• Download Video
• Download Audio
• Print
• Email
• Save As PDF

"I wrote to the church..."

Text: 3 John 9

DISAGREEMENT AMONG THE CHURCH LEADERS

Not everyone agreed with the Apostle John. In the following text, John highlighted a problem of a church leader who strenuously disagreed with him. Candidly, John addressed this problem and shared it with Gaius.

“I wrote to the church, but Diotrephes,
who loves to have the preeminence among them,
does not receive us.”
3 John 9

1. “I wrote to the church”

a) This letter is lost to us today.

b) What could have happened to it?

i) It was not preserved somehow.

ii) It was destroyed by Diotrephes.

c) John’s letter

i) It would have apostolic authority.

ii) It was a letter endorsing the support of missionary work.

2. “But Diotrephes”

a) He was named as the opponent of John.

b) John was not afraid of Diotrephes hence he mentioned his name openly.

3. “Who loves to have the preeminence among them”

a) This was John’s opinion of Diotrephes.

b) With apostolic discernment he noted the problem.

i) Diotrephes was probably a leader in the church.

ii) He wanted to be seen as a prominent player in the church scene.

iii) He was obviously caught up with self-importance.

4. “Does not receive us”

a) Diotrephes must have opposed missionary work.

b) Perhaps he thought that the support of missionaries was too costly.

c) He even opposed John and his team.

d) He would not endorse the matter of receiving the Apostle John and his team.

e) Diotrephes sought to use his position in the church to oppose what John had endorsed. There was obvious conflict between the Apostle John and Diotrephes!