I. What makes people great in the sight of men? Several things do this; but birth, money, and talents are the chief things which give this kind of greatness.
II. What makes people great in the sight of God? It is not any of the things which lead to greatness in man's sight. A person may be born of the greatest king that ever lived, and be as rich as Stephen Gerard, and have many talents, and yet be never great at all in the sight of God. And then, on the other hand, a person may be born in a garret or a cellar, and never have any money to call his own, and no talent at all to to do anything that men call great, and yet may be really great in the sight of the Lord. What made John the Baptist great? And, what will make others as great as he was? The answer is Obedience. It was simply his obedience which led to all John's greatness. He did just what God wanted him to do. He did nothing else, and he did this all the time. And if we obey God, as John did, it will make us great in His sight too. All the greatness which people get in men's sight is little and empty; but it is vast, wonderful, substantial greatness which they get who become great in the sight of God.
III. Why is it better to be great in the sight of the Lord than in the sight of men? We may answer the question by saying that it is so for three reasons. (1) Greatness in God's sight is better than greatness in man's sight because it is more useful. Great men in God's sight are more useful than others by their example. Now the most useful thing that can be done to anybody is to make him a Christian. But there is nothing like the influence of a Christian's example to help to make others Christians. (2) This greatness is more lasting than the other. Greatness in man's sight a greatness that connects itself with birth, or money, or talents merely will soon pass away; but greatness in God's sight a greatness that connects itself with our being made good and holy will never pass away. (3) It is within the reach of all. This is not true of greatness in the sight of men, but it is true of greatness in the sight of God. But there were three things in John's case that we must remember if we want to succeed: (1) John began early; (2) John had the Holy Spirit to help him; (3) John gave up everything that was likely to hinder him from becoming great.
R. Newton, Rills from the Fountain of Life,p. 71.
References: Luke 1:15. J. Keble, Sermons for Saints' Days,p. 257; J. H. Hancock, Christian World Pulpit,vol. xiii., p. 388; New Manual of Sunday School Addresses,p. 216.