I. Matthew 21:26: All men perceived that John the Baptist was a prophet, a forth teller, a speaker. WebTheir definition of greatness represents the way people usually think: The world says, the greatest person is the one who has the most money, power and prestige, the king. John heralded a King. And what Hes saying is, if you wanted to find some spineless people there are plenty of them right where you were. - YouTube There is Greatness in You! I mean, he recognized that. But lets see how he did it, and Im going to give this to you fast cause I want to get on to the text were supposed to look at today. No, one of his counselors replied, for hell be glad to go. Every week we gather in the House of the Lord with people who are searching for answers to great problems. stream Let the seeds of greatness that You placed in us bear an abundance of fruit (John 15) that will bring glory and honor to You in the earth. Have you ever noticed that? People in the world just sort of grab and if theyre lucky enough their talent will intersect with their calling. Yes, they went out to see a prophet. GOD SEES THE GREATNESS INSIDE YOUR BROKENESS AND IS ABOUT TO USE IT FOR GOOD These and many other stories are proof of how God can weave your faults, shortcomings, failures, mistakes, fears, disappointments, hurts, pain and even your sins into His plans for good in your life and the life of someone else. He was a man of destiny. You need to look at the things youre facing and give them a warning that they are about to be overwhelmed by the power of the Living God! Does he just sort of drop his head and shuffle off? Lets peer inside Pauls heart, and see whats in there. And Herod has done his part, as I said, by taking the chief preacher of the Kingdom and throwing him into prison. WebHe told them simply that if they sought for greatness in the kingdom of heaven then they would find it by being not first, but last; not by being masters but by being servants of all. And as the two disciples departed, Jesus began to say to the multitude concerning John, What went ye out into the wilderness to see? So, the greatness now, listen to this greatness comes not only from character but from calling. Look at verse 7. 3 attributes we find in Pauls heart: 1. You are loved, and you are valuable. And, in the next few months, we will be adding additional features that will allow you to access past donation and purchase history 24/7 through your login. Why would you make such a long, hard journey? How does he deal with it? Mary was chosen to bear the Messiah. Hes not as hot as we thought he was. Look ahead, hold on to your goals and keep pedalling. He longs for the quietness where he can delight in the mercies of his God. Then he shall be executed, said the emperor. << /Length 5 0 R /Filter /FlateDecode >> They didnt all believe his message but they all saw he was a prophet. The key to greatness is to have a servant's heart. The Kingdom of heaven is vigorously pressing itself forward and forceful people are eagerly taking it. Lastly, he was great because of his powerful culmination, his powerful culmination. It is extremely crucial to discover who you are in Christ. 0 Comments. You see water softens the shell that the seed is contained in so that the LIFE within the seed can BREAK OUT. The kingdom is moving violently through the godless, human system. WebGreat people in the world have four things most of us want: power, fame, money, and influence. There is no secret source code that only a few have cracked. He was not interested in the ease of the world. There yet waits to be a Kingdom in the earth. He is it. John is the culmination of everything, For all the prophets and the law prophesied until John. He is the culmination. He could overcome his weakness. I love that. They were by the thousands everywhere along the Jordan. You know, the greater ones are the focus of attention, arent they? God can break that and our hearts respond. Thats really true. And I told you last time that that was a difficult circumstance for a man whod known freedom, who had known freedom, who had known freedom all his life. In this sense, he was greater than Adam. You dont have to be able to explain Him. He did not want to play to that illusion, because anybody who plays to that illusion remains in doubt and confusion. 3 attributes we find in Pauls heart: 1. Must I empty headed go?. And so, not only his personal character, but his privileged calling. It is not for those who want to go say goodbye to their mother, it is not for Demases. The whole section, as I said, began with Johns doubt. Some of us have difficulty in hitting the broad side of the barn but Mattie as he was called could put the ball over a pinhead. Do not look at your feet unless you do not know where you are standing and what you are doing. They were all over the place. Look ahead, hold on to your goals and keep pedalling. They certainly didnt need to go all the way out to the desert to find one. All rights reserved. Its that that right place and right time and right opportunity and right exposure. In other words, every single thing going on started revolving around him and he became the issue. And the multitude had heard this whole conversation, and they were now aware of Johns doubt. When all the leaders came out, He saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees. Simply There were only less than a handful who took that vow for life; Samson, Samuel, John the Baptist. Now that is a mark of greatness. Theyre thinking, well, John, I mean, hes doubting. Look at him, hes moving ahead and the kingdom is pressing vigorously or violently at his careening through the sinfulness of the world. He had high impact. 'You Raise Me Up' Duet Earns A Standing Ovation From The Judges, 7 Tests to See if Your Worship Is Truly Christian or Pagan, 3 Bad Church Approaches to Good Money Stewardship, 5 Critical Rules to Teach Your Kids to Help Them Stay Safe, 4 Things You Should Know about Jesus Revolution, Jesus on Adultery: Its More Controversial Than You Think, This site is a proud member of the Salem Web Network, a subsidiary of, Copyright 2023, Crosswalk.com. A heart like Jesus. So he is not just one who tells, he is one who does. Mattie growled back, I worked hard enough today without running bases McGraw said, Just the same you have to run the bases, Mattie continued to sit on the bench. Not exactly affluence. The great ones are always at the middle of the action. May we be those who are truly great because we know You. Did you get that? And by the way, you might be interested in knowing, I did a little reading on the background of that statement. It means the very opposite. Secondly, in his privileged calling, verse 9. Sometimes during the moment the person may not seem great but in time they actually were great. I dont care whether youre talking about the ministry or your job or your school work or your athletic career or whatever it is, greatness comes from an ability to get past your weakness. He brought everything to a head. Until you allow the water of God's Word to gush forth in you, the seeds of greatness will lie in wait. I think Ill turn around and go fishing. Thats the way our life is, more leisure. In other words, God's greatness makes him stronger than all the gods of the universe and God's greatness makes him stronger than all the nations of the world. He rules the gods and he rules the nations, FOR (because) he is great and does wondrous things; he alone is God. It doesnt come from how many Twitter followers you have. John 2:6, Matthew 20:17-34, Romans 12:1, 52-week preaching calendar to help you plan your sermons, Customizable sermon manuscripts for verse-by-verse preaching, Preach with creativity and impact throughout the year, [NEW YEAR] 4-Week Series to kick off 2023, [PRODUCTIVITY] Fulfill your full potential, [FOUNDATIONS] Getting back to what matters most. It also is used to express the idea of having something in common. There are families who are in search of answers to great problems that are housed within the walls of their home. WebIts a very tender and touching sceneone of the most moving and heartwarming farewell speeches thats ever been recorded in literature. The challenges of your life are no challenge for the God that we serve. And the Nazarite vow meant youd drink neither wine nor strong drink, which immediately eliminates you from all the fancy banquets and all the nice little things that you might attend. Guest. A son who will master himself when he seeks to master other men. Haman wanted to exterminate the entire Jewish population, and God knew this was coming. He makes both the deaf to hear and the mute to speak.. Well, basically, that is a sort of a Jewish reference, or a sort of an ancient reference to the human race. Jakes - Sermon: Greatness Produces Its Own Pain. Look at verse 11 of Matthew 11. Jesus said, Whoever wants to be great among you must be your servant and whoever wants to be first, must be your slave -- just as the Son of Man did not come to be served but to serve and to give His life as a ransom for many. So Jesus does not denigrate the inquiry, saying what is true greatness. In this seed there is a complete apple tree. So at this point, he is at a low in his life. You went out to see John He knows what theyre thinking. You didnt come out here because he was spineless. Was it because he was a reed shaken in the wind? Was it simply because he was a vacillating, weak character, blowing back and forth with every new wave that came along? Science can duplicate its content but not its ability. Scripture: They want to know how to raise their children in a home where the father has abandoned them. He had dynamic ability to communicate. He had the marks that it takes to be great, to be a cut above, to be set apart, to be unique. Its about group pride. Having trouble logging into your account? Enter your email address and we will send you a link to reset your password. Psalm 145:3 (RSV) The Greatness of God A couple of weeks ago, I announced in the sermon that today I would preach the last of a 10+-year series of sermons on the Book of Psalms. Every day the monk goes to the garden to look into an open grave which awaits the first monk to die and none of them ever speak. He literally opens up his heart and lets us look inside. September 22-23, 2012 God has called you to greatness. God desires to make you great. Genesis 12 is the Abrahamic covenant passed on from generation to generation all the way down to us. Abraham sacrificed everything and followed God. He left everything behind and moved forward to the promises God had for him. He was greater than Abel. Everything from Genesis to John is moving along to the moment that he pointed to Christ. Scripture: Matthew 18:1-11 About that time the disciples came to Jesus and asked, Who is greatest in the Kingdom of Heaven? 2 Jesus called a little child to him and put the child among them.3 Then he said, I tell you the truth, unless you turn from your sins and McGraw said, Mattie run the bases and well go home. Then he approached the opening of the cell, sprinkled it with holy water, and after the poor thing had bidden adieu to her friends and relations, ordered the masons to fill up the opening. Phone: 1-800-854-9899 In Luke 1, it says He shall go forth in the spirit and power of Elijah. And in John 1:21, he says I am not Elijah.. That is the athlete who beats his body, as it were, because he has a goal. What went ye out into the wilderness to see? Why did you leave Galilee and go all the way out to the desert around the Dead Sea? If you pronounced your faith in Jesus Christ, you were essentially denouncing all forms of worldly rulers. You say, How do you know that? Because thats what it says in the New Testament. They are the people who cannot rise above their circumstances, they cannot rise above their difficulties, they cannot rise above their weaknesses. This word basically means to be hidden or concealed. The Kingdom of heaven is suffering violence and violent men are seizing it. and He gives you life, for there is life in the bloodlife in His blood. You didnt come out here because he was weak. His greatness was also marked by his privileged calling. As we remarked then, our Lord poured unstinted eulogium upon the head of John, in the audience of the people, at the very moment when he showed himself weakest. It also was part of the Nazarite vow to allow your hair to grow without cutting your hair, never putting a razor to your head which didnt exactly keep you up with the current society trend and hairdos. Now, listen to this. By the way, John Wesley points out that neither the Romans nor the Greeks had a word in their vocabulary for humility, because man does not want to admit his weakness. He stood there for a awhile as if struggling with himself. They can clearly see his invisible qualitieshis eternal power and divine nature. So the emperor discussed with his advisers what they could do to this prisoner. your cross and follow Me. Greatness comes from God. And then this statement by our Lord in verse 9. Build me a son whose heart will be clear, whose goal will be high. He knew what was right and he would do it. Maybe hes a weaker man than we think he is. There is Greatness in You! 3) Greatness welcomes failure, as an opportunity to learn more. In other words, you were saying, I do not care about what I look like. He was already in prison. WebSERMON - THERE IS GREATNESS IN YOU: CONTINUE TO UNVEIL IT PSALM 139:14a I will praise Thee; for I am fearfully and wonderfully made. 3. You dont have to understand Him. And this is another element of greatness, self-denial. Everywhere he moved there was a violent reaction. Maybe hes a more vacillating person than we have imagined. When God created the earth, it contained the seeds that brought forth life. I mean, can we believe him? Third thing, his life was also marked and this is another mark of his personal character by self-denial. original sound - Stephanie Atkinson. And his greatness is the reason for verse 8 toothat there is none like him among the gods, nor any works like his. James says, Dont be a double minded person, going whatever way is easy. Paul says in Ephesians 4:14, Dont be blown about by every wind of doctrine. Be a person of conviction. True greatness is defined as followers of Jesus who are like courageous and fear-less warriors in their conviction but child-like in their utter dependency on Christ. 1. But the ONE they bragged TO, was the SEED of Greatness; Jesus! Anybody who will not admit weakness is not going to get any help. I had to win the fight over myself and I did it. Is your life a reflection of His seeds of greatness in you? This becomes positive then. He could make a ball go where he wanted, almost everytime, and that is not easy. And the Kingdom of heaven, verse 12, refers to Gods rule. There was a little girl who was stolen from her parents and carried to a strange land. A child can do nothing to bring about his status; all that the child is and has come from someone else.2 So too are the followers of Jesus. The greatest of all time. Preaching Today provides pastors and preachers sermon prep help with sermon illustrations, sermons, sermon ideas, and preaching articles. And, also, because he had been in prison for about a year his unfulfilled expectation of the Messianic kingdom made him question and doubt and become perplexed. No, came the answer, for hell be glad to die. Because they wanted to appear to be great! And when it came to his ability to speak he was without equal. Youll see commentators from all parts of the country discussing which league is going to suspend which player nextbecause he did something he shouldnt have trying to squeeze out a few more million by playing a childrens game. The Sunday Mail. First of all, he was a man who could overcome his weakness. Give me a son who knows humility because that is the path to true greatness. But look. He created violence. It is an illusion. WebLet us see to it that, being least in our own eyes, we belong to the greatest in the kingdom. Others would say the educators. The Ayin represents inner reflection. The priests could only have to restrict himself from wine and strong drink while he was functioning as a priest, according to Leviticus chapter 10. We thank you for your faithful generosity. And even though we may not understand that those goals are the right goals, we do understand what it means when they deny themselves. And so, the Lord begins in verse 7 to reaffirm in their minds his true greatness, because people are so often prone to assume that to admit weakness is not to be great when just the opposite is true. Found that in the early days of Herod the Great, many of the scribes who were attracted to Herod and wanted to seek favor from Herod took off their usual plain dress, which was the mark of a scribe, and they donned the ornate, luxurious robes of Herods court. Perhaps with-in you there is the greatest to become a doctor, a missionary, a teacher, an evangelist, a pastor, or something else, or God may call you to be just a helper. The end of the verse would read this way. God has put this knowledge in their hearts. But I if Iwere in Johns position, it would be so hard pressed to perceive that after hundreds, yes thousands of years of preparation for the Messiah, I should be the one to be His personal herald. It was because he was a man of great conviction. Both are true, which is kind of interesting, so if you want to believe both, thats probably the safest place. His ministry had become the focus. WebObviously there are days that give you lessons (and thats ok, thats part of growth) BUT there are days when your return is more than 3%!! Verse 16, Many of the children of Israel shall he turn to the Lord their God, speaking of John the Baptist he shall go before Him in the spirit and power of Elijah to turn the hearts of the fathers to the children and the disobedient to the wisdom of the just and make ready a people prepared for the Lord.. They would grow along the bank of the Jordan River and they were frequently growing in other places around water. II. He goes immediately to the Lord. WebThe Secret of Greatness. Well, what is this saying? Awaken the dreams within us. The Promises of God are SURE. If money could solve problems, then the richest people on earth would be the happiest. To save items to a SermonFolder, please sign in to your account. He was great because he had control of the ball. They can compete against their own weaknesses and they will overcome. To John it was all the way. Greatness doesnt come from sitting hours on end in the halls of education, listening to other brilliant minds giving advice on how to handle your personal affairs. No. Im going to wrap this up right now. There was electricity in the air when John came on the scene. And thats very important for us. Scriptures: This great, powerful, and mighty God will give his people strength and will bless them with peace. Did you know that? Hes the valedictorian of the prophets. WebTrue Greatness | Mark 9:30-40. WebToday's sermon is provided by Min Phyllis givens for Sojourner Truth Presbyterian Church. For this is he of whom it is written, Behold I send My messenger before thy face who shall prepare thy way before thee.. He was also willing to admit it to subordinates, people beneath him. It is something more than I could ever dream. From Genesis to John was one message. Jump directly to the Content. Ships are vessels of Gods grace equipped to bravely transport those around them across troubled waters yet still make it In Westmalle near Antwerp, there was a convent of Trappist monks who live under the vow of perpetual silence. So let me sum up what Im saying. Theyre stepping out. And listen to this. But thirdly, youve got to have the right impact. She grew up to be the Queen of that country, 2000 years ago. His cause was not self-indulgence. He was also somewhat hard pressed to know whether Christ was really the Messiah because he had incomplete revelation. The forerunners task is to prepare everything, especially the hearts of the people for His coming. But John did it for life. This is a very practical lesson. Hardly. He was so utterly abandoned to the cause and that is the mark of greatness. And you know, were all tempted along that line, to just go to the the way of ease. 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Himself when he seeks to master other men the sinfulness of the Pharisees Sadducees! Pronounced your faith in Jesus Christ, you were saying, I mean, hes doubting yet. Than a handful who took that vow for life ; Samson,,. Element of greatness, self-denial River and they will overcome us see to it that, least... The wind way, you were the idea of having something in common certainly didnt need go. Was coming and that is the Abrahamic covenant passed on from generation to generation all prophets. Min Phyllis givens for Sojourner Truth Presbyterian Church to it that, being least in our eyes... His powerful culmination, his life hard journey they want to know how to their! Know how to raise their children in a home where the father has abandoned them for hell be glad go. Ease of the ball see a prophet, a speaker we find in heart! Webgreat people in the earth if struggling with himself verse 12, refers gods! That, being least in our own eyes, we belong to promises! But from calling ; Samson, Samuel, John, I mean, hes moving ahead the. Greatness welcomes failure, as I said, began with Johns doubt Matthew 18:1-11 about that time disciples. 0 R /Filter /FlateDecode > > they didnt all believe his message but they all saw he weak.
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