Calling and Purpose 20—John the Apostle
We get clues as to John the Apostle’s calling and purpose by looking at his roles, his unique personality, his connection to Jesus, and his gifts.
His roles:
John was born in Bethsaida, the son of Zebedee and Salome, the brother of James. John, like his father, was a fisherman, a partner in business with his brother and Simon Peter. He first becomes a disciple of John the Baptist until Jesus calls him. Acts 4 says that John was “unschooled” and “ordinary.”
John seems well-connected—we learn that he is known to the high priest, thus getting Peter into the courtyard during Jesus trial. John was the only one of the Twelve who stayed near the foot of the cross at Jesus’ crucifixion (alongside numerous female disciples). Following the instruction of Jesus as He was dying, John took Mary, the mother of Jesus, into his home and cared for her as his own.
John goes with Peter to the empty tomb, but hesitates to go in. However, John is the first to recognize Jesus at the miraculous catch of fish after Jesus’ resurrection.
After Jesus' Ascension and the descent of the Holy Spirit on Pentecost, John and Peter become prominent leaders in the church in Jerusalem. He and Peter are both involved in the healing of the lame man in Acts 4. John and Peter are also sent to pray, baptize, and lay hands on the believers in Samaria (Acts 8)—an interesting full-circle from the time when John suggested Jesus call down fire on a town in Samaria. Paul calls John (in addition to Peter and James) a “pillar” of the church (Galatians 2). John is imprisoned, with Peter, and stands trial before the Sanhedrin who recognize his courage.
John outlives all of the Apostles—likely dying at the age of 94. It appears, from a conversation Jesus has with Peter, that this is part of John’s purpose. Instead of being martyred like the rest, he is sent into exile on Patmos—where he sees the visions that become Revelation. He is the author of five New Testament books: the Gospel of John, the three Epistles of John, and the Book of Revelation.
His unique personality:
Jesus “gave the name Boanerges, which means “sons of thunder”’ to John and his brother James. This may speak to their boldness and their courage and it may also speak of their nature to challenge, to dominate, to fight first and think later. In Mark 9, John wants to stop someone from driving out demons; Jesus tells John not to stop the person. John and James ask to sit on Jesus’ right and left in glory; Jesus says they don’t know what they’re asking, and their request makes the other disciples indignant. In Luke 9, because a Samaritan community does not welcome Jesus, John and James propose calling down fire to destroy them. Jesus rebukes them.
His connection to Jesus:
Jesus calls John to leave his father and his fishing business and follow Him—to be His disciple. John eventually writes the Gospel of John, in which he repeatedly refers to himself as the "disciple whom Jesus loved" (John 13:23-25; John 19:26-27; John 20:1-10; John 21:1-25; John 21:20-23; John 21:24). John knew he was loved by the Lord.
Jesus sends John (and the others) out, giving him “authority to drive out impure spirits and to heal every disease and sickness.”. John is one of Jesus’ select three (Peter, James, and John)—who have the privilege of being with Jesus at the Mount of Transfiguration, being invited into Simon’s house when Jesus heals Simon’s mother-in-law, being present at the raising of Jairus’ (the synagogue leader) daughter from the dead, being with Jesus on the Mount of Olives where He provides them with private explanation about the temple and the end times, and being one of three with Jesus in Gethsemane before Jesus’ death. John is given a front-row seat to all of the important moments in Jesus’ life and teaching.
John follows Jesus for the three years of Jesus’ ministry. John and Peter are asked by Jesus to prepare the Passover supper, and John sits next to Jesus (leans on Him) at the Last Supper and asks who will betray Him.
His transformation:
The Son of Thunder John becomes the John who writes so eloquently about The Word—the Word with God—the Word that was God. The Word, Jesus, through Whom all was made and given life and light—True Light. “The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth” (John 1:14).
The John who, with his brother, challenges and fights first becomes the John who writes to his “dear children” (1John 2:1) and says these famous phrases:
· 1 John 3:1 See what great love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are! The reason the world does not know us is that it did not know him. 2 Dear friends, now we are children of God, and what we will be has not yet been made known. But we know that when Christ appears, we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is. 3 All who have this hope in him purify themselves, just as he is pure.
· 1 John 3:16 This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers and sisters.
· 1 John 4:7 Dear friends, let us love one another, for love comes from God. Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God. 8 Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love. 9 This is how God showed his love among us: He sent his one and only Son into the world that we might live through him. 10 This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins. 11 Dear friends, since God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. 12 No one has ever seen God; but if we love one another, God lives in us and his love is made complete in us.
o 13 This is how we know that we live in him and he in us: He has given us of his Spirit. 14 And we have seen and testify that the Father has sent his Son to be the Savior of the world. 15 If anyone acknowledges that Jesus is the Son of God, God lives in them and they in God. 16 And so we know and rely on the love God has for us.
o God is love. Whoever lives in love lives in God, and God in them. 17 This is how love is made complete among us so that we will have confidence on the day of judgment: In this world we are like Jesus. 18 There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love.
o 19 We love because he first loved us.
His gifts:
John’s gifts may have included leadership, intercession, healing, artistic expression, apostleship, and prophecy. We certainly continue to benefit from his writings (artistic expression and prophecy) and from his early church founding and steady guidance for a lifetime (leadership, apostleship).
God made John able to do that which the Lord asked John to do: lead, heal, endure, speak, reconcile, pray, love. God gives John the messages from which we continue to learn:
• The book of John—Jesus is the Messiah, believe in Him and have life eternal.
• Books of 1-3 John—God is love.
• Revelation—Jesus triumphs!
God uses John’s training (fishing, working), his interests (connection to the high priest, follower of John the Baptist), his intense personality, and his time with Jesus to shape him into the person we see in the books John writes. As a result of John’s proximity to Jesus, John was profoundly changed. Thanks to the Holy Spirit’s activity in his life, John was transformed. John’s purpose was to live that life and then to encourage each of us to not only be proximate to Jesus but to be change, transformed, made new by that same Jesus through the work of His Spirit.
Where can you already see God using your roles, your unique personality, your connection to Jesus, and your gifts for something unique?
Where are you being transformed for a new purpose?
How do your gifts define your calling and purpose?
If you aren’t familiar with your gifts—which help give shape and substance to your purpose and calling, take the free online assessment.
For more on these subjects, see the Gifts-Calling-Purpose blog. Check out other resources and a six-week workbook at GodGiftsYou.com.
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