Love & Truth ~ Part 4

Worship begins with practical community notes—a Shrove Tuesday pancake supper, reminders about giving statements, and a warm reception for new members. The congregation affirms core Christian conviction by reciting the Apostles’ Creed and promising prayerful participation, presence, gifts, and service. A sustained prayer time follows, invoking God’s blessing, the Lord’s Prayer, and intercession for health, resilience, and mutual encouragement.

The series moves into Third John with a clear aim: love and bless one another so the church can work together for the truth of Christ. Third John presents Gaius as a model: joyful in service, rooted in truth, and generous to traveling workers. Fellowship grows not primarily from shared hobbies or proximity but from being “in the truth” together—sharing spiritual language, common origins as sinners rescued by Christ, and a focused goal of serving Jesus. Joining Christ always means joining his people; mistreating the church amounts to mistreating the Lord himself, as the Damascus encounter reveals.

Practical discipleship flows from that theology. Loving the church in truth requires both affection grounded in doctrine and actions that sustain the community. Prayer for one another’s physical and emotional well‑being receives special emphasis: good health enables service, and spiritual vitality does not erase the need for bodily strength. Encouragement and celebration of faithful endurance count as vital ministry; hearing reports of steadfast faith brings profound joy.

Hospitality to itinerant teachers and missionaries embodies cooperation for the truth—offering time, space, and resources so the gospel travels. Yet hospitality carries discernment: welcome those who uphold Christ’s incarnation, and refuse support for those who deny foundational doctrine. Financial and relational support for persecuted brothers and sisters, mission partners, and faithful workers constitutes concrete participation in the church’s mission. The closing charge ties these threads together: love the body, pray for one another, encourage faithfulness, and support the work of truth so the church advances Christ’s name in the world.

Key Takeaways

• 1. Love the church in truth Loving the church means committing affection to the doctrines that define Christ. When love roots itself in revealed truth, it resists fickleness and personal preference and binds people into a durable fellowship whose shared language and goals outlast social convenience. This love shapes everyday choices—conversation, correction, hospitality—so that devotion to Jesus finds visible expression in community life. [36:03]
• 2. Join Christ, join his people Acceptance of Christ immediately locates a believer within a web of relationships; one cannot possess Jesus apart from his body. The Damascus moment shows that attacks on the church count as attacks on Christ, and conversely, service to the church serves him. This reality reframes disagreements: disputes about doctrine or practice always carry spiritual weight because they touch the one whom the church represents. [41:16]
• 3. Pray for one another’s wholeness Intercessory prayer links spiritual health with physical and emotional capacity for service. Praying for another’s well‑being recognizes vulnerability without reducing spiritual identity to outward condition; it seeks God’s provision so devotion can be enacted. Regular prayer becomes a practical investment in the church’s ability to witness and endure. [46:06]
• 4. Support truth; refuse false teaching Hospitality and material support advance the gospel when offered to those who teach Christ faithfully, but backing error participates in its spread. Discernment requires testing teachings against the incarnation and the apostolic witness; support follows conviction, not popularity. Responsible generosity strengthens faithful workers and protects the church from complicity with destructive ideas. [53:28]

Youtube Chapters

• [00:00] - Welcome
• [02:20] - Announcements & Fellowship
• [04:12] - New Members Received
• [05:53] - Apostles' Creed Affirmation
• [20:33] - Corporate Prayer & Lord’s Prayer
• [30:00] - Series Intro: 3 John
• [32:50] - Gaius: Joyful Servant Profile
• [36:03] - Love the Church in Truth
• [41:16] - United with Christ through People
• [46:06] - Pray for Health and Faith
• [52:13] - Hospitality to Gospel Workers
• [53:28] - Reject False Teaching; Support Truth
• [57:32] - Closing Prayer and Blessing

1. According to verses 1-2, what two specific things does the writer, John, say about his friend Gaius and what does he pray for him?
2. What report did some believers bring to John about Gaius, and what was John's emotional response to this news according to verses 3-4?
3. What specific act of love does John commend Gaius for in verse 5, and what was notable about the people he showed this love to?
4. According to verse 8, what is the ultimate purpose and result of showing hospitality to fellow workers in the truth?

1. John says he loves Gaius "in the truth" (v. 1). What does it mean for love and friendship to be rooted in and defined by shared truth, rather than just shared interests or proximity? [36:03]
2. Verse 2 connects physical well-being with spiritual well-being. Why is it important to pray for the physical health and general welfare of our brothers and sisters in Christ, and how does this enable them to serve? [46:06]
3. John warns in another letter (2 John 1:10) not to show hospitality to those who bring false teaching. How does this create a tension with the command in 3 John to be hospitable, and what principle of discernment should guide our support of others? [53:28]
4. The writer states that by supporting these workers, we "may work together for the truth" (v. 8). In what ways does practical, financial, or relational support for a faithful missionary or teacher make you a partner in their specific ministry?

1. Loving the church means committing affection to the doctrines that define Christ [36:03]. How does your love for the people in your small group or church change when you remember you are bound together first by the truth of the gospel and not just personal preferences?
2. Joining Christ means being joined to others who are joined to him; we don't get Jesus without also getting his people [41:16]. How does this truth challenge a tendency to view your relationship with God as a purely private affair, and how should it affect your attitude when you experience conflict or frustration with others in the church?
3. Praying for another’s well‑being recognizes that spiritual vitality does not erase the need for bodily strength [46:06]. Who in your life needs your prayers for good health and for things to "go well" so they can continue to serve Christ effectively? How can you specifically pray for them this week?
4. Encouragement and celebration of faithful endurance count as vital ministry [50:46]. When was the last time you intentionally encouraged or celebrated someone’s long-term faithfulness to Christ, not just their recent accomplishment or success? Who can you encourage in this way today?
5. Hospitality and material support advance the gospel when offered to those who teach Christ faithfully [53:28]. How do you currently exercise discernment about which ministries, missionaries, or Christian workers you support with your time, money, or resources? What is one step you can take to better "work together for the truth" through support?
6. Hearing reports of steadfast faith brings profound joy [50:09]. What recent evidence of God’s faithful work in someone else’s life have you heard about or seen that brought you joy? How can you make sharing these reports of God’s faithfulness a more regular part of your conversations with other believers?