1:1 THE ELDER, To the beloved Gaius, whom I love in truth:
1:2 Beloved, I pray that you may prosper in all things and be in health, just as your soul prospers.
1:3 For I rejoiced greatly when brethren came and testified of the truth that is in you, just as you walk in the truth.
1:4 I have no greater joy than to hear that my children walk in truth.
John was an elderly man at this point, not to far from being in heaven with the Lord. What a blessing that is.
John was also as an older man, a much wiser man then he had been when he was younger. That is what happens to men or women, who continue to walk with Christ, they become more blessed, more wise, more loving, etc, and John would be a classic example of that for all of us who may be headed towards older age.
John was writing this brief letter to an individual named Gaius, which means Lord, is someone John knew personally, and that'a about all we know of him. Except that his soul was prospering. Which means, that his journey to heaven, was going along well. He was being led by the Lord, and was going along in the easiest way possible, that is, as compared to how hard we can make it. In other words, he was simply following the Lord, and was a blessed man.
John now talks about joy once again, as he did in his 2nd epistle also. He says several things about it.
1. He rejoiced greatly. Alot. Not just a little rejoicing, but much rejoicing. It came about when some other christians met up with him, and told him about the truth that was in Gauis, and John notes here in verse 3, that Gaius was also walking in the truth. That means, he was ordering his life according to the Word of God. These facts brought great joy to John.
2. John had no greater joy. There was nothing else in his life that brought about the same greatness of joy, as this matter did.
3. The joy is again explained and related to the fact, that "than to hear that my children walk in truth" In other words, those believers whom John calls his children, or those perhaps converted under his ministry, or those whom he had pastored in the past. Knowing how they were living brought him tremendous and great joy.
John knew that these folks were on target with God's plan for their lives. They were following Jesus, and abiding in Him, and thus the great joy. What more can a person hope for then to know that someone is following the Lord?
We love you Lord.
In Jesus name..
Pastor Bob Grenier
Calvary Chapel Visalia
