Slices
Prepare
Consider for a moment all the people you are investing in, whether by friendship or in more of a mentoring way.
Bible passage
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, just as you are progressing spiritually. 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 honours 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 to 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.
Peace to you. The friends here send their greetings. Greet the friends there by name.
Explore
Many of the New Testament letters were written to be read aloud to a whole Church. With this letter, you get the sense that this is for one set of eyes only; Gaius’. Four times in 14 verses, John calls him his ‘dear friend’. He prays that his health is good and all will go well for him (v 2). He writes sentiments of being proud of him (v 5). He gives helpful advice (vs 8,11). He looks forward to seeing him face-to-face (v 14a). And he shares greetings from shared friends (v 14b).
But there is a purpose to this personal letter. Gaius is commended for his hospitality (vs 6,7) and his support of those who are most likely travelling preachers (v 8). This, in a setting where there would not always be safe places to stay for strangers. Thus Demetrius, most likely a travelling missionary, is being commended to Gaius in order for him to be offered hospitality, because another church leader, Diotrephes, will not. Diotrephes is spreading ‘malicious nonsense’ about John and doesn’t recognise his followers (v 10).
How do you or your church support those who are sharing God’s word with the world?
Respond
Who is God calling you to befriend or invest in? Who needs your encouragement, friendship and support? Perhaps there is an organisation as well as an individual that would benefit from your support.
Bible in a year
Read the Bible in a year: Jeremiah 15,16; Psalm 116
Pray for Scripture Union
Pray for the Rooted training that has been taking place across various regions, encouraging and equipping Faith Guides and churches to create ‘conversation spaces’ in their local schools and communities. Pray for Rooted retreat days taking place in schools across the north-west.
