Follow The Right Role Models

It took me a while to get this morning's sermon prepared, but in the end it all came together. The apostle John is comparing two people in a church group - Gaius [all round good and generous guy] and Diotrephes [a domineering, dodgy deacon]  I think John is saying something like this - "Look at Gaius, a loyal friend, walking faithfully, being welcoming and accepting, even to strangers, giving thoughtfully and generously.  He truly imitates Christ in his behaviour. Now look at Diotrephes – he has somehow obtained a position of influence. He is ego-centric, domineering, power hungry, dismissive of anyone who gets in his way, slandering them, throwing them out."*  And John's whole letter basically hangs on this verse - good advice and the main point of what I shall be saying

[* He probably lived in a white house too]