Luk 1:13 But the angel said unto him, Fear not, Zacharias: for thy prayer is heard; and thy wife Elisabeth shall bear thee a son, and thou shalt call his name John. 14 And thou shalt have joy and gladness; and many shall rejoice at his birth. 15 For he shall be great in the sight of the Lord, and shall drink neither wine nor strong drink; and he shall be filled with the Holy Ghost, even from his mother's womb. 16 And many of the children of Israel shall he turn to the Lord their God. 17 And he shall go before him in the spirit and power of Elias, to turn the hearts of the fathers to the children, and the disobedient to the wisdom of the just; to make ready a people prepared for the Lord.
Greatest man ever? Those are not my words. That is the estimation that Jesus, John's
cousin, had of him. Read Matthew 11:11.
Some things in this passage leap out at me which set John apart from the norm.
1. John was a miracle child of an old man and barren woman. vs 7
2. His parents were very godly people, blameless before God, faithful to the commands of God. vs 6
3. His conception was announced by an angel of God. 13
4. He was given his name from heaven. His parents had no say in the matter. 13
5. His birth would cause many to rejoice. 14
6. He would be esteemed great by the Lord. 15
7. He would live life in tee-totaling abstinence. 15
8. (and this is the best of all) He would be filled with the Holy Ghost while still in the womb! 15
9. He would be a great preacher and a prolific soul-winner. 16
10. He would be greatly anointed in his ministry. 17
11. He practiced gymnastics before he was born. 41
12. It was said of him when he was just 8 days old, "What kind of kid is this going to be?" 66
13. God's hand was upon him. 66
14. John was strong in the strength of the Lord. 80
Yet, as great as John was, he made sure that the attention was focused on Jesus. When great things of him were spoken, he would declare, "He must increase, I must
decrease." As all Jerusalem and Judaea traveled to hear him preach, he warned them
that there was another one coming, greater than himself. One whose shoes he was not
even worthy to stoop to untie. As they marveled at John, he pointed to Jesus and
declared, "Behold, the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sins of the world."
Oh, that we would be great for God by humbling ourselves and preparing the way of the Lord for others.
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