Work Together for the Truth

May 3, 2015 Background Scripture: 3 John Lesson Passage: 3 John The Apostle John addresses this letter to an individual named Gaius. The letter is filled with thanksgiving for the missionary work of Gaius. Gaius gave direct support to the missionaries who were sent to teach and help the churches scattered throughout Asia. These missionaries were mostly Jewish Christians who had been taught by the Apostles. Although many of the congregations were Gentile, the Jewish missionaries shared the gospel with them but did not receive anything from them to support their work. Perhaps this was due to the Jewish Christians’ upbringing that required social separation from Gentiles especially in matters pertaining to food. The work of the missionaries greatly multiplied the apostles’ effectiveness at delivering the gospel message to the ends of the earth. This was truly Jesus’ plan of evangelism at work. The Apostles had become the catalyst Jesus called them from the world and prepared them to be. The Apostles were training others to do the work of evangelism and the missionaries were to become trainers themselves of the new converts. The Great Commission is for this process to be repeated to the ends of the earth by the Christian church. This method is extremely effective but it does come with challenges. The itinerant nature of the missionaries’ work left them dependent on the Christians, in the areas where they went, to supply their physical needs. People like Gaius were seen as faithful and word made it back to the apostles concerning their benevolence. John encouraged Gaius by reminding him that his benevolence to the missionaries made him a fellow helper in the propagation of the gospel message. It is good to know that every Christian does not have to go out into an unconverted community to spread the gospel for the message to reach every place in the world. But it is of high importance that benevolent support be given to those missionaries whose calling it is to go. Christians such as Gaius have undoubtedly always been a part of God’s plan for Christian evangelism. John had attempted to send a letter to the entire congregation but one of the local leaders in the congregation refused to allow the letter to reach the members. John identified that leader as Diotrephes. John described Diotrephes as the type of person who likes to be in charge and wants to be the boss. Diotrephes even excommunicated some of the members who attempted to help the missionaries John had sent. He showed no mercy towards the missionaries or the members of the congregation and he refused to respect the apostles who sent the missionaries. Just as there has always been Gaiuses, there will likely always be Diotrephes. Certainly there are many today. There are people who refuse to support ministry if it is not all about them. Not only will they refuse to participate in support of ministry, they will also attempt to harass others into not participating. Their pride is too much of a barrier for them to overcome. But God continues to raise up others to work together for the spread of the gospel. We thank God today that the good news of the truth of the gospel of Jesus Christ is still reaching lost souls because there are Christians who work together for the truth. Robert C. Hudson March 25, 2015

Watch Out for Deceivers

April 26, 2015 Background Scripture: 1 John 5:6 – 12, 18 – 20; 2 John Lesson Passage: 2 John The most popular currency in the world is still the American “greenback”. More specifically, the $100 bill is the most counterfeited currency in circulation. While American Express, Visa, and Mastercard debate which card is accepted and recognized the most all over the world, all of them together take a backseat to the $100 bill. It is for this reason and others that the United States Treasury spends a lot of money on designing the $100 bill to be difficult to counterfeit. That bill has undergone many changes over the past thirty years attempting to stay ahead of the technology used for reproducing documents. Merchants who receive paper currency will often use special pens to mark them; they will examine the external markings on them, and even hold them up to the light to inspect the watermark and internal ribbon within them. All of this is done to verify that the money that has been received is genuine. Money is not the only thing subject to be counterfeited in the world. We must also watch out for those who claim to be sent from God to give us instructions. Just as counterfeiting money has been around for thousands of years, spiritual deceivers are not a new problem either. Since the dawning of the Christian Church, there have been demonic spirits sent into the world to deceive and lead astray the elect of God. John wrote his second letter to warn Christians of the deceivers that were already in the world in the first century church. Those deceivers are antichrists. They profess many things but they deny that Jesus came in the flesh. Although some may be hidden from our casual view, some are obvious and quite outspoken. Some declare money to be the beginning and end of all that is important. Their message is unashamedly a message of prosperity. Many continue to fall victim to this senseless charade because of their greed. I don’t believe Jesus wants all Christians to live in poverty but neither do I believe that Jesus suffered and died on Calvary so that his followers can all become millionaires and live in this world like there is no life after death. Christianity is much bigger than planting a seed offering of money and hoping to reap a bounty in return. The apostles’ message constantly reminded Christians of the mandate to walk in love as proof of our salvation and spiritual maturity. For Christ’s sake many became poor that the gospel message might reach the ends of the earth. Today, many Christians would rather stay in one place and have the ends of the earth brought to us with the deeds already in our name. Christianity is not about looking out for number one and every man for himself. That is a spirit of greed sown by the enemy to kill the witness of the church and shut down Jesus’ plan of evangelism. Jesus was all about lost souls and healing the broken hearted not exploiting the weak for monetary gain. Christians must take up our responsibility to try the spirit to be sure it is of God. When we encounter those who are not of God because they lack the Spirit of Christ, then we should reject that spirit as a spirit of antichrist. Watch out for deceivers. Robert C. Hudson March 12, 2015