WordLive - Year OneSample

Prepare: At the beginning of the week, you were reflecting on the words ‘God is love’ (1 John 4:8,16). What difference is that making several days on?

Role models
Unlike his first and second letters, John’s third mini-missive is to an individual. Gaius is evidently a church leader; verse 4 suggests he may have been converted through John.
Gaius is faced with a choice of role models.

First there is Diotrephes who is self-serving, manipulative, inhospitable and a gossip (vs 9,10); then there is Demetrius who is highly commended by John as well as by others (v 12). Fortunately, Gaius is more like Demetrius and has been especially supportive of those involved in the church’s outreach (vs 3–7).

Faithful to the truth
Gaius is praised for his continued faithfulness to the truth. What this truth might be is not spelled out here, but we are safe to assume it is the same truth as discussed in 1 and 2 John, namely the truth that is found in Jesus, God’s Son revealed in human flesh, and with its focus on his saving work.

John, however, makes it clear that adherence to the truth does not merely consist of head knowledge or lip service but must, if it is genuine, show itself in a changed life and practical action.

Respond: Think about a Christian leader who has been an inspiration to you, either in the past or present. What would they think about the way your Christian life is developing now?

http://www.wordlive.org/Session/Classic/2012-10-05