A Special Calling
John is one of a small group of people whom the Bible says God chose before birth for a special mission, people such as Samuel and Samson, and even Jesus Himself. Hundreds of years earlier, the prophet Isaiah prophesied the ministry of John as one who would be "a voice of one calling: 'In the desert' " (Isa. 40:3-5, NIV; see also Luke 3:4-6). John's father, Zechariah, also predicted that his son would prepare the way for the Lord (Luke 1:76).
Skim over Luke 1, where John the Baptist's mission and calling are prophesied. Make notes on the things that it said that John would accomplish. Compare those prophecies with what we know about John the Baptist. In what ways were they fulfilled?
After looking at John's accomplishments, look at John's ignoble end (Matt. 14:1-12). How does that end match all the glorious things predicted about him?
John the Baptist's calling and ministry brought him to a hard and difficult path, one that ended almost as ignobly as His cousin's, Jesus. Despite the trials, the sufferings, and the misunderstanding, he remained faithful, fulfilling the prophecies made about his life. John is an example of the suffering that any of us could face if we seek to remain faithful to God and to whatever calling He has for us.
By most standards, John the Baptist's life and, especially, his death would not have made him someone whom the world would call successful. What should that tell us about the difference between God's ideals and the world's? Are your standards of success more like God's or the world's, and what does the answer tell you about yourself?
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