For THE Name!! 3 John

 3 John 1:7 (ESV)

7 For they have gone out for the sake of the name, accepting nothing from the Gentiles.

For THE Name!

Third John is a small letter written to man named, Gaius and the group of believers that meets in his house.   He was probably of some wealth, since he had a house big enough to hold a gather group of believers.  He is being commended by John for how he cares for those in this gathering, as well as how he cares for the “traveling” ministers as they go from house to house with the teaching of the Word.   We have to remember that the early church did not have large buildings to meet together.  They had small, little bodies that meet in homes.   To meet the logistics of the teaching ministry, those who taught the word would travel from location to location to teach and serve.   Gaius is being commended that he enabled their ministry.   Notice that John is also commending these traveling ministers for going about their service for the “sake of the name.”   We serve because of Jesus Christ.  Our services, although to others believers, it is for Christ and our love for him.  Note how the earlier church understood this point:

Acts 5:41 (ESV)

41 Then they left the presence of the council, rejoicing that they were counted worthy to suffer dishonor for the name.

Notice how the writer of Hebrews, at the end of one of the strongest warning passages about persevering in the faith, states a similar thought to the early church:

Hebrews 6:10 (ESV)

10 For God is not unjust so as to overlook your work and the love that you have shown for his name in serving the saints, as you still do.

We serve for the love we have for his name.   Gaius did not serve and open his house for service because he wanted to be popular and accepted by the world around him.  He served out love for the name of Christ.  These traveling ministers served out of the love they have Christ.   They accepted nothing from the Gentiles.  They simply served out of love.  The early church was responsible to care for them.   They did this out love.   This is the reason Gaius is being commended by John.  He served out of love for the name of Christ.