Jesus said to the crowd,

11 Most certainly I tell you, among those who are born of women there has not arisen anyone greater than John the Baptizer; yet he who is least in the Kingdom of Heaven is greater than he.12 From the days of John the Baptizer until now, the Kingdom of Heaven suffers violence, and the violent take it by force. 13 For all the prophets and the law prophesied until John. 14 If you are willing to receive it, this is Elijah, who is to come. 15 He who has ears to hear, let him hear.

Matthew 11:11-15 - World English Bible

In these few verses, Jesus placed John the Baptist in the flow of salvation history. He was the greatest of all men up to that point, simply because he immediately preceded the Christ and, so, the Kingdom. John acted as a signpost for THE person and THE event; his activity would culminate in everything the Hebrew scriptures (the Law and the prophets) foretold. Yet, if John was great as the one who pointed to the Messiah and his realm, the commoner who entered the Kingdom would be that much more blessed (i.e., "greater").

I once heard a man proclaim, "The greatness of an idea can be measured in the opposition it faces." This was true in the case of early Christianity. The faith faced enmity, even persecution, on all sides. The Pharisees considered its claim of a crucified Christ audacious; the Greeks considered it ludicrous; the Romans considered it seditious. Yet, this was the faith of the Church; their Master was the Messiah; he reigned in his Father's Kingdom. And, the Baptist, the one who foretold the Savior, was his Elijah.

Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet before the great and terrible day of Yahweh comes. (Malachi 4:5).

How can you act like the Baptist and help others prepare for the coming the Christ?