Calling and Purpose 3—John the Baptist
John the Baptist—Matthew 3, 11, 14; Mark 1; Luke 1; John 3.
We see in Chapter One of the Gospel according to Luke that John the Baptist’s calling and purpose is stated prior to him even being conceived. An angel of God appears to John’s father, Zechariah, and tells him that his son—yet to be born—“will be a joy and delight to you, and many will rejoice because of his birth, for he will be great in the sight of the Lord. He is never to take wine or other fermented drink, and he will be filled with the Holy Spirit even before he is born. He will bring back many of the people of Israel to the Lord their God. And he will go on before the Lord, in the spirit and power of Elijah, to turn the hearts of the parents to their children and the disobedient to the wisdom of the righteous—to make ready a people prepared for the Lord.”
The first chapter of Mark’s Gospel adds that John the Baptist came preaching repentance in such a way that “The whole Judean countryside and all the people of Jerusalem went out to him. Confessing their sins, they were baptized by him in the Jordan River.” John was clear that all of this was not about him gaining accolades, which might have been tempting, but about preparing the way for Jesus, the Messiah. He acknowledged, in the face of all that attention “After me comes the one more powerful than I, the straps of whose sandals I am not worthy to stoop down and untie. I baptize you with water, but he will baptize you with the Holy Spirit.”
John knew his place. He clearly stated that he was not the Messiah and was more like a best man is to a bridegroom. He famously said “He [Jesus] must become greater; I must become less.” Jesus refers to John as a prophet and the Messiah’s messenger—the long-expected Elijah. John has the privilege of baptizing Jesus—although not before Jesus must persuade John to do so. He also speaks truth to power—to the Pharisees and Sadducees and to King Herod.
His gifts were likely teaching and prophesy, perhaps apostleship. He was filled with the Holy Spirit before he was even born. His clear calling and purpose was to prepare the way for Jesus. However, his proximity to God’s purposes did not spare him either doubts (asking Jesus “Are you the one who is to come, or should we expect someone else?”), imprisonment, or the likely shock of being beheaded.
· Can you discern an overarching life-purpose, embedded in you by the Lord even prior to your birth?
· Are you meant to prepare the way for another—you doing the plowing while the next person does the planting and perhaps still another does the watering? (God provides the growth.)
· Do you know your gifts and how they help define the shape of your calling?
Download the Calling and Purpose Study Guide 3—John the Baptist and Lydia for application questions.
See the blog post Calling and Purpose—Lydia.
Additional Resources:
· Gifts-Calling-Purpose blog: https://godgiftsyou.com/blog/
· Downloadable Resources: https://godgiftsyou.com/resources/
o See Sample List of Interest Areas; Your Spiritual Gifts—A Study Guide; Knowing Your Unique Calling and Purpose Study Guide; Whole-Life Ministry: A Form of Worship, Grace-Giving, and Living into Your Calling.
· Spiritual Gifts Assessment: https://godgiftsyou.com/assessment/
Shirley Giles Davis, author of the God. Gifts. You. Your Unique Calling and Design workbook, is a consultant, coach, facilitator who has worked with faith-based organizations, nonprofit agencies, and law enforcement leadership for over 30 years. Shirley has been EquipConnectServe Director at First Pres Boulder since 1999. She has worked with leaders and organizations in 47 of the United States as well as having clients outside the U.S. Contact Shirley.