The Purpose Driven Life - John 1:19-28

Originally college wasn’t intended to be a time to figure out your purpose in life. But in many ways, that’s what it has become. It’s become a season to figure out what you want to do with your life. Apparently there was a point in time where folks went to college knowing exactly what they wanted to do. What was that like?

But a lot of people even go to school thinking they want to do one thing only to later learn they made the wrong decision. And many folks end up doing something that has nothing to do with the degree they earned.

People change their minds a lot because they doubt what they’re doing. Who can’t relate to that? Even people who have done the same thing their whole lives have to go through a season of doubt. We all wonder from time to time, “am I doing the right thing?” “Is this what I’m supposed to be doing with my life?”

That’s one of the things that makes John the Baptist so admirable. He has such confidence in his God-given purpose. But even John the Baptist showed a few chinks in his armor because he had a moment of doubt while he was in prison. And Jesus responds to his doubts with gracious assurance. But right here, at the very beginning of his ministry, John the Baptist has set his face like flint toward fulfilling his God-given purpose.

That’s exactly what we see in this passage. John the Baptist living out his God-given purpose. We learn three things from these verses: in order to find your purpose you must first know what you’re not (vv. 19-21), second you need to know your role (vv. 22-23), and lastly, you need to know who gave you your role (vv. 24-28).

Know what you’re not (vv. 19-21)

I don’t know if y’all have noticed this out about me, but I’m never going to be a professional basketball player. It doesn’t matter how much I practice. It doesn’t matter how bad I want to be a professional basketball player. Any hope for a later in life growth spurt has gone out the window. It’s just not in the cards for me. It’s never going to happen.

Sometimes the easiest way to know what you’re supposed to do is by eliminating the things you know you’re not supposed to do.

And that’s exactly how our passage begins.

The Pharisees sent priests and Levites to John the Baptist to question him. They skip small talk, no “Where are you from?” or “Who are your parents?” They jump right in and ask him, “Who are you?”

And notice how he responds: “I am not the Christ.” The Apostle John says that John the Baptist confessed twice. Look at what he says in verse 20: “He confessed, and did not deny, but confessed…” John the Baptist is making an emphatic declaration of a truth. The Apostle John emphasizes this point by using the word “confessed” twice in such a short span. The truth he is declaring is he’s not the Messiah or Christ.

For the record, Christ isn’t Jesus’ last name. Christ means “anointed one.” It’s a title reserved for the king and deliverer. Christ is a messanic title reserved for the One that was going to save the world. The Jewish people understood “the Christ” to be a political deliverer when in reality Jesus came to save us from our sins. “The Christ” is a spiritual Savior.

But John answers a direct question with a direct answer. He simply says, “I am not the Christ.” If someone asked you, “Who are you?” what would you say?

Wouldn’t you give the person asking the question some of your background? I grew up in Salem, went to school over there, pursued this career, etc.

But that’s not what John does. He simply says, “I am not the Christ.”

Obviously, they were wondering if John the Baptist was the Christ, but he gives them no backstory, no context, just says directly, I am not the Christ.

And so, they continue with more questions: “Are you Elijah?” “Are you the Prophet?” To which his answers are the same. No. He’s not Elijah. He’s not the Prophet.

There are Old Testament prophecies that said Elijah would come before the day of the Lord. John the Baptist came in the spirit and power of Elijah, but he wasn’t literally Elijah.

Likewise, Moses prophesied that one would come that would be a “prophet like me.” The prophet that Moses was referring to wasn’t John the Baptist but rather, Jesus.

So the answer to all of the priests and Levites questions was “no.”

John the Baptist knew exactly who he wasn’t. He knew he wasn’t the Messiah. He also didn’t consider himself a great prophet, and that’s despite Jesus calling him great.

John the Baptist had a great opportunity to steal Jesus’ thunder. He could have said, yes, I’m all those things. But he didn’t. He was humble, but more than that, I think he was conscious of his created purpose.

The people that I admire the most are the people that are laser focused on doing the thing that they feel the Lord has called them to. And the people that have a strong sense of what they’re supposed to do typically know what they’re not called to.

The elders in Acts 6 went through something similar. They realized that it wasn’t good for them to serve tables. That was something they needed to let go of so they could fulfill their God-given task to preach the gospel.

The idea is true for the Christian as well. It’s no secret that Christians are called to live holy lives. That we’re called to resist the temptation to sin.

The Ten Commandments really clarify that for all of us. Take the sixth commandment for example: You shall not murder. It seems so obvious and straightforward on the surface of it. I mean hopefully no one ever sat you down in order to remind you to never murder someone.

But there is tremendous beauty in the law of God. You see the negative clarifies the positive. When you know what not to do, what you’re supposed to do becomes so much clearer.

The Christian doesn’t murder because God expects each and every one of us to protect life. To love others and preserve their lives and our own.

The negative brings clarity to the positive. What you’re not supposed to do helps you better understand what you are supposed to do.

John the Baptist understood this. He understood who he wasn’t which helped him better understand who he was.

We all do this to a certain extent. We all know the things that we like or don’t like. We all know the things that we’re good at and the things we’re bad at.

But probably one of the easiest things to miss is that John the Baptist knew who Jesus was. And that knowledge gave him clarity on who he was.

This is an easy to miss point: knowing that you’re not Jesus Christ, knowing that you’re not perfect, that your life isn’t sunshine and rainbows every day is the necessary set up for the gospel. Christianity in many ways, requires you and I to make honest self-assessments.

Seeing your sin for what it really is helps you see your need for sinlessness. Your need to be cleansed of unrighteousness. And that’s where Jesus Christ will meet you. Recognizing that you’re not perfect helps you see your need for a perfect Savior. Acknowledging that helps you understand who you are as a person.

Knowing what you aren’t helps you see what you need. Knowing what you aren’t will help you see who you are.

Know your role (vv. 22-25)

For John the Baptist, knowing who he wasn’t helped him better understand his God-given role.

John the Baptist identifies his role by quoting a verse from Isaiah 40:3. He says, “I am the voice of one crying out in the wilderness, ‘Make straight the way of the Lord.” What he’s quoting comes from a famous passage where the Lord promises to comfort his people.

But that verse depicts a kingly image. When a king would come into a town or village, it was the responsibility of the herald to make sure the pathway was clear and that people were aware of his arrival. John the Baptist sees himself as a herald for Christ.

John the Baptist sees himself serving a preparatory role. He’s preparing the way for Christ. He’s announcing his arrival and he applies what Isaiah said of the Lord to Jesus.

And one of the ways he was fulfilling his role was by baptizing people.

But why was John baptizing people? Have you ever wondered that? Because John’s baptism isn’t exactly the same as the baptism we practice today. Think about it, the gospel, the good news of Jesus Christ, hadn’t yet been fully realized. Jesus hadn’t gone to the cross, let alone begun preaching at this point. So, there isn’t a one-to-one connection between the church’s practice of baptism and John the Baptist’s baptism.

John’s baptism was a preparatory baptism. It was a baptism signifying repentance of sins, which is right in line with his mission. John was telling people, the Lord is about to do something great, he’s about to do something HUGE and you all need to get ready!

There is so much symbolism tied to the practice of baptism. The washing away of sin, the pouring out of the Holy Spirit, but probably the most central symbol of baptism is union with Christ. Baptism symbolizes being united to Christ by faith, a faith that may be present (like an adult) or a faith that may not yet be present (like an infant).

Baptism doesn’t necessarily have to be tied to the moment of salvation.

John’s baptism was preparatory because he knew that Jesus was the Messiah, that he’d save the world, but he didn’t know exactly how.

But we know how Jesus saved the world, the baptism instituted by Christ has a deeper, fuller, meaning.

Nevertheless, John knew this was something that he was supposed to do. He knew he needed to prepare people for the ministry of Christ. He was confident in who Jesus was and what his God-given role was.

John is simply confident in who he is and what he’s supposed to do.

Isn’t it interesting that we live in a time where that’s offensive? To know or say anything definitively is angry or dogmatic. It seems that uncertainty, confusion, and a lack of confidence is often misconstrued for being gentle, humble, and loving.

But they’re both really the same thing. People that don’t know anything actually do know something and they’re dogmatic about it - it’s their lack of knowledge and your inability to know anything definitively.

But you can’t separate the truth from humility and being loving. To tell the truth is loving. It’s unloving to pretend you don’t know something. It’s unloving to lie to someone in order to make them feel good. Of course, I’m not suggesting that it’s okay to be rude, angry or hostile. What I’m suggesting is that you can be confident in who you are in Christ.

Know the One who gave you your role (vv. 26-28)

That was exactly the case for John the Baptist. Knowing God gave him confidence in his created role. God gave him a specific role to fulfill in redemptive history.

John was very aware that he was not the Messiah and the differences that existed between himself and Jesus. He acknowledges those differences in verse 26.

He says that he baptizes with water, “but among you stands one you do not know.” His baptism was encouraging repentance of sins in order to prepare the way for Jesus, the one that they didn’t know.

He describes Jesus as “one that comes after me, the strap of whose sandal I am not worthy to untie.” John says that he isn’t worthy to untie Jesus’s sandals. Untying sandals was an act reserved for slaves. You really get a sense of John’s humility here. He says he’s not worthy to do the job of a slave.

John the Baptist’s ministry had gained a lot of attention, but it was about to be completely overshadowed by the ministry of Jesus.

But he was just a humble servant serving the king. But that’s how he viewed himself. He’s not seeking attention for himself. So humble, he doesn’t even consider himself worthy to untie the strap of Jesus’s sandal.

Isn’t that the attitude every Christian should all have? Shouldn’t every Christian think of him or herself as a humble servant of the king? Shouldn’t it be our mission to put to death our constant inclinations toward self-centeredness and pride?

The great theologian, Jonathan Edwards said, “we must view humility as one of the most essential things that characterizes true Christianity.”

The more you see yourself in light of who Christ is, the easier it will be for you to embrace your God-given role.

The difference between repentance and humility is razor thin. Repentance requires humility, and doesn’t being humble require you to admit when you’re wrong?

Those are two of the most countercultural aspects of Christianity.

Humility isn’t celebrated in our culture. Repentance certainly isn’t. And yet, the Christian life is marked by continual repentance. Christianity offers such a realistic view of the world because we’re willing to admit things aren’t the way they should be!

And to really bring things home, I’m not the person I want to be and I’d be willing to bet you’re not the person you want to be. And that’s exactly why I need Christ. It’s why you need Christ. We must put our faith in Him because he will make all things new.

This was the message of John the Baptist. “Make straight the way of the Lord.”

Because John trusted in Christ he was able to carry out his God-given role.

Whenever we think about purpose or meaning we often equate it with vocation. We derive meaning from what we do for a living. And in many ways college exacerbates this. But that is so narrow.

I certainly hope that what you do or did for a living doesn’t define who you are as a person, but it’s an easy trap to fall into.

We also tie our meaning and purpose to our circumstances. We think our life’s value will increase when we get a better job, date the man or woman of our dreams, or maintain our incredible reputation.

But the Christian life is more than your job and circumstances. The Christian life is meant to be poured out faithful service to the king.

That’s what makes John the Baptist so admirable. Unwavering commitment. Dedicated faithfulness to carry out the mission that God had called him to.

We’re to be faithful Christians wherever God has put us. That includes your vocation, of course, but it’s so much more than that. You and I are called to be faithful sons, daughters, husbands, fathers, wives, mothers, grandmothers, grandfathers, and friends.

You’re called to be faithful exactly where God has put you right now. This isn’t something you put off till tomorrow. It should begin today.

If you are a Christian, that is your highest calling. That is the place in your life that deserves the most faithfulness. Prioritizing the worship of God and a connection to his body.

Because that is what we all are isn’t it? Humble faithful servants of Christ.

This is why John the Baptist had so much confidence! He was a faithful servant of the king. Does anything else matter? He certainly didn’t care what the priests and Levites thought of him.

Your purpose isn’t derived from what you’ve done. Your meaning isn’t wrapped up in your reputation. Your meaning and purpose is wrapped up in who Christ is.

And your faithfulness to Christ is what gives your life and my life meaning and purpose. May we look at each day as another opportunity to be a servant to the King.