Everyone at some point in time has stayed at a good hotel and a bad hotel. Now, you’re probably thinking, “OK well what do you consider a good hotel or a bad hotel so it’s important to establish a standard here.” When I was at camp over the summer I stayed at many hotels and at times the hotels were far below average. One prime example was the “Yellow Rose Hotel.” That sure sounds like a winner and it had three stars. My dad decided that’s where we would stay before we headed back home to Virginia and as we pulled up to the hotel we knew it was a bad choice. The carpet was off color, the luxurious pool was a little larger than a hot tub, and the continental breakfast was nonexistent. The fact of the matter is that one cannot tell a book by its cover. This seemingly luxurious hotel turned out to be a dump.
The other choice in this matter is the Hilton. At the Hilton there are top notch bell boys who will carry your luggage, two queen size pillow top mattresses, a hot tub in your bathroom, an indoor pool, and a free hot breakfast. Now while I don’t think that the choice is overly difficult, let’s think about this: a three star dump or a five star palace. Now you’re probably wondering, “What does this have to do with the book of III John?” The fact of the matter is that this little illustration has everything in the world to do with the theme of hospitality in the book of III John.
In verses one through four John has been praising Gaius for all the work he has done in the city of Derbe and it is plain to see that John thinks very highly of all that Gaius does. Gaius is “the man” and he is seeking to be used by God however he can. John even goes as far as calling Gaius beloved and telling him that he loves him in the truth. Now while this might not be the case for women, men have a hard time telling other men that they love each other. However, the praise does not stop in verse four but rather keeps on trucking throughout the remainder of the book.
In verse five John begins to tell Gaius all the things that he has done well and verse six really reveals the heart and soul of Gaius’s ministry. The five words the begin verse six say it all, “who testified to you love.” For those of you who don’t realize this, if Gaius is in Derbe and John is in Ephesus then there is a span of over 300 miles between the two of them. You might be thinking, “Psh that’s not very far,” but on foot, that is a long way. The most amazing thing is that all along their journey they have been talking about, the hospitality that Gaius showed them. They talk about this so much that John gets word from these people and is amazed by the accounts he is getting, so much so that he writes Gaius this letter. WOW!! There has got to be something different here.
Now let’s connect this silly little hotel story with the story of Gaius or else you might accuse me of writing stories just to keep you entertained. The hotel illustration applies impeccably to the situation that is taking place in Derbe. If I was to picture Gaius I would picture him as a manager at the Hilton. Think about it! Someone dings the bell and there is Gaius to welcome them wholeheartedly. Not only that, Gaius even upgrades them to the executive suite. Picture it, as you’re getting all comfortable in you giant king size memory foam bed with a warm goose down comforter, in comes Gaius with a warm glass of milk to help you sleep. Now if this image is coming to life for you then we should realize that the hospitality of the church should go far beyond that of the Hilton.
Gaius knew how to do ministry and how to do his ministry effectively. Instead of putting the guests on the sleeper sofa, Gaius gave them his room.
Now you may be asking yourself, “Self, how in the world can I do this kind of ministry because it’s not like we have all these ministers just meandering throughout our town?” That is a good question but hospitality goes beyond welcoming people into our homes. There are too many people who walk away from church simply because they didn’t feel welcomed, and that is where we come in. Why aren’t we welcoming these people and greeting them with open arms? Here a hotel is more excited to have their business then we are to have the opportunity to share the love of Jesus with them. Instead of greeting people you know during the welcome time, you could be going to the outcasts and telling them that you’re glad to see them. The walk across the room could make all the difference in whether or not that person comes back. If we could all have the Gaius mentality then how much more effective could we be within our own church? Do you want to be a “Yellow Rose Motel” or “The Hilton”?
