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                                     DO YOU KNOW YOUR CALLING? 

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Matt 16:13-17

“When Jesus came to the region of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, “Who do people say the Son of Man is?”  They replied, “Some say John the Baptist; others say Elijah; and still others, Jeremiah or one of the prophets. “But what about you?” he asked. “Who do you say I am?” Simon Peter answered, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.” Jesus replied, “Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah, for this was not revealed to you by man, but by my Father in heaven.”

Our Lord Jesus Christ was a man anointed with the Holy Ghost and with Power. The Bible said that with that anointing, he went about doing good and healing all that were oppressed of the devil.

Acts 10:38

“How God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and power, and how he went around doing good and healing all who were under the power of the devil, because God was with him.”

That was a wonderful testimony of the earthly ministry of our Lord Jesus Christ. However, it should be noted that though healing the sick, raising the dead, casting out demons, working miracles and signs and wonders were part of his earthly ministry, but not his calling. His calling was to save his people from sin.

Matt 1:20-21

20 But after he had considered this, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, “Joseph son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary home as your wife, because what is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. 21 She will give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins.”

From the above passage, it is clear beyond doubt that Jesus came to this world to save his people from sin. That was the reason for which he was born. Any other thing was a by product of that assignment. Therefore, we need to understand that even if Jesus had turned the whole of River Jordan into wine for the whole of Israel to drink and be merry and had healed all that were sick in Israel, and had raised all the dead like he raised the dead Lazarus after four days; he would still not have fulfilled his calling. Jesus himself knew it. Therefore, he did not allow himself to be distracted.

The reason Jesus did not fail in his mission was because he knew himself. At a time he asked the disciples who the people said he was.  Jesus knew that he was the son of God. He purposely asked the disciples the question to find out if they truly knew who he was. It is certain that despite the fact that they were following him about, eating and drinking with him, they still did not know him until the Father in Heaven revealed his identity to Peter. Like many of us, Jesus had many obstacles on his way that could have made him run away from his calling but he persevered looking at the glory that was ahead of him. It is however noteworthy that Jesus could not have overcome such obstacles if he did not know his calling.

From verses 21 – 23 of chapter sixteen of the Book of Matthew, the Bible gives us an account of how Jesus predicted how he would suffer in Jerusalem and be killed by the elders, chief priests and teachers of the law.

Matt 21 – 23

“From that time on Jesus began to explain to his disciples that he must go to Jerusalem and suffer many things at the hands of the elders, chief priests and teachers of the law, and that he must be killed and on the third day be raised to life. Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him. “Never, Lord!” he said. “This shall never happen to you!” Jesus turned and said to Peter, “Get behind me, Satan! You are a stumbling block to me; you do not have in mind the things of God, but the things of men.”

Immediately after Jesus finished making that statement, Peter rebuked him and said it will not happen. Peter meant well for his master, but he was speaking from the flesh and Jesus rebuked him. It would appear that Peter meant well for Jesus; yet, Jesus knew that what Peter wanted was against his calling. He was called to die to save his people from sin. Anything that would stand against that was not wanted.  When we are in the flesh we cannot see far. Though Jesus spoke of two things, death and resurrection. Peter could only see death for Jesus and not the glorious life after death that awaited him at the end. But why did Jesus not given in to Peter’s proposal? After all, it was for his own good. The reason Jesus did not give in to Peter’s proposal was because he knew his calling and did not want to be distracted from it even though it did not look glamorous. Jesus was even asked to become a worldly king at one point but he refused because he knew that was not his calling. If he gave in to it, it would have been breach of the contract he had with God the Father.

Jesus’s prayer in the book of John chapter seventeen reveals that he knew his mission and what the reward would be. We can see this from the first five verses.

John 17:1-5

After Jesus said this, he looked toward heaven and prayed:

“Father, the time has come. Glorify your Son, that your Son may glorify you. 2 For you granted him authority over all people that he might give eternal life to all those you have given him. 3 Now this is eternal life: that they may know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom you have sent. 4 I have brought you glory on earth by completing the work you gave me to do. 5 And now, Father, glorify me in your presence with the glory I had with you before the world began.”