Were you looking for a prophet? Yes, and he is more than a prophet. [Matthew 11:9 NLT]
What do you think Jesus meant when he called John "more than a prophet"? In the following verse he identifies John as the prophesied messenger who would prepare the way for the Messiah. So is that what made John something more than a prophet? What makes someone more than their gift or calling?
It is difficult to know for sure that John was "more" because he was the messianic forerunner. Could Jesus have thought that John was more than his ministry? More than his gift? Could it be that Jesus thought of John first as his friend? Could it be that Jesus was referring to who John was rather than what he did?
I can relate to identifying with a spiritual gift or professional role. Sometimes words like pastor or prophet cause us to walk in strange ways. Religious titles can cause us to be proud modern day Pharisees. Not so with John. He was more than a prophet because he was more than his job description.
Help us Lord to identify more with being your friend and your child than being your minister.
... this devotion is part of a series about John the Baptist.
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