2 John & 3 John

Sleeping on the Floor

My dad was a pentecostal pastor in a small (very small) town just outside of Nashville, Tennessee. We had revivals usually twice a year. The revivals usually ran for a week. If the revival was going well we might meet all seven nights instead of taking Saturday off. If the revival was really going well we might go two weeks. As a youngster I hated it. Parts of it were fun but going to church every night to hear the evangelist wasn’t my idea of a good week.

Nevertheless, there was one aspect of these revivals that I liked. Most of the time the evangelist (and his wife if she was traveling with him) would stay at our house. I actually liked that part very much. It usually meant a snack following the service and a late bedtime. Often the snack was ice cream! The bedtime was late because the adults couldn’t really stay up unless I go to because my bedroom always went to the evangelist and I slept on the floor in the living room. It was like camping out indoors, with ice cream.

I’m reminded of those days whenever I read these two short letters from the apostle John. In both he is talking about hospitality and who to take in and which ones to avoid. Being a believer in the early church (and in some churches well into the 20^th century) meant opening up your home and helping to support the cause of the gospel with a hot meal and often giving up your comfortable bed. Now that we can afford hotel rooms for those who minister we have lost something.

One other point always strikes me about these letters. While John certainly continues the theme of love he also singles out some to whom we should not extend hospitality. In particular he mentions anyone who “runs ahead and does not continue in the teaching of Christ.” These aren’t people who on the surface appear to be unbelievers. In fact, this sounds like super spiritual believers for who the simple power of the basic truths of the gospel are not enough. This is generally caused by, at best, a very unhealthy curiosity and, at worst, by a desire to lord their advanced knowledge over others. Both attitudes are dangerous and highly contagious. 

Otherwise, be sure to greet each other and practice hospitality for the sake of the gospel