John the Baptist and Our Divine Calling

Published by Joshua Bontrager on March 5, 2019March 5, 2019

Have you ever wondered, “If only I had more money, power, or connections I could accomplish so much more for Christ?”

The thought can be tempting. It haunts us because can use all of these things for good. In reality, God doesn’t need us to have any of these things to accomplish great things for Him. What we need most is a heart of surrender and obedience.

The Bible records the story of a man who had little money, social standing, or power, yet he was called by Christ the greatest man to have ever lived (Matthew 11:11). 

Today, we’ll examine the life, purpose, and legacy of this remarkable man.

The Life of John the Baptist

His name was John the Baptist, and Luke 3:1-2 tells us this about him:

“Now in the fifteenth year of the reign of Tiberius Caesar, Pontius Pilate being governor of Judaea, and Herod being tetrarch of Galilee, and his brother Phillip tetrarch of Iturea and of the region of Trachonitus, and Lysanius the tetrarch of Abiline, Annas and Caiaphas being the high priests, the word of God came unto John the son of Zacharias in the wilderness.”

From Pilate to Herod, the Jews were governed by godless leaders, and this is the world that John lived in. In this environment, surely the high priests would have set the example. Yet sadly, Annas and Caiaphas, two men who should have been Israel’s spiritual leaders, vehemently opposed Christ’s ministry.

One might have expected change to come from the political regime or the religious leaders, but God bypassed those institutions and people to speak to a rough wilderness man.

Though John was not a priest or a king, John left behind a greater legacy than any of the religious or political leaders of his day.

Though son of the priest Zacharias, John the Baptist lived in the wilderness, wearing a garment of camel’s hair and subsisting on locust and wild honey (Matthew 4:4).

The Purpose of John the Baptist

John’s purpose was “to prepare the way of the Lord (Isaiah 40:3).” Unlike the religious rulers who strived to glorify themselves, John ministered to Christ alone.

John called Jesus “preferred before me,” stating that even he was not worthy to loose the latchet of Jesus’ shoes (John 1:27). Though John could have manipulated his large following for his own benefit, he instead used his platform to point others to Christ. In the face of rejection by the religious and political establishment of his day, John never wavered, but continued to speak the truth–though it would cost him his life.  

The Legacy of John the Baptist

John the Baptist was a humble man whose sole life purpose was to point others to Christ. If we are to follow his example today, we must first recognize and embrace our divine calling. W

I Peter 2:9 describes our mission in this way: “But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should show forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvelous light.”

The redeemed are called to “show forth” His praises. If we know Him, we are responsible to make Him known.

By itself, great wealth, fame, and power alone do not equal eternal impact. In the end, those who leave their mark on this world are those who are faithful to their calling. 

God is not searching for people who are influential: He is looking for individuals to faithfully steward the gifts He has given them. John the Baptist radically impacted his world because he lived for Christ alone. Who do you live for?

QUESTION: Do you know your calling? Are you faithful to that calling?