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How to be Great Like John the Baptist

December 08, 2019
in The Word
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We are almost 3 Sundays apart from Christmas, the birth of Jesus, and today we celebrate the nativity of John the Baptist. We still remember a couple weeks ago when the Angel Gabriel came to John the Baptist’s father, and gave him the annunciation. He also told him something very important: this baby you will have, he will be great in the sight of the Lord.

And somewhere else, Jesus himself said “among those born of women, there has not risen one greater than John the Baptist.”

In both, we have a common word, “great” – to describe John.

How do we evaluate greatness?

Is it someone who has great degrees in university, achievements in business, or someone who takes care of himself and keeps healthy? It is always based on earthly things because we are earthly people, we have come from dust. But with John the Baptist, God is telling us His evaluation of greatness is different from how we on earth evaluate greatness.

He is telling us to wake up among ourselves, and ask, are you great on the level of John the Baptist, or are you great only among the peoples? God’s evaluation is about someone who has the Holy Spirit in his heart, or God in his heart.

God is telling us these earthly people have nothing. Let us evaluate our relationship with Him, not because of our position, family or money.

Look to yourself as what you have from God in your heart, what kind of spirit you have.

We have to understand something very important. Let’s evaluate ourselves before we arrive at the nativity of Jesus. Let’s look into our hearts. God is taking this opportunity to tell you something. If you want to be great, you have to allow the Holy Spirit into your heart, and allow us to be guided to the cross. Open your heart to Jesus.

God is encouraging us to be ready for Jesus’s birthday – are we ready to be great? We must have faith in Him and accept Him as our savior. John opened the way before Jesus Christ, and you also can be the one to open the way for people who do not know Jesus and instead be served in His name.

And like Zechariah and Elizabeth, if you find the one God, you will have great kids and have them be raised in the name of Jesus.

The very first people we mention in the Liturgy is the Virgin Mary and John the Baptist. And if you want to be #1 and great in God’s eyes, and your name will  be in the book of the Light, you must see who was John the Baptist and follow his steps. And give you heart to the Holy Spirit who will guide you to the cross – and then you will be great in God’s eyes.

Learn more from Father Andrew’s sermon video here.

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