Corona Devo 3056

Sometimes at church you and I will have missionaries come to visit, and they will share of their call to serve the Lord in far away places.

Sometimes at church you and I have friends and families that are weekly, regular, dear members of our church body, and then they are called by the Lord to leave our family and go and build God's family somewhere else.

Sometimes at church you and I have visiting pastors, college students, children's choirs or others who are passing-through or staying for a spell.

How do we respond to them?

How do we support them?

How do we serve them?

How do we show hospitality to them?
What do we DO for the brothers and sisters (in Christ) even though they are strangers to us?

And, when it is time for them to leave, are we sending them on their way in a manner that honors God?

~~~

Why am I asking?

The truth is: I am not asking.
But God, through the Bible (His Word) is asking us, and He is pricking-our-hearts about our treatment and reception of His people.

Are we being faithful in what we are doing for the brothers and sisters, even though they are strangers to us?

Dear friend, you are faithful in what you are doing for the brothers and sisters, even though they are strangers to you. (6) They have told the church about your love. Please send them on their way in a manner that honors God.  

(7) It was for the sake of the Name that they went out, receiving no help from the pagans. (8) We ought therefore to show hospitality to such people so that we may work together for the truth.  

(9) I wrote to the church, but Diotrephes, who loves to be first, will not welcome us. (10) So when I come, I will call attention to what he is doing, spreading malicious nonsense about us. Not satisfied with that, he even refuses to welcome other believers. He also stops those who want to do so and puts them out of the church.  

(11) Beloved, do not imitate what is evil, but what is good. He who does good is of God, but he who does evil has not seen God. ~3 John 1:5-11


SIDENOTE: Yes, there is the Book (Gospel) of John in the Bible, but then there are three more Books in the New Testament by (scholars say) the same apostle John, and they are called 1 John, 2 John, and 3 John

In 3 John, John congratulates some followers of the Lord on how they have cared for brothers and sisters (albeit strangers), who were visiting them for the sake of the Name (of God) to teach the Word of God.  

These (visiting) people were not on vacation, in-town to visit family, or there on business.  These brothers and sisters were there (visiting churches) on God's business.  And John is affirming those people and churches that welcomed and supported them. 

Dear friend, you are faithful in what you are doing for the brothers and sisters, even though they are strangers to you. (6) They have told the church about your love. Please send them on their way in a manner that honors God.   ~3 John 1:5-6

The brothers and sisters that were visiting had come because they had felt God send them.  
If the Lord sends someone our way, how are we responding?  

These brothers and sisters went out for the sake of the Name (God's Name)...and they got no help from non-believers (pagans), and so they relied on God's provision through God's people.  

It was for the sake of the Name that they went out, receiving no help from the pagans. (8) We ought therefore to show hospitality to such people so that we may work together for the truth.   ~3 John 1:7

The Lord uses His Word to remind us how to treat, how to welcome, and how to show hospitality to such people so that we may work together for the truth. 

But John also highlights Diotrephes, who didn't support God's visiting voices, and Diotrephes even talked smack and crap about them and warned others not to welcome other believers.

I wrote to the church, but Diotrephes, who loves to be first, will not welcome us. (10) So when I come, I will call attention to what he is doing, spreading malicious nonsense about us. Not satisfied with that, he even refuses to welcome other believers. He also stops those who want to do so and puts them out of the church.  ~3 John 1:9-10

Yikes!  That is not the side of evangelism that we want to be on, Brothers and Sisters in Christ.  And perhaps we are not publicly going against missionaries or visitors on God's errand, but (I believe God is pressing into our hearts through His Word today)...what are we doing for the brothers and sisters, even though they are strangers to us?

I have no idea what God is up to in my life or yours in speaking these verses into us today...but we can be sure that He is always up to something.  And it is good.  And it is for His good.  

Are we doing good?

How?

Beloved, do not imitate what is evil, but what is good. He who does good is of God, but he who does evil has not seen God. ~3 John 1:11

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