12-14-14
Advent 3
Sermon Text: Matthew 11:2-11
When John heard in prison what Christ was doing, he sent his disciples to ask him, “Are you the
one who was to come, or should we expect someone else?” Jesus replied, “Go back and report to
John what you hear and see: 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.” As John’s disciples were leaving, 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 fine
clothes are in kings’ palaces. Then 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 the truth: Among those born of women
there has not risen anyone greater than John the Baptist; yet he who is least in the kingdom of
heaven is greater than he.
In the name of Jesus, whose birth we’re preparing to celebrate:
My kids are better than your kids. They’re better looking, better athletes, and smarter than yours.
But my opinion about my kids, while full of pride and love, is also based on prejudice and preference. So
are yours.
If God, Himself, said that a child was greatest ever born, that would settle it, wouldn’t it? He did.
He said that the child of Zechariah and Elizabeth was THE GREATEST EVER BORN. Their son
was John the Baptist. Today let’s learn why and then pray that through God’s own Son, we may be
blessed to be like him..
1. He wasn’t great by most standards;
Many people didn’t think that John the Baptizer was all that great. Some thought he was a
kook because of where he lived, how he dressed and what he ate. Some thought he was just a religious
zealot, too strange to be taken seriously. But God used his wilderness dwelling, his diet and appearance
to attract attention to his message.
The religious leaders like the “better-than-you” Pharisees, and the, “we-know-better-than-you”
Sadducees couldn’t stand John because he pointed out that their holier-than-thou pride and selfrighteousness was their worst sins. They couldn’t stand him also because they liked the limelight and to
be seen. That’s why many of them went out to John to be baptized.
Herod, the governor, was another one who did not think that John the Baptist was all that great.
He had John imprisoned because John had confronted Herod with his open, public sin. Herod was living
in adultery, with his brother’s wife. Later, after being mesmerized by the seductive dancing of his
“girlfriend’s” daughter, Herod made a foolish promise – “ ask for whatever you want and I will give it
to you”. At her mother’s prompting, what she asked for John the Baptist’s head. A n d s o Herod
silenced John’s preaching by beheading him.
By present day standards, John the Baptist would not be considered great either. He would be
accused of being judgmental, intolerant, and insensitive in what he would say about societal issues. He
wouldn’t call abortion a choice. If it wasn’t to save the life of a mother, he’d call it murder, because
that’s what the Word of God would call it. He wouldn’t call living together outside of marriage anything
but what it is: immorality - fornication is the old term. God’s Word says Let marriage be held in
honor among all, and let the marriage bed be undefiled, for God will judge those who take
their pleasure without giving their promise. (Heb 13:4 ESV) He would never have officiated at a
so-called “same-sex marriage”. That would have been inconsistent with everything God’s Word
says about marriage, and it an abuse of the word “love”. He would not have condoned living off of
others labors, when you yourself can work, because that’s what the Word teaches, “If a man does not
work, he should not eat.” ( 2 T h 3 : 1 0 ) He would not have approved of accumulating massive
debt that could never be paid back in a lifetime, “…leave no debt remain outstanding…” (Ro 13:8)
the Word says. No, today John would be considered morally, socially, and politically incorrect.
When John the Baptist’s disciples came to Jesus and , after Jesus affirmed that He was the
Messiah, He endorse John the Baptist as the greatest child ever born to a woman. In fact Jesus proved
his point by demonstrating that John was great but not by accepted standards. He asked, “What did you
go out into the desert to see? A reed swayed by the wind? In other words, did you want someone
society says is great because he bends like a reed to popular opinion? He was too great a man of God
for that. Jesus asks another question, If not, what did you go out to see? A man dressed in fine
clothes? No, those who wear fine clothes are in kings’ palaces. It is clear that society is impressed with
those who walk the red carpet and what they’re wearing, what famous people they hang around with and
dine with, and take selfies with. But John the Baptist wore his camel hair clothing, he hung out in the
wilderness, and ate locusts and wild honey. But Jesus states what really made John great. Then what
did you go out to see? A prophet? Yes, I tell you, and more than a prophet. John unapologetically
and boldly preached God’s word.
Would you or I peg John the Baptist as the greatest ever born of a woman? We might have to
say that he is the greatest because Jesus said so, but otherwise we might find him aggravating because of
what he’d point out to us and about us! He’d call our little pet sins BIG, and remind us such pets need
to be put down. He’d call our little tiffs of complaining what they really are - evidence of sinful
ingratitude towards God. He’d call our critical conversations about – not with – the people at work,
at church, or in our neighborhoods, not harmless gossip, but sinful slander. He’d call our thoughts,
words, and hand gestures in response to other drivers not something as nice as “road rage,” but hatred,
and then remind us that whoever hates his neighbor is a murderer. He’d ask us if our reasons for not
being in God’s house more regularly or not being attentive are God-made, or a r e t h e y o f a lessthan-spiritual nature. He’d ask us if i t i s the love of money seething in our hearts that is responsible
for our discontent, or driving worrying, or is reflected in what is or is not put in the offering plate or
given to charities. He would not laugh at our off-colored jokes. He would glare at us when we’d curse
or swear. If he were our pastor we might up a n d quit the church and find somewhere where we
wouldn’t feel so uncomfortable, or be made to feel so guilty, and where we wouldn’t have to feel
ashamed of our church because others are saying, “You are too strict.”
But what made John so great and drove him to such honest preaching was love. Love, f i r s t o f
a l l for his cousin, Jesus - his mother’s cousin’s Son, and the Son of God. But he also had love for
everyone who heard him. See, John, maybe more than any other mother’s son, understood how much
we need the One for Whom he was the forerunner. If those Pharisees who had a high opinion of
themselves continued that way, t h i n k i n g t h e y d i d n ’ t n e e d Jesus as their Savior, he warned
them they’d end up in hell as their own saviors . If people didn’t believe their sin was sinful, John made
sure they did. If people were down and depressed with how heavy their sin and guilt weighed upon
them, John lifted them up, with the good news of the kingdom of forgiveness. John the Baptist was the
one Isaiah prophesied about. A voice of one calling: “In the wilderness prepare the way for the
LORD; make straight in the desert a highway for our God. (Isaiah 40:3)
1. His greatness was in his pointed witness.
What made John the greatest ever was his pointed witness that Jesus was the miracle- working
Messiah, the Savior of sinners, the One who would secure God’s love and forgiveness for all.
I heard a story about a man in a post office who was mailing packages and picking up stamps.
He was polite as he spoke about mailing Christmas cards – giving the impression he was a nice guy.
When the clerk asked him which stamps he wanted, the one with the nativity scene or the gingerbread
man, he said “Let’s go with the gingerbread. I and my family celebrate a secular Christmas.” He bid
the clerk “happy holidays” and left. No one said anything. Do you think John the Baptist would have
remained silent? No. I think he might have gently put his hand on the man’s shoulder, stopping him as
he walked by, and said, “You should have gone with the nativity stamp. That little One in the
manger on that stamp is a miracle worker. He made the blind see, the lame walk, he cured those
with leprosy, and even raised the dead. But Jesus, the miracle baby born of the virgin Mary, performed
the greatest miracle of all for you by dying on a cross to pay the penalty for your sins, along with
every else’s; and then He rose to life three days later - all to secure for you the best home of all,
eternal life in heaven.”
Of course that miracle was also for us. All those miracles will also be ours ultimately, too, in
glory. Maybe someday our eyes won’t see anymore, but then we will see again; maybe our feet won’t be
able to walk, but then t h e y w i l l walk again; diseases may take our lives, but when Jesus
takes us home those diseases will all be healed, forever. We’ll be raised. Believe that Good News.
Y e s , w h a t m a d e John the Baptist so great was his message pointed people to Jesus.
By God’s own estimation, John the Baptist is the greatest child ever born of a woman. But
notice, Jesus says those who are least in the kingdom, are greater than he. Lord, make us the least in your
great grace. Amen