The Christian's True Greatness

 

June 14, 1998 ~ Pickering Standard Church

 

Luke 7:11-28 - Soon afterward, Jesus went to a town called Nain, and his disciples and a large crowd went along with him. As he approached the town gate, a dead person was being carried out— the only son of his mother, and she was a widow. And a large crowd from the town was with her. When the Lord saw her, his heart went out to her and he said, "Don’t cry." Then he went up and touched the coffin, and those carrying it stood still. He said, "Young man, I say to you, get up!" The dead man sat up and began to talk, and Jesus gave him back to his mother.

 

They were all filled with awe and praised God. "A great prophet has appeared among us," they said. "God has come to help his people."

 

This news about Jesus spread throughout Judea and the surrounding country. John’s disciples told him about all these things. Calling two of them, he sent them to the Lord to ask, "Are you the one who was to come, or should we expect someone else?"

 

When the men came to Jesus, they said, "John the Baptist sent us to you to ask, ‘Are you the one who was to come, or should we expect someone else?’"

 

At that very time Jesus cured many who had diseases, sicknesses and evil spirits, and gave sight to many who were blind. So he replied to the messengers, "Go back and report to John what you have seen and heard: The blind receive sight, the lame walk, those who have leprosy are cured, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, and the good news is preached to the poor. Blessed is the man who does not fall away on account of me." After John’s messengers left, Jesus began to speak to the crowd about John: "What did you go out into the desert to see? A reed swayed by the wind? If not, what did you go out to see? A man dressed in fine clothes? No, those who wear expensive clothes and indulge in luxury are in palaces. But what did you go out to see? A prophet? Yes, I tell you, and more than a prophet. This is the one about whom it is written: "‘I will send my messenger ahead of you, who will prepare your way before you.’ I tell you, among those born of women there is no one greater than John; yet the one who is least in the kingdom of God is greater than he."

 

How is it that Jesus is able to say of John the Baptist: "Among those born of women there is no one greater than John."

 

1/ He would be a servant of God and would call the people of Israel to turn again to their God, preparing them for the ministry of Christ:

 

Luke 1:13-17 - But the angel said to him: "Do not be afraid, Zechariah; your prayer has been heard. Your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you are to give him the name John. He will be a joy and delight to you, and many will rejoice because of his birth, for he will be great in the sight of the Lord. He is never to take wine or other fermented drink, and he will be filled with the Holy Spirit even from birth. Many of the people of Israel will he bring back to the Lord their God. And he will go on before the Lord, in the spirit and power of Elijah, to turn the hearts of the fathers to their children and the disobedient to the wisdom of the righteous— to make ready a people prepared for the Lord."

 

2/ He was spoken of by the prophet Isaiah as one who would come and prepare the way for the Lord Jesus and who would speak of the glory of His kingdom, but he would do this in the forsaken places rather than the temple courts and those places associated with the ruling religious leaders:

 

Isaiah 40:1-5 - Comfort, comfort my people, says your God. Speak tenderly to Jerusalem, and proclaim to her that her hard service has been completed, that her sin has been paid for, that she has received from the LORD’s hand double for all her sins. A voice of one calling: "In the desert prepare the way for the LORD; make straight in the wilderness a highway for our God. Every valley shall be raised up, every mountain and hill made low; the rough ground shall become level, the rugged places a plain. And the glory of the LORD will be revealed, and all mankind together will see it. For the mouth of the LORD has spoken."

 

3/ As part of his mission of preparing the way for Jesus he also bore witness of Jesus Christ, giving proof to those who heard him that Jesus was the Messiah for whom Israel longed:

 

John 5:31-38 - If I testify about myself, my testimony is not valid. There is another who testifies in my favor, and I know that his testimony about me is valid. You have sent to John and he has testified to the truth. Not that I accept human testimony; but I mention it that you may be saved. John was a lamp that burned and gave light, and you chose for a time to enjoy his light. I have testimony weightier than that of John. For the very work that the Father has given me to finish, and which I am doing, testifies that the Father has sent me. And the Father who sent me has himself testified concerning me. You have never heard his voice nor seen his form, nor does his word dwell in you, for you do not believe the one he sent.

 

4/ John the Baptist was the fulfillment of Isaiah's prophecy and a most uncommon man, he wore a coat of camel's hair and leather and ate wild locusts and honey. He seemed to care little for what we would call the finer things of life. His primary purpose was to prepare a road for Christ to use. We find also that many of his day sought him out, were baptized by him having confessed their sins:

 

Matthew 3:1-6 - In those days John the Baptist came, preaching in the Desert of Judea and saying, "Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is near." This is he who was spoken of through the prophet Isaiah: "A voice of one calling in the desert, ‘Prepare the way for the Lord, make straight paths for him.’" John’s clothes were made of camel’s hair, and he had a leather belt around his waist. His food was locusts and wild honey. People went out to him from Jerusalem and all Judea and the whole region of the Jordan. Confessing their sins, they were baptized by him in the Jordan River.

 

5/ He was extraordinarily humble. When confronted by the fact that his own ministry was waning while that of Jesus was growing he acknowledged his position as merely the friend of the bridegroom and not the bridegroom himself. He recognized that Jesus was the man for whom he was to prepare a people and he allowed himself to faithfully do his work rather than seek his personal glory:

 

John 3:22-36 - After this, Jesus and his disciples went out into the Judean countryside, where he spent some time with them, and baptized. Now John also was baptizing at Aenon near Salim, because there was plenty of water, and people were constantly coming to be baptized. (This was before John was put in prison.) An argument developed between some of John’s disciples and a certain Jew over the matter of ceremonial washing. They came to John and said to him, "Rabbi, that man who was with you on the other side of the Jordan— the one you testified about— well, he is baptizing, and everyone is going to him."

 

To this John replied, "A man can receive only what is given him from heaven. You yourselves can testify that I said, ‘I am not the Christ but am sent ahead of him.’ The bride belongs to the bridegroom. The friend who attends the bridegroom waits and listens for him, and is full of joy when he hears the bridegroom’s voice. That joy is mine, and it is now complete. He must become greater; I must become less. The one who comes from above is above all; the one who is from the earth belongs to the earth, and speaks as one from the earth. The one who comes from heaven is above all. He testifies to what he has seen and heard, but no one accepts his testimony. The man who has accepted it has certified that God is truthful. For the one whom God has sent speaks the words of God, for God gives the Spirit without limit. The Father loves the Son and has placed everything in his hands. Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life, but whoever rejects the Son will not see life, for God’s wrath remains on him."

 

Jesus ties all these various facts about John the Baptist together by telling His disciples that:

 

Luke 9:46-48 - An argument started among the disciples as to which of them would be the greatest. Jesus, knowing their thoughts, took a little child and had him stand beside him. Then he said to them, "Whoever welcomes this little child in my name welcomes me; and whoever welcomes me welcomes the one who sent me. For he who is least among you all— he is the greatest."

 

Jesus Himself shows them how to live by washing their feet scant hours before His crucifixion. The emphasis of all that we have heard to this point is that God's view of greatness is vastly different than that of the world. While John the Baptist could have sought for earthly fame and glory he instead performed the humble task of second fiddle, working his whole life under the guidance of God to prepare his countrymen for the One who would be greater than John:

 

Luke 3:16-17 - John answered them all, "I baptize you with water. But one more powerful than I will come, the thongs of whose sandals I am not worthy to untie. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and with fire. His winnowing fork is in his hand to clear his threshing floor and to gather the wheat into his barn, but he will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire."

 

The entire goal of his life was not to do his own will and seek his own fortune but to do only what God asked him to do. He is the greatest of those born of women not because he attained a higher position than any other man, but because he faithfully served God, humbly accepting a low position on earth so that God could His perfect will work through him.