"He Shall Be Great In The Sight Of The Lord"

by Jarvis, A. G. | Category: General | Jan 1961

(Luke 1.15)

These words, spoken of John the Baptist, give the test of true greatness -" in the sight of the Lord " All other greatness is of little worth in comparison with this greatness. Man's estimate necessarily will be based upon that which is of value in his eyes. The Lord's estimate rests upon things of eternal value.

Let us consider two ways in which John manifested this true greatness so that we may profit by his example.

First - the absolute sincerity of his consecration to the will of God. In the wilderness he learned true values. What we shall eat and what we shall wear were no preoccupations of his mind. His raiment was of camel's hair, his food was locusts and wild honey. The fleeting honours of this world, its malice and frowns, meant nothing to him. He feared no man because he feared God. His rebuke of Herod is clear evidence of this truth. Not only was he a man of absolute integrity, he was also a man of entire self-effacement.

Second - in the presence of the One whose herald and witness he was, he gladly retired into obscurity. This, perhaps, is the hardest test of all. With untroubled heart he saw his own followers attach themselves to the ONE he himself followed. This is the true greatness we should seek, that through our service, He, the Lord Jesus, may increase while we decrease. To turn men's eyes to the Lamb of God that they might believe on Him and become His followers was the supreme 3oy of John's life.

But such faithfulness led to prison and a violent death. The world has not changed; and, as it treated John, so it treated his Divine Master, also Paul, Peter, and countless other worthy witnesses, so must we expect to be treated, at least as far as its hatred is concerned, though prison and death may not be experienced today in the favoured lands in which we live.

Many names are blazoned on this world's records that will soon fade into eternal oblivion, but, in contrast, " They that be wise shall shine as the brightness of the firmament; and they that turn many to righteousness as the stars for ever and ever" (Daniel 12.8). The issue is clear-either to suffer with Christ now and then to be glorified with Him, or to follow the example of the Pharisees and seek the glory of men and thus suffer loss at the judgement-seat. Of old, God declared

"Them that honour Me I will honour" (1 Samuel 2.30),

and the Lord Jesus said:

"If any man serve Me, him will the Father honour" (John 12. 26).

Listen to Paul - " I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed to us-ward" (Romans 8.18). Again he says, "For our light affliction, which is for the moment, worketh for us more and more exceedingly an eternal weight of glory" (2 Corinthians 4.17). Paul was content to be counted as the offscouring of all things (1 Corinthians 4.18). On the other hand he counted this world's honour to be "refuse" (or offal) (Philippians 3.8). He had learned in the same school as John the Baptist, what it meant to be "Great in the sight of the Lord."

Finally - let us listen to the words of the Lord

"He that overcometh, I will give to him to sit down with Me in My throne, as I also overcame, and sat down with My Father in His throne" (Revelation 3.21).

Jarvis, A. G. | Jan 1961
General