3 John - Walking in Truth, Welcoming with Love, Witnessing by Reputation

·31 min·3 clips

Today, you'll study the entire book of 3 John, the Bible's shortest book, in just one sermon.

The episode is a sermon from Fellowship Church in Poplar Bluff, Missouri, delivered as part of a summer series on John's epistles. It focuses exclusively on 3 John, a 15-verse personal letter from John to his friend Gaius. The host begins by noting the book's brevity and promises a complete study. He reads the entire text, highlighting John's affection for Gaius and joy in his faithfulness. The sermon then unpacks three key figures: Gaius is praised for his hospitality toward itinerant preachers, illustrated with the modern story of Rosario Butterfield, who converted to Christianity after repeated meals with a pastor and his wife. Diotrephes is criticized as a self-centered leader who rejects authority and hospitality, serving as a warning against pride. Demetrius is held up as a role model with a good reputation. Throughout, the host draws practical applications for Christian living, emphasizing hospitality, selflessness, and reputation. The format is expository, with the host explaining verses and applying them to contemporary life. Recurring themes include the importance of community, the dangers of self-centeredness, and the witness of ordinary acts of love. The sermon concludes with a prayer for hearts oriented toward others and Christ.

As heard by us

A verse-by-verse sermon on 3 John frames hospitality as public witness shaped by Christian reputation.

This single-episode review follows a sermon on 3 John that presents the letter's fifteen verses as a focused study in Christian reputation. John writes warmly to Gaius, commending the way he receives traveling preachers into ordinary life through home, table, conversation,…

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You get a 15-verse, verse-by-verse study of 3 John where an open door becomes a Christian reputation.

Read the full recommendation in PlayNext →

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