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Jesus said, “Truly, I say to you, among those born of women there has arisen no one greater than John the Baptist” (Matthew 11:11). It seems like Jesus was mistaken. John fit none of the world’s criteria for greatness; he was not talented, attractive, rich, or powerful. Quite the opposite, really. Look at John, dressed in homemade, scratchy, camel-hair garments, with wild hair full of brambles, living out in the wilderness, scavenging for meals of locusts and wild honey. He drove off most of his own followers by sending them to follow Jesus. After a short ministry he ended up in jail, and soon lost his head at the wish of a dancing girl. John sure wasn’t great, according to worldly standards. Yet the words of Jesus still stand: “Truly, I say to you, among those born of women there has arisen no one greater than John the Baptist.”
Well, what about John’s ministry? Was that a great success? He certainly had mass appeal, with crowds flocking out to hear him preach, but then his message drove so many away. “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand. Bear fruit in keeping with repentance. Every tree that does not bear good fruit will be cast into the fire.” The urgency of his call to repent puts us off, doesn’t it? His religious fanaticism would have him labeled a madman in today’s genteel church. His message was unsettling; he called for people to face up to God’s judgment without pulling any punches; without saving face — never a popular theme. His message did not uplift the emotions; he did not organize any mission trips or service projects; the only thing his audience had in common was their sinfulness; he was just not witty, entertaining and accommodating, a great “people person” as everyone wants in a minister. So, not only by the world’s standards was John not great, but also by the church’s standards.
But the Lord Jesus calls John the greatest of men, and what the Lord says is always true. We can’t fit John into our standards, but since when have our standards mattered? Jesus sets the terms for all our discussions of greatness, since He is the Lord, and He defines reality.
Then what really made John great? The better question is, “Who made John great?” Who made John great was the One who sent Him, God the Father. John was sent to blaze the way for the Father’s Son, the One coming after John whose sandals John was not even worthy to untie. And we can actually see John’s greatness in his humility and lack of concern for himself. John never promoted himself, but came promoting another One: “Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world” (John 1:29). John’s finger was always pointed away from himself and toward Jesus. Lest anyone get the impression that John wanted to make something of himself, John exalted Jesus, saying, “I am not the Christ, but I have been sent before Him … He must increase, but I must decrease” (John 3:28, 30). That was John’s greatness: that he pointed to the Messiah, the Savior of the world.
Do you want to be great? Then be like John: keep your eyes steadily fixed on Jesus, and your finger pointed in His direction. Of course, you might lose some respect from the world if you do this, or you might even lose your head, as John did; but you would be walking in the path of greatness, following behind the Lamb of God who carries away your sins and the sins of the whole world.
Jesus comes to us poor, lowly sinners and lifts us up out of the grave of sin and death. He does not come with trumpets blaring, to forcibly subject us to His greatness, but He comes in the quiet voice of the Gospel, and in the least impressive ways imaginable: under a little water, words, bread and wine. Yet Baptism, the Lord’s Supper and Absolution are the greatest gifts our Lord Jesus brings to us, since they deliver forgiveness of sins, eternal life and salvation from the devil.
So even though in this life we disciples of Christ may seem to be the least powerful, least impressive, least of all, yet the Word of the Lord has spoken, saying that the Christ has come down from heaven with healing and pardon. Repent and believe the Gospel. Christ has done everything to save you, to grant you everlasting life in the Kingdom of Heaven. That’s the greatest gift you could ever receive. Amen.
