More Than a Prophet

The disciples of John reported all these things to him. And John, calling two of his disciples to him, sent them to the Lord, saying, “Are you the one who is to come, or shall we look for another?” And when the men had come to him, they said, “John the Baptist has sent us to you, saying, ‘Are you the one who is to come, or shall we look for another?’ ” In that hour he healed many people of diseases and plagues and evil spirits, and on many who were blind he bestowed sight. And he answered them, “Go and tell John what you have seen and heard: the blind receive their sight, the lame walk, lepers are cleansed, and the deaf hear, the dead are raised up, the poor have good news preached to them. And blessed is the one who is not offended by me.” When John’s messengers had gone, Jesus began to speak to the crowds concerning John: “What did you go out into the wilderness to see? A reed shaken by the wind? What then did you go out to see? A man dressed in soft clothing? Behold, those who are dressed in splendid clothing and live in luxury are in kings’ courts. What then did you go out to see? A prophet? Yes, I tell you, and more than a prophet. This is he of whom it is written, “ ‘Behold, I send my messenger before your face, who will prepare your way before you.’ I tell you, among those born of women none is greater than John. Yet the one who is least in the kingdom of God is greater than he.” (When all the people heard this, and the tax collectors too, they declared God just, having been baptized with the baptism of John, but the Pharisees and the lawyers rejected the purpose of God for themselves, not having been baptized by him.) “To what then shall I compare the people of this generation, and what are they like? They are like children sitting in the marketplace and calling to one another, “ ‘We played the flute for you, and you did not dance; we sang a dirge, and you did not weep.’ For John the Baptist has come eating no bread and drinking no wine, and you say, ‘He has a demon.’ The Son of Man has come eating and drinking, and you say, ‘Look at him! A glutton and a drunkard, a friend of tax collectors and sinners!’ Yet wisdom is justified by all her children.”

Last week we discussed the first part of this, today we will discuss 24-35

Luke 7:24 ESV

When John’s messengers had gone, Jesus began to speak to the crowds concerning John: “What did you go out into the wilderness to see? A reed shaken by the wind?

Jesus waited until they left to address the crowd this way

They did not go out to see John because he was run of the mill

John was unbending in his declaration of truth and call to repentance

This is why he was in prison

Luke 7:25 ESV

What then did you go out to see? A man dressed in soft clothing? Behold, those who are dressed in splendid clothing and live in luxury are in kings’ courts.

Soft to the touch

expensive, clothing that would be for a coddled person

John wore camels hair and a leather belt, was in the wilderness, etc

Luke 7:26 ESV

What then did you go out to see? A prophet? Yes, I tell you, and more than a prophet.

He was a prophet, but not an ordinary one.

Luke 7:27 ESV

This is he of whom it is written, “ ‘Behold, I send my messenger before your face, who will prepare your way before you.’

Jesus cites Mal3.1-5

Malachi 3:1–5 ESV

“Behold, I send my messenger, and he will prepare the way before me. And the Lord whom you seek will suddenly come to his temple; and the messenger of the covenant in whom you delight, behold, he is coming, says the Lord of hosts. But who can endure the day of his coming, and who can stand when he appears? For he is like a refiner’s fire and like fullers’ soap. He will sit as a refiner and purifier of silver, and he will purify the sons of Levi and refine them like gold and silver, and they will bring offerings in righteousness to the Lord. Then the offering of Judah and Jerusalem will be pleasing to the Lord as in the days of old and as in former years. “Then I will draw near to you for judgment. I will be a swift witness against the sorcerers, against the adulterers, against those who swear falsely, against those who oppress the hired worker in his wages, the widow and the fatherless, against those who thrust aside the sojourner, and do not fear me, says the Lord of hosts.

Luke 7:28 ESV

I tell you, among those born of women none is greater than John. Yet the one who is least in the kingdom of God is greater than he.”

Can be a confusing statement

Regarding prophets, none is greater than John.

He is the last OT prophet

He is greater because the other prophets told of something still far off, John spoke of something near

Yet the least today is greater, because Jesus’ kingdom is already here.

Luke 7:29–30 ESV

(When all the people heard this, and the tax collectors too, they declared God just, having been baptized with the baptism of John, but the Pharisees and the lawyers rejected the purpose of God for themselves, not having been baptized by him.)

the people who had accepted John’s message declared God just

John’s baptism was a baptism of repentance

Repentance is humility before God

Repentance is agreement with God in his assessment of our sinful state

The Pharisees and lawyers rejected God’s purpose for themselves

The refused John’s baptism of repentance

Those who reject for themselves often are hostile to those who do

Luke 7:31–32 ESV

“To what then shall I compare the people of this generation, and what are they like? They are like children sitting in the marketplace and calling to one another, “ ‘We played the flute for you, and you did not dance; we sang a dirge, and you did not weep.’

Children playing make-believe, imitating life events.

Trying to play wedding, but some kids don’t want to play

Trying to play funeral,

Jesus is about to apply this to how people reacted to John the Baptist and Jesus

Luke 7:33–34 ESV

For John the Baptist has come eating no bread and drinking no wine, and you say, ‘He has a demon.’ The Son of Man has come eating and drinking, and you say, ‘Look at him! A glutton and a drunkard, a friend of tax collectors and sinners!’

John the Baptist was certainly unorthodox.

Dressed strangely

Diet of locusts & honey (no bread or other “normal” food)

Didn’t drink

People made fun, said he had a demon.

Jesus did things differently than John

Ate with people

provided wine for a wedding party

So he was called a drunkard and glutton and friend of sinners.

The comparison, then, is that like children who refuse to play, no matter what the game is, many refuse the word of God, whether it came from the ascetic, John, or Jesus, who full of grace and truth. The common denominator was the truth and calling people to righteousness.

Luke 7:35 ESV

Yet wisdom is justified by all her children.”

Big Idea: John was among the greatest of prophets, but the believer today is greater than John

The people’s response to John the Baptist and Jesus shows us that we must be careful to:

Accept God’s Word

When it is hard to receive

When it is graciously given

Realize that God uses many teachers who have different personalities and focuses

Avoid being so selective about our teachers that we miss out on what God has for us.