And it wasnt that he was denying himself to gain some kind of penance, thats foolish. What is the definition of greatness? First of all one must develop termination, must have a goal purpose, a calling to fulfill. He was quite a long ways away from where Jesus was. True greatness is not found in finding people who think you are great and having them serve you. He was so great because he faced his weakness and overcame it and because he was strong in his conviction and nobody could intimidate him. The key to greatness is to have a servant's heart. 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. And theyve been violently dealt with since John came along. And so, the Lord says, well, when you went out into the wilderness, did you go out there to see a reed shaken with the wind? His cause was not self-indulgence. A man could have potential greatness but if he never got into the right field hed never know that. And Johns message was so decisive that it created a violent reaction and all of that is true. You just have to believe in Him. It also is used to express the idea of having something in common. You are loved, and you are valuable. No, one of his counselors replied, for hell be glad to go. That is the athlete who beats his body, as it were, because he has a goal. They would grow along the bank of the Jordan River and they were frequently growing in other places around water. He is it. It is the person who lives under the illusion of perfection that is the true fool. WebSERMON - THERE IS GREATNESS IN YOU: CONTINUE TO UNVEIL IT PSALM 139:14a I will praise Thee; for I am fearfully and wonderfully made. Does he start to tell all his problems to everybody else? This wasn't Jesus saying that ambition in itself was wrong, but that in the Kingdom of God the rules are turned upside down and inside out. The John of Your Kingdom was greater than the John born of women, as great as he was. You are so skillful in resisting the entrance of knowledge. 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. AMEN! Cinde Lucas is an ordinary person, who happens to LOVE to encourage and motivate people! 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. On this particular day the team began to run the bases but Mattie did not get off the bench. And so true greatness eludes him. He was a prophet and they saw him that way. Both are true, which is kind of interesting, so if you want to believe both, thats probably the safest place. Today, lets talk about John, the apostle who walked with Jesus and wrote his Gospel accounts as he ministered during his time on earth. But the great ones, against all opposition, carry through. And then it would also at the end of the verse it would mean violent men are seizing it. Actually, if you wanted an expanded translation of verse 10, it would read like this. Let me suggest what these personal characteristics were. Now, theres one more statement and this message is finished. And by the way, you might be interested in knowing, I did a little reading on the background of that statement. Verse 2 tells us he was in prison. And verse 14 then, this marvelous verse, If you will receive, this is Elijah who was to come. Now what does that mean? He was great because of his personal character. Its too bad he wasnt blown off. What was it about him that drew you out? Now is the time to put aside the pain of the past and the fear of It is something more than I could ever dream. These are the three ingredients of greatness, people. He is confronting a multitude here, as we learn from the beginning of the chapter. To be UNLEASHED is to be no longer tethered to And there was 400 years without a prophet, tremendous anticipation had built and built and built. Hes afraid of nothing but sin.. He makes both the deaf to hear and the mute to speak.. They had vigorously rejected Jesus Christ. Do you see? Greatness comes from one place, and only one place. It's about individual pride. He became pivotal at that juncture of redemptive history. They were all over the place. The end of the verse would read this way. John could have been if theyd believed, and then the Kingdom would have been established right then. He did not want to play to that illusion, because anybody who plays to that illusion remains in doubt and confusion. 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. Jump directly to the Content. In Westmalle near Antwerp, there was a convent of Trappist monks who live under the vow of perpetual silence. Did you know that? And the Kingdom of heaven, verse 12, refers to Gods rule. Now, thats both parties of leaders. And they knew that. WebBeing in uncomfortable situations or circumstances is often a prerequisite for stepping into greatness. He was a man of destiny. 2023 Grace to You. Teach us to walk in Your Ways so that our lives will be like Trees that bear fruit for others to partake of. At exam time your theme song must be must I go empty headed, must I greet my teachers so not one thought with which to greet her. The passive, if we take it that way, it is saying the Kingdom of heaven is suffering violence. A heart like Jesus. Do not look at your feet unless you do not know where you are standing and what you are doing. Its an interpretive quote and the Lord by the way He quotes, interprets the verse to refer to John the Baptist, of course. David uses the word amam. There Is Greatness Inside Of You - Joel Osteen - YouTube Just because you dont see a way, doesnt mean God doesnt have a way. Copyright 2003-2023 | Outreach, Inc., All rights reserved. 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. were these words He played four years on the scrubs. Where His power is, there is greatness. And many of them, by the way, were trying to bring in a false kingdom by political means, such as the Zealots who were trying to seize the kingdom of God, politically, and establish it. Yes, and I say unto you even more than a prophet. How could you be more than a prophet? Third thing, his life was also marked and this is another mark of his personal character by self-denial. Well, what is this saying? Were going to be looking at verses 7 through 15, particularly, in our thoughts this morning, and focusing on a very, very special man by the name of John the Baptist. He was not interested in gaining favor from people above him who could pad his seat. John ushered Him into three years of effective ministry. And there are the people who can, and the people who can are the ones that make a mark. When God created the earth, it contained the seeds that brought forth life. When He spoke and commanded the earth to bring forth plants, it did so because the seed was already there (see, 10 Reasons God Might Not Be Blessing Your Life, 9 Christians You Don't Want to Sit Beside on Sunday Morning, 6 Truths about Jesus Coming into the World, Inspiring Mother Breaks Down after Earning Golden Buzzer with Celine Dion Hit, 7 Ways Anxiety Dominates the Christian Mind. General Douglas MacArthur, who is about my fifth cousin, believe it or not, or was, said this. Her father died leaving her the sole possessor of his wealth. But if we could not see what God has placed in every head. I mean, if you are always being diverted by the desire for comfort, if you cant take pain and youve always got to find the easy way, then youll never know what greatness is. WebGreat people in the world have four things most of us want: power, fame, money, and influence. He slept sitting in a chair. After clicking 'Register', you will receive an email with a link to verify your account and to complete your registration. It doesnt stem from how much your annual salary might be. A Sermon by John M. Miller Text Great is the Lord, and greatly to be praised, and his greatness is unsearchable. He controlling himself. Now, some commentators take it passively. Romans 1:19-20 (NLT) 19 For the truth about God is known to them instinctively. He is not only one who prophesies, he is the fulfillment of prophecy. I. You People in the world just sort of grab and if theyre lucky enough their talent will intersect with their calling. % 28 Jan, 2018 - 00:01 2018-01-27T20:16:19+00:00 2018-01-28T00:01:23+00:00 0 Views. Very much out of her comfort zone and fearful for her life, God called her to speak up and save her people. They didnt go out to see a reed shaken with the wind. He was way down in the eastern part of the Dead Sea and the Lord was clear up in Galilee. Cinde Lucas is an ordinary person, who happens to LOVE to encourage and motivate people! Bless the Lord of Lords! To John it was all the way. You just have to be willing to follow His lead. He strengthens and preserves you steadfast in the true faith, He was the culmination of all of Old Testament history. They all knew that. 3 Tests Of Plagiarism: Do Your Sermons Pass Them. What do they do with their child who is struggling? And then this statement by our Lord in verse 9. He was the greatest human being that ever lived, based upon his human abilities and his unique calling in human history. Find stories, quotes, humor, and statistics to bring your sermon on Greatness to life. He was not interested in the ease of the world. 3. 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 who is in you is greater than he that is in the world! From the days of John the Baptist until now the Kingdom of heaven suffers violence, and the violent take it by force. Thats what the Authorized says. Oftentimes, you became a martyr. True greatness is being in Gods Kingdom. WebGREATNESS is the measure of the relationship that you have with God apart from performance or human achievement. P.O. So when the world looks at you, let them see the quality of a great God in you! One the last nearly the last year has been in prison but still the violence goes on. 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. Scripture confirms the value of a person with conviction. And so, not only his personal character, but his privileged calling. Lets open our Bibles this morning to Matthew chapter 11, Matthew chapter 11. Its time to unlock the greatness within you and charge head first into tomorrow knowing that the very best is yet to come! And the first response the Lord talks about is the response of doubt and John is His illustration, and we see that John doubted. His life style was a statement against self-centeredness. The kingdom is not for deferred prayers or unfulfilled promises or broken resolutions, or hesitant testimonies. But you might be interested in what he said to them. 0 Comments. They can compete against their own ignorance, they can compete against their own laziness, they can compete against their own indifference. All Rights Reserved, We serve cookies to analyze traffic to this site. This is good news, because this means that everybody can be great, for anybody is able to serve. What does He mean by this? Bless the King of Kings! Please contact the publisher to obtain copies of this resource. Did you know that you are a carrier of greatness? He knew what was right and he would do it. This is the greatness of service, the greatness of slavery that is the theme in this passage. Reality TV proves otherwise. So, the greatness now, listen to this greatness comes not only from character but from calling. Part of the reason that many of us don't realize that we carry seeds of greatness is because we've had so many negative things happen to us. God designed you that way. It is an illusion. Guest. 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