Friday 05/27/05 - 3 John 1

1 The elder,
To my dear friend Gaius, whom I love in the truth…

4 I have no greater joy than to hear that my children are walking in the truth….9 I wrote to the church, but Diotrephes, who loves to be first, will have nothing to do with us. 10 So if I come, I will call attention to what he is doing, gossiping maliciously about us. Not satisfied with that, he refuses to welcome the brothers. He also stops those who want to do so and puts them out of the church.

This chapter shows us the reality of ministry. John writes to Gaius, who is his encouragement and joy in the ministry. You can see that there is an awesome relationship between John and Gaius. In ministering to people, God will bless you with “a Gaius.” But, in the same chapter, Diotrephes is mentioned and you can feel the frustration in Paul’s writing about him.

In ministering to people there will be ups and downs. We live in a fallen world and things are not perfect. It is not perfect in the church. Even in this short chapter you can see the joy and the frustration of ministry.

This is real life when ministering to people. This is why we need to keep our eyes on Jesus. He must be our strength and refuge. Ministry is impossible because we are called to love people that disappoint and discourage us. We are called to love and forgive those who don’t seem to deserve it. Thank God that Jesus died for us while we were yet sinners. We were shown grace and mercy and God has given us the power to imitate Jesus in our lives.

You might have a Diotrephes in your life. God is going to use that relationship to make you more Christ like. You might have a Giaus in your life. Praise God that he for His faithful goodness. Keep your eyes on Jesus because you are going to face many more of both Giaus and Diotrephes in your life.

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