Mighty Slow

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Last week we started off talking about a different kind of evil. Don’t allow yourself to succumb to peer pressure. Watch out for the neighbor that tries to lead you in a way that is not good. You should be able to recognize this guy because he winks his eyes and devises perverse plans. Be on guard, watch out, remain steadfast. As you pay attention, you’ll grow in knowledge and understanding which leads to wisdom which leads to longer life which leads to the development of gray hair which is the normal course of our spiritual walk with Christ. Gray hair is like wearing a crown so treat your elders with respect. This morning, we’ll see that a man’s temperament is at the top of the list of desirable attributes.

Proverbs 16:32-33 says, “He who is slow to anger is better than the mighty, and he who rules his spirit, than he who captures a city. The lot is cast into the lap, but it’s every decision is from the Lord.”

Speed is relative. When I was in the Navy we had the saying, “Hurry up and wait.” It seems like we’re always waiting on something or someone. We tell our kids, “Hurry up.” “You’re slow as Christmas, or molasses.” We wait in the checkout line with the slowest cashier ever. We have to wait for our food in the restaurant and wish they’d hurry up. Being slow is not always a bad thing. We’re also told slow and steady wins the race. Slow down and smell the roses. In our seemingly contrasting world, Solomon tells us no different. Solomon starts off with the character of a man. He said previously, “He who is slow to anger has great understanding, but he who is quick-tempered exalts folly.” (Pro. 14:29) He also said, “A hot-tempered man stirs up strife, but the slow to anger calms a dispute.” (Pro. 15:18) Now he says, “He who is slow to anger is better than the mighty.” Notice he doesn’t say never gets angry, but it takes a while for the wise man. This verse comes right after Solomon talked about the gray headed man. The general thought is that as you grow older, you develop patience; you’re not easily provoked, you don’t take the bait to get into an argument, you think before talking, you consider the circumstances. In other words, you demonstrate biblical wisdom. You know who else is slow to anger? Ps. 103:8 says, “The Lord is compassionate and gracious, slow to anger and abounding in lovingkindness.” Listen to James’ expectation in Ja. 1:19, “This you know, my beloved brethren. But everyone must be quick to hear, slow to speak and slow to anger.” There should be progressive maturity in Christ. It should be steady. Just like in our biological growth, sometimes there are periods of growth spurts and sometimes there is slower growth, but always growth.

Being, “slow to anger is better than the mighty” is another example of how the Bible emphasizes qualities that are not elevated in our society. It doesn’t say being mighty or powerful is wrong, but when you compare it to anger, it’s better to be in control of yourself than it is to be strong and powerful. Solomon explains why when he says, “And he who rules his spirit, than he who captures a city.” This is one of the identifying traits of a mature Christian. Can you hold your tongue? Can you control your emotions? Are you anxious? Worried? It’s better to be able to control yourself than it is to be strong. The greatest battle you may fight just might be the one that you fight within yourself.

Solomon also talks about sovereignty. He says, “The lot is cast into the lap, but its every decision is from the Lord.” Back in Bible days, the lot was one of the methods used to determine God’s will. Lots were cast to determine the scape goat in Lev. 16:8. The Promised Land was divided among the Twelve Tribes by lot in Num. 26:55. The sailors cast lots to determine the cause of the calamity in Jon. 1:7. Lots were cast by the disciples to see who would replace Judas in Acts 1:26. We don’t know exactly that the lot was. It could have been flat stones like coins, varying length of sticks, or some other dice like device. When you consider God’s will, I assure you that it can be quite the conundrum and it’s not left to chance. So if God controls all things, then what about the evil and wickedness in the world? I think it’s a fair question, but you have to understand a very difficult concept. There is a difference in the permissive and perfect will of God. God is in control of all that happens and there are things He allows for reasons we may never know or never fully understand. Nothing that happens catches God by surprise. He can see tomorrow as clearly as He sees yesterday.

So even if something happens by chance, ultimately, God is in control. That brings us back to the sovereignty of God question. Paul exclaimed. “Oh, the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are His judgments and unfathomable His ways!” (Rom. 11:33) We can thwart God’s will too. The fatalist says whatever will happen will happen. If whatever happens, happens, why would God command us to pray? In fact, you can say that about all the Christian disciplines we have. Evangelism, missions, worship, etc. Just because something happens doesn’t mean it’s God’s will. Romans 1 tells us that’s not so. We have choice. “Submit therefore to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you.” (Ja. 4:7) Some things are from God and some things are from the devil. Solomon says, “Every decision is from the Lord.” Everything that happens in our life is carefully evaluated by God and is allowed to happen or not. Don’t confuse the verbs allow and cause. Jer. 29:11 says, “For I know the plans that I have for you,’ declares the Lord, ‘plans for welfare and not for calamity to give you a future and a hope.” God’s plans for us are always good, but that doesn’t mean nothing bad will ever happen. We live in a fallen, sin filled, self-centered world where we make decisions based on us. Even in tragedy, God can be glorified. Even in crisis, God can be glorified. In sickness, God can be glorified. We don’t know the ripple effect our lives have on eternity. In tragedy and crisis, our faith can grow; our trust in God can grow. God is not the source of evil, but He does allow it in this world and in our lives. We can wrestle with the whys of it all, or we can trust that God knows what He’s doing. I admit that is a very challenging decision.

Are you going to let your circumstances dictate who God is? For some people, God’s character and love change depending on how good their life is going. God is awesome, right up until your spouse is diagnosed with some awful disease. God is awesome right up until your kids do something that turns your world upside down. God is awesome right up until you lose your job, your car dies, or a tree falls on your house. God is awesome right up until the time that something happens that doesn’t line up with your plans.       When we evaluate that in light of Scripture, we can’t find where that’s true. Either God is the same always or He’s not. You can’t have it both ways. The sovereignty of God is a very challenging concept to understand and I will not pretend that I understand all the whys of life. I think a lot of the time; God just wants us to defer to Him. Paul said, “Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom also we have obtained our introduction by faith into this grace in which we stand; and we exult in hope of the glory of God. And not only this, but we also exult in our tribulations, knowing that tribulation brings about perseverance; and perseverance, proven character; and proven character, hope; and hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out within our hearts through the Holy Spirit who was given to us.” (Rom. 5:1-5) I walk through life; what I have observed is there are rarely periods of growth in our faith when all is going according to our plans. It’s when those plans change or are totally blown out of the water do we really learn how to trust in the One that allows those deviations. Solomon is not saying, “Hey believer, just sit back and hang while God does His magic.” We should and must engage in an intentional daily pursuit of all things Jesus.

The fatalist’s theme song goes like this: “Que Sera, Sera. Whatever will be, will be. The future’s not ours, to see. Que Sera, Sera. What will be, will be. Que Sera, Sera.” All we have to do to discount that is go back to the Bible. Just a moment ago I told you that Jer. 29:11 says, “For I know the plans that I have for you,’ declares the Lord, ‘plans for welfare and not for calamity to give you a future and a hope.” God does have plans for you. During Paul’s second missionary journey, the Spirit of Jesus prevented him from preaching in Asia and from going to Bithynia. Things don’t always make sense and God wants us to trust Him. It should be an easy enough thing to do. So you need to ask yourself, what’s keeping me from totally trusting God?

The Kiss of Death

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Today marks one of the holiest days on the Christian calendar. This day along with Christmas are the most attended church services across our nation. The story of Easter is filled with all the makings of a modern day movie blockbuster. It’s filled with intrigue, action, adventure, love, and betrayal. The story is of Jesus and He will always have our focus, but there is another man who plays a significant part in one of the greatest stories ever recorded. We know Jesus had 12 disciples and the names Peter, James, and John are widely recognized. There is another man whose name will be recognized and it is his kiss of death that we will look at today. The name Judas is synonymous with hatred, betrayal, personal gain and a host of other less than ideal adjectives that could be used to describe someone. I’d like to dig into what we know about this man that will help us understand the real miracle of Easter.

Matt. 26:1-5 tells us, “When Jesus had finished all these words, He said to His disciples, “You know that after two days the Passover is coming, and the Son of Man is to be handed over for crucifixion.” Then the chief priests and the elders of the people were gathered together in the court of the high priest, named Caiaphas; and they plotted together to seize Jesus by stealth and kill Him. But they were saying, “Not during the festival, otherwise a riot might occur among the people.”

Betrayal is something only a friend or loved one can do. A stranger or even an acquaintance can’t betray you. Betrayal can only come after you trust someone. Trust is developed after time. No one trusts strangers. Others can plot your destruction, but betrayal is something that can only come from one that has pledged you support – someone close to you. Rejection may cause hurt, but betrayal rubs salt in a wound that makes it sting. Failure may knock you down, but betrayal kicks you and stomps on you while you’re down. No one likes to be criticized or insulted, but betrayal breaks your heart like nothing else and affects you deep in your soul. We look at Judas as the picture of betrayal. He used a kiss, something that we hold precious, as a symbol of betrayal. “But Jesus said to him, “Judas, are you betraying the Son of Man with a kiss?” (Lu. 22:48) Jesus’ favorite term for Himself is Son of Man and that’s the title He used here. I always find it strange when people refer to themselves in the third person. Why didn’t He say, “Betray Me?” Mark records the same title. This wasn’t a disagreement or misunderstanding between two friends. This was a demonstration of Judas’ total opposition to Jesus’ purpose. This gives us the scope of Judas’ betrayal – it wasn’t just against Jesus, but against humanity.

Are there people like Judas among us? I think there will always be questions about Judas’ life. Why him? Was he just an unwitting pawn in God’s plot for humanity to make the story more exciting? Judas is part of the story and I think we often give him a pass. Following this betrayal, Judas doesn’t get much space in Scripture and after all, it is all about Jesus. In simplistic terms, I think it’s easy to hurry past Judas in order to get to Jesus’ glorious resurrection. I think there’s a deeper, more meaningful purpose we need to explore. It’s a theme Jesus brought to the forefront in His earthly ministry. When you consider who felt most threatened by Jesus’ teachings, you begin to understand who’s behind the proverbial curtain. I encourage you to read Mark 11:27-33 to get an understanding of what Jesus was up against. It was the religious leaders of the day that were on the offensive against Jesus. It was the religious status quo – they made the rules, they enforced the rules, they changed the rules when necessary to ensure they stayed as the religious elite. These were the visible enemies of Christ and they knew what they were doing. Jesus goes on to tell a parable of a man that planted a vineyard. The conclusion of the parable is quite startling when Jesus asks them, “Have you not read this Scripture?” (Mark 12:10) For all of life’s challenges and problems we face, I often find myself asking the same question. Have you not read the Scripture?

And then Mark 12:12 says, “They were seeking to seize Him, and yet they feared the people, for they understood that He spoke the parable against them. And so they left Him and went away.” Judas represents something that has always been a source of confusion and danger throughout history. It is the illusion that religion provides someone a place in eternity. Judas provides us with something we are seeing all too often today. Judas shows us that you can walk with God and talk with God and yet not be a part of God. It is possible to know who Jesus is and yet not know Him as Savior. It’s possible to have the knowledge and not the relationship. This revelation was not shocking to Jesus. Throughout His ministry, He warned about the deception that eventually destroyed Judas. Jesus declared there would be wolves in sheep’s clothing. He warned of false teachers. He explained that the enemy planted tares among the wheat. A tare is a weed that resembles wheat until it matures. It may look like wheat on the outside, but it’s not. At the conclusion to the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus said, “Many will say to Me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in Your name, and in Your name cast out demons, and in Your name perform many miracles?’ And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness.’” (Matt. 7:22-23) We need to remember the story of Judas and remind ourselves that an authentic relationship with Christ is not just knowing about Jesus or believing that God exists. It’s about embracing Him as our Redeemer, our Mediator, our Atonement, our payment and penalty for sin. It is about the transformational power of Christ. You cannot make a credible claim that you have a relationship with God when you do not embrace Jesus as Messiah. In Christian circles we often associate asking Jesus into your heart for salvation. In our study through Proverbs, we’ve seen numerous times that the heart is the seat of emotion, the center of who you are. When Jesus resides there, transformation must result.  Jesus didn’t just lecture about doctrine and theology. He used stories to tell the wonderful story of redemption and freedom. He wove doctrine and theology into the fabric of everything He said. He illustrated the truths of God in a manner that the people would understand. Judas’ place in history ends with the harsh reality that there really are eternal consequences for our decisions. Judas walked and talked a good game, but in the end, no transformation was evident in his life.

So what’s this all mean for us today? I think it’s a great question that many people in the church dismiss. I think the rationale is that answering this question would mean coming to a very personal conclusion about themselves, their families, and their friends. When people talk about Judas, the question is often asked, “Was Judas a Christian? Was he saved? Was he a follower?” Some would say, he lost his salvation. Others answer the question with a question, “If he wasn’t a believer, why would Jesus pick him as a disciple?” Still others might be inclined to think that the money was too great a temptation for him. Still others conclude the devil made him do it. When we examine the Scriptures, we’ll see the real answer. “But there are some of you who do not believe.” For Jesus knew from the beginning who they were who did not believe, and who it was that would betray Him.” (John 6:64) Later in Bethany, we see Mary anoint the feet of Jesus with some very expensive perfume. Judas protested saying that the perfume should be, “sold for 300 denarii and given to poor people.” (John 12:5) That equated to about eleven months’ wages. The Bible tells us that Judas wasn’t concerned with the poor. He was concerned because he was a thief and that meant there would be less to pilfer from the money box. In Matt. 26:14-16 we learn, “Then one of the twelve, named Judas Iscariot, went to the chief priests and said, “What are you willing to give me to betray Him to you?” And they weighed out thirty pieces of silver to him. From then on he began looking for a good opportunity to betray Jesus.” Judas conspires against Jesus and looks for the right opportunity for the betrayal to take place. Judas knows the place where Jesus will be because he had often been there with Jesus and the other disciples and according to Jo. 18:2, he passes on that information to the chief priests. The plot against Jesus is complete and following the last supper, Jesus and His disciples minus one retreat to the place they had gone so many times before. It was in the Garden of Gethsemane that the disciples were told to sit. Jesus takes Peter, James, and John a little further and asks them to keep watch while He prays. Shortly thereafter, Judas comes along with a large crowd armed with swords and clubs and Jesus is taken into custody. The verdict against Jesus was in before a real trial, without any real evidence presented because there was no real crime. Matt. 26:59-63a says, “Now the chief priests and the whole Council kept trying to obtain false testimony against Jesus, so that they might put Him to death. They did not find any, even though many false witnesses came forward. But later on two came forward, and said, “This man stated, ‘I am able to destroy the temple of God and to rebuild it in three days.’” The high priest stood up and said to Him, “Do You not answer? What is it that these men are testifying against You?” But Jesus kept silent.” All because Judas betrayed Jesus.

Here’s what we know about Judas. He refused to believe the claims of Christ although he spent a significant amount of time with Jesus and His followers. He chastised the humble and heartfelt worship of Christ by others. He stole money that was given to support the ministry of Christ. He used his inside knowledge of Jesus and the disciples for personal gain. He betrayed Jesus with a kiss. Finally, Judas, “saw that He had been condemned, he felt remorse and returned the thirty pieces of silver to the chief priests and elders, saying, “I have sinned by betraying innocent blood.” But they said, “What is that to us? See to that yourself!” And he threw the pieces of silver into the temple sanctuary and departed; and he went away and hanged himself.” (Matt. 27:3-5) He dies a broken man unwilling to call upon Christ for forgiveness. After looking at the Bible, one can only conclude that Judas was lost. The words of Jesus spoken at the Sermon on the Mount ring loudly in our ears, “‘I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness.’” (Matt. 7:23) Many people today will hear these same words when they stand before Christ.

How does that affect us? The story of Judas is not meant for our entertainment and it’s not supposed to be taken as some metaphorical tragedy. This is a real life story meant to show us the consequences of denying Jesus the Messiah who offers us eternal life through His death, burial, and resurrection. We need to understand what this means for us today and we can see these things or lack thereof in Judas’ life. Salvation creates positive change in a person’s life. The Bible is filled with examples of people who had a life-altering encounter with Christ. Judas never changed because he was never saved. “For what does it profit a man to gain the whole world, and forfeit his soul?” (Mark 8:36) God is not against the rich. The Bible reveals that Judas’ greed enslaved him and was a big factor in controlling his actions. Here’s a big one. You can deceive people into thinking you are something you are not. I picture the surprised looks on the faces of the disciples during that last supper when Jesus tells them, “Truly I say to you, one of you will betray me . . . They each began to say, “Surely not I, Lord.?” (Matt. 26:22-23) This was a man that was at every meeting, was involved in everything the disciples were involved in yet did not know Jesus as Savior. He went through the motions of being a follower. It’s possible to fool others, it’s possible to fool me, but you cannot fool God.

One final question asked in Heb. 2:3, “How will we escape if we neglect so great a salvation?” The answer is we cannot escape in ourselves. Jesus Christ is the only way of escaping the judgment for our sins. What do we do? Make the decision to become a follower of Christ today. Not like Judas where he just went with Christ and played the part. The longer you put the decision off, the harder it will be to respond. Your heart grows harder without Christ. Don’t confuse knowing about Christ with knowing Christ. Getting smarter is not the same thing as saving faith. If Christ is not your Savior, then call upon Him to save you today. Judas saw Jesus give sight to the blind, make the lame walk, heal the sick. He was there serving alongside the other disciples that fed 5000 people from just five loaves and two fishes. Judas saw Jesus walk on the water. He heard Jesus say, “I am the bread of life; he who comes to Me will not hunger, and he who believes in Me will never thirst. But I said to you that you have seen Me, and yet do not believe.” (John 6:35-36) Judas knew that Jesus claimed to be the Savior of the world, but Jesus was not his Savior. Don’t make the same mistake. Make that decision today.

Absolute Corruption

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Last week Solomon told us about royal rules. We want leaders who are sensitive to the Lord’s leading and will listen to God. Nobody wants to be taken advantage of in business and God doesn’t like it at all. Being in leadership comes with expectations. Whether it’s in government, the church, school, or the fast food restaurant, we want leaders who exemplify the righteousness of Christ. We don’t want our leaders to act wickedly or unrighteously. There are royal rules that need to be followed if leaders are to act in a godly manner. This morning, we’ll see how absolute power corrupts absolutely.

Pro. 16:14-16 says, “The fury of a king is like messengers of death, but a wise man will appease it. In the light of a king’s face is life, and his favor is like a cloud with the spring rain. How much better it is to get wisdom than gold! And to get understanding is to be chosen above silver.”

Solomon starts off like a trailer for an action movie. “The fury of a king is like messengers of death.” What guy wouldn’t go see a movie like that? This has all the makings of an Arnold Schwarzenegger or Sylvester Stallone blockbuster. When you talk about absolute power, a king might come to mind. If you remember the statistics about ruling authority from last week, few royal figures today wield the absolute power that can be so frightening. This verse is talking about real power. The power can be far reaching and oppressive. Here’s something to think about: when was the last time you heard of a ruler with absolute authority that actually took care of his people? The absolute power quote really is, “Power tends to corrupt, and absolute power corrupts absolutely. Great men are almost always bad men.” The quote is attributed to English historian and author Lord Acton who wrote that opinion in a letter to Bishop Mandell Creighton in 1887. Someone that has absolute authority is very likely to abuse that authority. So when Solomon says, “The fury of the king is like messengers of death,” he’s talking about the far reaching power of absolute rulers. In biblical times and in the middle ages, kings typically attempted to expand their kingdoms. They generally did this by force, coercion, threats, and intimidation. The more ruthless the king, the more expansive the territory.

Fury means extreme anger. Their power was absolute and arbitrary. When the king wanted someone dead, they got dead. When the king wanted someone to live, they lived. There didn’t need to be any logical reason or thought behind it. When kings get furious, people die. Solomon says, “But a wise man will appease it.” The right words spoken at the right time can have a huge calming effect. In 1 Sam. 19, King Saul was so furious with David that he wanted to put him to death. Enter Saul’s son Jonathan who speaks to King Saul with wisdom and adoration for David and causes Saul to change his mind. 1 Sam. 19:6 says, “Saul listened to the voice of Jonathan, and Saul vowed, “As the Lord lives, he shall not be put to death.” Jonathan used wisdom when talking with Saul and appeased his anger such that David would not be killed. I encourage you to read the whole story.

How about some royal favor? It’s not good to be in the line of fire with a furious king, but what happens on the opposite side? This is the place to be. Solomon says, “In the light of the king’s face is life, and his favor is like a cloud with the spring rain.” This is where I want to be. With a furious king, you could be put to death just because. But in the light, it’s “like a cloud with the spring rain.” Talk about a contrast. Spring rain brings restoration, it brings new beginnings, it brings life! Remember Solomon is king of Israel. He doesn’t want Israel to do anything that will cause his wrath because he can be like other fury filled kings that were around in his day. It’s awesome to find favor with the king. It’s even awesomer to find favor with the King of kings. Favor with God is like that life giving spring rain that brings restoration and new life.

Solomon makes a great comparison. He says, “How much better it is to get wisdom than gold! And to get understanding is to be chosen above silver.” What price do you put on wisdom and understanding? If only you could buy it. In our culture, wisdom and understanding of the things of God are not as prevalent as they used to be. Even if you could buy, I think few people would make the purchase. Listen to Rom. 1:18-23, “For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men who suppress the truth in unrighteousness, because that which is known about God is evident within them; for God made it evident to them. For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes, His eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly seen, being understood through what has been made, so that they are without excuse. For even though they knew God, they did not honor Him as God or give thanks, but they became futile in their speculations, and their foolish heart was darkened. Professing to be wise, they became fools, and exchanged the glory of the incorruptible God for an image in the form of corruptible man and of birds and four-footed animals and crawling creatures.” That’s really what Solomon is saying. Remember Solomon could have asked for all the riches in the world, but he chose to ask God for wisdom. He ended up with both. Think about it this way. If you’re wise, can you use wisdom to gain wealth? Of course, but is achieving wealth the be all to end all? That’s what culture tells us, but the biblically wise person thinks eternally. There is no direct correlation between how much we have here and what we will have in eternity. All material possessions will be left on this earth when you die.

I asked a moment ago, what price do you put on wisdom and understanding? Wisdom is not something that you can learn. Pro. 2:6 told us, “For the Lord gives wisdom; from His mouth come knowledge and understanding.” Pro. 9:10, “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, and the knowledge of the Holy One is understanding.” If you go way back to the beginning of this, Solomon said, “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge; fools despise wisdom and instruction.” (Pro. 1:7) Wisdom is something we can obtain because as followers of Christ, God can and will give it to us. James 1:5-8 says, “But if any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all generously and without reproach, and it will be given to him. But he must ask in faith without any doubting, for the one who doubts is like the surf of the sea, driven and tossed by the wind. For that man ought not to expect that he will receive anything from the Lord, being a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways.” There’s the caveat. It’s like saying, well . . . I’ll pray about it, but God doesn’t hear my prayers. God can do that, but He won’t do it for me.

Maybe you’re thinking, you know, it’s easy for Solomon to say it’s better to have wisdom than gold, but wisdom doesn’t pay the bills. Actually, it does. Exercising biblical wisdom could prevent you from getting into financial binds in the first place. I can’t tell you how many people I’ve counselled over the years that made financial decisions that could only be classified as stupid. They’ve determined what they want to do and they do it without thinking of the impact of their decision. Those unwise decisions generally lead to other issues that are brought to light under the intense pressure of trying to make ends meet. Heavenly wisdom enables you to make decisions from God’s perspective.

Power can lead to corruption and absolute power can lead to absolute corruption. You’ve probably heard the quote that says, “With great power comes great responsibility.” Exercising biblical wisdom can placate the fury of kings. It’s great to find favor with earthly kings, but it’s far better to find favor with the King of kings. As Christ followers we have a responsibility to passionately follow Him who is the source of great wisdom. “From everyone who has been given much, much will be required; and to whom they entrusted much, of him they will ask all the more.” (Lu. 12:48) Biblical wisdom is essential in making sound decisions in our lives. When we utilize biblical wisdom, we utilize the incredible power of God and avoid absolute corruption.

Character Flaws

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Last week Solomon gave us some wise counsel on dealing with others. We’re not to withhold good from people to whom good is due when we have the power to do good right now. He also said we shouldn’t contend with a man unless we have a reason. This morning, Solomon continues with some commands that deal with character traits that are anything but godly.

Pro. 3:31-35 says, “Do not envy a man of violence and do not choose any of his ways. For the devious are an abomination to the LORD; but He is intimate with the upright. The curse of the LORD is on the house of the wicked, but He blesses the dwelling of the righteous. Though He scoffs at the scoffers, yet He gives grace to the afflicted. The wise will inherit honor, but fools display dishonor.”

Are these things obvious? Are you wondering why Solomon seems to tell us things that should be obvious, things that should be common sense? The difference in this passage from vs. 27-30 is that those had conditional clauses attached to the do nots. Don’t withhold good when it’s in your power to do good. Don’t tell your neighbor come back tomorrow if you can help him right now. Don’t be scheming against your neighbor while he thinks he’s safe and secure. Don’t contend with someone without cause if he’s done nothing to you. There’s a shift here that doesn’t include a conditional clause, but includes the reason not to do it. “Do not envy a man of violence and do not choose his ways.” Does Solomon really have to say that? Ps. 73:3, “For I was envious of the arrogant as I saw the prosperity of the wicked.” Paul seems pretty clear in Gal. 5:19-21: “Now the deeds of the flesh are evident, which are: immorality, impurity, sensuality, idolatry, sorcery, enmities, strife, jealousy, outbursts of anger, disputes, dissensions, factions, envying, drunkenness, carousing, and things like these, of which I forewarn you, just as I have forewarned you, that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God.” So envying is a deed of the flesh and we’re not to fulfill the deeds of the flesh, but are to be led by the Spirit.

Solomon is specifically talking about envying a man of violence. So we have to figure out what a man of violence is, and we need to understand it in the context of what he just said. Even though this may look random, Solomon is still talking about taking care of your neighbor from the verses we looked at last week. He’s talking about benevolence and justice. He’s talking about a person that uses violence to get ahead in life, to get what he needs to prosper. This person uses whatever force necessary to gain the advantage over someone that has something he wants. That’s why criminals carry weapons; so they have an advantage over you. Don’t envy this type of person. It doesn’t matter how rich they are or seem to be. It doesn’t matter what they have. How could any Christ follower envy someone like this? I cannot answer that, but it seems God knew there would be a draw to ill gotten gains. Have you ever been not totally honest on your tax return? Ever not give back the extra change? Ever play cops and robbers and everybody wants to be the robbers? Ever play Robin Hood? Ps.140:1 says, “Rescue me, O LORD, from evil men; preserve me from violent men.” Back in Proverbs, Solomon says, “Do not choose any of his ways.” This gives us an indication that there is a choice. If you were brought up in an environment of criminal activity or other ungodly or unlawful behavior, you don’t have to continue in it. The power of the Gospel can break that cycle.

The conclusion God draws is that, “The devious are an abomination to the Lord.” So the man of violence is also devious. Devious means skillfully using underhanded tactics. This man is dishonest and deceptive. Think about the stereotypical used car salesman. Think about those rent to own places. They are an abomination to the Lord. Is that too harsh? Abomination means inspiring disgust from God. These deceitful, devious, and dishonest people draw God’s disgust. But the contrast is that God, “Is intimate with the upright.” The opposite of the man of violence is the upright, the righteous, the authentic child of God that walks by faith. God has a close relationship, a fellowship, an intimacy with the believer because of what Christ accomplished on the cross. Just to make sure you get the separation between God and the unrighteous sinner, Solomon says, “The curse of the Lord is on the house of the wicked.” This is hardly consistent with those people that wrongly conclude that God is a God of love and that we’re all God’s little children. Apart from Christ, there is no possibility for a relationship with God and those that reject Christ have a curse placed squarely on their house. The word curse in this form surprising only occurs five times in the O.T. Why the hard line on this? Deut. 28:20 says, “The LORD will send upon you curses, confusion, and rebuke, in all you undertake to do, until you are destroyed and until you perish quickly, on account of the evil of your deeds, because you have forsaken Me.” Because you have forsaken God. That’s why you do the anti-God things you do. The flip side is, “He blesses the dwelling of the righteous.”

“Though He scoffs at the scoffers, yet He gives grace to the afflicted.” He gives back what is given Him. Scoff at God and He scoffs back. Scoff means to speak about something in a derisive or contemptuous manner. But grace is given to the afflicted. I don’t want you confused on this. God’s grace is lavished upon every human being, but you can’t disrespect Him, scoff at Him, curse Him, shake your fist at Him, mock Him, curse Him, and have no use for Him and then expect His judgment to be withheld. That is conditional based on our relationship with God through Christ. The assumption is that if you are an authentic child of God, you’d never do those things. James 4:6 quoting Ps. 138:6 says, “He gives a greater grace. Therefore it says, “GOD IS OPPOSED TO THE PROUD, BUT GIVES GRACE TO THE HUMBLE.” Grace will take you to the throne room of God and enable you to be an overcomer. The final contrast is, “The wise will inherit honor, but fools display dishonor.” Who is wise? The one that finds understanding. The one that is lowly or afflicted tying in with the preceding verse. Honor is also translated glory. It is given as an inheritance because of who you know. Once again, the foolish are totally opposite.

True wisdom is from God. The one that finds it is blessed. Don’t be envious of people that seem to be getting ahead in the world from ill gotten gains or from cheating, lying, or stealing. Remember Solomon said that wisdom is far greater than riches and more precious than jewels. Don’t sacrifice the eternal for the temporary.

Living Powerfully

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Today is Easter, a day we celebrate the glorious resurrection of Jesus Christ, of our Messiah. How was He raised from the dead? Through God’s limitless power. As we’ve studied Peter’s second letter, we’ve seen that there are certain expectations for God’s children. 2 Pet. 1:5-7 provide a list of qualities that are expected to be present and increasing in our lives. What we don’t see is power. We talk about powerful people in the world. Every year Forbes magazine provides a list of the most powerful people in the world. They use four dimensions to determine this:

1. Power over people.
2. Power over financial resources.
3. Power in multiple spheres.
4. Active use of power.

Not surprisingly, President Obama is listed as the most powerful. Angela Merkel (German Chancellor) is next, followed by Vladimir Putin, Bill Gates, and the Pope. People pursue power, seek power, want power, but real power is not found in political or financial spheres. One of the most incredible attributes of God is that He is infinitely powerful, and He chooses to share His power with us if we’ll only let Him.

1 Cor. 1:18 tells us, “For the word of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.”

The word power is found in 113 times in the N. T. It is an awesome word. It’s used to describe God as the most powerful force in existence. It was the power of God that raised Jesus from the dead. That’s what Easter is – it is a resurrection. That same word is used to describe God’s children too.

• Rom. 15:13, “Now may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that you will abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.”
• Acts 6:8, “And Stephen, full of grace and power, was performing great wonders and signs among the people.”
• 1 Thes. 1:5, “For our gospel did not come to you in word only, but also in power and in the Holy Spirit and with full conviction; just as you know what kind of men we proved to be among you for your sake.”

The God that raised Jesus from the dead doesn’t hoard His power. He gives it away while we tend to hoard our power and we don’t want to waste it. Turn off the lights, change the thermostat, consolidate errand to save gas, make sure your tires are properly inflated. God wants us to have His power. When we get anxious, He gives us peace. When we burn the candle at both ends, He gives us the strength to go on. When we lack courage, “God has not given us a spirit of timidity, but of power and love and discipline.” (2 Tim. 1:7)

Who needs power? Who wouldn’t want to be on the receiving end of God’s generous offer to infuse us with his supernatural strength? For many Christians, it seems like the power has gone out. We don’t have the energy to face the demands of life. We don’t have the wisdom to make sound biblical choices. We don’t seem to have the will power to avoid the temptations of life. We don’t seem to have the hope to face the tragedies of life. We don’t seem to have the resolve to do the right things in life. We lack a desire to participate in the things of God and the church.

So what are we to do? If you’re a fan of Downton Abbey, you may remember when they installed electricity in the Abbey. The Dowager didn’t see a need for that and later commented “First electricity, now telephones. Sometimes I feel as if I’m living in an H.G. Wells novel.” In Spiderman 2, Dr. Octavius was able to sustain a fusion reaction and said that he created “The power of the sun, in the palm of his hand.” Tim “the Tool Man” Taylor always wanted more power. Submarines typically operate using just a small percentage of the available power. I think that’s the way we are. We’re connected to an infinite power source, but we’re only utilizing a small percentage of what’s available. We’ve trusted Christ for salvation, but like the Lady Dowager of Downton Abbey, we resist the change.

How can we fully utilize the power? What if we became like Tom Bodett and we left the light on? What if we maintained the connection with the power source? Harnessing God’s power is not like making sure you have the breaker on, or the extension cord plugged in. It’s not about reciting some magic words and then you’re zapped. We must recognize and accept that we need God’s power. Too many professing Christians are trying to live life separated from God’s power. “And He has said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for power is perfected in weakness.” Most gladly, therefore, I will rather boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may dwell in me.” (2 Cor. 12:9) You’ve heard the saying that God helps those that help themselves? Utter nonsense. His power is perfected in our weakness. When we recognize we need His power, He is able to provide the help we need. When we try to do things in our power, we just spin our wheels. There’s a lot of effort, but no movement.

We need to recognize God’s presence. 1 Chr. 16:11-12 reminds us to, “Seek the Lord and His strength; seek His face continually. Remember His wonderful deeds which He has done, His marvels and the judgments from His mouth.” Once we recognize our own weakness, we need to remember that our God is all powerful and who will infuse His children with strength. Ps. 18:1, “I love You, O Lord, my strength.”  Is. 40:29, “He gives strength to the weary, and to him who lacks might He increases power.” It’s not us, it’s Him!

We need to align ourselves with the will of God. Jesus said, “I am the vine, you are the branches; he who abides in Me and I in him, he bears much fruit, for apart from Me you can do nothing.” (Jo. 15:5) Sometimes we seek God’s strength for wrong reasons. We want to accomplish our goals, our desires, our agenda, and many times we don’t seek God’s direction. God’s strength enables us to accomplish His will. Apart from God, we can’t do anything. Ask God for His power. James 4:2 says, “You do not have because you do not ask.” Tell God what you need. He already knows. Be obedient to God. Times will come when we don’t feel like God is there. We don’t feel like He loves us or cares for us. We must trust. Heb. 11:6 says, “Without faith it is impossible to please God.” Faith doesn’t just mean believe and that’s it. It means believing and acting in accordance with what we know.

That’s how you stay connected with God’s power. Do you have the power? You are my strength when I am weak, You are the treasure that I seek, You are my all in all.

The Eyewitness

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Last week we learned that Peter felt a deep responsibility to remind his readers of the truth they knew. As long as he was breathing, he’s going to continue on the course that God had established for him. Even though his readers knew these truths, Peter wanted to stir them up, to rekindle the fire of God so that after he was gone, they would still remember. This morning Peter shoots straight, no fairy tales, no embellishment, just the facts.

2 Peter 1:16-18 says, “For we did not follow cleverly devised tales when we made known to you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but we were eyewitnesses of His majesty. For when He received honor and glory from God the Father, such an utterance as this was made to Him by the Majestic Glory, “This is My beloved Son with whom I am well-pleased” and we ourselves heard this utterance made from heaven when we were with Him on the holy mountain.”

This is a great transition to what he just finished saying. In vs. 12-15, Peter reminds his readers about the truth of Jesus Christ before he leaves his earthly body. He challenged us to live lives of godliness because Jesus has granted us everything we need to do so. He says, “We did not follow cleverly devised tales.” Tales comes from the Greek word where we get our word myth. Peter doesn’t tell his readers any fairy tales. There’s no need to make things up or try to make it better than it is.

• 1 Tim. 1:4, “Nor to pay attention to myths and endless genealogies, which give rise to mere speculation rather than furthering the administration of God which is by faith.”
• 2 Tim. 4:4, “And will turn away their ears from the truth and will turn aside to myths.”
• Titus 1:14, “Not paying attention to Jewish myths and commandments of men who turn away from the truth.”

The truth is that our finite minds will find it difficult to understand an infinite God with infinite love, infinite grace, infinite mercy, infinite power; infinite qualities. Peter didn’t tell people about how turning to Jesus will make all your problems go away. Making the decision to follow Christ is free, but it does come with a cost. Living a life practicing the qualities of vs. 5-7 will get you noticed. It will set you apart from the crowd.

Peter simply tells the truth, “When we made known to you the power and coming of the Lord Jesus Christ.” The truth is always best and in this case, there is nothing better. Power and coming should be taken together. He’s talking about the future return of Christ. Matt. 24:27 says, “For just as the lightning comes from the east and flashes even to the west, so will the coming of the Son of Man be.” Rev. 1:7 tells us, “Behold, He is coming with the clouds, and every eye will see Him, even those who pierced Him; and all the tribes of the earth will mourn over Him. So it is to be. Amen.” They didn’t need to make up cleverly devised schemes because they were eyewitnesses of the majesty of Christ. Peter hints at the theology of the false teachers that he’ll address shortly.

Peter says, “We were eyewitnesses of His majesty.” Majesty means impressive beauty, scale, and dignity. It means royal power. John 1:14, “And the Word became flesh, and dwelt among us, and we saw His glory, glory as of the only begotten from the Father, full of grace and truth.” While it is encouraging and exciting to hear what Christ has done and is doing for you, I know what He has done for me. I don’t need to live vicariously through your faith because I have my faith. You can discount the power and majesty of Jesus all you want, but I know what He’s done in my life. Eyewitness testimony is always held in higher regard than hearsay. In essence, Peter is telling them, “Say what you want, but I saw His power and majesty.”

God provides His stamp of approval of Jesus. “When He received honor and glory from God the Father.” Honor and glory are two words we hear a lot and we say a lot, but do we really understand what they mean? Honor means the worth or value assigned to a person. Elected officials are addressed as honorable. Glory means splendid or remarkable appearance. Jesus’ honor and glory come from God. The name of Christ is full of honor and one day, just mentioning the name of Christ will drive all people to their knees in recognition of His honor. (Is. 45:32, Rom. 14:11, Phil. 2:10) We’re able to see and experience His glory in our lives and the lives of others.

The last half of v. 17 may sound familiar to you. “An utterance as this was made to Him by the Majestic Glory, this is My beloved Son in whom I am well pleased.” When Jesus began His public ministry by being baptized in the Jordan, God said, “This is My beloved Son in whom I am well pleased.” (Matt. 3:17) God commissioned Jesus, appointed Jesus, approved Jesus. Remember Peter is still talking about the second coming and he’s relating what he saw and heard on that mountain. He says in v. 18, “And we ourselves heard this utterance made from heaven when we were with Him on the holy mountain.” Peter’s talking about the transfiguration. He was there and he is recounting this incredible scene. He heard the voice of God giving His stamp of approval on Jesus. God’s words are screaming, “Behold, My Servant, whom I uphold; My chosen one in whom My soul delights.  I have put My Spirit upon Him; He will bring forth justice to the nations.” (Is. 42:1)

If you’re a child of God, you are an eyewitness of His glory and honor. You have experienced it in your life and have seen it in the lives of others. Are you telling people what you see?

Wordless Wednesday

Divine Power

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Last week we kicked off our study in Peter’s second letter. We saw he writes to Gentiles in the first century around 60-65 A.D. Peter identified himself as a slave and an apostle. He reminded us that we are one in Christ because of His righteousness. This morning, let’s look at the incredible power of God.

Peter writes in 2 Pet. 1:2-3, “Grace and peace be multiplied to you in the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord; seeing that His divine power has granted to us everything pertaining to life and godliness, through the true knowledge of Him who called us by His own glory and excellence.”

Peter offers up a nice greeting and says nearly the same thing as he did in 1 Pet. 1:2. The assumption is that his readers have grace and peace. They have saving faith by grace that gives all Christians equal standing with God through Jesus. We have peace as a fruit of the Spirit given at salvation to all who have received God’s righteousness as Peter mentioned in v. 1. Grace and peace are multiplied through knowing God and Jesus Christ our Lord. In verse 1 Peter used the phrase God and Savior. Now he says God and of Jesus Christ – two people which is a more typical greeting in Scripture. This is not just head knowledge, but knowledge that evokes change, knowledge that transforms. What good is knowledge that results only in knowledge? That’s why we’ve all taken examinations of one form or another. There must be intellectual knowledge, but there must also be personal and relational knowledge. Intellectual knowledge should lead to a heart knowledge. There’s a difference between knowing someone and having a relationship with someone. Just because someone is your friend on Facebook does not mean you are best friends.

Knowledge is critical to Peter. In his first letter, he spent time refuting the Gnostics that concluded knowledge was the be all to end all. As long as you had the knowledge, that was all you needed. Peter said no, he said that knowledge must be reflected in behavior. The Gnostics believed it didn’t matter how you live as long as you were enlightened with knowledge. I half think that’s where people in the church are today. They have the knowledge of right and wrong, of good and bad, but it doesn’t lead to a change of behavior. It doesn’t lead to transformation.    The knowledge that supposedly led to a conversion experience doesn’t have any effect on an individual. We have churches full of Gnostics that think just having knowledge is good enough. Knowledge doesn’t do anything, but people are convinced that Jesus is their friend and they’re going to heaven. This knowledge of Jesus brings a multiplication of grace and peace. That’s the only way to be growing in Christ. You gain knowledge by studying – that same way you gain knowledge about anything. You want to grow in Christ? Get to know Him. How do you get to know Him? Read His story, hang with people who want to know Him, who want to be like Christ. The time for talk is gone. Jesus is looking for servants who will actually follow Him. Hosea 4:6 says, “My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge. Because you have rejected knowledge, I also will reject you from being My priest. Since you have forgotten the law of your God, I also will forget your children.”  Are you thinking, “Hey, that doesn’t apply to me, I’m not a priest.” The first phrase is the tip off. God is talking about His people being destroyed because of a lack of knowledge. And He’s talking about a rejection of knowledge. Ignorance and rebellion lead to destruction.

We have everything we need. Peter tells us, “His divine power has granted to us everything pertaining to life and godliness.” These resources are available to us simply by knowing God. If you know God, then you have everything you need for a life that is pleasing to God. Peter’s call to godliness is rooted in and secured by God’s grace. Without grace, there would be no faith. Without faith, it’s impossible to please God. Salvation comes by grace through faith. Confused? Don’t be. It is God that is the initiator of the relationship. He supplies what we need through His power. If He expects us to have it, He gives it to us. The life Peter refers to is eternal life and comes from the Greek word zoe. Godliness is linked to life because you can’t have godliness without having eternal life. You can’t have eternal life without the transforming power of Christ. Paul warned Timothy about this when he said there were men that held, “To a form of godliness, although they have denied its power; avoid such men as these.” (2 Tim. 3:5) If you really have eternal life, it will change your life here on earth. The godliness we may display is not because of us, it’s because of God. The source of godliness is His divine power. When we start to think in terms of what we do, we tend to get high and mighty which leads to a judgmental attitude.

One caution in Peter’s message, there is a qualifier. We have everything from God’s divine power, “Through the true knowledge of Him who called us by His own glory and excellence.” Everything needed for eternal life is rooted in the knowledge of Christ. Salvation is not an emotional decision. Don’t get me wrong, there are emotions involved, but when salvation is purely emotional and those emotions fade, we’re often left dazed and confused. Maybe you wonder why there is no power in your life. Maybe you wonder why you can’t change, why you’re still the same person you’ve always been. I can tell you it’s not from a lack of God’s power. Eternal life stems first from a knowledge of who the Christ is.      John 17:3, “This is eternal life, that they may know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom You have sent.” First knowledge, then conversion, then transformation. The transformation continues from conversion until death. Glory and excellence point to the same thing. Those that God saves are called by Christ as we understand His love and His forgiveness. This knowledge leads us to make a decision to follow Christ. The decision to follow Christ lead believers to be morally transformed by God’s inexplicable grace. This is one of Peter’s central themes and one of my defining phrases for Christianity. If you are a child of God, your life better reflect His glory. If you think you can live your life any way you feel like, you’re deceived and you’re hurting the cause of Christ. 2 Cor. 4:6, “For God, who said, “Light shall shine out of darkness,” is the One who has shone in our hearts to give the Light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ.”

Those who truly are called by Christ have seen and experienced Christ’s glory and His excellence and will live a life of godliness. The life of the Christian still residing on earth will be lived as an example Christ’s transforming power.

John’s Condemnation

Last week John praised Gaius for his hospitality. He made sure some traveling evangelists had what they needed to further the Gospel message of Jesus Christ. Because of his hospitality and what he did for them, Gaius shared in their work. He may not have gone with them, but his care for their needs was instrumental in their work. This morning, instead of more praise, John offers a scathing indictment on the behavior of someone in the church.

In 3 John 9-10, Johns says, “I wrote something to the church; but Diotrephes, who loves to be first among them, does not accept what we say. For this reason, if I come, I will call attention to his deeds which he does, unjustly accusing us with wicked words; and not satisfied with this, he himself does not receive the brethren, either, and he forbids those who desire to do so and puts them out of the church.”

What’s in a name? Normally if you’re mentioned by name in Scripture, that’s a pretty cool thing. Diotrephes is an exception. This is the only place in the entire Bible where this name occurs. What can we conclude about that? Is that so unusual? If the situation concerning Diotrephes was not occurring, it is unlikely this letter would have been written. This letter gives us some insight in how to handle a difficult situation. When you think of John, you can’t help but think of love and truth. But this is the same John with his brother James that Jesus gave the nickname Sons of Thunder. There was a reason for that so let’s see why.

According to v. 9, John had written a letter to the church. What letter and what was in it we don’t know. It couldn’t be John’s second letter because we’ve looked at that. The major theme of that letter was to instruct the church to walk in truth and don’t take part in providing for false teachers. As we saw in vs. 5-8, Gaius was commended for hosting some evangelist/missionaries in his home. Now we come to Diotrephes and find a stark contrast in his behavior compared to Gaius. Somewhere between John’s pen and paper and the church, the letter was intercepted, or perhaps was read and then Diotrephes led the church to ignore what was said or reject it completely. We’re not sure, but John’s third letter is in response to Diotrephes’ actions.

There is little information about Diotrephes, so what do we know? The name Diotrephes was not a common one. His name means cherished by Zeus. That doesn’t sound like a big deal, but Zeus was the head pagan god, a god of mythology. Diotrephes was in some position of leadership in the same city or area where Gaius was. Whether he was a pastor, or deacon, or elder we don’t know, but given how John describes him, we must assume that he wielded some power. So what does John say? The disciple whom Jesus loved described Diotrephes as someone, “Who loves to be first.” John is not talking about someone who wants to be first in line. He’s not talking about someone who likes to sit in the front. He’s not talking about Diotrephes’ competitive nature. John is not talking about how Diotrephes loves to be the best at what he does. This is not a good description. This is a condemning description of someone who has the appearance of being a Christian, professes to be a Christian, but is most assuredly a fraud.

Diotrephes, “loves to be first among them.” Another translations phrases it as, “likes to put himself first.” John was the last living Apostle and there was a shifting in the church as it grew. Authority and responsibility was shifting to local leadership. It was Paul that left Titus in Crete to appoint elders in every city. Was this a power struggle between him and John? Was Diotrephes a local bishop or pastor trying to gain independence for his congregation? We simply do not know enough about this situation. What we do know is that Diotrephes’ attitude was not consistent with what is expected of people in his position whatever that may have been.

Diotrephes, “loves to be first among them.”“Loves to be first” is an interesting phrase that occurs in the N.T. only here. It means he loves to have preeminence. Col. 1:17-18 tells us that, “He is before all things, and in Him all things hold together.  He is also head of the body, the church; and He is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, so that He Himself will come to have first place in everything.” Diotrephes placed himself even before the Lord. He wants to be first; he wants to be in charge; he wants to make the decisions, and he is not looking for input. Perhaps he wanted the church to be autonomous, to get out from under the authority of John the elder and Apostle, but this autonomy wouldn’t be for the church’s good. It would serve only to glorify Diotrephes. We can only surmise what exactly was going on in the church. But this is for sure: all the wrong motives for leadership are wrapped up in this man named Diotrephes. So what’s the big deal? There have been power struggles in the church before, we see this in today’s church too. Is this just a case of exercising one’s will? Here’s the kicker. John tells Gaius that Diotrephes, “Does not accept what we say.” That’s a big problem. John wrote a letter that was either discarded or ignored. There is nothing in Scripture that we can choose to ignore. Given the context of 3 John, it seems likely the lost letter contained something about hospitality. John commended Gaius for his hospitality to the brethren, especially when they were strangers. There are no doctrinal issues that John addresses in this letter, so it is unlikely the controversy is due to some doctrinal differences. This is definitely a spiritual issue between John and Diotrephes.

How does Diotrephes attack? John says, “For this reason, if I come, I will call attention to his deeds which he does.” The “if” here is not a word of condition. In this case it means when. John is not going to let these actions go unresolved. He’s not going to ignore it, the love Apostle is going to handle it when he gets there. Some will say we just need to get along. What about grace? You don’t want to be judgmental. What John says next gives us an indication of the seriousness of the matter. John tells Gaius that Diotrephes is, “Unjustly accusing us with wicked words; and not satisfied with this, he himself does not receive the brethren, either, and he forbids those who desire to do so and puts them out of the church.”

John mentions four things that Diotrephes does. First, he unjustly accuses John and his colleagues with wicked words. What Diotrephes does has become a classic attack, perhaps even the standard for attacking. Diotrephes attacked their character, not their doctrine. He didn’t attack their doctrine because there was not Scriptural basis for it. He tried to discredit John. Diotrephes attacked without substance – exactly what this type of person does. Unjustly accuse means to talk nonsense. Other translations say, gossip maliciously, spread false charges, and my favorite, talking wicked nonsense. Over the years, I have been on the receiving end of this diotrephic [my new word] type of accusation. I have been accused of:  cussing a blue streak, having no right to go on a mission trip because I wasn’t telling anyone here about Jesus, saying things I did not say, speaking things which are true, but with the wrong tone of voice, not praying for someone when I should, stealing, sinning by teaching a Bible study, and last, but not lease, using the wrong Bible!

Oddly enough, no one has ever accused me of teaching a different way to heaven besides Christ. No one has ever accused me believing the Bible wasn’t true. No one has ever accused me of not preaching about heaven, hell, money, or any other type of controversial topic. That’s what a Diotrephes type of person does – talk nonsense. He doesn’t receive the brethren. Diotrephes wants to sever all ties from the very people that John sends out – people with sound biblical doctrine. People that John endorses. It doesn’t matter what they say, Diotrephes separates himself from the truth. He forbids people who want to exercise hospitality from doing so. It’s just another way he exerts his power. He tells people what they can and cannot do. He puts them out of the church. Diotrephes didn’t want any outsiders coming to his church and finding out what was going on. He tried to ruin the reputation of anybody who might question his authority and his way of running the church. He liked things the way they were and he will do whatever it takes to prevent change. You’ve got to ask yourself, “Who would want to be part of this church anyway?” It must be extremely oppressive to be part of this fellowship. Back in the first century, there was not a church on every corner.

It’s not about doctrine or about who is right or wrong – it’s about control. It’s about winning. Anybody that disagrees with you, toss them out of the church. John 9 relates the account of a blind man that Jesus healed. There was much disagreement among the Pharisees. They didn’t believe the miracle that had occurred instead insisting that the man was not blind. The blind man was consistent in his story (because it was the truth) so what did the Pharisees do? Jo. 9:34 says, “They answered him, “You were born entirely in sins, and are you teaching us?” So they put him out.” The phrase “put him out” is the same as is used in 3 John. It carries the idea of using physical force. This is what Diotrephes is doing and it is not good. I encourage you to read to accounts of what a servant leader really is. The first is in Matt. 20:25-28 and the second is found in Matt. 23:1-12.

John is going to deal with the issue. 1 Tim. 5:20, “Those who continue in sin, rebuke in the presence of all, so that the rest also will be fearful of sinning.”  Diotrephes behavior cannot and will not be ignored. John Stott wrote, “Self-love vitiates all relationships. Diotrephes slandered John, cold-shouldered the missionaries and excommunicated the loyal believers – all because he loved himself and wanted to have the preeminence. Personal vanity still lies at the root of most dissensions in every local church today” (Letters of John, 231).

These two verses highlight the main issue John is dealing with. It will not be swept under the rug, it will not be ignored. John will deal with it the way he knows best – in truth and in love.