Gaius, who was under great attack. It must have done him a lot of good to hear. I love you and I pray for you. And I rejoice greatly in you. You are the source of tremendous joy in my life, because I know I want you to know it's not just that I'm your dad and I like you no matter what happens, but I even hear from other people that you walk in truth. Your truth walk is not just something I observe, but something that other people observe in your life. And it brings me great, great joy. You understand that we could go to the Old Testament, I just have some Proverbs here for us as sons. to remind ourselves of and for fathers, a wise son makes a glad father. But a foolish son is a grief to his mom. Proverbs, Chapter 17, verse 25, says, A foolish son is a grief to his father and bitterness to her who bore him. A walking in truth. Is such a source of joy to our parents, to our dads, especially to our moms, especially. Proverbs 23, verse 24, the father of the righteous will greatly rejoice and he will beget the wise son will delight in him in Proverbs 29 and verse 17. Correct your son and he will give you rest. Yes, he will give delight to your soul. And I don't think there's a father here who wouldn't identify with verse four. And these words, I have no greater joy than to hear that my kids are walking in truth. There may be a lot of other things I might wish for them. But if I just know they're walking in truth and it's confirmed by people who see their lives. People will come up to you and say, you know, your son, your daughter, and they say something positive. It's a source of infinite truth. But here's what we have to understand as fathers. Do we tell our kids, we love you. And we pray for you because we care for you. And we greatly rejoice. You know, there's a lot of kids who grow up thinking, Their father hates them. Doesn't care about them or has no pleasure in what they are or have become. And it may not be true, but if the father or the son thinks that's true in his life, how difficult it is to walk into life thinking they don't like me. They don't care about me. They don't find any joy in me. They're always busy and a hundred other things. They always have something else to do with their life. It's not me who brings them joy. How important it is for us to see this and be thankful for this. But as you read that, it not only goes to those three, now it suddenly expands even greater because the whole purpose of this book is somehow brought out in verses five, six, seven and eight. And notice what he says this beloved. By the way, you know, you move into the section when he uses the word of beloved again, it's one of those structural markers. Every time he uses it, you know, you come to a very significant point. Beloved, you do faithfully whatever you do for the brethren, for strangers who have borne witness of your love before the church. If you send them forward on their journey in a manner worthy of God, you will do well because they went forth for his namesake, taking nothing from the Gentiles. We therefore ought to receive such that we may become fellow workers for the truth. And he was saying, I love you and I pray and care for you and I rejoice greatly in you. Do you know what? Yes, I believe in you. I support you. If you understand under his attack there that that Gaius must have been questioning all those things about his life. And suddenly, the one who is most important, the elder, his father in the faith says, I want you to know, I believe in you. Notice how he states it in verse five, beloved, you do faithfully. You're doing well, my friend. I stand behind you, you have been faithful in what you have been doing as you understand the context here, it's all about hospitality. You understand, in those days, hospitality to strangers, especially Christian brothers in the faith, was a significant need. And the truth is that it's still needed in our world. We think we don't need it today because we have motels. But the truth is, Christian brethren, strangers have needs in our lives as well. So hospitality, receiving them and sending them, which was the two aspects that we studied last week, to receive someone into your home meant that you you are going to take care of them and provide for them and to send them out was to say, you know, I'm going to send you out, not just goodbye, God bless you, but to provide for them so they could get to the next home wherever they be. And you understand it in those days, especially in the early church. They were called itinerant, what we would call itinerant missionaries. They were those who are going out for the sake of the gospel, and you can track this through the scriptures and through church history. They were the ones like the apostles and especially Paul, who were on long journeys sent out from the church at Antioch and were sent and supported and all those things prayed for by that church. But then there are others from the local municipalities, perhaps Ephesus or whatever. And then they would go out on days journeys out and they would preach the gospel somewhere. They're the itinerant missionaries. And when they go out, as a itinerant missionary bringing the gospel. They needed a place to stay. You understand, even Plato said in his quote and quips about hotels in those days or places you could stay. Where should we stay tonight? And his answer was where there are the fewest fleas. He would go on to say that they were all all the innkeepers were just robbers in disguise. It was tough to go out in those days. You couldn't stop at the Holiday Inn Express. And if you did, you'd have fleas and money grubbers after you. And so you were dependent. And as you go out, you as a church, or you as an individual, had to determine. Remember from 2 John and now in 3 John, we have the two sides of the coin. You had to determine, do I receive them and do I send them? Do I take them in and then send them out? Do I welcome them and do I give them God's speed? because they're true prophet servant ministers of the gospel of Jesus Christ or do I have to stand back and say this particular one because he denies the incarnation of Jesus Christ and all that implies this one I cannot receive take and provide for as he lives here in this little city and send him out so you can move on to the next city. Gayath obviously was under attack for this one and later on we'll see a theotrophies would say that Gayath was 100% wrong and who received into the church. into his home. In fact, the other piece is going to say that he was so wrong that he should be removed. There's another tremendous attack and suddenly the elder says to Gayus verse five. You do faithfully whatever you do for the brother and for strangers. I'm behind you 100 percent. I confirm what you're doing. In fact, here's what I'd like to say. We have borne witness these brother and a stranger when they came back around, perhaps emphasis where John was the the the pastor They came back to that major city of Asia Minor. These people would say these brethren and strangers have gone out as itinerant missionaries. They have borne witness of your love before the church. If you send them forward on their journey in a manner worthy of God, you will do well. And his point is, yes, I'm behind you 100 percent, and I believe in you. I know that what you're doing is right. You're faithful in it, and I'd encourage you to continue in it. I want you to do that. Don't worry about the heat that you're taking. Continue to do what's right. And we understand how significant that would have been for Gaius to hear the elder tell him you're doing OK on this one. You would notice why that would be true for Gaius reading verse five and verse six, seven and eight. We can just back up some of the reasons, first of all, who have borne witness of your love before the church. I believe in you, I support you, I confirm what you're doing, because I know That is a demonstration of your love for the brethren. When you take them in, they're strangers, you don't even know them. But you take them in because even though they are strangers who you do not know, you love them. You love the brethren. You care for the brethren. It's a proper thing. Besides that, as it says in verse six, if you send them forward on their journey in a manner worthy of God, You treat them with the value that God puts upon them. Their itinerant missionaries depended upon you and other people for their provision in life and living as they go out for their weeks of ministry, perhaps maybe two weeks of ministry and coming back to their home. If they're out there, they need some help. And you do that and you do that in a way that's worthy of God. God is honored in this. God is pleased in this. They're out there for God. Make sure you do it in a way that's worthy of God. And then in verse seven, it's this or verse six at the end. You do well. You're doing the right thing. Verse seven, because they went forth for his namesake, taking nothing from the Gentiles. You you are commended. And I confirm and affirm and believe in you because you love them and you care for them. You do it in a way that's worthy of God and you're doing well because they have gone out for the sake of Jesus Christ. He has a thing for a statement that which kind of is kind of a rabbit trail for us this morning, but really the significant part of it taking nothing from the Gentiles. When these itinerant missionaries go out, who are they supposed to be supported by? Should the unsaved Gentiles take care of them? No. Why would you expect the unsaved Gentiles to take care of you when you're out there preaching the gospel? Now, you and I understand In other places, when Paul went out and he preached the gospel and people did support him, there were times when he accepted that, times when he did not. But the point was, they have no obligation to support you and take care of you. You don't expect the Gentiles, so therefore, it leaves us with us, the saints, to take care of them. And finally, he says in verse eight, therefore, we ought to receive such in order that we may become fellow workers for the truth. And you understand that he said, you know, I really believe in you guys. I confirm what you're doing. I support you 100 percent, because as I measure what you're doing and hear the reports of what you're doing, I realize it's the correct thing. You do it out of love. You do it in a manner worthy of the Lord. You're doing what God would want you to do. You're doing well. You're helping out the cause of the name of Jesus Christ, because those who go out in his name can't expect the Gentiles to do it. You do it because you are obeying me, God, as well. You're obeying God. We're doing what you ought to do. And you do it because you want to be or realize you are not because you want to be, but realize you are a sharer in the spreading of the gospel. I'm thinking of Bob and Virginia in particular this morning as they go out and have gone out for years and all of our missionaries, many of them are not itinerant so much as they're long term, but this supply for them. is to enter into their ministry and be a fellow worker. You and I understand that when John talked to Gaius, his beloved son, he said, I just want you to know four things. I love you. And I pray for you. I care for you. And I rejoice in you. I mean, I have no greater joy than to hear about you. And I believe in you, because as I hear all the reports and see what you're really doing, I realize You're walking in truth and you're doing what God wants you to do and you're doing it well. And as I read this passage, it not only helps us to understand what all of us should do in regards to life and living, but it may help us as fathers to know some of the things we have to do. I never was much of a I love you guy. You know, that wasn't what we did in our home. It's not to say ever question it because I knew my dad loved me. I knew my mom loved me, but we just didn't say we love you much in our home. Didn't need to. My dad said it once. What else do you have to do? Kind of an attitude, you know? One of the things I've learned is just about every time I say goodbye to my kids, I make sure I say I love you. And I don't think you have to do that if you don't want to, but you better they better know it. We often say now we're praying for you. There are things I can't do for you, but I sure can bring you to the one who can. And today, I'm just going to pray for you, and I want you to prosper. I want you to have good health. I want your spiritual condition to be strong. I just pray for you. And I want you to know that to the extent you walk in truth is the extent I have great joy in my life. And I want you to know. I believe in you. To the extent you are walking the road that God wants you to walk is the extent I believe in you. I confirm and affirm and encourage in your home and in your life. And I trust that on Father's Day, we are thankful for fathers who in some way, perhaps in an imperfect way, because we have earthly fathers with imperfect hearts, but some way they've done that for us. And we turn that right around and become the fathers who give it out to them. I'd also like to just take a little rabbit trail and encourage you to understand this whole thing about hospitality, taking in strangers, providing for them. In some ways, we say we don't need to do that anymore in the 21st century, but I don't know that that's true. It's different. I mean, we have motels they might want to go to and I mean, things are different. We are still commanded to be hospitable to one another. without grumbling. First Peter, chapter four, verse nine, I love that without grumbling. In fact, in Romans, Paul says you'd be hospitable to one another without even being asked. And my challenge to you is and to me, when's the last time you just took somebody in? Perhaps serving the Lord as these were, you just had them in your home. You provided for them what they needed today and sent them out with what they needed for tomorrow. Have you demonstrated in practice that kind of hospitality? I'd encourage you to do that, because every one of you can, in some way, do that. And it would be a real encouragement to those people. Let's close in a word of prayer. Father, today we are thankful for the reality of what you have done. We're thankful for Gaius, what a great guy he must have been. We're so thankful, Father, that even the elder John could write so well about him and all the people who knew him gave testimony of his love. All the people who knew him spoke of how he took care of strangers and Christian brethren. Father, we have a lot to learn from this, and I pray that as a church, we're noted for that, that we help people. We reach out to people. It may take a different form than what it took then, but in another way, it's so real. I pray, Father, that as We think of this passage, we would remember that every one of these characteristics was found perfectly in you. You truly loved us. What an encouragement that is in the morning when we spend time with you and when we pray. And we just say those words, our Father who art in heaven. And to know that you love us. To know that your son ever prays for us. He ever lives to make intercession for us. You are constantly bringing us to the throne of grace for help, even when we don't understand it or think of it. To think that you find joy in us is beyond our comprehension, but it must bring you great pleasure when we walk in truth. Must be great grief when we do not. To think that you could find joy in us. And to think that you confirm to us when we're doing right, that you know what's going on and you support us in what we're doing. Thank you for that, Father. I pray that you'd help us to be that kind of earthly father. And we'd respond in the same way to our to our fathers and make them. Fathers who can greatly rejoice today. Thank you, in Jesus name, amen.