Communicate by all means

Having many things to write to you, I did not wish to do so with paper and ink; but I hope to come to you and speak face to face, that our joy may be full.

The children of your elect sister greet you. Amen.

Having many things to write to you…

1. John the Apostle has many things to share with the elect lady his friend
2. He however does not want to put them in paper
3. He rather looks forward to communicating them with the elect lady in person

That our joy may be full

1. There is definitely joy as we communicate through writing or electronic mails
2. There is however a fuller joy as we share what we have, including our faith, with one another in person
3. A similar thing is ascertained by Paul in his letter to Christians in Rome (Rom.1: 11-12)

The children of your elect sister greet you. Amen.

1. John sends the elect lady the greetings of the children of her elect sister
2. John is gracious to include this greeting of the elect sister of the elect lady in his personal letter to her (the elect lady)

Challenges

1. Let us keep in touch with one another by all means
   1. As a way of loving one another
   2. As an expression of our being brother-sister to one another in faith
2. Let us communicate by all means
   1. To warn one another of the danger of being deceived
   2. To encourage one another to be discerning as to the false teachers/prophets
3. Let us look forward to meeting one another in person
   1. For the mutual benefit of faith
   2. For the sake of our fuller joy