Fellow workers through giving
Scripture reading for November 30th: 3rd John
Key Scriptures: 3rd John 5-8 “Beloved, it is a faithful thing you do in all your efforts for these brothers, strangers as they are, who testified to your love before the church. You will do well to send them on their journey in a manner worthy of God. For they have gone out for the sake of the Name, accepting nothing from the Gentiles. Therefore we ought to support people like these, that we may be fellow workers for the truth.”
John, the apostle of Jesus Christ, had lived a long life and faithfully preached the Gospel in Asia. He was appointed as an elder over seven churches and Jesus personally gave him messages for each of them as he was imprisoned for preaching the Gospel on the Island of Patmos. Now, as John writes this last letter, he commends Gaius, a faithful member of one of the churches, for the love shown by the church to traveling ministers who visited them. Even though these ministers were not known personally by the church, they were encouraged to help them financially and prayerfully to further the work that they had been called to do. John told them that when they support them, they become fellow-workers and share in the ministry and the reward. John also warned Gaius about another man, Diotrephes, who was speaking evil of John and other church elders and refused to welcome these ministers.
3rd John 9-10 “I have written something to the church, but Diotrephes, who likes to put himself first, does not acknowledge our authority. So if I come, I will bring up what he is doing, talking wicked nonsense against us. And not content with that, he refuses to welcome the brothers, and also stops those who want to and puts them out of the church.”
Faith confession and prayer: Father, I thank You that You speak plainly with those in leadership in Your Church about loving others and giving help to brothers and sisters sharing the work of ministry, even if we don’t know them personally. Give me discernment concerning those like Diotrephes, who John knew by name, who seek to cause division and sow discord. Help me to share in Your great work of winning the lost for Your eternal kingdom.
3rd John 11 “Beloved, do not imitate evil but imitate good. Whoever does good is from God; whoever does evil has not seen God.” Vs. 15 “Peace be to you. The friends greet you. Greet the friends, each by name.”
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