NONE GREATER

MATTHEW 11:7-15                                   

Pastor Rick Jackson

 

I. ANATOMY OF A GREAT MISTAKE “John’s the Greatest Man to Ever Live”

 

1. What Jesus Said [Mt. 11:7, Luke 7:28]

 

2. What Jesus Meant [Mt. 25:21, 23; 2 Tm. 4:6-8]

 

For I am now ready to be offered, and the time of my departure is at hand. I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith: Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, shall give me at that day: and not to me only, but unto all them also that love his appearing.

 

3. What Jesus Wants [Mt. 12:46-50]

 

II. ATTRIBUTES OF A GREAT MAN [Luke 1:13-15a]

 

1. An Avoidance of Mind-altering Substances [Luke 1:15, Proverbs 23:31, Eph. 5:18

 

-shall drink neither wine nor strong drink

- Look not thou upon the wine when it is red, when it giveth his colour in the cup , when it moveth itself aright.

- And be not drunk with wine, wherein is excess;

 

2. An Active Submission to the Life-altering Holy Spirit [Luke 1:15, Eph. 5:18, Acts 2:13-18]

 

- shall drink neither wine nor strong drink; and he shall be filled with the Holy Ghost

- And be not drunk with wine, wherein is excess; but be filled with the Spirit;

3. An Acceptance of the Destiny-altering Great Commission [Luke 1:16, Mk. 16:15]

 

- And many of the children of Israel shall he turn to the Lord their God.

- And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature

 

III. ACCLAMATION FOR A GREAT MASTER

 

1. We Must Be Ready [1 Peter 3:15]

 

But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts: and be ready always to give an answer to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you with meekness and fear:

 

2. We Must Be Ready to Help Them Get Ready [Lk. 1:17]

 

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.

 

3. For When He is Ready [Matthew 24:44,  Luke 12:40]

 

-Therefore be ye also ready: for in such an hour as ye think not the Son of man cometh.

-Be ye therefore ready also: for the Son of man cometh at an hour when ye think not.

 

D.L. Moody once heard a man say, The world has yet to see what God can do with a man who is fully surrendered to Him." Moody said, "By God's grace I will be that man!" Close to the end of his life Moody is reported to have remarked, "The world has yet to see what God can do with a man who is fully surrendered to Him."

We might think the Apostle Paul was that man, but Paul said under Divine inspiration, "Not as though I had already attained, either were already perfect: but I follow after, if that I may apprehend that for which also I am apprehended of Christ Jesus."