How to Focus on Our Mission with Targeted Obedience

I sat outside on my deck with the firepit warming my skin and my attitude. I opened my Bible to read the assigned scripture for the day, Luke 3:1-18. The title of the section in my She Reads Truth Bible is “The Messiah’s Herald.” I wrote that in my journal along with my response, “I need my Messiah today.”

I had visited the dermatologist the day before and learned there were still no answers to my continuous itchy spots. He told me I have “uber hives.”  Whereas I think the phrasing is humorous and descriptive, they are still annoying. He sent my biopsy to another physician who he thought would look at my condition from a different perspective and provide knowledge beyond what he felt he had. I appreciated his willingness to find answers for me.

Luke 3

Luke 3 has nothing to do with healing from hives, or even healing from anything! Luke 3 talks about John the Baptist, and Jesus’ baptism and genealogy. It wasn’t a passage that screamed “Here’s a timely message!” at first glance.

But when we sit to read God’s Word with humility and intentionality, God speaks.

John the Baptist

John was also bold, committed, uncompromising, passionate, intentional, focused, distinctive, and obedient. When we look at him through the lens of that description, he seems more palatable, and yet people like John the Baptist tend to make us feel very uncomfortable.

John the Baptist called people out, he didn’t accept excuses or rationalizations. He was radical and then some. In the middle of our everyday lives, the enemy tempts us to blend in, get by, be mediocre. We may think it’s great for God to call some people to be radical, but surely God doesn’t want us all to be that weird, does He?

John the Baptist and Mission

As I studied this passage in Luke, God began to show me my itchy spots were not my only problem. My health demands I pay some attention to my current physical oddity, but I am not to make it my focus. John the Baptist had one mission, and he remained intent upon accomplishing that goal; he consistently called people to repent and get ready to meet the Messiah. God’s Spirit asked me some very direct questions.

Do you know your mission? Are you focused on obedience regardless of how others perceive you? What is your commitment level regarding being bold, uncompromising, intentional, and distinctive?

Do those questions make you uncomfortable? I must admit, they made me squirm. I don’t like being the oddity in the room. The size of my closet declares I appreciate a fashionable look. Being passionate and focused are exceptional qualities I admire, but I still want to blend in a bit. Know what I mean?

Living on Mission

God’s Holy Spirit revealed three don’ts and one big do from what John the Baptist said to the crowd in Luke three. John begins by calling them all out, telling them they are being deceptive when they say they want to repent. John boldly tells them that true repentance displays evidence by a change in what they will and won’t do in our lives.

#1 Don’t Focus on Creating a Cushion in Life

The crowd responds to John’s declaration that they must produce good fruit with the question, “What then should we do?” (Luke 3:9-10) John replies that they must share what they own; if you have two shirts, give one to someone who doesn’t have a shirt (verse 11).

John’s response to their question seems simple enough, but I know I struggle to put it into everyday practice. Sure, when I clean out my closet, I donate to the local thrift store; most of us are more than willing to take that step. But just donating once or twice a year isn’t part of our day-to-day existence.

I think John was calling the crowd to live on mission and not be concerned with the extra cushion we all want. John was suggesting to the people they had more than enough, and others had nothing. We are to be so focused on desiring a right relationship with God, that gathering extra isn’t a consuming thing. The extra that God does provide, we can easily give to someone in need because our commitment is to knowing Jesus, period.

#2 Don’t Live in the Wiggle Room

After John’s response to the crowd’s question the tax collectors speak up. They have also come for baptism and to get their life on track. Tax collectors weren’t known for being the giving kind; they were more known for taking. Perhaps they hoped John would give them a different answer than not creating a cushioned life since cushion seemed to be a thing for them.

In verse thirteen of Luke three, John tells them not to demand more taxes than what they’ve been authorized to collect. Here’s the deal, the tax collectors’ livelihoods were based on the extra they collected. John told them there was a boundary, and they needed to reside within that boundary line.

John challenged the tax collectors, and he challenges us, to live a life that respects God and others in all areas of our lives. No excuses, no rationalizations. Living on mission with God demands we are intentionally committed to living within the boundaries God gives us. It doesn’t mean we can’t work to change some boundaries, but even that process has boundaries we are to remain within.

#3 Don’t be Consumed with What You Don’t Have

The final group to ask for clarification are soldiers; they too ask John “What should we do?” (Luke 3:14). John responds they are to be satisfied with the wages they earn. The soldiers had the capability to take what they wanted by force, and John challenged them to live within their means, and treat others graciously.

Have you ever noticed that what you own seems great, until you encounter someone with something better than what you have? We like the clothes in our closets, till we see new clothes at the store. We enjoy watching movies on our TV, until we watch a movie at a friend’s house on her bigger screen TV. We anticipate camping in our trailer, until we tour the bigger trailers at the RV show. We are grateful for a vacation to a nearby state park, until we hear about the cruise our neighbor just took.

Once again, John is bringing us back to focus on the mission of knowing and following Jesus. Life isn’t about comfort, how good we can appear, or by the amount of stuff we own. John the Baptist’s life and mission presents his one big “do.”

Do Focus on God Alone: Always, In Everything

We achieve John the Baptist’s big “Do” by repenting of our sins, being obedient to God and giving Christ all the glory. John called all in range of his voice to repent. His mission was to challenge people to set aside the convenient ways they had learned to live, and instead live obedient to God alone. He recognized that only a relationship with Almighty God provided a life worth living. He wasn’t concerned about fitting in, being comfortable, sliding by, or acquiring an enviable collection of things.

“John the Baptist did not set out with the goal of being different from everyone else. Although he was remarkably strange, he wasn’t merely aiming at uniqueness. Rather, he targeted all of his efforts toward obedience. Obviously, John hit the mark, as Jesus called him the greatest of men.”[1]

Mary Fairchild

Targeting Obedience

Did you catch that each don’t phrase forces us to release what this world holds valuable? As we obediently release, our lives are open to do what God asks us to do.

Living on Mission Every Day

God gives us truth for our day-to-day living. His Spirit reminded me that sometimes life is uncomfortable and even itchy. I don’t need a cushion, I need His presence, I need Jesus. I could live in the wiggle room of the Doctor’s instructions, but he gave boundary lines of what to eat, medicine to take, and procedures to follow for my benefit. Healing could be slower, even nonexistent, if I live in the wiggle room. I could envy others and want a life without the hassles mine currently contains, but I would miss God’s gracious daily gifts that come because of my circumstance and remind my heart how deeply He loves me.

Always, in everything, focus on God alone. He is the Messiah; He has come to save. He calls us to repent, live obediently and give all the glory to Him. Amen and amen.

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[1] Fairchild, Mary. “Meet John the Baptist: The Greatest Man to Ever Live.” Learn Religions, Oct. 7, 2021, learnreligions.com/profile-of-john-the-baptist-701090.

Mission Journal Photo by David Iskander on Unsplash