August 18, 2026 - Good Morning! It’s Tuesday, August 18.
In about the year 90 AD, an old man sat down one day and wrote a letter. The man’s name was John. He was the last disciple, the last of the Twelve still alive, and the only one who would die a natural death. His brother, James, had died by the sword over 50 years before, the first disciple to be martyred. These two brothers were called “the Sons of Thunder”. What a nickname! And together with Peter, they formed the inner circle of Christ. Peter had died on a cross around 60 AD, and now only John remained. Remained to write a letter to the First Century Church. A letter to you. A letter to me.
The Apostle John wrote five books of the New Testament. His gospel stands unique from the other three gospels, set apart by its soaring language, and its vivid portrayal of Christ as the Word. It was Billy Graham’s favorite book of scripture. He called it a “miniature Bible”. The Bible ends with John’s Revelation, a challenging book that has fascinated and confounded believers for 2000 years. But John’s letters - I, II, III John - are relatively simple and easy to understand. Here are the opening words of that first letter -
“That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our own eyes, which we have looked at and our hands have touched - this we proclaim concerning the Word of life.”
Wow! Hard to put a letter like that down! What a voice of authority. The voice of the last person alive who walked with Jesus, who shared the Last Supper, prayed in the Garden, stood at the foot of the Cross. And what is John’s word of authority to us in his letter? It can be encapsulated in one single word. Love. And it can be found in one single verse. I John 4:19 - “We love because He first loved us”.
The Gospel of John is perhaps the most profound gospel. His Revelation is perhaps the most challenging Bible book. But his letters are simple and direct and short. Take 30 minutes today and read them. Let the old man who walked with Jesus... speak truth to you in love.
Meet you back here tomorrow,
David
cindertex50@yahoo.com
