Brandon Glenn
Director of Youth Ministries
The Kingdom of God is Near
I am currently finishing a course in Career Counseling with Clarks Summit University’s online program. One of our final projects includes researching a Bible Character and analyzing their calling and ministry. I chose John the Baptist. Other than Jesus himself, I’m not sure if anyone had a clearer calling and obedience to that call than John the Baptist. Looking at John the Baptist through the lens of a modern-day career counselor has put a unique spin on his calling and ministry.
John the Baptist’s ministry had two elements. The first element of his ministry was repentance. He was calling God’s people to be sorry for their actions and turn away from their former ways of living. John the Baptist is not merely looking for an intellectual changing of one’s mind. However, he is calling for a “radical transformation of the entire person” (Gaebelein & Carson, 1984, p. 99). In the third chapter of his gospel, Matthew makes a reference to Isaiah 40:3, saying that John the Baptist’s purpose was to “make straight paths for him” (Matthew 3:3, NIV). MacLeod (2000) suggests that this could be in an illustration alluding to the poor Middle Eastern roads during the times of John the Baptist (p. 14).
The second element of John the Baptist’s ministry is the nearness of God’s Kingdom. The Old Testament has a building narrative of divine intervention where God will reconcile Earth’s relationship with Himself. After four hundred years of prophetic silence, John the Baptist’s preaching and teaching prophesies to God’s people that this will be happening soon.
Fellow believers, I do not know when Jesus will return, but I know we are closer today than yesterday. Let’s follow John the Baptist’s example by repenting and asking others to do the same; truly feeling sorry for our former way of living. Let’s not go back to the old way! And secondly, let’s tell people about our Savior’s return. We know it will happen. It may be soon!
P.S. For those who may enjoy APA style writing, I’m including my references!
References
Gaebelein, F. E., & Carson, D. A. (1984). Expositors Bible commentary: with the New International Version of the Holy Bible: in twelve volumes: volume 8: (Matthew, Mark, Luke) (Vol. 8). Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan.
MacLeod, D. J. (2000). Herald of the King: The Mission of John the Baptist. Emmaus Journal, 09(1), 5–36. Retrieved from https://www-galaxie-com.ezproxy.clarkssummitu.edu/article/emj09-1-02