Lesson 357: "Last One Standing"
The Apostle John was the last remaining living apostle beckoning the Christians to follow the view of Jesus Christ. False teachers were coming in from every direction, teaching what itching ears wanted to hear (2 Tim. 4:3). This caused a split in the churches and John wrote his three short letters (1, 2, & 3 John) to help the confused and troubled Christians stay focused on Jesus. These letters were not well received by everyone and shortly after writing them John was banished to the Isle of Patmos. There, still standing for Christ, he wrote the Book of Revelation.
John was a very patient and tolerant man it seems, as he takes his readers back to the beginning (1 John 1:1). He reminded them that he witnessed the Birth, Death and Resurrection of Jesus Christ, the One who declared “your sins are forgiven”. John walked with Jesus, he heard the sound of the whip Jesus used to drive the money changers out of the Temple and the devastating sound of the whip used on his Lord’s back (Lk. 22:63). John stood at the Cross and Jesus committed His mother into the disciple’s care (John 19:26-27). He continued to stand to the very end when he heard his Savior and friend speak these words; “it is finished” (John 19:30). John was one of the first to race to the Tomb three days later only to find it empty just as Jesus had promised (John 20:3-9). Now John, writing his three little books with aged and trembling hands, was reaching out once more to call all Christians back into fellowship with Jesus. The apostle addressed the people with endearing terms such as dear friends and dear children, as though wanting to surround all of them with a protective hug.
Maybe the truckers had read the books of John and thus giving them the “protective hug” idea for this story. A young lady traveling alone in a small car took a break at a truck stop where the drivers of the semi-rigs engaged in conversation with her. They strongly advised her not to attempt the dangerous, snow covered pass through the mountains. Assuring them she was determined to try, they in turn assured her they would have to “give her a hug”. They positioned one truck in front of her and one behind her, instructing her to “snuggle” close to the lead truck. The entire trip she followed the two red dots in the fog in front of her and felt the warmth comforting headlights of the rear truck. These truckers, like John, knew the road well and with loving patience they took a firm stand for the one and only option that would lead the lone traveler safely to her destination.
There are times to be tolerant and there are times to take a stand. In his letters John took a stand. Jesus, the Mighty One, stands with us and He will be the last one standing when this world as we know it ends. At this time He will stand on the Mount of Olives east of Jerusalem (Zech. 14:4). “I am the Alpha and the Omega! The first and the last! The beginning and the end! Yes, I am coming soon” (Rev. 22:13, 20).