On paper, John the Baptist’s ministry doesn’t seem all that successful. He lived a secluded life in the desert, preached for a short time before being overshadowed by Jesus, and ended up in prison where he experienced spiritual doubt. Eventually, he was beheaded. However, we know that John the Baptist played a key role in God’s story of salvation. And while by earthly standards of success, John’s life might not be interpreted as all that impressive, his story illustrates how rewarding and impactful our faithfulness to God can be. This four-week series will encourage your students to judge their life not by a “normal” understanding of success, but by God’s definition. Serving God may not always be easy, but when we are obedient to Christ, we have a part to play in His story of salvation! Our purpose in life shouldn’t be about generating accolades for ourselves, but about giving glory to God. We are faceless, so that he be truly seen. Compare to Second Place (children).
