The Spirit of Greatness

“And you will have joy and gladness, and many will rejoice at his birth, for he will be great before the Lord. And he must not drink wine or strong drink, and he will be filled with the Holy Spirit, even from his mother’s womb. And he will turn many of the children of Israel to the Lord their God, and he will 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, to make ready for the Lord a people prepared” (Luke 1:14-17).

The announcement of an impending addition to the family almost always provokes congratulations and best wishes. There is celebration and anticipation when we consider all the potential of the fresh new life that is soon to come. The angelic announcement to Zechariah of the impending birth of John was accompanied by the promise of joy and gladness. But the messenger Gabriel went much further. In the Temple encounter with Zechariah, the angel promised that John will be great before the Lord. Wow! This child would not just be great by the standards of the world, but the Lord God Himself would declare him to be great according to His divine standard. Imagine the weight of responsibility Zechariah must have felt in the light of this incredible announcement! He and Elizabeth would have to raise this child to be holy, set apart from the world, and available for the service of the Lord. But God would do the major work of preparing John for his special life’s work. In another revelation of His sovereign grace, even before his birth, God would see to it that this child was filled with the Spirit of greatness.

The origin of John’s greatness was the Holy Spirit. It’s true that John’s parents would bear the responsibility to raise this special child in a holy home, keeping him from the pollution of worldly enticements and temptations like wine or strong drink. But it was God’s impartation of the Holy Spirit that would mark John as His servant. The Holy Spirit identifies true believers as God’s children… “The Spirit himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God” (Romans 8:16). Like John, genuine disciples are to be set apart from the world around us and preserved in holiness by the Holy Spirit… “And such were some of you. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God” (1 Corinthians 6:11).

The objective of John’s greatness was to prepare hearts to receive Jesus Christ. John would shake up the world by confronting people with the terminally diseased condition of their sinful hearts… “John appeared, baptizing in the wilderness and proclaiming a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins” (Mark 1:4). He challenged his audience to respond by confessing, repenting, and being baptized to prepare to receive Jesus… “And all the country of Judea and all Jerusalem were going out to him and were being baptized by him in the river Jordan, confessing their sins” (Mark 1:5). He even confronted the selfishness, greed, and materialism of his growing crowd with a lifestyle of austerity and dependence upon the Lord… “Now John was clothed with camel’s hair and wore a leather belt around his waist and ate locusts and wild honey” (Mark 1:6). Like John, true believers are to be changed by the Holy Spirit to live in a way that should convict and compel others to seek Jesus Christ… “And when he comes, he will convict the world concerning sin and righteousness and judgment” (John 16:8).

The outcome of John’s greatness was to confidently and humbly introduce others to the Savior. John did not preach about himself, his supernatural birth, or his encounter with Christ in the womb. He preached the good news of Christ to an audience prepared to believe and receive Him… “And he preached, saying, ‘After me comes he who is mightier than I, the strap of whose sandals I am not worthy to stoop down and untie. I have baptized you with water, but he will baptize you with the Holy Spirit’” (Mark 1:7-8). Real disciples know and trust the same Holy Spirit witnessing power to lead others to Christ… “But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth” (Acts 1:8).

As we grow up into Christ we are more engaged and effective witnesses as we are empowered by…

The Spirit of Greatness.