While teaching a survey of the Old Testament class, a Bible college professor commented that the tribe of Ephraim was a trouble-making tribe. That comment stuck and whenever I read about the tribe of Ephraim, I tend to notice what kind of trouble they are creating. After Joshua allotted cities, boundaries and land to the twelve tribes, Ephraim complains that they do not have enough land. After Judge Jephthah defeated the Ammonites, the tribe of Ephraim complains that they were not asked to help. Their complaint led to war against their own family, the tribe of Manasseh.
There are complainers in the church, just like the tribe of Ephraim. They are trouble-makers who look for and make trouble. If the church is growing, then there is not enough chairs. If the church is not growing then it is failing and soon to close its doors. They are complainers, divisive and bring disunity.
The disciple John is recognized as the closest friend to Jesus. He is an old man when he writes a letter to his friend Gaius. John commends his friend and others who are living and loving like Jesus. He identifies a trouble-maker named Diotrephes, who is prideful, spreading lies, does not welcome other Jesus followers, prevents others from welcoming them also and kicks them out of church.
3 John 1:9-11
I wrote to the church, but Diotrephes, who loves to be first, will not welcome us. 10 So when I come, I will call attention to what he is doing, spreading malicious nonsense about us. Not satisfied with that, he even refuses to welcome other believers. He also stops those who want to do so and puts them out of the church. 11 Dear friend, do not imitate what is evil but what is good. Anyone who does what is good is from God. Anyone who does what is evil has not seen God.
Do you have any people creating disunity and trouble in your church? What should be done with them and their divisive ways?
John, with wisdom gained by years and tears, tells Gaius that he will confront Diotrephes when he arrives. His counsel is that no one should be like Diotrephes, but should imitate everything that is good. Leadership should confront the trouble-makers and everyone else should be about the business of doing what is good because they are from God.
There are complainers in the church, just like the tribe of Ephraim. They are trouble-makers who look for and make trouble. If the church is growing, then there is not enough chairs. If the church is not growing then it is failing and soon to close its doors. They are complainers, divisive and bring disunity.
The disciple John is recognized as the closest friend to Jesus. He is an old man when he writes a letter to his friend Gaius. John commends his friend and others who are living and loving like Jesus. He identifies a trouble-maker named Diotrephes, who is prideful, spreading lies, does not welcome other Jesus followers, prevents others from welcoming them also and kicks them out of church.
3 John 1:9-11
I wrote to the church, but Diotrephes, who loves to be first, will not welcome us. 10 So when I come, I will call attention to what he is doing, spreading malicious nonsense about us. Not satisfied with that, he even refuses to welcome other believers. He also stops those who want to do so and puts them out of the church. 11 Dear friend, do not imitate what is evil but what is good. Anyone who does what is good is from God. Anyone who does what is evil has not seen God.
Do you have any people creating disunity and trouble in your church? What should be done with them and their divisive ways?
John, with wisdom gained by years and tears, tells Gaius that he will confront Diotrephes when he arrives. His counsel is that no one should be like Diotrephes, but should imitate everything that is good. Leadership should confront the trouble-makers and everyone else should be about the business of doing what is good because they are from God.
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