The imprisoned prophet sent two of his followers to inquire of Jesus, “Are you the one who was to come, or should we expect someone else?”1 John the Baptist was human, and we all face doubts at times. After sending the two disciples back with the assurance they had sought, Jesus affirmed the man to the crowd, “Among those born of women there is no one greater than John.”2 Luke records their response: “All the people, even the tax collectors, when they heard Jesus’ words, acknowledged that God’s way was right . . . but the Pharisees and experts in the law rejected God’s propose for themselves, because they had not been baptized by John.”3 Whoa! Did you catch that? In refusing John’s call to turn back to God, the religious leaders “rejected God’s purpose for themselves.” How tragic! We all want our lives to have meaning, and we seek our purpose in life. The elusive answer to the universal question was in reach for all within earshot of John, but these leaders rejected it. So close, yet so far.
There is more here. For if through unbelief, the Pharisees and experts of the law rejected God’s purpose for themselves, what can we conclude about the others but that, believing John’s message and turning to God, they had found God’s purpose for themselves. The same must be also true for all who do likewise: in Him, we find His purpose for us.
It was John’s father, Zechariah, who foretold that the Messiah’s purpose was, in part, to empower us to realize our own purpose: “to serve [God] without fear in holiness and righteousness before him all of our days.”4 In Christ, we serve effectively and with eternal impact, for He purposes that we “go and bear fruit—fruit that will last.”5 We speak and serve in gospel truth, then God reaps the harvest of hearts—new life where death once reigned. And what purpose could possibly exceed this—that we the church, through our redeemed and indwelled lives, make known “the manifold wisdom of God . . . to the rulers and authorities in the heavenly places”—this according to God’s eternal purpose, realized in Christ.6 With resounding echoes, our new lives in Christ shout God’s glory.
Know this: through faith in Christ, we receive God’s purpose for us, for we who were dead in our sins yet live, and these reborn lives proclaim the wisdom and mercy of our God. Then in this confidence, do what He calls you to do today. There will be fruit, and God will be glorified.
Father, thank You for the gift of purpose, for our redeemed lives proclaim Your goodness. Lead us into Kingdom work, and may our lives in Christ bring you glory today. Amen.
1 Luke 7:20 NIV
2 Luke 7:28 NIV
3 Luke 7:29-30 NIV
4 Luke 1:74-75 NIV
5 John 15:16 NIV
6 Ephesians 3:10-11 NIV
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Paul Nordman—Author 