A Letter From John . . .

Dear friend, you are faithful in what you are doing for the believers. You are faithful even though they are strangers to you. They have told the church about your love. Please help them by sending them on their way in a manner that honors God. They started on their journey to serve Jesus Christ. They didn't receive any help from those who aren't believers. So we should welcome people like them. We should work together with them for the truth. I wrote to the church. But Diotrephes won't have anything to do with us. He loves to be the first in everything. So if I come, I will point out what he is doing. He is saying evil things about us to others. Even that doesn't satisfy him. He refuses to welcome other believers. He also keeps others from welcoming them. In fact, he throws them out of the church. Dear friend, don't be like those who do evil. Be like those who do good. Anyone who does what is good belongs to God. Anyone who does what is evil hasn't really seen or known God.

(3 John 1:5-11) Can you imagine anyone who names the name of Jesus Christ rejecting those who give their lives for the sake of the Gospel. I could not either until I received the rejection for myself. Not everyone . . . even fellow believers, believes that those who have been seperated for His service should be supported by others in the Body. Yet this is the way the Church was designed, even from the beginnings as John is instructing here. John is the Elder, the oldest living apostle and the only one of the original twelve still alive. Here he is applauding Gaius for his love of the Truth but also how he supports those who bring the Truth by way of travelling mission work. John encourgages Gaius (and us today) to welcome these workers, work with them, and support their work. Christian workers should not have to rely upon the world to support themselves and their families. Even from the days of the Old Testament, God instructed the people to support the priests (Levites) as they had no land nor resources of their own, aside from what was seperated for them. (Deuteronomy 14:27-29) I must sadly say that I have even heard the opinion that such workers (pastors, ministers, and missionaries) should not be expected to be supported by the Church or the members! Like the days John is writng from, there are still Diotrephes in our midst! However, if one is called to serve God full time with preaching, teaching,serving, and more, how can he be prepared (study, prayer and preparation)if he is busy working and worrying about his personal needs? Even when the apostles were sent out, Jesus basically let them know that they would be cared for:

These were his instructions: “Take nothing for the journey except a staff—no bread, no bag, no money in your belts. Wear sandals but not an extra shirt. Whenever you enter a house, stay there until you leave that town. And if any place will not welcome you or listen to you, leave that place and shake the dust off your feet as a testimony against them.”

(Mark 6:8-11) In this letter from John, I pray we take it seriously. What will our response be to God when He says this to each of us:

For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me. Then the righteous will answer him, "Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?" The King will reply, "Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me."

(Matthew 25:35-40) Even if the pastors, ministers, missionaries and others who are serving the Body full time are not worthy in our finite sight, is Jesus not worthy of our support? John said he would soon come to deal with those in Asia Minor in person.(3 John 1:13-14) Jesus too will soon be coming in person to inquire of you and me! I tremble when I think of what I will say to Him . . . .