{"id":26191,"date":"2020-11-06T13:03:00","date_gmt":"2020-11-06T13:03:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.christianitytoday.com\/pastors\/2020\/12\/02\/preaching-on-2-john\/"},"modified":"2026-01-21T17:30:17","modified_gmt":"2026-01-21T17:30:17","slug":"preaching-on-2-john","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.christianitytoday.com\/pastors\/content\/preaching-on-2-john\/","title":{"rendered":"Preaching on 2 John"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Historical Background<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Second and Third John are the shortest \u201cbooks\u201d in the New Testament, even shorter than Philemon and Jude. Second John is less than three hundred words in Greek, and Third John is less than two hundred. Likely recorded on a single sheet of papyrus, they truly deserve to be called \u201cletters\u201d rather than \u201ctreatises,\u201d \u201cessays,\u201d or even \u201cepistles\u201d with that term\u2019s connotations of lengthiness and wide audience.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Second John applies the principles of First John\u2014the tests of true faith\u2014to a specific situation with a specific congregation. That situation involved traveling teachers who did not confess orthodox theology about Jesus. The congregation was not to extend hospitality to them. They should not be invited into \u201cthe house\u201d (v. 10), probably meaning the house-church.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Hospitality was crucial in the ancient world and in the early church. Christianity was exploding in the Roman Empire and churches were forming everywhere. Many teacher-missionaries were on the road, but there were no Motel 6s, and inns were often thinly veiled houses of ill-repute, \u201cnotoriously dirty and flea-infested and innkeepers were notoriously rapacious\u201d (Barclay, quoted in Stott, The Letters of John<\/em>, p. 201). Christian hospitality can be seen in the Book of Acts, as Paul stayed in the homes of Lydia in Philippi and Jason in Thessalonica (16:15, 17:7). Travel in the Roman Empire had reached a degree of safety and convenience unknown in the ancient world, and this aided missionaries. This is not to say that transportation possessed anything like modern safety and convenience, but excellent roads kept up by the Roman legions, a common language (Koine Greek), and the pax Romana<\/em> did enable folks to journey.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

So, prophets, evangelists, and teachers were abroad. Some of them followed the teaching of the Apostles but some did not. How were small congregations to know if such-and-such a teacher taught the authoritative Word of God? After all, \u201cmany deceivers have gone out into the world\u201d (v. 7) as Jesus had warned (Mark 13:22-23). Congregations were to sift these teachers by their message<\/em>, the focus of 2 John, and their manner<\/em>, the focus of 3 John. Similar instruction can be seen in the Didache<\/em> (\u201cTeaching\u201d), a manual of church life thought to have been written at the end of the first-century. The message of the false teachers concerned the person and work of Jesus. They said that \u201cthe Christ\u201d was not \u201cJesus.\u201d That is, divinity (Christ) could not simultaneously take human nature (Jesus).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The author is \u201cthe elder,\u201d probably the Apostle John. His use of this title implies that he was well known to the recipients and that he had fatherly spiritual authority over them. The recipient is \u201cthe elect [chosen] Lady.\u201d This could have been an individual, perhaps the patroness or even overseer of a house church, or more likely an entire house church. Personifying cities and countries was common in the ancient world just as today we refer to Mother Russia and Britannia, and personifying the church in female terms was also common (see Eph. 5:22-33; Rev. 21:9; 1 Pet. 5:13; cf. Israel referred to this way\u2014Isa. 52:2).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Chart: Preaching Through 2 John<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

We know the weekly grind of sermon prep is hard, whether you are in the midst of series or planning a new series. Trying to find key verses you need to highlight in your sermon, finding the historical background to the book, discovering the flow\/structure of book, and even figuring out what is the theme of each section.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

That is why we created this chart! This chart is designed to\u00a0save you time<\/strong>\u00a0as you prepare to preach a new sermon series from the Book of 2 John.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

You will find a quick visual overview of the movement of the Book of 2 John. It will help orient you and your hearers as you preach through the entire book or sections of the book. It provides, at a glance, one way to divide the book into pericopes. The chart includes key verses in the book, an overarching title for the book, the overall message of the book, and some historical background. It is color-coded to highlight certain defining aspects of the book.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This chart could be used as a slide in your church service. It could serve as an introduction to a new series or a weekly check-in before you begin preaching. It could even be printed out and given to the members of your church, as a resource to help them grasp the message of the book.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"A<\/a><\/span>
<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n\n\n

Sermon Series<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Here are two options for designing a series from 2 John. The first is an outline for preaching the whole book in a single sermon, and the second expands each point of the outline for a four-week series.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Option One (whole book)<\/em><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Sermon Title:<\/strong> No Name, No Gain<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Note: The term \u201cname\u201d is shorthand for \u201cJesus Christ come in the flesh,\u201d and even that phrase is shorthand for the whole gospel story\u2014the identity, incarnation, and sacrifice of Christ for the sins of humanity. Likewise, the term \u201cno gain,\u201d is shorthand to say that anyone who departs from the gospel will not receive a full reward (v. 8). That person does not have God (v. 9), and whoever supports the false teachers takes part in their wickedness (v. 11).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Big Idea:<\/strong> Watch out for false teachers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Sermon Outline:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

True believers walk in love. (4-5)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

True believers walk in obedience. (6)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

False teachers deny Christ. (7, 9)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

So, watch out for false teachers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n

Don\u2019t aid them. (10)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Don\u2019t participate in their works. (11)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

So you won\u2019t lose what you have. (8)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

And you will gain a full reward. (8)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

Conclusion:<\/strong> When we walk in the love of Jesus, obedience to Jesus, and the truth about Jesus, our joy is complete. (12)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Option Two (four-week series)<\/em><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Series Title:<\/strong> Walking in Truth, Running from Error<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Text: 2 John 1-3, 6<\/h2>\n\n\n\n