2 and 3 John

2 and 3 John are very similar to the first one. Not surprisingly, as they are all written by the same author—John. He continues to emphasize joy in truth, and love by obedience.

"I rejoiced greatly to find some of your children walking in the truth, just as we were commanded by the Father" (2:4). John's rejoicing was directly related to the truth in which those believers were walking. And that truth was caught up in the story of everything—from the very beginning, to the teachings of Jesus, to the early church (which John's readers belonged to). All through that story God had given commandments to his people. And they all flowed out of the one from the beginning, the commandment to love. So these believers, who were walking in truth by obeying the commandment to love, brought John great joy.

In fact, in 3 John he says, "I have no greater joy than to hear that my children are walking in truth" (vs 4). What?! Nothing brought him more joy than to hear that people to whom he had shared the gospel, were living it out in their lives? That's crazy. The only way that would be possible is if the focus of his life was to see others walking in the truth of God's word.

I want to be the kind of person whose life's focus is to see others walking in the truth of God's word. I want to get my greatest joy because of that. It's not that I don't get joy from hearing that now; but I don't know if it's my greatest joy. What about all the times my wife goes out of her way to care for me? Or when my students tell me how much they love coming to youth group? Or when one of my friends in Franklin housing gets a bed to sleep on?

Those are all wonderful things and I will continue to take great joy in them. But I'm praying for God to stir in my heart an even deeper joy than all those things, a joy that comes from seeing others walk in the truth of his word.