3 John; Psalm 28

3 John
Ok, if we are looking for themes, it's a good idea to look for key words. If these words are repeated, they are probably even more likely to be a theme of the passage. One such word is "truth," which, I believe, is mentioned 6 times in this short letter. So I think it's safe to choose truth as a theme. John wished for his friend Gaius and the church to know that it's vital to cling to the truth of God's Word. He commends Gaius for just that in vv. 1-4. "I could have no greater joy than to hear that my children are following the truth." v. 4 The truth must be the foundation for everything.

Another word that we might notice is "faithfulness." John commends Gaius for "being faithful to God when you care for the traveling teachers who pass through...They have told the church here of your loving friendship." Gaius' faithfulness to God is shown through his hospitality to God's servants passing through. As they supported these traveling teachers, they became "their partners as they teach the truth," (v. 8) in much the same way that we partner with missionaries when we provide prayer and financial support. I believe that God expects us to be faithful in the place He puts us. One person's task will not be the same an another's, but we must be alert to opportunities to show our faithfulness and obedience to the Lord.

John calls out Diotrephes who apparently was not generous or hospitable to the traveling teachers, who criticized John and his associates, and who even discouraged others from doing the right thing. John encouraged Gaius not to be influenced by his bad example, but to follow only what is good. Unfortunately, we occasionally run into a "Diotrephes" in our churches--someone bent on being in control and who opposes pretty much everything the church hopes to accomplish. They should not discourage us either, and we should realize that they may not know the Lord at all. v. 11

On the other hand, John praises Demetrius who was faithful to the truth.

John ends the letter with personal greetings hoping to visit with them in person. It's rather like we would say, "Tell everyone at the church 'hello' for me, and I hope to visit you soon!"

Psalm 28
This is another psalm about prayer, and it follows the pattern of other psalms in that it begins in anguish and ends in praise! David begs God to hear him, and he pours out his frustration about wicked people, asking God to judge them. I'm not saying that we, in the light of New Testament teaching, should ask God to punish and destroy people, but I do know it's always right to be honest with God if that's the way we are feeling.

When we look at v. 6 and following we see that David did not stay negative--actually just the opposite. He praised the Lord for hearing his cry for mercy. His heart was filled with joy, and he burst out in songs of thanksgiving!

Here is a verse for our meditation: "The Lord is my strength and shield. I trust him with all my heart. He helps me, and my heart is filled with joy. I burst out in songs of thanksgiving." v. 7