November 11, 2025 • 35 mins
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
SPEAKER_00 (00:35):
Good morning.
My name is Emma Badoo.
I'm in eighth grade and I go toVenetia Middle School.
And today I'm going to bereading 3rd John the Elder to my
dear friend Gaius, whom I lovein the truth.
Dear friend, I pray that you mayenjoy good health and that all
may go well with you.
Just as you are progressingspiritually, it gave me great
(00:58):
joy when some believers came andtestified about your
faithfulness to the truth,telling how you continue to walk
in it.
I have no greater joy than tohear that my children are
walking in the truth.
Dear friend, you are faithful inwhat you are doing for the
brothers and sisters.
Even though they are strangersto you, they have told the
church about your love.
Please send them on their way ina manner that honors God.
(01:21):
It was for the sake of the namethat they went out, receiving no
help from the pagans.
We ought therefore to showhospitality to such people so
that we may work together forthe truth.
I wrote to the church, but dieoff at Tris, who loves to be
first will not welcome us.
So when I come, I will callattention to what he is doing,
(01:41):
spreading malicious nonsenseabout us.
Not satisfied with that, he evenrefuses to welcome other
believers.
He also stops those who want todo so and puts them out of the
church.
Dear friend, do not imitate whatis evil, but what is good.
Anyone who does what is good isfrom God.
Anyone who does what is evil hasnot seen God.
Demetrius is well spoken of byeveryone and even by the truth
(02:05):
itself.
We also speak well of him, andyou know that our testimony is
true.
I have much to write to you, butI do not want to do so with pen
and ink.
I hope to see you soon, and wewill talk face to face.
Peace to you.
The friends here send theirgreetings.
Greet the friends by their name.
This is the word of the Lord.
SPEAKER_01 (02:23):
Thanks be to God.
All right, that's good.
She read an entire uh book ofthe Bible uh just right now.
Uh, we're gonna do thattogether.
We're Bible teaching, Biblebelieving church, we do verse by
verse.
You guys are wrapping up one,two, three, John.
This is the third book of John.
(02:45):
It's in the back of the uh theNew Testament in your Bible.
Um, there's these three littleletters, and it's different than
John's big book.
Told you last week, a lot of youare familiar with John 3, 16.
That's where that one comesfrom.
And then you get these when he'sold, uh, he's wise, the thing
he's learning, he's writing tothese churches and two people,
not specifically to us, as we'llsee, but for us.
(03:06):
Um, I always find it sointeresting um how and why the
Saints chose what they chosethat would be canonized in the
in in scripture for us.
And there was something aboutthis letter that they said print
it.
We got to have it.
And so we're gonna try to unpackthat.
But before um I hop into that, Ijust want to pause real quick.
We got some important stuffcoming up.
One thing in particular that I'mso thankful that we have here as
(03:29):
a resource.
And it's next week.
Um, we got some celebrating nextweek with baptism.
But the other thing that we'redoing next week, when we have
another one in December, it'scalled Grief Share Surviving the
Holidays.
Um, the holidays that we'recoming into are just like one of
these odd times for people.
It's really great.
We get to hold two things in ourhands.
We get to hold celebration andfun and some happy stuff.
(03:49):
And then for a lot of us, wehold grief in an empty chair or
a moment or an anniversary orjust something that feels
different.
And so this is just a resource,maybe for some of you who are
actually in here um today thatcould use this as a resource.
Um, but this is also a tool thatsome of you guys can use just to
reach out to and to care forsomeone else that could really
(04:11):
use just some hope and some helpin this holiday season.
So that stuff's out there on ourresources wall.
There's all kinds of stuffthat's coming up.
You can, of course, check thatout.
But there's some little umpamphlets you can take too if
that would be helpful to you.
So let me go ahead and hop infor today.
I want to take you into today,as you just heard, one of the
shortest texts in the NewTestament and show you why it
(04:34):
literally hits like aconcentrated espresso shot.
It's tiny and it hits.
See, the Apostle John, he's thisseasoned elder at this uh
moment, and he writes um to thistiny little postcard called
Third John.
And in these first five versesthat we read today, it's
(04:55):
basically a spiritual wellnesscheck, a Yelp review about one
guy's character, and literally amasterclass and hospitality.
And if you've ever wondered whatuh exactly delights a pastor's
heart, this is kind of a spoileralert today.
It's not a big platform, it'speople walking in the truth.
(05:16):
This today is a kind of passagethat you tape inside your
journal because it's both tenderand it's tough.
It's like that friend who showsup and brings you coffee and
then tells you to drink water.
Today, today, we're gonna letJohn show us how truth actually
travels, how it shapes love,soul health, daily habits, and
(05:38):
open door hospitality.
The apostle John writes to afriend named Gaius about three
things that you and I deal withall of the time.
Specifically, soul health,everyday obedience, and whether
our front door is opened orclosed for the sake of Jesus.
(05:59):
And then there's this subplotthat feels very 2025 right now.
A guy named uh Diatrophes, whohas this main character energy
so loud that you can literallyhear it through the parchment
today.
He's calling him out.
I mean, if you've ever workedfor a boss who likes to be
first, you already know thisguy.
So here's this whole sermon inone sentence, so your brain can
(06:20):
literally just attach acarabiner to it today.
It's this truth-shaped lovebecomes mission-shaped
hospitality, and it stands up toego-shaped leadership.
Let me say that one more time.
This is where we're gonna go intoday.
Truth-shaped love becomesmission-shaped hospitality, and
it stands up to ego-shapedleadership.
(06:43):
So John opens, verse one.
He says to my dear friend Gaius,whom I love in the truth.
Now, what's important tounderstand right here is John's
not like DMing a stranger.
He's writing to someone hedeeply loves, and the glue
between them is actually truth.
This little phrase is doingheavyweight theology right now.
He doesn't say, Whom I lovebecause we both like the same
(07:05):
worship playlist, or whom I lovebecause our Enneagrams are
compliant, not vibes, notmashing aesthetic, says truth.
He he loves Gaius in the truth,and that is the reality that God
has revealed in Jesus.
Uh, have you ever felt thepressure to create your people
(07:26):
around your favorite playlists,sports teams, oat milk
preferences?
John goes deeper here.
He says, real Christianaffection is tethered to the
reality as God defines it, whichmeans it won't evaporate when
circumstances shift in ourlives.
That love in the truth isliterally thicker than
(07:48):
convenience and trend.
It's the kind of bond thatdoesn't change when your
schedule, your city, uh, yourjob title does.
That Christian affection isn'tbuilt on aesthetic.
It's built on alliance andallegiance.
Uh, John then prays a verse thatbelongs in your lock screen.
(08:09):
He says, I pray that you mayenjoy good health and that all
may go well with you.
Here it is, even as your soul isgetting along well.
I think this is so interestingright now.
He assumes Gaius' soul isalready thriving and asks then
God to let the rest of his lifeliterally catch up.
(08:29):
It's not prosperity gospel.
This is priority gospel, thatthe inner life literally sets
the pace, that all the otherdashboards, work, health, money,
achievements are literallyinvited to sink in.
Let me put it this way (08:43):
uh, your schedule is a theology.
If your calendar prospers, butyour soul is dehydrated, you are
living upside down.
You you you can be booked andbusy with a starved inner life.
And John says, let me flip it.
Your soul, let your soulliterally be the baseline of
(09:06):
your wellness plan.
So here's my question.
How's your soul?
I don't think we asked thatquestion enough.
And I mean, it's just an oddquestion asked, be like, how's
your soul?
Um, but everyone asks usquestions, right?
Usually it's like, how's work?
How's your kids?
How's your house remodel goingor your project?
(09:26):
But when was the last timesomebody asked you, how's your
soul?
That one hits different, doesn'tit?
And for some of us, honestly,you might even not know how to
answer it.
And maybe that's a sign rightthere that there's something
off.
That maybe it's time to add aweekly rhythm, uh, worship with
(09:47):
your church, or one unhurriedhour where your phone is in
airplane mode and your Bible isnot.
John then says, it gives megreat joy when some believers
came and testified about yourfaithfulness to the truth,
telling how you continue to walkin it.
Then he drops this line that Ithink every mentor keeps in
(10:10):
their wallet.
He says, I have no greater joythan to hear that my children
are walking in the truth.
John says, There's no greaterjoy than hearing his spiritual
kids are walking in this truth.
If you've ever coached ormentored or parented, you know
that joy.
It's the holy version ofwatching a little sibling
(10:32):
finally ride the bike withouttraining wheels.
And it's something, honestly, weshould chase.
We should chase this joy.
And we celebrate things likebaptisms, yes, even next week,
but also then we celebratebudget lines that find uh that
fund missions and smallapartments with big tables and
roommates who settle conflictlike followers and volunteers
(10:54):
who welcome strangers likefamily.
I love this word, um, walking,walking in the truth, not
thinking about, not tweeting,not mood boarding it, walking
it.
See, I think it's important thatwe remember Christianity is not
a couch, it's a road.
And we sit in these seats andnod and sometimes not walk.
(11:20):
And there's a difference betweenwalking and nodding, as an
example.
Nodding is that was a firesermon.
That was so good.
Walking is I canceled the secretsubscription to that sin.
Nodding is a great devo thought.
Walking is I made restitutionand paid back what I took.
(11:44):
Uh, nodding is like we shouldhang out soon.
Walking is dinner's at six.
Bring your roommate.
That's what John means.
Walking is the slow, steady yes.
Then John commends Gaius.
He says, Dear friend, you'refaithful in what you're doing
(12:07):
for the brothers and sisters,even though they're strangers.
Then verse 6, they have told thechurch about your love.
Please send them on their way ina manner that honors God.
So he praises how Gaius sendsthem on their way in a manner
worthy of God.
Why?
Well, because they went out.
(12:28):
It says in verse 7, they wentout for the sake of the name
that they went out, receiving nohelp from the pagans.
Now, pagans here doesn't meanlike Satan worshippers or idol
worshippers in a derogatorysense.
At this point, it's just thisneutral description of
non-believers, people who didn'tfollow Christ.
(12:48):
You could literally paraphrasethis verse this way: They went
out to serve Christ's name anddid not depend on financial help
from unbelievers.
Then the key line in verse 8.
(13:11):
See, in the first century, therewere no Marriott points.
Mission literally moved on thehospitality of Christians.
Uh, open homes was how thegospel got on the map.
Hospitality wasn't on Instagram,it wasn't an aesthetic, it was
literally a supply chain for thekingdom.
These homes were.
Think of it this way (13:32):
your apartment, your home, your
table, your rides, your Vimmo,all of it can become missional
infrastructure.
That when you host or fund thefaithful worker, John says you
become literally a co-laborer.
And that's spiritual equity thatyou share in the joy and the
(13:56):
reward.
In fact, in two weeks, we'regonna get an update from one of
our mission partners in personon the 23rd.
So you guys can make sure thatyou're here for that.
But then it takes this turn.
John then says, I wrote to thechurch, but Diatrophes, who
likes to be first, will notwelcome us.
And John is like, When I come, Iwill call attention to what he
(14:21):
is doing.
He is spreading maliciousnonsense, refusing hospitality,
and kicking out anyone who doesnot welcome faithful workers.
And some of you guys are like, Ilike John a lot.
That's the use you tell him.
And what's going on right hereis this isn't just bad manners,
it's anti-gospel leadership thathe's talking about, literally
(14:42):
pride that shuts doors, gossipthat slanders truth, and control
that isolates saints.
So I thought um, for those ofyou who might not think you're a
diotrophies, I would do a littlered flag list.
Am I accidentally diotrophes?
So here's some things to lookat.
Is platform more important thanpeople?
(15:04):
Prioritizing being seen overserving.
Uh, is control greater thancollaboration?
Blocking good work because itdidn't start from you.
And these are just internalquestions to ask yourself.
Slander, more important thanscripture, weakonizing rumors
instead of opening the Bible orgatekeeping over guidance, uh,
(15:24):
punishing those who practicehospitality that you didn't
authorize.
John doesn't shrug.
He says, No, no, no.
When I come, I'm gonna callattention to what he's doing.
And what that simply means,friends, is accountability.
See, healthy churches, Ibelieve, confront pride, not
coddle it or even celebrate it.
(15:46):
And here's where this messagegets real for Northgate.
We live in a culture thatcelebrates theotrophy's entry
energy.
Be first, be loud, be right.
It's all main character energy.
Or um, some people put it thisway it's Christians behaving
badly.
And Jesus calls us to theopposite, to serve, to listen,
(16:12):
to yield.
And at Northgate, that has gotto be our rhythm.
Open tables, soft hearts, thickskin, and deep truth.
And then John turns to Gaiusagain and he says, Beloved, do
not imitate what is evil, butwhat is good.
Whoever does good is from God.
(16:32):
Whoever does evil has not seenGod.
So here's the deal, friends.
We're always imitating someoneor something.
You know this TikTok trends, youknow, you're doing the new
dance, office culture, uh, gymhabits, uh, friend group
sarcasm.
So here's the thing choosemodels that look like Jesus,
(16:57):
like when they're tired and whenno one's clapping.
And then this week, maybe picktwo people and two different
virtues that you admire insomeone, and I know you have
this in your life, and just tellyourself this week, you know
what?
I'm gonna intimidate uh imitatethat person's patience at work
this week.
(17:18):
Or I'm gonna um imitate hismercy that he has with roommates
this week, which is a reallysimple practice.
Just says, you know, I'm gonnaI'm gonna try to do that, I'm
gonna go towards that.
Then John says, Demetrius iswell spoken of by everyone and
by the truth itself.
We also speak well of him, andyou know that our testimony is
(17:41):
true.
So Demetrius here is probablythe guy who's carrying the
letter for John.
And John then gives himreferences right here with
community.
He gives them references with uhscripture, the truth itself.
And then he gives them this umapostolic endorsement.
Um, my uh youngest son isactually named Demetrius.
(18:03):
Uh, this is actually where wegot his name from.
Uh, he's in here now, maybe he'sgonna learn this.
Um, Demetrius, um, we had thehonor and privilege of uh taking
him as a foster kid in SolanoCounty, and we fostered him for
two and a half years, and itreally became exactly what this
letter was to us that Demetriuswas a bringer of good news.
(18:25):
And our job was to take care ofhim and be a good host to him as
we had him.
And then uh by God's grace andum uh a whole lot of effort, we
actually got to adopt him, andso he's uh Demetrius Davis, and
um we get to continue to bereminded that he is a bringer of
the truth.
Um, but here's what's importantand this is what we can learn
(18:45):
from Demetrius Message plusmanner equals credibility.
The message that you bring andthe manner in which you do it
gives you credibility.
It's not enough to have rightwords.
The way must rhyme with Jesus.
And the truth itself testifieswhen your life harmonizes with
(19:08):
scripture.
Uh here's uh maybe a little gutcheck for you.
If truth itself reviewed yourlife like a restaurant critic,
would it say like cozy,generous, worth a repeat visit?
Or would it say like loud,overpriced, the bread was stale,
right?
(19:29):
John then wraps up like a pastorwho misses his people.
He says, I had much to write,but I'd rather not write with
pen and ink.
I hope to see you soon, and wewill talk face to face.
Peace to you.
The friends here send theirgreetings, greet the friends
(19:50):
here by name.
So here's the deal presence beatthe paragraphs and names matter.
That's the sound of third Johnplaying through the speakers.
Third John is not a self-helphack, it's literally a snapshot
of gospel fruit.
That Jesus is the one who lovesus in truth when we're a mess.
(20:15):
That Jesus is the one who walksthe truth perfectly, even to the
cross.
That Jesus is the host who setsa table for enemies and served
his own life as the meal.
And Jesus is the king whoopposes the proud and gives
grace to the humble.
We don't host to earn his love.
(20:38):
We host because we've beenhosted.
We don't walk to get adopted, wewalk because we're already a
part of the family.
And grace is this engine, andobedience is literally our road
trip.
So if you're here today andyou're on the edge of faith,
hear this.
Your seat at God's table is noton layaway.
(21:01):
It's been paid for.
Turn to Christ.
Trust him.
Enjoy this weird, wonderfulfamily where truth makes us
honest, grace makes us kind, andthe door keeps opening for the
sake of his name.
So now, as we close this series,John's little postcard becomes
(21:24):
literally, I think, a mirror forNorthgate.
So, what does it look like forus to live this out?
Uh, if you didn't remember this,for 152 weeks, we walked through
the life and the writings ofJesus and the gospel according
to Matthew.
And then we spent six weeks onthe Holy Spirit saying, okay,
that happened, he left, thenwhat's going on?
(21:45):
And now we've just spent 14weeks on how to live this gospel
life out in one, two, three,John, where we've literally
watched the fisherman become theelder, the friend of Jesus,
become the shepherd of churches.
And now here we are standing onthe last square of the board.
(22:06):
This whole story ends with twopeople who made opposite moves:
Gaius and Diatrophes.
One opened his home, the otherclosed it.
One walked in the spirit, andthe other guarded his position.
One's name meant hospitality,the others meant hostility.
(22:27):
So I'd ask Northgate, what's ourmove?
Because free will means that westill have one.
We get a choice.
Jesus has already said,checkmate, he's the king.
He's already conquered death,but he won't move the peace for
you.
You and I have to decide whatwe'll do with the truth and what
(22:48):
we know.
And when John writes to Gaius,he's writing to a man whose
faithfulness literally shows upin habits.
I'd call it for us good moves.
What do good moves look like?
Well, Gaius, we learn isfaithful.
He's walking in truth.
This is a good move.
Faithfulness isn't justbelieving the right things, it's
literally walking in love.
(23:10):
Gaius is generous, giving toGod's kingdom, not just his own.
Generosity isn't about havingextra, it's about trusting God
with what you already have.
And he's hospitable, managingGod's stuff, not owning it.
See, hospitality is literallyseeing your stuff in your life
as borrowed from God, yourhouse, your car, your job, your
(23:33):
influence, all on loan to beleveraged for his glory.
There's this um pronoun changethat happens when I think
maturity kicks in.
Immature faith says, it's mylife, it's my stuff, it's my
job, it's my family.
Immature faith says, God, whatdo you want me to do with your
stuff?
(23:54):
You let me marry one of yourdaughters.
You gave me your children for aseason.
You put your resources in myhands.
Now, what do you want me to dowith them?
And at some point, everyfollower of Jesus has to shift
from mine to yours.
(24:15):
And that's what made Gaius standout.
When traveling teachers camethrough, he opened his door, he
gave them food, he sent them outwith provisions.
2,000 years later, his name isstill being read in churches
like Northgate.
That's a legacy of faithfulness.
And here's what I know about ourchurch.
(24:38):
We've got a lot of Gaiuses here.
We've got a lot of Gaius heartsin here.
You're faithful.
You give, you host, you serve,you pray, you lean in even when
it's messy.
And I just want to say thank youfor being that kind of church.
But we also have to watch forthe Diotrophes impulse, the part
(25:02):
of us that wants to be first.
Pride seed always whispers,protect your spots, build your
brand, don't lose control.
But the gospel whispers, lay itdown, serve, trust, open the
door.
And maybe Diotrophes wasn't acartoon villain with a pointy
nose and tail.
(25:22):
Maybe he thought he wasprotecting the church.
Maybe he thought what he reallybelieved was he was guarding the
truth.
And that's the scary part forus.
That self-righteousness alwaysfeels like faithfulness in the
moment.
But I'm telling you, pridedressed as conviction still
poisons the well.
(25:44):
So here's the bad moves that welearn from theatrophies.
He was prideful, looking out fornumber one and putting my needs
first.
He was selfish.
He was showing up, showing nogenerosity or hospitality
towards the kingdom.
And he gossiped, bringing othersdown behind their backs.
(26:07):
And then that's where John stepsin like a wise old pastor and
says, don't imitate what isevil, but what is good.
So again, what's good?
Faithfulness, generosity,hospitality.
That's the move.
So let me just speak to ourfaith community directly.
(26:27):
I know that this stuff is out onthe web right now, but here,
this is just for our people inthis room.
We are living in a moment whereculture and Christianity are in
great conflict.
The noise is constant.
And I'm telling you right now,fear is cheap.
And if you lean in to theproblems, if you constantly
(26:49):
digest the outrage of the world,it will rob you of your peace.
But if you lean into the spirit,you will find that the fruits
that mark a healthy soul, love,joy, peace, patience, kindness,
goodness, faithfulness,gentleness, and self-control.
(27:13):
So how's your soul?
Not your calendar, not yourrelationships, not your home,
your soul.
If your soul is dry, startwalking again.
Not striving, just walking.
That's the slow, steady yes toJesus every day.
(27:35):
That's honestly why our valuehere out there on that wall, um,
when you walk in, it says thatwe are a people in process.
Now remember, uh, Johnintroduces one more person
before signing off.
It's Demetrius.
I'm going to come back to himreally quickly, and here's why I
think that's important.
John says he's well spoken of byeveryone and by the truth
(27:58):
itself.
That's literally credibilitythat money can't buy.
Imagine living in such a waythat scripture itself would nod
in approval of your life.
Demetrius represents the nextgeneration.
It's literally the next personstepping into this story.
And honestly, I think that's us.
(28:19):
After studying the gospel ofMatthew and these letters, we
are the next link in the chain.
We are the next to carry thetruth forward, the next to walk
it out.
So if Fourth John were beingwritten today, what would it say
about us?
Would it say Northgate was likeGaius?
(28:40):
Faithful, generous, hospitable,soul healthy?
Would it say our people lovedthe truth and lived it, that our
tables were open and our heartswere soft?
Or would it read likediatrophies, protective,
defensive, quick to speak, slowto serve, obsessed with being
right?
And here's the best part,friends.
(29:01):
We get to decide that paragraphwere the next sentence in God's
unfolding story.
And so here's the vision I seefor Northgate that we would be
faithful, hospitable, andrespectable.
Faithful meaning that we livedaily, we live this out, the
truth that we've actuallystudied, that we're actually
doing it, not just knowing it,but yielding to it.
(29:23):
And the goal isn't just tounderstand Jesus better, it's
actually to look more like himand the things that we say and
the things that we do.
Hospitable meaning uh we loveand welcome everyone into what
God has given us, not what wehave built, not what we deserve,
or what, but what he's actuallyentrusted us.
(29:46):
The most powerful evangelismstrategy is still an open table.
And then respectable, meaning weguard our hearts and our tongues
so that everything we say doedifies and reflects Christ.
Because the world is starvingfor people who can hold truth
and love at the same time.
(30:09):
And frankly, in my opinion, toomany churches pick a side all
truth and no love, or all loveand no truth.
But I believe God is callingNorthgate to be the kind of
community that chooses, refusesto choose between the two, to be
unwavering and Truth andunrelenting in love, to be a
(30:35):
people so rooted in Scriptureand so overflowing with grace
that even those who disagreewith us can't deny the beauty of
Christ in us.
And that's hard work.
That's supernatural work.
And it will take more of thespirit than we have naturally.
But if we walk in the spirit, ifwe stay close to Jesus, it's
(30:57):
possible.
I'm telling you, it's possible.
Because when the church livesthis way, cities change.
And I think that that's theNorthgate dream.
It always has been to be thechurch that changes the city,
not by shouting at it, by lovingit so fiercely that people can't
help but notice that weliterally get to be lights in
dark rooms, stars against ablack sky.
So here's the final move (31:18):
lay down your crown.
You cannot have two kings on theboard of life.
Jesus has already calledcheckmate.
So the one question that's leftis will you surrender to that?
Will you trade being the maincharacter for being the servant
(31:39):
in his story?
Every time you give, every timeyou open your home, every time
you choose peace over pride, youmove a piece towards the
kingdom.
You're saying, I'm done buildingmy little empire.
God build yours through me.
And that's exactly how thisstory ends.
(32:01):
With peace.
Verse 15 peace to you.
Peace to you.
The friends here send theirgreetings, greet the friends
there by name.
Peace to you, John says.
Not because the world is calm,it wasn't.
The church was under pressureand Rome was hostile and the
(32:21):
gossip and there was division.
Yet John ends with peace.
Because peace isn't the absenceof conflict, it's the presence
of Christ.
So Northgate.
You are not alone.
(32:43):
The friends here send yourgreetings.
The friends there need ours.
May we keep greeting one anotherby name, keep showing up, and
keep walking in truth.
And when you are squeezed thisweek by pressure, by fear, by
(33:03):
frustration, let what comes outbe love.
Let it be joy, let it bepatience, let it be proof that
your soul is getting along well.
Because when the world sees apeople like that, they will want
to know the Jesus who makes itpossible.
(33:27):
Let me pray.
Father, thank you for loving usin the truth through Jesus.
Would you teach us to make oursoul the pace setter of our
lives and help us walk, not justnod in the truth this week?
Turning our apartments, ourdorms, our homes into mission
(33:50):
infrastructure.
Would you give us courage toconfront ego and humility to
receive correction and wisdom toimitate what is good?
Would you make us like Gaius inour welcome, unlike Diatrophes
and our pride, and likeDemetrius in our credibility?
Give us peace and help us greetone another by name for the sake
(34:14):
of the name above every name,Jesus Christ.
Amen.
Good morning.
My name is Emma Badoo.
I'm in eighth grade and I go toVenetia Middle School.
And today I'm going to bereading 3rd John the Elder to my
dear friend Gaius, whom I lovein the truth.
Dear friend, I pray that you mayenjoy good health and that all
may go well with you.
Just as you are progressingspiritually, it gave me great
(00:58):
joy when some believers came andtestified about your
faithfulness to the truth,telling how you continue to walk
in it.
I have no greater joy than tohear that my children are
walking in the truth.
Dear friend, you are faithful inwhat you are doing for the
brothers and sisters.
Even though they are strangersto you, they have told the
church about your love.
Please send them on their way ina manner that honors God.
(01:21):
It was for the sake of the namethat they went out, receiving no
help from the pagans.
We ought therefore to showhospitality to such people so
that we may work together forthe truth.
I wrote to the church, but dieoff at Tris, who loves to be
first will not welcome us.
So when I come, I will callattention to what he is doing,
(01:41):
spreading malicious nonsenseabout us.
Not satisfied with that, he evenrefuses to welcome other
believers.
He also stops those who want todo so and puts them out of the
church.
Dear friend, do not imitate whatis evil, but what is good.
Anyone who does what is good isfrom God.
Anyone who does what is evil hasnot seen God.
Demetrius is well spoken of byeveryone and even by the truth
(02:05):
itself.
We also speak well of him, andyou know that our testimony is
true.
I have much to write to you, butI do not want to do so with pen
and ink.
I hope to see you soon, and wewill talk face to face.
Peace to you.
The friends here send theirgreetings.
Greet the friends by their name.
This is the word of the Lord.
SPEAKER_01 (02:23):
Thanks be to God.
All right, that's good.
She read an entire uh book ofthe Bible uh just right now.
Uh, we're gonna do thattogether.
We're Bible teaching, Biblebelieving church, we do verse by
verse.
You guys are wrapping up one,two, three, John.
This is the third book of John.
(02:45):
It's in the back of the uh theNew Testament in your Bible.
Um, there's these three littleletters, and it's different than
John's big book.
Told you last week, a lot of youare familiar with John 3, 16.
That's where that one comesfrom.
And then you get these when he'sold, uh, he's wise, the thing
he's learning, he's writing tothese churches and two people,
not specifically to us, as we'llsee, but for us.
(03:06):
Um, I always find it sointeresting um how and why the
Saints chose what they chosethat would be canonized in the
in in scripture for us.
And there was something aboutthis letter that they said print
it.
We got to have it.
And so we're gonna try to unpackthat.
But before um I hop into that, Ijust want to pause real quick.
We got some important stuffcoming up.
One thing in particular that I'mso thankful that we have here as
(03:29):
a resource.
And it's next week.
Um, we got some celebrating nextweek with baptism.
But the other thing that we'redoing next week, when we have
another one in December, it'scalled Grief Share Surviving the
Holidays.
Um, the holidays that we'recoming into are just like one of
these odd times for people.
It's really great.
We get to hold two things in ourhands.
We get to hold celebration andfun and some happy stuff.
(03:49):
And then for a lot of us, wehold grief in an empty chair or
a moment or an anniversary orjust something that feels
different.
And so this is just a resource,maybe for some of you who are
actually in here um today thatcould use this as a resource.
Um, but this is also a tool thatsome of you guys can use just to
reach out to and to care forsomeone else that could really
(04:11):
use just some hope and some helpin this holiday season.
So that stuff's out there on ourresources wall.
There's all kinds of stuffthat's coming up.
You can, of course, check thatout.
But there's some little umpamphlets you can take too if
that would be helpful to you.
So let me go ahead and hop infor today.
I want to take you into today,as you just heard, one of the
shortest texts in the NewTestament and show you why it
(04:34):
literally hits like aconcentrated espresso shot.
It's tiny and it hits.
See, the Apostle John, he's thisseasoned elder at this uh
moment, and he writes um to thistiny little postcard called
Third John.
And in these first five versesthat we read today, it's
(04:55):
basically a spiritual wellnesscheck, a Yelp review about one
guy's character, and literally amasterclass and hospitality.
And if you've ever wondered whatuh exactly delights a pastor's
heart, this is kind of a spoileralert today.
It's not a big platform, it'speople walking in the truth.
(05:16):
This today is a kind of passagethat you tape inside your
journal because it's both tenderand it's tough.
It's like that friend who showsup and brings you coffee and
then tells you to drink water.
Today, today, we're gonna letJohn show us how truth actually
travels, how it shapes love,soul health, daily habits, and
(05:38):
open door hospitality.
The apostle John writes to afriend named Gaius about three
things that you and I deal withall of the time.
Specifically, soul health,everyday obedience, and whether
our front door is opened orclosed for the sake of Jesus.
(05:59):
And then there's this subplotthat feels very 2025 right now.
A guy named uh Diatrophes, whohas this main character energy
so loud that you can literallyhear it through the parchment
today.
He's calling him out.
I mean, if you've ever workedfor a boss who likes to be
first, you already know thisguy.
So here's this whole sermon inone sentence, so your brain can
(06:20):
literally just attach acarabiner to it today.
It's this truth-shaped lovebecomes mission-shaped
hospitality, and it stands up toego-shaped leadership.
Let me say that one more time.
This is where we're gonna go intoday.
Truth-shaped love becomesmission-shaped hospitality, and
it stands up to ego-shapedleadership.
(06:43):
So John opens, verse one.
He says to my dear friend Gaius,whom I love in the truth.
Now, what's important tounderstand right here is John's
not like DMing a stranger.
He's writing to someone hedeeply loves, and the glue
between them is actually truth.
This little phrase is doingheavyweight theology right now.
He doesn't say, Whom I lovebecause we both like the same
(07:05):
worship playlist, or whom I lovebecause our Enneagrams are
compliant, not vibes, notmashing aesthetic, says truth.
He he loves Gaius in the truth,and that is the reality that God
has revealed in Jesus.
Uh, have you ever felt thepressure to create your people
(07:26):
around your favorite playlists,sports teams, oat milk
preferences?
John goes deeper here.
He says, real Christianaffection is tethered to the
reality as God defines it, whichmeans it won't evaporate when
circumstances shift in ourlives.
That love in the truth isliterally thicker than
(07:48):
convenience and trend.
It's the kind of bond thatdoesn't change when your
schedule, your city, uh, yourjob title does.
That Christian affection isn'tbuilt on aesthetic.
It's built on alliance andallegiance.
Uh, John then prays a verse thatbelongs in your lock screen.
(08:09):
He says, I pray that you mayenjoy good health and that all
may go well with you.
Here it is, even as your soul isgetting along well.
I think this is so interestingright now.
He assumes Gaius' soul isalready thriving and asks then
God to let the rest of his lifeliterally catch up.
(08:29):
It's not prosperity gospel.
This is priority gospel, thatthe inner life literally sets
the pace, that all the otherdashboards, work, health, money,
achievements are literallyinvited to sink in.
Let me put it this way (08:43):
uh, your schedule is a theology.
If your calendar prospers, butyour soul is dehydrated, you are
living upside down.
You you you can be booked andbusy with a starved inner life.
And John says, let me flip it.
Your soul, let your soulliterally be the baseline of
(09:06):
your wellness plan.
So here's my question.
How's your soul?
I don't think we asked thatquestion enough.
And I mean, it's just an oddquestion asked, be like, how's
your soul?
Um, but everyone asks usquestions, right?
Usually it's like, how's work?
How's your kids?
How's your house remodel goingor your project?
(09:26):
But when was the last timesomebody asked you, how's your
soul?
That one hits different, doesn'tit?
And for some of us, honestly,you might even not know how to
answer it.
And maybe that's a sign rightthere that there's something
off.
That maybe it's time to add aweekly rhythm, uh, worship with
(09:47):
your church, or one unhurriedhour where your phone is in
airplane mode and your Bible isnot.
John then says, it gives megreat joy when some believers
came and testified about yourfaithfulness to the truth,
telling how you continue to walkin it.
Then he drops this line that Ithink every mentor keeps in
(10:10):
their wallet.
He says, I have no greater joythan to hear that my children
are walking in the truth.
John says, There's no greaterjoy than hearing his spiritual
kids are walking in this truth.
If you've ever coached ormentored or parented, you know
that joy.
It's the holy version ofwatching a little sibling
(10:32):
finally ride the bike withouttraining wheels.
And it's something, honestly, weshould chase.
We should chase this joy.
And we celebrate things likebaptisms, yes, even next week,
but also then we celebratebudget lines that find uh that
fund missions and smallapartments with big tables and
roommates who settle conflictlike followers and volunteers
(10:54):
who welcome strangers likefamily.
I love this word, um, walking,walking in the truth, not
thinking about, not tweeting,not mood boarding it, walking
it.
See, I think it's important thatwe remember Christianity is not
a couch, it's a road.
And we sit in these seats andnod and sometimes not walk.
(11:20):
And there's a difference betweenwalking and nodding, as an
example.
Nodding is that was a firesermon.
That was so good.
Walking is I canceled the secretsubscription to that sin.
Nodding is a great devo thought.
Walking is I made restitutionand paid back what I took.
(11:44):
Uh, nodding is like we shouldhang out soon.
Walking is dinner's at six.
Bring your roommate.
That's what John means.
Walking is the slow, steady yes.
Then John commends Gaius.
He says, Dear friend, you'refaithful in what you're doing
(12:07):
for the brothers and sisters,even though they're strangers.
Then verse 6, they have told thechurch about your love.
Please send them on their way ina manner that honors God.
So he praises how Gaius sendsthem on their way in a manner
worthy of God.
Why?
Well, because they went out.
(12:28):
It says in verse 7, they wentout for the sake of the name
that they went out, receiving nohelp from the pagans.
Now, pagans here doesn't meanlike Satan worshippers or idol
worshippers in a derogatorysense.
At this point, it's just thisneutral description of
non-believers, people who didn'tfollow Christ.
(12:48):
You could literally paraphrasethis verse this way: They went
out to serve Christ's name anddid not depend on financial help
from unbelievers.
Then the key line in verse 8.
(13:11):
See, in the first century, therewere no Marriott points.
Mission literally moved on thehospitality of Christians.
Uh, open homes was how thegospel got on the map.
Hospitality wasn't on Instagram,it wasn't an aesthetic, it was
literally a supply chain for thekingdom.
These homes were.
Think of it this way (13:32):
your apartment, your home, your
table, your rides, your Vimmo,all of it can become missional
infrastructure.
That when you host or fund thefaithful worker, John says you
become literally a co-laborer.
And that's spiritual equity thatyou share in the joy and the
(13:56):
reward.
In fact, in two weeks, we'regonna get an update from one of
our mission partners in personon the 23rd.
So you guys can make sure thatyou're here for that.
But then it takes this turn.
John then says, I wrote to thechurch, but Diatrophes, who
likes to be first, will notwelcome us.
And John is like, When I come, Iwill call attention to what he
(14:21):
is doing.
He is spreading maliciousnonsense, refusing hospitality,
and kicking out anyone who doesnot welcome faithful workers.
And some of you guys are like, Ilike John a lot.
That's the use you tell him.
And what's going on right hereis this isn't just bad manners,
it's anti-gospel leadership thathe's talking about, literally
(14:42):
pride that shuts doors, gossipthat slanders truth, and control
that isolates saints.
So I thought um, for those ofyou who might not think you're a
diotrophies, I would do a littlered flag list.
Am I accidentally diotrophes?
So here's some things to lookat.
Is platform more important thanpeople?
(15:04):
Prioritizing being seen overserving.
Uh, is control greater thancollaboration?
Blocking good work because itdidn't start from you.
And these are just internalquestions to ask yourself.
Slander, more important thanscripture, weakonizing rumors
instead of opening the Bible orgatekeeping over guidance, uh,
(15:24):
punishing those who practicehospitality that you didn't
authorize.
John doesn't shrug.
He says, No, no, no.
When I come, I'm gonna callattention to what he's doing.
And what that simply means,friends, is accountability.
See, healthy churches, Ibelieve, confront pride, not
coddle it or even celebrate it.
(15:46):
And here's where this messagegets real for Northgate.
We live in a culture thatcelebrates theotrophy's entry
energy.
Be first, be loud, be right.
It's all main character energy.
Or um, some people put it thisway it's Christians behaving
badly.
And Jesus calls us to theopposite, to serve, to listen,
(16:12):
to yield.
And at Northgate, that has gotto be our rhythm.
Open tables, soft hearts, thickskin, and deep truth.
And then John turns to Gaiusagain and he says, Beloved, do
not imitate what is evil, butwhat is good.
Whoever does good is from God.
(16:32):
Whoever does evil has not seenGod.
So here's the deal, friends.
We're always imitating someoneor something.
You know this TikTok trends, youknow, you're doing the new
dance, office culture, uh, gymhabits, uh, friend group
sarcasm.
So here's the thing choosemodels that look like Jesus,
(16:57):
like when they're tired and whenno one's clapping.
And then this week, maybe picktwo people and two different
virtues that you admire insomeone, and I know you have
this in your life, and just tellyourself this week, you know
what?
I'm gonna intimidate uh imitatethat person's patience at work
this week.
(17:18):
Or I'm gonna um imitate hismercy that he has with roommates
this week, which is a reallysimple practice.
Just says, you know, I'm gonnaI'm gonna try to do that, I'm
gonna go towards that.
Then John says, Demetrius iswell spoken of by everyone and
by the truth itself.
We also speak well of him, andyou know that our testimony is
(17:41):
true.
So Demetrius here is probablythe guy who's carrying the
letter for John.
And John then gives himreferences right here with
community.
He gives them references with uhscripture, the truth itself.
And then he gives them this umapostolic endorsement.
Um, my uh youngest son isactually named Demetrius.
(18:03):
Uh, this is actually where wegot his name from.
Uh, he's in here now, maybe he'sgonna learn this.
Um, Demetrius, um, we had thehonor and privilege of uh taking
him as a foster kid in SolanoCounty, and we fostered him for
two and a half years, and itreally became exactly what this
letter was to us that Demetriuswas a bringer of good news.
(18:25):
And our job was to take care ofhim and be a good host to him as
we had him.
And then uh by God's grace andum uh a whole lot of effort, we
actually got to adopt him, andso he's uh Demetrius Davis, and
um we get to continue to bereminded that he is a bringer of
the truth.
Um, but here's what's importantand this is what we can learn
(18:45):
from Demetrius Message plusmanner equals credibility.
The message that you bring andthe manner in which you do it
gives you credibility.
It's not enough to have rightwords.
The way must rhyme with Jesus.
And the truth itself testifieswhen your life harmonizes with
(19:08):
scripture.
Uh here's uh maybe a little gutcheck for you.
If truth itself reviewed yourlife like a restaurant critic,
would it say like cozy,generous, worth a repeat visit?
Or would it say like loud,overpriced, the bread was stale,
right?
(19:29):
John then wraps up like a pastorwho misses his people.
He says, I had much to write,but I'd rather not write with
pen and ink.
I hope to see you soon, and wewill talk face to face.
Peace to you.
The friends here send theirgreetings, greet the friends
(19:50):
here by name.
So here's the deal presence beatthe paragraphs and names matter.
That's the sound of third Johnplaying through the speakers.
Third John is not a self-helphack, it's literally a snapshot
of gospel fruit.
That Jesus is the one who lovesus in truth when we're a mess.
(20:15):
That Jesus is the one who walksthe truth perfectly, even to the
cross.
That Jesus is the host who setsa table for enemies and served
his own life as the meal.
And Jesus is the king whoopposes the proud and gives
grace to the humble.
We don't host to earn his love.
(20:38):
We host because we've beenhosted.
We don't walk to get adopted, wewalk because we're already a
part of the family.
And grace is this engine, andobedience is literally our road
trip.
So if you're here today andyou're on the edge of faith,
hear this.
Your seat at God's table is noton layaway.
(21:01):
It's been paid for.
Turn to Christ.
Trust him.
Enjoy this weird, wonderfulfamily where truth makes us
honest, grace makes us kind, andthe door keeps opening for the
sake of his name.
So now, as we close this series,John's little postcard becomes
(21:24):
literally, I think, a mirror forNorthgate.
So, what does it look like forus to live this out?
Uh, if you didn't remember this,for 152 weeks, we walked through
the life and the writings ofJesus and the gospel according
to Matthew.
And then we spent six weeks onthe Holy Spirit saying, okay,
that happened, he left, thenwhat's going on?
(21:45):
And now we've just spent 14weeks on how to live this gospel
life out in one, two, three,John, where we've literally
watched the fisherman become theelder, the friend of Jesus,
become the shepherd of churches.
And now here we are standing onthe last square of the board.
(22:06):
This whole story ends with twopeople who made opposite moves:
Gaius and Diatrophes.
One opened his home, the otherclosed it.
One walked in the spirit, andthe other guarded his position.
One's name meant hospitality,the others meant hostility.
(22:27):
So I'd ask Northgate, what's ourmove?
Because free will means that westill have one.
We get a choice.
Jesus has already said,checkmate, he's the king.
He's already conquered death,but he won't move the peace for
you.
You and I have to decide whatwe'll do with the truth and what
(22:48):
we know.
And when John writes to Gaius,he's writing to a man whose
faithfulness literally shows upin habits.
I'd call it for us good moves.
What do good moves look like?
Well, Gaius, we learn isfaithful.
He's walking in truth.
This is a good move.
Faithfulness isn't justbelieving the right things, it's
literally walking in love.
(23:10):
Gaius is generous, giving toGod's kingdom, not just his own.
Generosity isn't about havingextra, it's about trusting God
with what you already have.
And he's hospitable, managingGod's stuff, not owning it.
See, hospitality is literallyseeing your stuff in your life
as borrowed from God, yourhouse, your car, your job, your
(23:33):
influence, all on loan to beleveraged for his glory.
There's this um pronoun changethat happens when I think
maturity kicks in.
Immature faith says, it's mylife, it's my stuff, it's my
job, it's my family.
Immature faith says, God, whatdo you want me to do with your
stuff?
(23:54):
You let me marry one of yourdaughters.
You gave me your children for aseason.
You put your resources in myhands.
Now, what do you want me to dowith them?
And at some point, everyfollower of Jesus has to shift
from mine to yours.
(24:15):
And that's what made Gaius standout.
When traveling teachers camethrough, he opened his door, he
gave them food, he sent them outwith provisions.
2,000 years later, his name isstill being read in churches
like Northgate.
That's a legacy of faithfulness.
And here's what I know about ourchurch.
(24:38):
We've got a lot of Gaiuses here.
We've got a lot of Gaius heartsin here.
You're faithful.
You give, you host, you serve,you pray, you lean in even when
it's messy.
And I just want to say thank youfor being that kind of church.
But we also have to watch forthe Diotrophes impulse, the part
(25:02):
of us that wants to be first.
Pride seed always whispers,protect your spots, build your
brand, don't lose control.
But the gospel whispers, lay itdown, serve, trust, open the
door.
And maybe Diotrophes wasn't acartoon villain with a pointy
nose and tail.
(25:22):
Maybe he thought he wasprotecting the church.
Maybe he thought what he reallybelieved was he was guarding the
truth.
And that's the scary part forus.
That self-righteousness alwaysfeels like faithfulness in the
moment.
But I'm telling you, pridedressed as conviction still
poisons the well.
(25:44):
So here's the bad moves that welearn from theatrophies.
He was prideful, looking out fornumber one and putting my needs
first.
He was selfish.
He was showing up, showing nogenerosity or hospitality
towards the kingdom.
And he gossiped, bringing othersdown behind their backs.
(26:07):
And then that's where John stepsin like a wise old pastor and
says, don't imitate what isevil, but what is good.
So again, what's good?
Faithfulness, generosity,hospitality.
That's the move.
So let me just speak to ourfaith community directly.
(26:27):
I know that this stuff is out onthe web right now, but here,
this is just for our people inthis room.
We are living in a moment whereculture and Christianity are in
great conflict.
The noise is constant.
And I'm telling you right now,fear is cheap.
And if you lean in to theproblems, if you constantly
(26:49):
digest the outrage of the world,it will rob you of your peace.
But if you lean into the spirit,you will find that the fruits
that mark a healthy soul, love,joy, peace, patience, kindness,
goodness, faithfulness,gentleness, and self-control.
(27:13):
So how's your soul?
Not your calendar, not yourrelationships, not your home,
your soul.
If your soul is dry, startwalking again.
Not striving, just walking.
That's the slow, steady yes toJesus every day.
(27:35):
That's honestly why our valuehere out there on that wall, um,
when you walk in, it says thatwe are a people in process.
Now remember, uh, Johnintroduces one more person
before signing off.
It's Demetrius.
I'm going to come back to himreally quickly, and here's why I
think that's important.
John says he's well spoken of byeveryone and by the truth
(27:58):
itself.
That's literally credibilitythat money can't buy.
Imagine living in such a waythat scripture itself would nod
in approval of your life.
Demetrius represents the nextgeneration.
It's literally the next personstepping into this story.
And honestly, I think that's us.
(28:19):
After studying the gospel ofMatthew and these letters, we
are the next link in the chain.
We are the next to carry thetruth forward, the next to walk
it out.
So if Fourth John were beingwritten today, what would it say
about us?
Would it say Northgate was likeGaius?
(28:40):
Faithful, generous, hospitable,soul healthy?
Would it say our people lovedthe truth and lived it, that our
tables were open and our heartswere soft?
Or would it read likediatrophies, protective,
defensive, quick to speak, slowto serve, obsessed with being
right?
And here's the best part,friends.
(29:01):
We get to decide that paragraphwere the next sentence in God's
unfolding story.
And so here's the vision I seefor Northgate that we would be
faithful, hospitable, andrespectable.
Faithful meaning that we livedaily, we live this out, the
truth that we've actuallystudied, that we're actually
doing it, not just knowing it,but yielding to it.
(29:23):
And the goal isn't just tounderstand Jesus better, it's
actually to look more like himand the things that we say and
the things that we do.
Hospitable meaning uh we loveand welcome everyone into what
God has given us, not what wehave built, not what we deserve,
or what, but what he's actuallyentrusted us.
(29:46):
The most powerful evangelismstrategy is still an open table.
And then respectable, meaning weguard our hearts and our tongues
so that everything we say doedifies and reflects Christ.
Because the world is starvingfor people who can hold truth
and love at the same time.
(30:09):
And frankly, in my opinion, toomany churches pick a side all
truth and no love, or all loveand no truth.
But I believe God is callingNorthgate to be the kind of
community that chooses, refusesto choose between the two, to be
unwavering and Truth andunrelenting in love, to be a
(30:35):
people so rooted in Scriptureand so overflowing with grace
that even those who disagreewith us can't deny the beauty of
Christ in us.
And that's hard work.
That's supernatural work.
And it will take more of thespirit than we have naturally.
But if we walk in the spirit, ifwe stay close to Jesus, it's
(30:57):
possible.
I'm telling you, it's possible.
Because when the church livesthis way, cities change.
And I think that that's theNorthgate dream.
It always has been to be thechurch that changes the city,
not by shouting at it, by lovingit so fiercely that people can't
help but notice that weliterally get to be lights in
dark rooms, stars against ablack sky.
So here's the final move (31:18):
lay down your crown.
You cannot have two kings on theboard of life.
Jesus has already calledcheckmate.
So the one question that's leftis will you surrender to that?
Will you trade being the maincharacter for being the servant
(31:39):
in his story?
Every time you give, every timeyou open your home, every time
you choose peace over pride, youmove a piece towards the
kingdom.
You're saying, I'm done buildingmy little empire.
God build yours through me.
And that's exactly how thisstory ends.
(32:01):
With peace.
Verse 15 peace to you.
Peace to you.
The friends here send theirgreetings, greet the friends
there by name.
Peace to you, John says.
Not because the world is calm,it wasn't.
The church was under pressureand Rome was hostile and the
(32:21):
gossip and there was division.
Yet John ends with peace.
Because peace isn't the absenceof conflict, it's the presence
of Christ.
So Northgate.
You are not alone.
(32:43):
The friends here send yourgreetings.
The friends there need ours.
May we keep greeting one anotherby name, keep showing up, and
keep walking in truth.
And when you are squeezed thisweek by pressure, by fear, by
(33:03):
frustration, let what comes outbe love.
Let it be joy, let it bepatience, let it be proof that
your soul is getting along well.
Because when the world sees apeople like that, they will want
to know the Jesus who makes itpossible.
(33:27):
Let me pray.
Father, thank you for loving usin the truth through Jesus.
Would you teach us to make oursoul the pace setter of our
lives and help us walk, not justnod in the truth this week?
Turning our apartments, ourdorms, our homes into mission
(33:50):
infrastructure.
Would you give us courage toconfront ego and humility to
receive correction and wisdom toimitate what is good?
Would you make us like Gaius inour welcome, unlike Diatrophes
and our pride, and likeDemetrius in our credibility?
Give us peace and help us greetone another by name for the sake
(34:14):
of the name above every name,Jesus Christ.
Amen.
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