Three Men and a Church
TO HEAR THE ENTIRE SERMON CLICK THE LISTEN BUTTON ABOVE
SPEAKER: Michael P. Andrus
PLACE: Beacon Church in Goddard, KS.
Introduction: Good to be back again this morning! You’ve undoubtedly seen the sign on a moving van somewhere around Wichita, “Two Men and a Truck.” I decided to adapt their name for my sermon title today, because “Three Men and a Church” is quite descriptive of what we find in the NT postcard known as Third John. I call the four NT letters that have only one chapter, “postcards,” because they fit on one page. If you were here with us last Sunday, you have a leg up regarding the sermon this morning because Third John is similar in many ways to Second John, which we studied last week.
The author is the same, namely the Apostle John, who again calls himself “the elder.” The emphasis on truth and love is the same, even more so, as 3 John employs both terms seven times each, not just the five times we found in 2 John. And the issue that generated this letter is the same as the one that generated 2 John, namely the appropriate treatment of traveling teachers or missionaries by the local church. Both letters also end the same way, with the author saying he has much more to write but he prefers to speak to them face to face.
However, there are also some stark differences between these two letters. While 2 John was written to an unnamed lady and her children, (which we interpreted as referring to a local church and its members), 3 John is written to a man whose name is Gaius. Second John contains no personal names, while Third John names three different individuals—Gaius, Diotrephes, and Demetrius. In 2 John the Apostle is warning against receiving traveling teachers who are heretics, while 3 John warns against failing to receive traveling teachers who are faithful.
I think it would do us well to read the entire letter up front:
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.
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.
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.
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.
The first of the three men in this church is the one to whom it is written—Gaius, no doubt a leader in his local congregation, possibly the same church to which 2 John was written. If so, he would be one of those of whom John said in 2 John, verse 4, “some of your children are walking in the truth.”
Gaius is given a remarkable commendation.
The commendation of Gaius (1-8)
The Apostle calls him “my dear friend.” In fact, he refers to him as his dear friend four different times! I can’t imagine a higher honor than to be referred to that way by the Apostle whom Jesus loved! And then John adds regarding Gaius, “whom I love in the truth.” As we saw last week, truth and love go together like hand in glove, or at least they should. Truth makes our love discerning, while love helps to make truth palatable. John and Gaius share a commitment to the truth and thus also share in the love of God.
What we learn about Gaius fits into three general categories: his character, his reputation, and his behavior.
His character. John opens with an expression that was so common in ancient letters that it was usually abbreviated as SVBEEV, which in Latin stood for “Si vales, bene est; ego valeo,” or “I pray that you may enjoy good health and that all may go well with you.”[i] But then John adds something uniquely Christian: “even as your soul is getting along well.” The KJV puts it this way: “that you may prosper in health just as you prosper in soul.” Gaius is healthy spiritually, and John wishes that his body will be just as healthy. Isn’t that an interesting thought?
Stop and think about that for a moment. How would you react if someone were to say to you, “I hope your physical health is just as good as your spiritual health.” Would that be a compliment? Would you be pleased with that? Or would you think he was suggesting that you go to the ICU unit at St. Francis, preferably in an ambulance?
By the way, how often do our prayers for people concern only or primarily issues of physical health? It seems to me that prayer meetings often turn into little more than organ recitals—you know, bodily organs that aren’t functioning well, like kidneys, heart, etc. We should be concerned for one another’s physical well-being, absolutely, but not at the exclusion of spiritual health.
Next John turns to Gaius’ reputation.
His reputation. Some fellow believers are so impressed with Gaius’ character that they have apparently written to tell the Apostle about this man. They say he is committed to the truth, and he walks in the truth every day. I love that reference to walking in the truth. That goes beyond mere believing it; it implies putting it into shoe leather. One writer put it this way: “He did not preach cream and live skim milk.”
Many years ago, I came across an article by Vance Havner entitled, “The Spiritual Pedestrian.” It’s worth reading part of it here:
“Walking is said to be the perfect exercise. We are so constructed physically that walking does us good all over. But we are not availing ourselves of this benefit. In a day when we spend millions on buses to haul children to school and millions more on gymnasiums so they can exercise, there ought to be a revival of plain, old-fashioned walking.
This writer is happy to be one of the vanishing tribe of pedestrians. Walking is my only un-American activity….
Recently at a summer Bible conference I discovered a wonderful walk through the woods. But I found no one using it, for walking is not enough. We have to be “doing something….”
The scriptures begin with God walking in the Garden of Eden (Gen. 3:8) and they end with our glorified Lord walking in the midst of the seven golden candlesticks (Rev. 2:1). All the way through, the Book is geared to the spiritual pedestrian…. The Christian life is set forth perhaps more as a walk than in any other figure. We are to walk in newness of life (Rom. 6:4), by faith (2 Cor. 5:7), worthy of our vocation (Eph. 4:1), circumspectly (Eph. 5:15), honestly (1 Thes. 4:12), worthy of the Lord (Col. 1:10), in light (1 John 1:7), in the truth (3 John 4), in the Spirit (Gal. 5:16), in love (Eph. 5:2)…. It seems to be the established gait (G.A.I.T.) throughout the Word of God. Perhaps it is best summed up in walking “as he walked” (1 John 2:6). We may run the race and even fly as eagles, but the saint is above all a pedestrian.”
Havner closes with this brief paragraph:
“The vanishing Pedestrian, whether in the flesh or in the spirit, needs to come back into his own. We do not have to stand or run, freeze or fry. The choice is not between living in a stupor or in a stew. We have only to return to the Gait of Galilee. God grant us a new race of pedestrians, sons of Enoch, of whom it may be said at the last, “They walked with God, they pleased God, and God took them.”[ii]
Gaius’ reputation for walking in the truth brings joy to the Apostle’s heart. In fact, he says in verse 4, “I have no greater joy than to hear that my children are walking in the truth.” I suspect Gaius was one of John’s converts and that is why he refers to him as one of his children, but the thought there applies to physical children as well as spiritual ones. Some of you parents know the sorrow and even despair of seeing one of your children walk away from God, refuse to attend church, and adopt a lifestyle that you know will only bring sorrow and trouble on them. By the same token, when our children follow the Lord, become active in discipleship, and begin to serve productively, that brings great joy to our hearts.
I was one of five children. My parents prayed for one of us each day Monday through Friday. My day, as the middle child, was Wednesday. Wednesdays were generally good days for me. Four of the five children entered the ministry, but my little sister left the faith for a number of years. I remember the grief that caused my parents, and for forty years they prayed every day for her. Finally, when my dad was 90 years old, she and her husband surrendered their hearts to Christ and for the past twenty years have been committed believers. My dad, who died the next year, quoted the old prophet Simeon in Luke 2, who took the baby Jesus in his arms and said, “Now dismiss your servant in peace, for my eyes have seen your salvation.” Jan and I have tried to imitate my parents in that we have seven grandchildren and pray for a different one each day of the week. So far, they are, for the most part, “walking in the truth.”
Thirdly, John reveals Gaius’ behavior that has earned him his reputation.
His behavior. Look at the word “doing” in verse 5. “Dear friend, you are faithful in what you are doing for the brothers and sisters, your fellow-believers.” What he was doing is providing hospitality for the faithful teachers and missionaries who were coming to share with the church. These missionaries weren’t personal friends of his; in fact, most of them were strangers, according to verse 5. But he took them in and provided for their needs. He did this, not out of a sense of obligation or need. He did it out of love. Verse 6 says, “They have told the church about your love.”
Friends, do you have any idea how much emphasis the NT places on hospitality as a key duty of Christian disciples? To both Timothy and Titus Paul declared that an overseer must be “hospitable.”(1 Tim. 3:2; Titus 1:8). He wrote that a widow was to be honored if, among other things, she was one to “practice hospitality.” (Rom. 12:13) Peter said that we are to “offer hospitality to one another without grumbling.” (1 Peter 4:9) The author of Hebrews declared, “Do not forget to entertain strangers, for by so doing some people have entertained angels without knowing it.” (Heb. 13:2) These biblical injunctions were apparently known to Gaius, and he was careful to fulfill them.[iii]
Nevertheless, it shouldn’t surprise us that Christian hospitality was sometimes abused. The Didache, a first-century Church Manual, instructs traveling prophets or missionaries to stay one day, or if necessary, two. But, it says, “if he stays three days, he is a false prophet.” On departing, he may accept enough food to last him on his journey, but “if he asks for money, he is a false prophet.”[iv] So while offering hospitality is a Christian responsibility, the recipients of it must not take advantage.
Verse 7 clarifies the kind of teachers or missionaries Gaius is showing hospitality toward. They are special in what they did and also in what they didn’t do. “It was for the sake of the Name that they went out, receiving no help from the pagans.”
What they did was to promote “the Name.” The Jewish people held the name of God, Yahweh or Jehovah, as sacred. They would not even pronounce it, and scribes would not write it without changing their garments. In the NT, of course, the Name that received equal honor is the name of Jesus. The Apostle Paul says, “God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name which is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow … and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.” (Phil 2:9-11). Acts 4:12 tells us, “There is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved.” These missionaries went out for the sake of the Name of Jesus.
What these missionaries didn’t do is to “receive help from the pagans.” They weren’t in the ministry for the sake of profit. Unlike the shysters on TV who are constantly begging for money—from Christians and non-Christians alike—these missionaries were seeking support only from their fellow-believers. That is why John says, “we ought, therefore, to show hospitality to such men.”
And then John offers another motivation to support faithful missionaries—“so that we may work together for the truth.” Not all of us can be teachers or missionaries, but all of us can partner with them financially, and when we do, we participate in their work. I have never been to Japan, but I do regular missionary work there through Sarah Roberts, a young lady who grew up in our church. I have never been to Kosovo, but I do missionary work there through Kate Dorsey, another young lady who grew up in our church. I have never been to India, but I do missionary work there through Mike Dicke, a retired staff member of World Impact, who teaches Indian pastors using the TUMI seminary curriculum. You, too, can be a world Christian by supporting those who go abroad.
Now the second man named in John’s postcard is quite a contrast to Gaius, as we come to…
The condemnation of Diotrephes (9-11)
John mentions that he had written a letter to this church. That probably refers to 2 John, but it’s possible he is referring to another letter that has been lost. Apparently, this man Diotrephes ignored John’s earlier letter, or perhaps even threw it away, for John writes, “he refuses to welcome us.” (NIV:“he will have nothing to do with us.”) Why? Well, John hints that it’s because of …
His character. “He loves to be first,” verse 9. That’s really all we need to know about this man to know he deserves to be condemned. His problem is not theological, or social, or ecclesiastical, but moral and spiritual. The word in Greek for “first” is the same word used in Col. 1:18, where we read that “Christ should have the preeminence.” Diotrepehes doesn’t recognize Jesus as the Lord of the Church because he wants to be preeminent.
Diotrephes is the quintessential church boss. I have pastored just two churches, and I am grateful that I never had to deal with a Diotrephes. One or two individuals came close, but I was blessed to have other leaders who stood up and minimized their influence. Wherever you find a church leader who wants to be first, who always wants the spotlight, who always must have his own way, you have a church in trouble. In contrast, God’s way for leaders is the way of humility, putting others first, being a servant rather than a lord. Peter admonishes church leaders in 1 Peter 5:2-4:
“Be shepherds of God’s flock that is under your care, watching over them—not because you must, but because you are willing, as God wants you to be; not pursuing dishonest gain, but eager to serve; 3 not lording it over those entrusted to you, but being examples to the flock. 4 And when the Chief Shepherd appears, you will receive the crown of glory that will never fade away.”
Starting in verse 10 the Apostle calls out Diotrephes’ specific deeds.
His deeds. First, he is a malicious gossip. John says he is “spreading malicious nonsense about us.” He apparently considers the Apostle John a rival to his own authority, and so he opposes him with baseless and spiteful charges.
Second, Diotrephes also refuses to welcome the brothers. “Not satisfied with that (spreading malicious gossip), he even refuses to welcome other believers.” The very thing Gaius is praised for—welcoming faithful missionaries and teachers—Diotrephes refuses to do. We aren’t told why; perhaps he refuses to do it just because John encouraged it. Or maybe he was worried their influence would undermine his own. But for whatever reason, he turns them aside and refuses to allow them to speak in the church.
And third, he stops others from doing the right thing and even excommunicates them from the church. It’s amazing how frequently a person who is rebelling against proper authority tries to draw others into his net. The slave becomes a tyrant. The rebel against authority becomes an authoritarian. The fact is personal pride and arrogance still lie at the root of most dissension and trouble in the local church today.
You know, I sometimes hear Christians bemoan the problems in the church today and speak of the NT church in glowing terms, suggesting that we need to return to the simplicity and purity of the Apostolic period. But, friends, there were sin problems even in the early church. Just read the book of 1 Corinthians. Human nature hasn’t changed. The descendants of Diotrephes are still with us.
Ray Stedman told a story that I found quite amusing. Here’s what he wrote:
“I remember reading some years ago that Dr. H. E. Robertson, an outstanding leader among the Southern Baptists and a great Greek scholar, once wrote an editorial in the denominational magazine about Diotrephes. Later, the editor reported that twenty-five deacons wrote in to cancel their subscriptions, feeling personally attacked.”[v]
I guess they had guilty consciences!
In verse 11 John turns his attention back to Gaius and warns him not to imitate what is evil: “Anyone who does what is good is from God. Anyone who does what is evil has not seen God.” In the context I assume he is contrasting his dear friend Gaius with Diotrephes. In essence he is saying that anyone who does what is good from the right motive, namely the glory of God, as Gaius has done, is identifiable as one of God’s own. On the other hand, anyone who does evil from an evil heart, like Diotrephes, has not seen God, no matter what his position in the church.
Now in verse 12 John mentions a third man, Demetrius. We know very little about him except that he is a stark contrast to Diotrephes.
The contrast of Demetrius. (12)
Demetrius may have been one of the traveling teachers or missionaries, and he may have been the bearer of this letter. What we know for sure is that he, like Gaius, has a spotless reputation. He did not really require the testimony of men, for his Christian genuineness was self-evident (John says the truth even bears witness to it). But the Apostle goes ahead and adds his own testimony.
Conclusion (13-14)
John’s parting words begin with a simple, “Peace to you.” Gaius is a leader in a church where Diotrephes is stirring up strife, so a prayer for “peace” is appropriate. One of the remarkable things about First Evangelical Free Church (which is your grandmother church, since First planted West Church in 1978 and West Church planted Beacon) is the peace that God has granted to the church. We just celebrated our 75th anniversary two months ago. A few of you will remember Denny Chadwick, Skip Lewis, Tom Macy or a few of the other 25 former staff and pastors who came back to celebrate with us. We have never suffered a church split. Oh, there are occasional situations where one or two families leave for legitimate or even illegitimate reasons, but for the most part God has given us peace and unity. I am so grateful for that.
Unity in the church, you know, is a work of the Holy Spirit. We aren’t responsible to create unity, but we are responsible to maintain it. That’s what Paul says in Eph. 4:3: “Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace.” Every one of you has a part to play in that.
What do you do when a person comes to you with a complaint or a bit of gossip about your pastor or an elder or a Sunday School teacher? You have a choice to make. You can add a complaint of your own and spread them both. Or you can encourage the person to go to the one they are complaining about to discuss the matter in accordance with Matt. 18. Peace and unity in the church requires us to behave like Gaius and Demetrius, not Diotrephes.
John then concludes, “The friends here send their greetings. Greet the friends there by name.” I like the fact that John urges them to greet each other “by name.” I think churches should be small enough so people can know each other’s names, or if they grow too big for that, they need to have a system of small groups or Bible studies where people know one another by name. Anonymity should have no place in a believing congregation, yet it does in so many. In fact, I think one of the reason some people go to a big church is remain anonymous.
Small churches sometimes develop inferiority complexes, or at least their pastors do. But believe me, I have pastored large, small, and medium-sized churches. There are pros and cons for all sizes, but for me smaller is better, and that’s why I have always been involved in planting baby churches rather than trying to make the mother church bigger.
Friends, I hope you have profited from studying these two NT postcards with me. They are limited in their scope, but they are also powerful reminders that the church is a family, a family whose leaders must be godly, humble, hospitable, and above all, Christ-centered. Its members, likewise, must be focused on truth and love, watchful, hospitable, and committed to the Name that is above all names.
Let’s pray: Father, I thank you for Beacon Church. Thank you for Pastor Eric and his leadership team. Thank you for the time off he has just enjoyed. I pray that it will make his ministry here even more effective. Thank you, Father, for the family of God, the Church, which is a pillar of the truth. In Jesus’ name, amen.
DATE: May 25, 2025
[i] James Montgomery Boice, The Epistles of John, 208.
[ii]. Vance Havner, The Sunday School Times, December 15, 1957.
[iii] Boice, 209.
[iv] Cited by John R. W. Stott, The Epistles of John, Tyndale Bible Commentaries, 216.
[v] Ray Stedman, sermon preached June 23, 1968 at Peninsula Bible Church. https://pbc.org/messages/third-john-a-tale-of-three-men.