Three Kinds of Christians (Gaius, Diotrephes, Demetrius)

  • Text:         III John 1-14.
  • Introduction:
    • Today many churches are being destroyed from within by the sins of professing Christians.
    • One person wants the pre-eminence, so he has to put others down.
    • This results in loss of:
      • a) Love to Christ,
      • b) Peace of God,
      • c) Freedom to serve God,
      • d) Joy in service,
      • e) Soul Winning drive
    • Each Christian is a good or bad witness.
      • We are either helping or hindering the truth.
    • We need to ask ourselves: ‘Are we part of the problem or are we part of the solution?’
    • III John was addressed to Gaius, a church leader.
      • John discusses Diotrophes and Demetrius.
  • Consider each man’s ways:
  • 1.   GAIUS the Encourager. (v.1-8).
    • i) Gaius was well beloved (v.1) and beloved (v.5).
    • ii) Gaius was Spiritually Healthy (v.2).
    • John wished that Gaius would be as physically healthy as he was spiritually healthy.
    • Spiritual health results from:
      • a) Nourishing ourselves daily with God’s Word.
      • b) Exercising ourselves unto Godliness (I Timothy 4:6-7).
      • c) Keeping ourselves clean (II Corinthians 7:1) and avoiding contamination and pollution of world.
      • d) Resting in the Lord and renewing our strength by close personal fellowship with Him. (Matt 11:28-30)
    • iii) Gaius was a good testimony (v.3-4).
      • Why?
      • Because God’s truth was in him and he obeyed it. (v.3).
    • We must digest God’s Word and make it part of us in order to have a good testimony. (Jeremiah 15:16).
    • iv) Gaius was a soul-winner and a Disciple-maker.
    • John here gives the key to joy in the Christian life (v.4).
    • It is soul winning and disciple making.
      • “I have no greater joy than to hear that my children walk in truth.” (v.4).
    • It is
      • a) Winning people for Christ, and b) Teaching them to walk in God’s truth.
      • Nothing else gives greater joy.
      • Gaius may have been one of John’s converts and disciples.
    • v) Gaius was a faithful man. (v.5).
      • Gaius helped both the brethren and strangers.
    • Question: What motivates us to have a practical ministry to other believers?
      • a) Desire to honour God (v.6). “after a Godly sort” means “worthy of God, as it befits God.”
    • Gaius showed hospitality to strangers who bore witness of Gaius’ charity before the church.
    • Some of these strangers may have been traveling gospel preachers.
      • b) Desire to help win the lost. This is achieved as we help God’s servants do this task. (v.7).
    • These traveling missionaries took no support from unsaved Gentiles, only from believers.
      • c) Desire to obey God. “We ought to receive such.” (v.8).
      • God wants us to help Gospel preachers who bring salvation to others.
      • Let us open our hearts to those who teach God’s truth.
  • 2.   DIOTROPHES the Dictator. (v.9-11).
    • Many churches have members who insist on being boss.
      • A pastor or minister means ‘servant’.
      • Christ’s disciples argued over who would be greatest in the kingdom. (Matthew 18:1-6).
      • Jesus reminded them that their model for ministry was not government officials, but Christ who became a humble servant.
      • What are we told about Diotrophes?
    • a) He loved to have the pre-eminence. (v.9).
      • He wanted to be number one.
      • His motive was pride.
    • b) He would not receive John (v.9).
      • He could have learned so much from the Apostle John.
      • Why did he reject John?
      • Because John challenged his right to be a dictator in the church. (v.10a).
      • Diotrophes was proud and sought self-glory.
      • Diotrophes would not receive him. (v.10a).
    • c) He lied about John: ‘prating against us with malicious words,’ (v.10) means bringing false charges against us.
      • Do not believe all you are told about people.
      • Some people twist the truth.
    • d) Diotrophes rejected John’s associates. ‘neither doth he himself receive the brethren.’ (v.10).
    • e) Diotrophes disciplined those that disagreed with him by casting them out of the church.
      • He was destroying his own local church through his pride, fear and insensitivity.
      • He knew nothing of love.
  • Lesson:
    • “Follow not that which is evil, but that which is good.” (v.11).
      • Follow good and you’ll follow God.
      • A test of ‘goodness’ is: ‘Is this beneficial to all’?
  • 3. DEMETRIUS the Good Example (v.12-14).
    • Demetrius had a good report of:
      • a) all men;
      • b) the truth of the Bible;
      • c) John himself.
    • Demetrius was ‘an example, a model, an ideal Christian worthy to be imitated.’
  • Question: Is it right to follow men?
    • Yes, only as they follow Christ.
    • The Apostle Paul wrote
      • “Brethren, be followers together of me, and mark them which walk so as ye have us for an example.” Philippians 3:17.
      • “Be ye followers of me, even as I also am of Christ.” I Corinthians 11:1.
      • By our good example, we will “consider one another to provoke unto love and to good works.” – Heb.10:24
  • Conclusion:
    • John concludes that he would soon visit the church and speak face-to-face with the people.
      • This thought of accountability is important.
      • John wishes them peace, something that is hard to enjoy when Diotrophes wanted to be a boss and expel people.
      • In spite of trouble, we can still have the peace of God.
    • Greet the friends by name.
      • John calls them friends.
      • It’s good to be a friend-maker as well as a soul winner.
      • Diotrophes was so dictatorial that he had fewer and fewer friends.