3 John 1-10.18.22
SCRIPTURE:
3 John 1:5
"Dear friend, you are showing faithfulness by whatever you do for the brothers, especially when they are strangers. They have testified to your love in front of the church. You will do well to send them on their journey in a manner worthy of God, since they set out for the sake of the Name, accepting nothing from pagans."
OBSERVATION:
John, the author of this book was an apostle of Jesus. This was his third letter, it was addressed to Gaius, his dear friend whom he considered one of his children. In his letter, John emphasized the importance of a healthy growing church, containing two specific ingredients: truth and love. John commended Gaius for being a man who walked in the truth. Whatever he did, he demonstrated his faithfulness to God. His gift of hospitality testified to his love for God; to the traveling missionaries, and even to strangers. He set an excellent example to the members of the church regarding the importance of taking time to care for the physical and financial needs of the ones who devoted a large amount of time to ministry.
UNDERSTANDING:
To grow in our love for one another, we must follow the example of Jesus. When we love one another as Christ loved us, we are revealing God's message of love and salvation to the world.
During our Sunday morning pre-service prayer time a couple of weeks ago, Pastor Warren reminded us of the benefits of having left overs. He talked about how God loves to lavish us with good things, and when we have left-overs, we aren't to hoard them, we are to lavish others with the good things that God has blessed us with. When we give with pure motives, our giving results in God getting the glory, and that should always be our motive for giving.
LIFE APPLICATION:
Showing hospitality and being generous are ways we can show that we care. Speaking of hospitality and generosity...
I want to give a special shout out to Crystal and Rich for the gift of hospitality that they have lavished on us as they have graciously opened up their beautiful home for us to gather with our "In the City Group". They have sacrificed a lot for us! As God has blessed them, they have been so kind to bless us! We appreciate them both so very much!
Like Gaius, who loved to show hospitality and meet the needs of others, Crystal and Rich have done both, and they have set such an excellent example to our church body to follow!
-Robin Orefice
2 John-10.17.22
Scripture
2 John 1:5-6
“I am writing to remind you, dear friends, that we should love one another. This is not a new commandment, but one we have had from the beginning. Love means doing what God has commanded us, and he has commanded us to love one another, just as you heard from the beginning.”
Observation-What does it say?
In this second epistle, John is writing to the church, reminding them to be mindful of three things:
Discernment: The church needed the ability to separate the truth and error when it came to false teachings.
Love: According to John, no one can claim to love Christ or His church and then not walk faithfully in the truth. Love and truth distinguish God’s people from those who do not belong to Him.
Hospitality: The apostles Peter and John both agreed that hospitality is the Christian’s duty and joy, as well as an act of love (1 Peter 4:8-9). But John in this chapter reminds the church that hospitality does have boundaries. God’s people must not welcome, accept, associate with, or support anything or anyone who undermines the truth of the gospel (2 John 1:9-11).
Understanding-What does it mean?
The power of love.
No!..I’m not talking about the song by Huey Luis and the News from the 80’s movie, Back to the Future.😆 I am talking about God’s love. Let’s put it this way. Jesus simplified following the entire Ten Commandments by doing these two things that involve love.
“Jesus replied, “‘You must love the LORD your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment. A second is equally important: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ The entire law and all the demands of the prophets are based on these two commandments.””-(Matthew 22:37-40)
So as you can see, love is the foundation of what we are to do as Christ Followers: My love for God and my love for my fellow man. It really sounds quite simple. But, keep in mind, Jesus calls us to love the unlovable and even calls us to love our enemies. It can be quite challenging at times. But, it’s through our love for one another, that people, especially non believers, can experience God and His love first hand.
Life Application
God is love.
Because God is love and we are His children, we are an extension of His love when we go out into the world and love one another. So, let’s go out into this dark world right now and share God’s love. Buy someone in need a gift card, send someone an encouraging text, give someone a helping hand, or let someone know that they are loved. Let people see the light and hope in His people, so that they too, can yearn for that love and experience in their lives as well.😊
“Your love for one another will prove to the world that you are my disciples.”-John 13:35
-Moses Gaddi
Psalm 94 - 10.14.22
Scripture - What stood out?
Psalm 94:1,2
The Lord is a God who avenges.
O God who avenges, shine forth.
Rise up, Judge of the earth;
pay back to the proud what they deserve.
Observation - What does it say?
A psalm about the evildoer who has oppressed the God following psalmist and his people. The psalmist cries out to God to right the scales of justice, to deliver his righteous people from the wicked. And to mete out to the unjust what they deserve.
Understanding - What does it mean?
‘How do you feel when you read bible verses about the God of vengeance?’ I asked my wife.
‘I don’t know, I guess I have struggled with it in the past.’
‘Yea, same here. I have a hard time believing that the same God who tells us to love one another is the same God that the psalmist is crying out to for vengeance.’
Deborah and I started our day this morning reading Your word together and openly talking to one another about how we felt about it. Lord, I don’t know what the psalmist was going through. I don’t know the difference between Sodom and Nineveh. All I know is I have come to trust you even more than before.
You have granted me this amazing victory in my own heart over this past month and a half and I don’t want to let go. You have taught me to love others, how to love my enemies (in the workplace no less!).
‘Maybe the correct heart response isn’t so much that I want vengeance, but that I trust the Perfect Judge will figure it out. You don’t understand how freeing it has been for me to let go of all the stress my co-workers inflict on me and instead replace it with love for them. Maybe what I am asking for is no different from the psalmist here. I am trusting God will take care of me and whatever enemies I have. My job then remains the same, fill my heart with love for God and love for others,’ I presented to my wife.
‘Yea I think you are on to something.’
Life Application - How can I apply this to my life today?
Thank you God for allowing me to marry a woman I can have frank conversations with about You and Your word!
Father God, thank you for being a perfect and just God. Thank you for being a God who upholds the righteous, a God who loves those who love You. I put my trust in you no matter what. I believe You are the author of creation. I believe you know our hearts better than anyone else. I trust you Lord. I love you Lord. I pray for those who are for and against You. I put my faith in You. Help me to build that faith in You Lord. I trust that you will be the one to protect me. And I trust that you will be the one to deliver me from my enemies. I love you, Lord.
In the name of Jesus do I pray, amen.
-kenneth lee