Pastor Scott Andrews | November 10, 2024
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Luke 7:24-30
What is it that makes a person truly great? I say truly because our culture is incredibly and increasingly confused about greatness. I mean, what makes a person great anyway? Perhaps the best example of this confusion is seen through celebrity figures or status. Think about it – some people have made millions – even billions, doing…nothing. The fact is, our society is no better by their existence and popularity. But, our culture is enamored with celebrities.
Since 1999, Forbes magazine publishes annually its Celebrity 100 list. The list quantifies celebrity status by combining earning power with star power. Star power is measured by fame, including such things as press clippings, mentions on TV and social media, magazine cover stories and hits on the internet. All those things that improve your quality of life. Using this formula that combines money and fame, Forbes magazine named George Lucas as tops on its 2024 Celebrity 100 list.
By the way, the top 10 on the Celebrity list this year were, in order from number 10 to number 1: Tiger Woods, Rihanna, Tyler Perry, Peter Jackson, Kim Kardashian, Jay-Z, Oprah Winfrey, Michael Jordan, Steven Spielberg, and George Lucas.
So, here’s the question: is celebrity status what makes a person truly great? Maybe you’re like me and couldn’t name a single Rihanna song – no, I’m not a communist. Without intending to offend, does the word great and the name Rihanna belong in the same sentence?
What is it that makes a person great? If it isn’t in celebrity status or fame, could we measure greatness by what one has? We could go back to Forbes where we would find, again, this year, Elon Musk is the richest man in the world for the fourth year in a row, with a net worth of $266 billion. Some suggest he will eventually be the world’s first trillionaire. By the way, after the election on Tuesday, his net worth increased by $15 billion overnight. Think about it, he went to sleep Tuesday night and woke up Wednesday morning worth $15 billion more.
Think about this also – if he put his current net worth in a savings account at a bank that pays a paltry 2% interest, he’d have $5.3 billion dollars a year to spend, without ever touching the principal. Five billion dollars a year – to spend that much, you’d have to spend over 14 million dollars, every day of the year – you couldn’t even take weekends off. But is that greatness? That doesn’t quite do it for us either, does it? Elon Musk may belong on some list of greatness, but not because of what he has – maybe what he did to acquire the wealth would earn him some measure of greatness.
Okay, if it isn’t in fame, if it isn’t wealth, maybe greatness could be measured by position or title. Well, the highest position, at least office, in our country is the President of the United States. While reserving comments about last Tuesday, does being President make you great? I think we would all agree the position does necessarily make you a great person – we’ve had great presidents and some not-so-great presidents. The title, whether it’s president, king, judge, doctor, lawyer or Indian chief doesn’t necessarily make you great. Once again, I think we would all agree it’s what you do in the position, it’s what you do with the title, that makes you great.
So, we’re narrowing down our understanding of greatness, not who knows you (fame), not what you have (wealth), not what position you possess (title), but rather, what you do. As you think of people who have done great things, perhaps your mind stays in the political arena, and you think of someone like George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Abraham Lincoln or Winston Churchill? Maybe you would go to the world of science or medicine and think of Louis Pasteur, Thomas Edison or Albert Einstein. Maybe your mind goes to the sports arena, and you think of Jack Nicholas, Michael Jordan, Lebron James, Wayne Gretsky, Tom Brady, Novak Djokovic, or Ted Williams.
Now, I have to tell you a little story about this choice of Ted Williams as a baseball great. I told this story years ago, and so some of you may remember it – it’s a true story. As some of you know, I’m not much of a baseball fan – most boring game on the planet I once called it, only to be assaulted by some you after the service. Well, years ago, I was writing a sermon for this text in Matthew. Coming up with sports icons was easy, but as I pondered who to name as a baseball great, I wrote Ted Williams. Later that morning, a couple pastors – Dean and Doug – and I went to a radio station to record the opening and closing for the radio broadcast we had at the time – it was before podcast and livestream. I asked them on the way, who would you say is the greatest baseball player of all time? After some discussion, they decided on Cal Ripken, Jr. So, I came back to the office and changed Ted’s name to Cal. Then I jumped on the Internet to catch up on the latest news – the headlines read, Ted Williams, Baseball Great, Dies. He died that morning while Doug and Dean were trashing him. I promptly changed Cal’s name back to Ted, feeling somewhat responsible for his demise.
So, anyway, back to what makes people great. Perhaps some of you would even think of spiritual giants like St. Augustine, Martin Luther, Jonathan Edwards or Billy Graham. And then, maybe some of you would go right to the Bible and think of Abraham or Moses, David or Solomon, Deborah or Priscilla, Peter or Paul. With a group this size, we could probably come up with hundreds of names of great men and women of the past and present.
But, let me ask the question another way. Who is the greatest man who ever lived? Outside of Jesus, who is the greatest man who ever lived? In fact, if you asked Jesus that question – what would He say? Did you know He identified that person in the Bible? In Luke 7, He said, “I say to you, among those born of women there is no one greater than John.” Jesus said the greatest man who ever lived was John the Baptist.
Now, I find that interesting. Remember, this is the guy we looked at two weeks ago who sent a couple of his disciples to Jesus to ask, “Are you the Expected One – that is, are you the Messiah, or should we look for someone else?” This is the guy who doubted Jesus. John only lived to be a little over 30 years old. He spent the last few years of his adult life wearing camel hair clothing and a leather belt. Some think he was a Nazarite because he wasn’t allowed to drink any wine, which would also mean that he never shaved. So, by the time he entered his public ministry, he was looking rather shaggy. His diet consisted of locusts and wild honey. His entire ministry lasted about 18 months. He actually spent the last year of his life in jail before he was finally beheaded by Herod. Great?
Is all that what made him the greatest man who ever lived – his designer clothing, his shaggy look, his appetizing diet, his stellar political career, his martyrdom? I don’t think so. Why would Jesus say that about his cousin, John? Was it just a family thing? I don’t think so. I think he was the greatest man who ever lived because of what he did during that short time of ministry. It wasn’t his position as cousin to Jesus. It wasn’t what he had – he didn’t have anything. It wasn’t fame – his whole career, short as it was, was spent pointing to someone else, and seemingly ended in miserable failure. What made John great was what he did. And what did John do? We find the answer in our text this morning – Luke 7:24-30.
Let me remind you of the context. We’ve just finished the first six plus chapters of the book where Luke, theologian and historian, has brilliantly demonstrated Jesus is the Messiah – beyond any doubt. That doesn’t mean we don’t have doubts – but the undeniable proof is there. We’ve just begun examining the responses of various people to that claim. Over the next few weeks, we’re going to see those responses included doubt, criticism, indifference, rejection, amazement, blasphemy, and curious fascination. The first one we looked at last week, and it caught us a little by surprise. It was the response of doubt – one which with we can all identify – but it came from an unexpected source: John the Baptist.
John, the forerunner who had spoken of one who would come after him and baptize with the Holy Spirit and fire; John, the one who had baptized Jesus in the Jordan River; John, the one who had heard the voice of God say, “This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.” John, the one who said of Jesus, “Behold, the Lamb of God what takes away the sin of the world.” John, the one who said “He must increase, I must decrease.” That John, doubted. He sent two disciples to ask Jesus if He was indeed the Expected One to come.
You see, John had been in prison by this time for a year. He was facing some painfully crushing circumstances, and some unmet expectations. And he began to doubt, just like we do sometimes when we face difficult trials, just like we do sometimes, when things don’t go the way we expect. And John did just what we should do when we face doubts – He went to Jesus and said, I need reassurance. My head wants to believe, but my heart is struggling. Lord, I believe, help my unbelief. Remember, we said his was a faith-wounded doubt.
And we saw Jesus deal very gently with John – He did a few miracles for those two disciples, and said, here, take this back as a gift. Tell John, there’s no reason to doubt: “The blind receive sight and the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed and the deaf hear, the dead are raised up, and the poor have the gospel preached to them.” John, I’m doing all the things the Messiah is supposed to do – I’m doing all the things only the Messiah could do. Be encouraged John – I am the Expected One.
We learned from the story, when we face doubts, there are some things we can do. We can go to the Scripture and see the things Jesus did, which prove He was who He said He was. We can go to Jesus ourselves, in the midst of our difficult circumstances and unmet expectations, and express our struggling hearts. And we can expect Jesus to continue to pour out His miraculous grace, all around us, if we’re willing to open our eyes, and see Him work.
Well, as those disciples turned to leave, Jesus began to address the ever present crowd. You see, there was the chance the people, having overheard this exchange, would think less of John for his doubts, just like some people think less of you when you ask questions. But far from disappointment, Jesus has some rather amazing things to say about this man. It culminates in verse 28 when Jesus says of John, “among those born of women there is no one greater than John.” That makes me ask some questions. What was it that made John so great? Was he unique in his greatness? That is, can only John be great so as to receive this amazing commendation of the Messiah? Nope. Because Jesus goes on to say, “Yet the one who is least in the kingdom of God is greater than he.” What does that mean?
Well, let’s begin with what made John great, then we’ll look at how the least in the kingdom – the least in this room, can be even greater than John. And when I say the least – I mean every person in this room is actually greater than John. You’ll see what I mean.
What made John great? Jesus identifies three qualities which made John great by asking three questions, starting each one with, “What did you go out to the wilderness to see?”
The first thing we see about John was his unwavering commitment to truth. We see that in verse 24, “What did you go out into the wilderness to see? A reed shaken by the wind?” A reed spoke of the whispers of tall cane grass that grew along the banks of the Jordan River. The implied answer to the question is, no, John was not a reed shaken by the wind.
Jesus was making a point. John was a man of strength. He didn’t vacillate. He wasn’t swayed by public opinion. He didn’t preach a popular message – the message of repentance has never been popular. His message wasn’t one designed to entertain people, to draw in the masses to hear a feel good sermon. Jesus is saying, in the midst of this great trial which would end in the loss of his head, literally, this trial which would in fact cause him to doubt, he was not to be considered a weak man. John was strong – he preached what needed to be preached, to whom it needed to be preached, and when it needed to be preached. He wasn’t swayed by popularity or a lack thereof. In other words, he probably wouldn’t have made the Forbes 100 Celebrity list.
When the scribes and Pharisees, the religious leaders of the day – and the very influential people of the day – when they came to him, John didn’t change his message – he didn’t cater his message to them. In fact, his message became stronger – you brood of vipers, who warned you to flee from the wrath to come? He spoke out against religious hypocrisy. He spoke out against the immorality in society, embodied in governing officials. If a pastor said that today in a church to modern day Pharisees, religiously moral, judgmental people who don’t know anything about grace, when he speaks out against the immorality of his society, he is labeled intolerant, insensitive and politically incorrect. But John wasn’t concerned about those things. That’s why he was in the mess he was in. He was a man unwaveringly committed to truth.
Of course, we can’t help but think of Paul’s words in Ephesians 4, “As a result, we are no longer to be children, tossed here and there by waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, by craftiness in deceitful scheming; but speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in all aspects into Him who is the head, even Christ,…” If we want to be great people in the kingdom of God, we must be committed to biblical truth – and not be tossed here and there by every wind of doctrine that sounds good to us, not be tempted by fame or popularity or power or prestige. We must be unwaveringly committed to truth, no matter how unpopular it is, remembering that the cross, Christianity, is foolishness to those who do not believe.
Not only was John committed to truth, was a man who made sacrifices for the truth. We see that in verse 25, “But what did you go out to see? A man dressed in soft clothing? Those who are splendidly clothed and live in luxury are found in royal palaces.” Again, the implied answer is no. Remember, I said at the beginning great people are not to be considered great because of their position or their possessions. Good thing. John had neither. Jesus made a big deal about that. He sacrificed all this world could offer, for camel’s hair and a leather belt, locusts and wild honey. He had neither position nor possessions – he wasn’t in a royal palace, and he didn’t wear a king’s soft clothing. By the way, soft clothing there refers to effeminate clothing. Get the picture in your mind – John the Baptist, rugged, never shaved, shaggy looking, tough looking. Kind of a caveman look with camel hair clothing. Hardened by living in the wilderness. Got it? Now see that same man, a man’s man, say, in a nice, soft fuchsia gown. Doesn’t work, does it? You see, he sacrificed all this world offered for the work God had called him to.
We’re reminded of Jesus’ words to the Twelve, and to us, as He commissioned them to do the work of the Kingdom. He told them to be willing to make great sacrifices. To put up with opposition from governments and religious leaders. To be willing to sacrifice family for the sake of the kingdom. “Anyone who loves father or mother more than Me is not worthy of Me; and he who loves son or daughter more than Me is not worthy of Me.” To be willing to sacrifice yourself for the sake of the kingdom. “And he who does not take his cross and follow after Me is not worthy of Me.” John was that kind of man.
But without doubt, the thing that made John the greatest man ever born physically is found in the answer the third time Jesus asked the question, “But what did you go out to see? A prophet? [This time the answer is] Yes, I say to you, and one who is more than a prophet. [You see, there was no higher pedestal for the Jews than that of prophet. And it had been hundreds of years since they had seen one. That’s why they turned out by the thousands to see him. But this was no ordinary prophet.] This is the one about whom it is written, ‘Behold, I send my messenger ahead of You, who will prepare Your way before You.’ I say to you, among those born of women there is no one greater than John.”
Not only did John have an unwavering commitment to the truth, not only did he make sacrifices for the truth, but thirdly, we see that John pointed people to the truth. What made John great? Very simply, he pointed people to Jesus Christ.
In the gospel of John, chapter 1, John the Baptist had started his short ministry, and in verses 19 and following, we read some messengers had been sent from the Pharisees in Jerusalem to ask John some questions – namely, who in the world are you? Are you the Christ, to which John answered, no. Are you Elijah, or the Prophet to come? No. Who then are you? John answered, I’m the one prophesied by Isaiah the prophet, the voice of one crying in the wilderness, “Make straight the way of the Lord.” I am the forerunner. Very simply, John said, I am the one to point people to the Christ, the Chosen One, the Anointed One, the Messiah – to declare His coming.
We go on to read the very next day, John saw Jesus coming to him, and exclaimed, “Behold, the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!” What made John the greatest man who ever lived? Very simply, he pointed people to Jesus.
In fact, there’s this great story in John chapter 3 when some people came up to John and said, hey John, people are starting to follow Jesus – He’s baptizing them, and He’s got more followers than you do. Interpreted, John, aren’t your jealous? How did John respond? He said, “You yourselves are my witnesses that I said, ‘I am not the Christ,’ but, ‘I have been sent ahead of Him.’ He who has the bride is the bridegroom; but the friend of the bridegroom, who stands and hears him, rejoices greatly because of the bridegroom’s voice. So this joy of mine has been made full. He must increase, but I must decrease.” In other words, John said, Great, my job is to point people to Jesus. He’s the Messiah – if they’re following Him, I’m glad. That means I’m doing my job. John’s greatness was not in promoting himself, it was in promoting Jesus.
Back to our text. In verse 27, Jesus gives a little more information about John being the forerunner, announcing the coming of the Expected One, preparing the way of the Lord. I don’t want to get bogged down in this, but just let me say this. This is a quote of Malachi 3:1. Everyone understood when the Messiah came, His coming would be announced by a messenger from God. Then, in Malachi 4:5, that messenger is identified as Elijah. That’s why in John 1, the Pharisees asked John, are you Elijah? You see, the Jews were expecting the literal Elijah. But, Luke 1:17 says that John came in the spirit and power of Elijah – a prophet of God preaching repentance, preparing the nation of Israel for the coming of the Messiah. The point is, Jesus identifies John as the one Malachi spoke about. Not only was John a prophet, he was much more. How so? Not only would he be a prophet, but he was a prophet whose existence and ministry were prophesied.
Don’t get bogged down in all that. The point is this. John was great, Jesus says, as more than a prophet, because his job was to point people to Jesus Christ. That’s what made him the greatest man who ever lived. Now, let me take a little aside for a moment. When Jesus was defending John, He was in a sense defending His own messiahship. John, as prophesied, was sent to announce My coming. You accepted Him, now you must accept Me.
Well, while many prophets spoke of the Messiah to come, John alone was the forerunner appointed to say, the Messiah is here. Peter tells us the prophets longed to see the Christ and all His coming and suffering meant – John actually saw the Christ. In a sense, he was the bridge between the Old and New Testaments. His greatness was not in possessions or position. It was not in fame, or who knew him. Rather, it was in Whom he knew. It was in what he did with that knowledge – he pointed people to Jesus. He must increase, I must decrease.
As we close this morning, let me ask this question. How can the person who is least in the kingdom, how can the person who is least in this room, be greater than John the Baptist? How can we be great?
I have good news for you this morning – you already are. If you know Jesus Christ as your Savior, if you’re in the kingdom, you’re already greater. Because there is a sense in which your greatness is determined, not by who knows you, but who you know. And if you know Jesus, He says, you’re great. You have a privileged position of grace – that makes you great. John pointed to the kingdom that was coming, that would be inaugurated by the cross and the New Covenant. You’re a child of that kingdom, and that alone makes you great. You participate in what John announced. The period of fulfillment makes you greater than all those who lived in the period of promise. John was greater than all those in the time of promise, but all those who live in the period of fulfillment are greater than John. The least in this room who knows Jesus is greater than John.
So let’s go back to the beginning for a moment. I’m saying to you, you are great not because of fame, because people know you, but because of whom you know. Not because you’re on a celebrity list, but because you are listed in the book of life. You are great because you are wealthy – beyond all this world has to offer – Jesus because poor so that through His poverty, you might become rich. You own eternal life because of Jesus. $266 billion can’t buy that. And you do have a privileged position – a title if you will – that makes you great – you are a son or daughter of the living God. You have experienced that to which John pointed – the finished work of Christ.
But not only that, I believe our greatness can be put on display, like John, by pointing people to Jesus. You see, not only can we point to Jesus as the Messiah, as John did, we can point fully to what He has done. We can declare His death, burial and resurrection. You want your greatness in the kingdom to be seen? Then tell others about the kingdom. That’s what Jesus was saying – I believe that was included here. Fulfill the commission given to us in the Great Commission – go, in the power and authority of the kingdom, and preach the gospel of the kingdom. Tell people about Jesus Christ. Because position, possessions, fame, fortune – no matter what the world tells us – that’s not what makes us great. Again, you might not ever make a Forbes list. But that doesn’t matter. You’re already on God’s list of great people. Make your greatness seen – point others to Jesus.