Gary Gleans

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. Examples can be both positive and negative.  We can learn from both....

Beloved, it is a faithful thing you do in all your efforts for   these brothers,   strangers as they are,   who testified 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. The furtherance of the Gospel requires cooperation within the body of Christ.  Everyone has a role to play, and every aspect of the mission is important.  Gaius was a leader in a local church that was given the opportunity to cooperate with missionaries who were striving to advance the Gospel to unreached places.  John encouraged these practices that we too would do well to emulate. PRACTICE HOPITALITY: The word for hospitality is derived from two words: love and strangers.  Gaius and t...

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 brother s  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. John writes this personal letter to a church leader named Gaius.  We really don’t know who this man is or where he ministered.  This introduction to the letter teaches us some valuable lessons about relationships between brothers in Christ and the ministry of encouragement. LOVING THROUGH PRAYER: It is a blessing to see John practice his preaching.  He communicates his love for Gaius in the introduction to this letter and demonstrates that love through prayer.  We don’t really know who Gaius is or where this letter was sent....

For many deceivers have gone out into the world, those who do not confess the coming of Jesus Christ in the flesh. Such a one is the deceiver and the antichrist.     Watch yourselves, so that you may not lose what we have worked for, but may win a full reward.     Everyone who goes on ahead and does not abide in the teaching of Christ, does not have God. Whoever abides in the teaching has both the Father and the Son.     If anyone comes to you and does not bring this teaching, do not receive him into your house or give him any greeting, for whoever greets him takes part in his wicked works.     Though I have much to write to you, I would rather not use paper and ink. Instead I hope to come to you and talk face to face, so that our joy may be complete.     The children of your elect sister greet you. The hope of the Gospel and the fellowship of believers are blessings of inestimable v...

I rejoiced greatly to find some of your children walking in the truth, just as we were commanded by the Father.    And now I ask you, dear lady—not as though I were writing you a new commandment, but the one we have had from the beginning—that we love one another.    And   this is love, that we walk according to his commandments; this is the commandment, just   as you have heard from the beginning, so that you should walk in it.   There are some basic principles that every believer should understand about how we are expected to live.  Both Paul and John use the image of walking to describe our life in Christ.  It is not a sprint that can be achieved in a short period of time.  Rather, it is a life-long pursuit that will mark our lives day after day. WALK IN TRUTH: It is certainly a reason for great rejoicing to see fellow believers walking in the truth.  We live in a world where the father of lies, Satan, has bee...

The elder to the elect lady and her children,   whom I love in truth, and not only I, but also all who   know   the truth,   because of the truth that abides in us and will be with us forever:   Grace, mercy, and peace will be with us, from God the Father and from Jesus Christ the Father's Son, in truth and love. This short letter gives us a summary of some of the most important teachings in Scripture.  In John 17 the apostle recorded for us the high priestly prayer of Jesus.  In that prayer, Jesus emphasized the importance of love and truth.  John repeats that theme here.  These two vital characteristics must be held in balance with one another. THE PEOPLE: The elder clearly refers to John, the author of the book.  The elect lady and her children are the recipients of this letter.  This could refer to a specific lady in the church that regularly opened her home to host people.  It could also ...