The Beloved Gaius

If there was ever a person who understood beloved identity, it was the apostle John. In fact, John refers to himself in this way.
“One of his disciples, whom Jesus loved, was reclining at table at Jesus' side.” (John 13:23).
What this tells us about John is not that he is conceded, but that he understands the love of Jesus for him. Of all the people that came to see Jesus, all His followers and friends, it is John that stays the course. Again, not because he has something to prove, but because he really gets what Jesus is trying to teach them all.
Since John is the disciple that seems to understand the heart of Jesus more than anyone, we need to pay attention to the people that he applauds. This is where I want to begin zooming in our focus. John writes his letter to a fellow believer named Gaius who shares many attributes with the apostle. Gaius is a man who is faithfully living out the apostle’s teachings in a way that is evident for all to see. John is writing to Gaius to applaud him on the hospitality that he has shown to many traveling missionaries.
Third John is one of the shortest books in the whole bible, but it is one that packs a punch. John touches on so many areas that are essential for us to understand today. The recipient Gaius is someone that we do not know a whole lot about. There are a few men in the new testament named Gaius, but since the name was so familiar in those days there is no reason to believe that he is any one of those. We do not really know how old he is, what kind of background he has, or anything about his home life. The only thing that we really know about Gaius is what John tells us about him, which is not very much, but the little information we do have about Gaius really speaks volumes about his character.
Gaius is one of those guys that you really don’t think much about. I’m just assuming that if you had to pick a super Christian softball team, Gaius would not be your first pick. You may pick Paul, maybe Peter, and of course John. But you wouldn’t pick Gaius, at least not at first. The only reason you might pick him at all would be because John told you to. He just isn’t extremely popular. But when you see how he plays, when you understand his tactics, he is going to get your attention. There are many people in the church that are like this. People behind the scenes seeking to serve and connect with others. They don’t get a lot of glory but without them, we would be in a mess.
One of the most vital parts of Christianity has always been the spread of missionaries. This was certainly an extremely important part of the early church, and they were deeply passionate about it. This is also where Gaius shinned in showing much hospitality in housing these missionaries. As we walk through third John, we will see the vital role that Gaius plays in this. The most important thing for us to understand right now is, that Gaius saw what the Lord was doing, and he got on board with it.
You can see how Gaius is someone that we should look up to. He has all the attributes of someone that can make a difference in the Kingdom. The man Gaius told to us through the book of 3rd John is someone that will lay a foundation for following the Lord which will impact generations. 3rd John has been a letter that has helped me get through the burnout of American Christianity. As I wrestled with those feelings of being useless in the Kingdom and not understanding my purpose, Third John helped me to pave a foundation and stand firm in my faith. During that period, I really began to try and figure some things out in my journey. The Lord began to take me some places and deal with my heart through many issues. He did this through the book of 3rd John.
What I want to do is walk you through this noticeably short letter to Gaius. John speaks so much truth to Gaius in this letter, and it has dealt greatly with my heart as I journeyed through it. As a disclaimer, allow me to say that John gives some strong challenges to us through this letter. As I compare my life against these words, it has become increasingly clear that I have not reached the perfection to which Christ has called me. That being said, the communion with Him that He constantly invites me into is growing my faith and helping me to set my eyes on Him rather than my inadequacies.
My prayer for you is that as you read these words, you would be moved into a deep love and joy for the Father that can only be found in His word proclaimed over you. Enter this reading prayerful and expecting to hear from Jesus; so that when you are finished, you will not simply know more about the Father, but you will know more of the Father.