Questions for the Heart

The older men he was acquainted with had bought into the deception that if he gives his life to plan for himself, one day he can retire and get away from people and problems. But here's what's happening in the planning and saving and longing for the day when he can live all for himself.

He finally makes it and he finally arrives with a shriveled up heart. The moment you decide life is all about you is the moment you forfeit the kind of joy that John is going to describe. Today on Wisdom for the Heart, Stephen Davey continues through his series called Postcards from John. We've arrived at Third John. Third John is a letter from John to one of his closest friends. What's astounding about this letter is that the issues faced by John's friend are the same issues you face today.

This lesson will be very practical. Stephen will be teaching from Third John over the next several days. As he begins to unpack the first four verses today, you're going to be faced with some questions.

They're the kind of questions that only you can answer for yourself and the answers will help you understand the condition of your heart. This is an important message. If you're able, go ahead and pour a cup of coffee and open your Bible to Third John as Stephen begins his message called Questions for the Heart here on Wisdom for the Heart. Well, there's a fallen angel who's been studying human tendencies and fault lines for several thousand years. He knows our tendencies.

He's not omniscient, but he can read the signs. He knows that we normally shy away from sticking out. We would far rather choose comfort over character. We'd much rather have happiness than holiness.

We'd rather talk about ourselves than service. He knows that. So he's constantly roaming around seeking in this context within the assembly, seeking some believer to devour. You could render that discredit, distract, digress, 1 Peter 5.8. Now, what gets his attention more than anything else, in fact, what he hates the sight of more than anything in the world today is the sight of a growing, committed, Bible-saturated, Christ-honoring believer.

And he probably only hates that more or not nearly as much as the assembly of believers who are Bible-saturated and Christ-honoring, devoted, committed believers. Now, over the last few sessions, we've been studying together John's warning to an anonymous woman and her children. He's going to write another postcard which we begin exploring today. It's called Third John.

Turn there. This is the shortest of John's three letters for Second and Third John. Third John is shorter than Second John. Now, if you're comparing the length of these two letters right now instead of listening to me, you're right. Third John has more verses than Second John.

Verse numbers were added, by the way, in 1551 by an English printer named Robert Stevenson, and it was a tool and an aid to help the Bible student know where to pick up, and verses to memorize, a wonderful idea. When I say Third John is shorter in length than Second John, I'm referring to the Greek language in which the letter was written, and Third John has 26 less words than Second John, which means my sermon series in Third John will be about three sermons shorter than Second John. Take that by faith. I speak for your edification. I'm letting you know that.

You're going to hope in that. Third John is not only a personal letter between the Apostle John and one of his closest friends. It also gives us some of the most interesting glimpses into life in a first century church, and we're going to discover that the church hasn't changed all that much because people haven't changed all that much.

Even though brand names and logos come and go, we, our hearts, the needs we have remain the same. Warren Wiersbe wrote this in his introduction to Third John that I found helpful. He writes, wherever there are people, there are problems, and wherever there are problems, there is the potential for solutions. Third John will make us face the question honestly, am I part of the problem or a part of the solution? You might remember in Second John, the main concern of the Apostle John was to warn this woman of heretics who were going to try and use her home as a base of teaching operation. On Third John, the problem is not a heretic. The problem is a hothead by the name of Diotrephes, and we'll get to him in a sermon later on. Follow along as I read the introductory opening remarks of John in this letter.

The elder to the beloved Gaius, whom I love in truth, beloved, you could render that my dearest friend, I pray that in all respects you may prosper and be in good health, just as your soul prospers. For I was very glad when brethren came and testified to your truth, that is how you are walking in truth. I have no greater joy than this, to hear of my children walking in the truth.

In the truth. You'll notice immediately that except for a few modifications, this introduction sounds exactly like his introduction in Second John. So what I want to do, since we're in this ongoing series together where we put these postcards side by side, is let me approach John's introductory comments today a little differently. What I want to do is ask you some questions, and I then want to go to the text and unpack the right answer. I'm going to call these five questions questions for your heart, and I'm saying that because you're the only person in here that fully knows the answer to these questions apart from God.

Question number one, what do I think about, look forward to, and work toward most in life? Let's go back to the introduction where John identifies himself once again as simply the elder, presbuteroth. Instead of throwing his weight around by announcing I'm the last living apostle, remember we covered that in Second John, instead of saying you gotta listen to me because of who I am, I'm one of the original twelve, he doesn't do that. Instead he emphasizes his pastoral shepherd's heart. He wasn't just an apostle delivering to this recipient and the church involved some kind of official word, I mean it is official, it's inspired, it's God's braved word to us, but he's going to emphasize that as an elder he is watching over believers with a heart of concern and love.

The term elder, presbuteroth, can also be rather literally translated old man, old man, and in the first century the term typically referred to older men with a nuance that they were older men who by virtue of their lifestyles have earned the respect of the body whom they lead. John I think here is representing both meanings. He is representing that he has a shepherd's heart over the flock and he will be leading and influencing a number of churches in the area nearby, but he's also I think referring to himself as an old man.

You could read this, the old man, to my dearest friend, Gaius knew immediately who this was. We know John is in his early to mid-90s as he dashes off these two memos, these two postcards closely together, second and third John. And by the way I say all of that to sort of set up the question, what's John doing? He's doing what he loves doing. He's doing what he's been doing. He's doing what he's looked forward to doing, writing letters, writing letters of encouragement to other believers, making contact, discipling, serving Christ, praying, and teaching younger believers.

I don't think John would have understood the perception and worldview of our generation's planning and longing for the ages of somewhere after 65 to about 95 where you can finally get away from it all and finally live unencumbered by the problems and the people of life. Can't wait till I, you know, reach that age. I can write off in the sunset. Beloved, one of the vilest distractions of the devil is that you need to save everything you can and plan everything in your life toward that glorious day when you write off into the sunset and live off the interest of that money and get away from people and get away from serving others. I mean, that's it. Not that we're against stewardship, obviously. Is the ultimate goal to eventually reach the point where you get to go away and watch the tide come in? Really?

Is that it? I'm 60 now, so I can be blunt. I'm older.

I'm not as old as you, but I'm older. Let me encourage you as your pastor, teacher, that this can be the most productive season in your life for the cause of Christ. Do you know that older houseparents, teachers, doctors, dentists, plumbers, painters, bookkeepers, secretaries are needed in ministry positions and places all around the world today.

The church is in need of volunteers in every facet of business life, from carpentry to technology. I mean, John might be an old man, but instead of reaching for the rocking chair, he still has some health. He's reaching for the pen and another sheet of papyrus paper.

He's dashing off another memo that lets us know he's engaged, involved, praying, and he's actually planning to go and visit Gaius and that church as well. Now, I feel like John's the kind of guy that if he got in his way, he'd run over you with his cart, and he probably wouldn't even notice except a little speed bump. Don't reach for the rocking chair.

That isn't your goal in life. You know, I'll never forget reading, although I've long since forgotten the author's name, a rather tragic line, where he said this, I have never known a happy old man. I've never known a happy old man.

How many do you know? Perhaps it's because the older man he was acquainted with had bought into the deception that if he gives his life to plan for himself and his estate and his finances and his portfolio so that one day he can retire and get away from people and problems, but here's what's happening in the process of planning and saving and longing for the day when he can live all for himself. He finally makes it and he finally arrives, but he arrives and in and through that process, he arrives with a shriveled-up heart.

No matter how old you are, 18 or 88, doesn't matter. The moment you decide life is all about you is the moment you forfeit the kind of joy that John is going to describe in this brief letter. But for starters, let me reintroduce you to the Apostle John who happens to be a happy old man. Question number two.

Is there anything or is there anyone I am discipling or encouraging in the faith? He writes next, my dearest friend, beloved Gaius, whom I love in truth. We frankly don't know anything about Gaius apart from this postcard. There are other men with the name that appear in the New Testament. He isn't one of them. Gaius was actually a very common name. It was one of 18 names that Roman families gave their firstborn sons as sort of a first name.

So it was very common. The fact that he's hosting global workers, those who are serving the church in their travels, implies that he has some wealth. And he's using it for the glory of God. What we do know is that he was one of John's closest friends. And really that's all you need to know to appreciate Gaius. John will refer to him four times with the term beloved. You'll notice at verse one he calls him beloved. Verse two he refers to him again.

You could write in the margin of your notes my dearest friend. In verse five at the beginning he he refers to him again like that. And over in verse 11 still talking to Gaius refers to him as beloved or my dearest friend. Paul by the way used the same word when he called Timothy his beloved child. In first Corinthians 4 17 and then again where he called Timothy his beloved son. 2 Timothy 1 and verse 2.

And I've said it before but I want to say it again. While the believer is never referred to in the New Testament as a child of the church or as children of the church, the church didn't birth you in that regard. What we do find in the New Testament is a reference to spiritual children who are under the care of those who either let them to faith in Christ or are discipling them in the word of God.

They are children not biological offspring they are spiritual offspring. Further down in verse four John refers to Gaius as one of his children. In fact he uses a possessive adjective in referring to Gaius as one of my children and it's emphasized which strongly suggests that John had personally led Gaius to faith in Christ. This is John's passion to disciple make to encourage to teach. This is his his joy I mean leading somebody through the gospel and then listening to them in their presence press praying with them as they call on the name of the Lord to be saved. Romans 10 13.

Let me tell you there isn't any anything more thrilling than that. One of my greatest concerns is the most Christians I know in the church at large have never once attempted to lead an unsafe person through the claims of Jesus Christ and in their presence help them as they've called on the name of the Lord to be saved and what really bothers me or concerns me is that the average Christians that I meet don't seem to lose any sleep over that. Do we have spiritual offspring?

Question number three. If my physical health matched my spiritual health what kind of shape would I be in? John writes in verse two beloved my dearest friend I pray that in all respect she may prosper and be in good health just as your soul prospers. Now this is by the way a very typical introductory comment in letters in John's generation which basically means I hope you're feeling well.

Nothing wrong with that. In fact this line here in the text I pray that in all respect she may prosper and be in good health was shared in correspondence with unbelievers. In fact they would be praying to their God for this. It was so common they reduced that phrase to six Latin letters which basically represented the six words that can be roughly translated I hope things are going well but John you'll notice adds another line which the pagans would never do and he emphasizes spiritual health. The word for soul here just as your soul prospers it's a it's a figure of speech that refers to the spiritual life.

Do you notice the implication? Spiritual health is the ultimate measurement of a healthy life. In other words measure how well you're doing in life not to your body but to your soul. Nothing wrong with physical health.

John wanted it for Gaius. I hope you're feeling well. I hope you're doing well. Taking care of your body is a God-given stewardship. You ultimately belong to your creator God. It's in that body isn't yours it's his but answering this question correctly getting the right perspective will keep us from falling into the idolatry of John's generation and ours where the body becomes the priority. I mean everything is measured by what it does for our body our physical and material benefit even for the Christian. Physical health can become an unbalanced pursuit. We can become like the culture around us that is literally obsessed with the physical condition and this isn't a new problem evidently he's writing to people in the first century just as we know it's a problem today in the 21st century.

In fact George Whitefield one of the leaders in the great awakening in the 1700s wrote in his journal on one occasion of the sad condition of people who were quote more concerned about a pimple on their face than the rottenness in their heart. You see John is he's really subtly informing us that it's possible to have physical health without spiritual health. It's also possible to have spiritual health without physical health and by the way that isn't usually dangerous. You've probably lived long enough to know that some of your most powerful moments have been your weakest moments. Some of your most intimate seasons with Jesus Christ have been your most difficult seasons of life. Here's the danger it's possible to have a healthy body without a healthy spirit which makes you an unhealthy Christian.

You can be prospering physically, materially, financially while at the same time going bankrupt spiritually. Question number four. Does my personality reflect a personal commitment to demonstrate Christ likeness? Notice verse three. For I was very glad when the brothers when brethren came and testified to your truth.

I love that. Not just the truth but yours. He's embraced it. That is you are walking in truth. John has already addressed the same phrase in his first and second letters. Truth is tantamount.

It is equal to all that represents the character and the nature and the gospel of Christ. So John is saying I'm hearing from the brothers. They're coming back and forth through Ephesus and I've gotten word from them that you're walking in the truth.

You're taking it outdoors. You're not just learning the truth. You're living the truth. You're not just talking about Jesus. You're living like Jesus.

Convicting, isn't it? This is what a follower wants to do. Gaius was developing the reputation of Christ's likeness in following hard after Jesus. One theologian who lived on him 50 years ago used to repeat the statement that Jesus Christ never once asked for admirers. He asked for followers. He will demonstrate his character to their loved ones, to their church, to their classmates, to their co-workers, to their world around them.

One more question. What makes me celebrate like nothing else in life? John writes in verse 4.

Notice this. I have no greater joy. What he means is I've got a lot of joys. A lot of things made me happy. But I've got no greater joy than this. To hear of my children walking in the truth.

He says essentially the same thing in his second. He ratchets it up even further by saying this isn't something that just makes me happy. This isn't something that just gives me joy. This happens to be my greatest joy. What makes you feel your greatest joy?

I mean what is it that charges up your batteries? Corporate logos, the name on your car, the name on your handbag, the name on your lunchbox. For John the greatest joy in life. You know this wasn't even something he had. It wasn't even something that God was doing for him or in him. His greatest joy was that Christ was doing something in the life of someone else.

A life he'd invested in. John writes here, my greatest joy is Gaius. We don't know much about him but we just know John's heart was full of gratitude. Not that Gaius was perfect. That Gaius was walking in the truth, pursuing, progressing. His goal was the truth which was Christ. He was the genuine item.

He wasn't an admirer of Jesus. He was a follower and for this old man that he opens his letter, to him there is no greater joy. I hope you'll find time today to reflect on the questions Stephen gave in this message called Questions for the Heart.

This is Wisdom for the Heart and Stephen Davey is working through Third John in a series called Postcards from John. If you missed the beginning of this message and want to hear the whole thing or if you missed a previous message in this series there are two ways for you to get caught up. The first is by installing the Wisdom International app to your iPhone or Android smartphone. That app contains all of the messages in this series as well as the complete archive of all Stephen's teaching.

Search for Wisdom International in the App Store for your device. All of that and more is also available on our website which you'll find at wisdomonline.org. In addition to being the president of Wisdom International, Stephen is also the president of Shepherd's Theological Seminary. He founded that school out of a passion for training and equipping men and women for service to God. Graduates of Shepherd's Seminary are serving God in their churches and communities all over the world. Many men have earned their degrees from the school and have gone out to plant churches. We have many people who just take a class or two.

They want to have a better understanding of the Bible and theology so even if God has not called you to serve him full-time in Christian ministry, the classes STS offers will help you. All of the courses that are offered have an online option as well. One of the more recent initiatives is what we call cluster sites where students meet up at a local church and take online courses together. There are clusters in Birmingham, Alabama, Lincoln, Nebraska and more. Go to wisdomonline.org STS for information about the school. That's wisdomonline.org forward slash STS. Join us next time for more wisdom for the hearts. you