The Beheading of a Man of God | Pastor Daniel Batarseh (Gospel of Mark Bible Study Series)

What a wonderful time of Praise crown him.

King forever. He will be king forever.

He is King now and has a brother said his dominion and his rule

in his Reign shall be Everlasting and everlasting.

I'm eager to be in the word of God with you.

And so meet me in Mark, chapter 6 and let's come together, the

Mark 6 · chapter mention

verse 14. As we discuss this afternoon.

The beheading of a man of God. The beheading of a man of God, a

very graphic title for a message but the Bible is honest and

direct and plain and there is Great Value in what we have

before us today. And so we come to verse 14 and

we've read these verses before, but let's revisit the ones that

we covered and then explore the ones that follow it.

In verse 14 of Mark chapter 6, we read the King Herod heard of

Mark 6 · chapter mention

it. For Jesus name had become known.

Some said, John the Baptist has been raised from the dead.

That is why these miraculous powers are at work in him.

But others said he is Elijah and others said, he is a prophet,

like one of the prophets of old. But when Herod heard of It.

He said, John whom I beheaded has been raised The human

conscience is one of the most obvious fingerprints, that

testify of the reality of God, the universal impression and

experience that we all have with the conscience undeniably cause

for a Divine designer. Who has determined, what is

right, what is wrong? And has deposited that moral

awareness, in those that he has created in His image and you and

I looked into that we looked into the origin of the

conscience and we looked into the function of the conscience

and how it is. One of the many mercies that

God, has established in this fractured world and more than

just a mercy to restrain evil. It has a Redemptive and

sanctifying On purpose, once that conscience has been, has

been met with the gospel and it is responded to correctly and we

looked at that conscience and we looked at what God says about

it. And what we learned last week

about the conscience was brought forth to us because in the

verses that we just read, we see a man's conscience powerfully at

work. That man has to be dealing with

something to be convinced that John the Baptist has come back

to life. and this is nothing more than a person who is

haunted by his guilt and he is dealing with a past sin and he

can't shake it off easily. And as we come to this text, we

realized that herod's conscience is is alive.

There is a pulse scroll down quickly to verse 22.

Let me prove that to you. It says Universe 24 Herod

feared, John knowing that he was a righteous and holy man and he

kept him safe. Herod knew that John was a

righteous and holy men he could make the distinction between

what was righteous. What was unrighteous?

What was wholly? What was Unholy?

And it's now here to accuse him. He is done something,

unrighteous. He has done something that is

Unholy. And so as unconverted as he was

there is some aspect of Hope in this man.

But why would he think, why would he think that Jesus was

John the Baptist? Well, you already heard it last

week and you heard it again and these verses because he did

something to this man. John the Baptist, he performed a

great Injustice to this man. John the Baptist And in summary,

he killed him. For no justifiable reason.

He had him executed, he had his head removed from his shoulders.

And now day and night he remembers he remembers, he

remembers how it one command so quickly because of the pressure

of his surroundings he removed a holy servant of God and what he

lived with is this anxiety that perhaps this man could come back

and get me. I have the impression reading

about Herod that he always had this feeling that if he were to

do something to John the Baptist that there would be Dreadful

consequences that would follow. That's why he was hesitant to

some degree to touch him, because he knew that he was a

different caliber. He was not like these Pharisees,

he special, he is sent by God. And so, he's riddled with fear.

And as we're about to learn in this very taxed, we're going to

see that John the Baptist's death played a role in the

behavior of Herod here. And I look at this and I think

if you just scale through the verses with your own eyes, you

realize how much is given over to this men's martyrdom how much

of John, the Baptist execution is taking up real estate in our

Bibles. Now the Holy Spirit could have

summarized that he could have summarized that easily here in

verse 16 that John was beheaded and that he he did this Herod

was The one who performed this, atrocious act.

But instead we get this, elaborate detailed angle on how

it happened. Why it happened?

When I look at this, I realize here that this is one of the

most extensive accounts of a person apart, from Christ.

This is about chiefly John the Baptist in.

It's one of the most drawn-out explanations of what happened to

somebody or about somebody apart from Jesus himself.

The Mark was moved by the spirit to patiently, pain, this story,

which tells me, at least one thing he doesn't want us to

glance over it. He doesn't want us to just

understand that John died and he was murdered and to move on from

there. Obviously there's something in

these texts in these verses that are for our benefit and that's

what we will seek to do. We will seek to try to

understand what it is that God intended to say to us.

And I think the best way to go about is not to hold on to a

specific theme but to just pick up certain truths as we go and

to see what it is that God would want to say through this.

This terrible experience in this terrible event.

And so let's read, let's read from verse 17 and see what it

is. That the spirit of God would say

to us for it was Herod who had sent and sees John and bound him

in prison for the sake of herodias, his brother Philips

wife because he had married her for John.

Had been saying to Herod it is not lawful for you to have your

brother's wife. We get a flashback, we're

getting a flashback of what? What happened with John and why?

It is that Herod is feeling this disturbance that we read and we

learned last week and the first thing that I want to bring to

your attention in light of this. Truth is the Unseen work of

conviction. The Unseen work of conviction.

Notice that, although Herod could get rid of John, he could

not forget him, He could not easily dismiss him.

And what I love about this example, is that even after John

died, what we see here is that conviction was aggressively at

work in this man, this politician this King and for

some time Herod might have seemed calm and collected before

his audience. But what was happening all along

was that there was this internal agitation because he heard a

message from John and he did something to the ER, And I look

at that, I think I'm encouraged. I'm encouraged.

I'm encouraged to some extent and if you're a servant of God

who cares about seeing people coming to God than you'll be

encouraged by this as you look at it, consider it, consider it

further. If you are a person who wants to

see people surrendered their sin and embrace the Savior then

realize that herod's example proves to us, that sometimes

something is happening in some people's hearts and you're not

aware of it. You may not perceive it, it may

not be so obvious to you. I think about John and put

yourself in his shoes. There he is preaching and from

time to time Herod, would come to the one p.m. service.

And when Herod would come, he would be intrigued.

He would pay attention. It says that he listened to him

with gladness. But no sign of change.

Moreover, he mercilessly handles them, he ultimately takes his

life. That would be discouraging

concerning the effectiveness of your message. and yet, even when

John, the Baptist is removed from the scene, The message of

John. What happened to John?

John's submissiveness to the Providence of God at the hands

of Herod, is eating him up inside.

His keeping him up at night. This man, John might be dead,

but I'll tell you this, his message, and his martyrdom was

alive and active in the mind of this corrupt twisted and

cowardly ruler. And as Believers, you have to

understand something don't measure the impact of your life

of your message, the message that you love you.

Sing about, you hear about week after week, don't measure the

impact of that based on somebody's apparent response,

based on their reaction based on their facial expression.

I see a lot of facial expressions week after week.

I'll tell you this. I've learned over time not to

take any of it at face value. Look at this man.

Look, look at. Look at Herod riving, look at

him wondering, look at him, speculate him, look at him,

unable to shake off his encounter with John.

And think about your life and people you've encountered in the

people that you want to see come to Christ.

Are you discouraged so easily are you moved to despair?

Here, we see here, the Unseen work of conviction.

Let it build your faith, that truth and truth alone has the

power to deal with that soul. And you just have to give it and

give it consistently and live. It live.

It consistently by the grace of God.

I'll never forget how the Lord taught me.

This not just in his word but by Ants.

I remember many many years ago, beginning to preach.

Speaking at one particular meaning, and that particular

meaning was about the coming judgment, the coming judgment

for the world in the coming judgment, even for the

Believers, the Judgment seat of Christ.

And after I had preached that message months had gone by and I

was at a different meeting in a different state altogether,

several months have gone by, since that original meaning and

there are was at some conference sitting in the lunch Hall, and I

was sitting at a random Table and there was a young man beside

me and after just talking to them would just, you know,

casual surface. All conversation, this young man

turned to me. And he says, do you remember me

This is honestly, I don't, I'm sorry.

And he named the conference that he was at and he named some

people that we might have known and he said I was at one of your

meetings. And I was sitting in the back

row and I have to apologize to me and my friends were laughing

while you were preaching. As it to be honest, don't have

to apologize because I didn't even recognize any of it.

See, I didn't know you were there.

So, apology accepted, I guess. He says, no, you don't

understand. I wasn't really laughing.

We were laughing and we got up in the middle of your message

and left. I was dying inside.

You were talking about the Judgment, you were talking about

the coming judgment. You were talking about hell,

you're talking about? Are you ready to meet with

Christ? And I have to tell you

something, I'm terrified. And I've been terrified since

and the conviction was so strong.

I couldn't sit there anymore. I had to leave and had to laugh

it off. Try to save face.

And I looked at him, I says, well, are you still scared?

Said, I am. So we put down our pudding and

we left that lunch Hall. We had an hour-long conversation

about the condition of his soul I don't know where that young

man is, but I learned something valuable.

Even when a man is laughing while you're preaching, he could

be cutting and his own heart bleeding with, conviction

wondering. If there is a wound that could

be healed. I remember another time, one of

my brothers were there for this, so they can testify to it.

You'd have to figure out which one it was.

We're at a meeting different state, different place.

A message was preached, people lingered around, and I saw two

men sitting in one of the pews and one of them looked visibly

Disturbed, and the other ones seemed normal, we approached

them and we greeted, the, my brother was with me, and when

you saw these two sitting beside each other, you could easily

assume and see which one was Disturbed and which ones seem to

have just gone through the motions of that night.

And as we begin to speak to one who is opening up his heart and

distresses of life and where he's brought himself and what's

in has done to him. He'd even in that moment,

expressed how he wants Jesus. And he heard about Jesus and he

wants to, what does it mean to surrender the Jesus?

Can he deal with the situation in my life?

And why was conversing with this man?

I looked at the other one and he was Stone Cold.

He didn't just look disinterested.

He looked upset. And he just stared off into the

distance and so I try to include it from time to time and all

would get back is one word answer.

So I thought to myself, okay, if there's a parable of the surahs

with the for, I can guess which one this one is and I can guess

which one this one is. So we just dealt with the one

individual who seem to be more open obviously And there was

tears, and there was a voice cracking.

And here's his friend here on move like a statue.

We prayed and we moved on Weeks Later months later we reconvene

with that, same group. And I realized something the man

in that moment who poured out his heart and was expressing his

need and his desire was nowhere to be found.

In fact, he was back into his old ways and guess who got

baptized and guess who plugged into the local church and guess

who is serving consistently with that place.

The guy that I thought, no, I don't know if his heart is open.

The Unseen work of conviction, you don't know what's happening

in that heart. You don't know what's happening

in their thoughts. You don't know what's keeping

them up at night. You don't know what they're

thinking about through the day. And there's another example of

this. In the scriptures come with me

to Matthew 21 and notice what Jesus says in a parable in verse

28 of Matthew 21. Matthew 21, 28 Jesus says, What

do you think? A man had two sons.

And he went to the first and said, Son, go and work in the

vineyard today and he answered, I will not. but afterward, he

changed his mind and went and he went to the other side and said

the same and he answered, I go sir but did not go which of the

two did the will of the of his father.

They said the first Jesus said to them.

Truly I say to you the tax collectors and the prostitutes

go into the kingdom of God before you Here's Jesus,

addressing the religious Elite. And he is massively bringing

them to a conclusion on their own, about their own indictment,

their own condemnation of how they're dealing with the gospel

that's been presented to them. But what I love about this, is

this Parable provides a principle.

A principle beyond the obvious notice that the two sons that

Jesus presents gave an immediate response.

They both did they both said something to the wishes of their

father? Once said, I will not the other

said I go sir. Now let me ask you between the

two who seemed more respectful. The second one he didn't just

say I go he says I go sir. So the other one was even a

little bit more rude than the second one.

And so you have these two reactions, you have these two

responses you have these two apparent decisions But what

happens? We see that there is a different

outcome. Now, if you were in the presence

of this interaction between the father and two sons, what would

you esteem about the relationship from the second

one? And the relationship between the

first one. I'll surely this one loves his

father. Surely this one will obey his

father. Surely this one Revere's, his

father and the first one, there's no hope what kind of

attitude is a son have like this to the wishes of his own, his

own dad? And if you would say that, the

second one was walking in obedience and pleasing the

father, you would be wrong, you would be wrong.

Even with all the presentation of politeness and obedience, you

would be wrong. And what Jesus is teaching here,

is that actions are more important than words.

Actions are more important than words.

You said it. But did you do it?

This is what is valuable to Jesus Christ.

Words are important, absolutely. But he's trying to stay here.

Is that actions speak louder? But more than that, here's what

you need to understand initial response is not the indicator.

Of the condition of the heart. Both of them said something.

One of them changed his mind. The other said, something, and

he was hypocritical, you didn't understand what he was agreeing

to. He didn't intend to actually

hold his word, you don't know what's happening in.

Someone's heart. Why am I presenting that truth?

You all? Would you be relieved?

Would you be arrest? Would you just like that

Parable? We heard many weeks ago, plant

the seed and go to sleep. And just believe that truth has

the ability to deal with a man Even though like John, you may

not even be here anymore, you may be gone altogether.

And there are certainly many men who are dead, but still speak.

John was one of those men. The Unseen work of conviction.

But let's move forward here and seeing these verses the

consistency of the Baptist for it was Herod who had sent and

sees John and bound him in prison for the sake of herodias,

his brother Philips wife because he had married her for John.

Had been saying to Herod it is not lawful for you to have your

brother's wife. Okay, we look here.

And we realize that Herod was obviously convicted of inciting

an illegitimate marriage and there's a lot of history that

can tell you exactly how this happened.

But if you just come from a purely, scriptural standpoint,

you'll see that all you have here is that he had his

brother's wife somewhere. Along the line Herod must have

convinced herodias to divorce his brother and to be with him

instead. And if that is the case, then

according to the law, you know, that this is an invalid and an

adulterous relationship and it could be that Herod did this

during the time. And during the ministry of John

the Baptist and at outrage, the Prophet this was like a scandal

in the headlines. And John would not keep quiet

about it. He had a public platform, this

was a public sin and he realized that this man was in a place of

authority and he could have influence others.

And so what does he do? He confronts the unrepentant,

man. With this message.

It is not lawful for you to have this.

What you did was illegal, what you did broke God's law.

Now we can turn this into a teaching of divorce but just

wait a few months. There's going to come that

teaching and Matthew Mark chapter 10 rather but instead, I

Mark 10 · chapter mention

want you to consider something inspiring about this man of God.

This is the inspiring thing about him that regardless of

whom stood before him. He was a man who did not waver

He would speak the Kings the same way, he spoke to the common

folk of Israel. He would speak to Men of power

and he would speak to poor man. He would speak to Men of

prestige and he would speak to pathetic people.

This was a man who did not change.

This was a man who was constant. This was a man who was Fearless.

This was a man who had courage God help us.

We need a few John, the Baptist in America. and what I love

about this and the reason why I bring this to your attention is

because he was the same person with the same message, whether

he was addressing, whoever and this is the quality that Jesus

Christ, praise about John Those disciples came from the prison

and told Jesus about the doubts that John, the Baptist had, they

went back with the message that Jesus gave them and then Jesus

looks to the crowd that he was teaching that day and he begins

to commend John and to speak of his praises.

And he says, one thing that I love in light of this truth that

we see here in Matthew 11 7. He says, what did you go out to

see when speaking about John, what did you go out to see a

reed shaken by the wind? and a reed shaken by the wind

and the obvious answer is no, what is a read is like a tall,

slender grass like plant, you see them by Riverbanks, you see

them sometimes in the countryside as you're driving

along the freeway and those reeds are so sensitive that any

direction of the wind, they would dance to it, they would

dance to it, Forward backwards side to side, whatever the

breeze was, They Bend, they bend it to wherever the breeze said

to do. And what he is saying here is

unlike the read that is influenced by the elements

outside of it. John was constant?

John was not pressured. John was not influence.

John did not waver, John did not move a wink, despite of all the

things that might be happening around him.

He was an oak of righteousness who stood firm.

And despite the environment you found the same guy, the same

guy. I read that and I thought to

myself, this is what Jesus loved the but John he loved that he

was not a reed shaken by the wind.

He loved that no matter where John found himself and who was

around him, you had the same John whether he was in a palace

or whether he was in the wilderness on some rocks,

screaming his head off towards a bunch of people.

The same guy with the same convictions, the same attitude.

I thought it was Jesus. If you commend John because of

this then, would you find the same characteristic in me?

In me all? Would you give me the grace not

to be a read? That is shaken by the wind.

Oh Lord, would I not be different in my living room that

I am on the pulpit than I am in the classroom that I am in the

workplace. When I am at the outing Lord.

Let me be the same. If this is what you look down

on, you say, ah, this is a reed who is not shaken by the wind

and this is what you adore and praise and love them.

You find it in me. Can he find it in?

You, are you a reed, shaken by the wind?

Do they elements outside of you, the external factors Bend you

are you pliable. Are your conviction stronger in

some settings than others. Are you willing to confront sin

and others? But when it comes to people who

have some business relation to you or who give a certain amount

to your ministry, are you more hesitant to speak up and say it

is not lawful for you to do this.

Oh, that you would be like an olive tree in the house of God.

Oh, that you would be immovable because of your Devotion to

Christ. Oh, that you would have the ever

present awareness of Jesus walking with you living in you.

Ever protecting you ever supervising you so that you can

stand before Harrods. And you can say the same thing,

you would tell some poor soul who comes whimpering to you.

This is how you are saved. This is why you need to repent.

This is why you need to come to Christ.

See the consistency of this man of God.

He was not influenced, he was the same and if you want to win

the Commendation of Christ, I encourage you to ask him for the

grace to not be like a reed shaken by the wind.

But we see something else here when we move on.

He had been saying it is not lawful for you to have your

brother's wife. But then in verse 19 we realized

something else happens, it herodias had a grudge against

him. And wanted to put him to death

but she could not for Herod feared John knowing that he was

a righteous and holy man and he kept him safe.

When he heard him, he was greatly perplexed and yet he

heard him. Gladly Unfortunately, what you

can say about John, you could not say about Herod here.

We find this. Man, although confronted about

his sin 0 though, dealt with concerning his conscience,

although his wife would nag about him every night at dinner

because he shamed their relationship with all of those

things. We are told that he gladly heard

John that he intentionally sat under his preaching even more.

This is this is weird. This is a little strange to me

and yet it is so common. We are told that he heard him,

gladly the word there is with pleasure with pleasure.

John was not an ordinary preacher you know that He was

not like, these cold. Pharisee phds that had no

unction that had no urgency. That had no Authority.

No. When he preached, there was

fire. When he preached, it was plain

when he preached. It was direct when he preached.

It was about Jesus. Oh yeah, John John Behold the

Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world.

I'm sure Herod heard it. I'm sure you heard something of

the coming of the Messiah. The coming of the kingdom of God

and now only did Herod tolerate that preaching.

He was Charmed by it. He was fascinated, he was

mesmerised, he was Spellbound. He was, he was drawn to this

immense confidence and his Consecration.

And he gladly, he gladly heard him.

This is disturbing. You know, why come to verse 22?

For when herodias is daughter, came in this is later another

scene at his birthday for when herodias.

His daughter came in and danced, she pleased Herod And his guests

and the King said to the girl asked me for whatever you wish

and I will give it to you. Okay, this type of dancing is

not a professional performance. It's not an interpretive kind of

dance of some sort. This is provocative, dancing.

This is seductive dancing and this is the entertainment of the

night for his birthday. And we are told that the same

Herod who experienced pleasure sitting under the messages of

John. Also knew a pleasure as he had a

young lady in his home, erratically, dancing before him

and his guests. Isn't that strange?

A great preacher. Once said that Herod was a man

who wanted heaven, but loved the road to hell.

Herod was a man who wanted heaven but he loved the road to

hell. And we see it plainly here.

He could genuinely appreciate a sound well-crafted passionately,

presented truth and yet applaud our young lady very likely

stripping before him His stepdaughter.

How can this be? How is the soul and yet

unfortunately there's a principle here that is too

common. I meditated on this

contradictory way of life and here's what came to mind that

delighting in the ministry of holy men and enjoying the

presence of holy people is not sufficient evidence that such a

person is a yoked with Christ. Delighting.

To sit under the ministry of holy men and enjoying the

presence of holy people is not sufficient evidence that such a

person is yoked to Christ. and I can say that confidently about

Herod here, because regardless of the reasons for his

admiration about John, Regardless of what it is, that

was pulling on his heartstrings. I know this one thing about

Herod, I know, one thing was true about this, man.

Whatever he was enjoying. It wasn't because of Jesus.

It wasn't because of Christ saying.

Prove it preacher, gladly Think about the hours just before the

crucifixion and in those concluding chapters of the

Gospel of Luke, we have an encounter between Jesus and who

Herod. And do you remember what Herod

did with Jesus? Let me remind you and Luke 23,

Luke 23:11

verse 11, and Herod with his soldiers, treated him with

contempt, and mocked him. That I rang him in Splendid

clothing, he sent him back to Pilate.

The same man who can sit under the teaching and preaching of

John who surely presented Jesus when it came to a face-to-face.

Visit an appointment with the same Christ that he heard about

treated him with contempt. Mocked and scorned him and

despised him. How well, let me tell you this

one thing. Do you remember last week's

message on the conscience? Do you remember how the more you

ignore your conscience? The more you silence, your

conscience, the worst say gets the quieter, it gets the debtor,

it gets and the more danger you invite your life.

I believe that's what's happening here after quieting,

it and silencing. And in suppressing it the same

men who feared to touch. John can now come and openly

mocked Jesus Christ. How did that happen?

Because between John's message and Jesus encounter, he did

something with those thoughts. He buried them, he's subdued

them, he ignored them. And what happened?

Can more, and more seared More and more seared.

But there's something else here. Could it be the how John Rather

hair it is? Treating Jesus.

At this point, is revealing something that was in him all

along? And if that is true that think

about this Herod Herod, being able to love sermons, it's

possible to love sermons and treat Jesus with contempt at the

same time. That's a terrifying thought.

That's possible. This man proves it, I ask you

today to look beyond your respect for the minister.

I ask you today to look beyond your enjoyment of The Fellowship

of the Saints, Being in a place with people who are kind and

nice and have conservative values, look beyond that.

Look beyond all of that. That might be justifying

something that is actually deceiving and ask yourself this

one question. This afternoon, I beg of you.

Please ask yourself this question.

I beg of you who is the person of Jesus to you the person of

Jesus, not messages about him, not the people who claim him who

is Jesus to you personally. What is your face to face

relationship like with Jesus? Is it like Herod?

Is it like Herod? I hope not, I pray not.

I hope that everything that you hear, no matter how practical or

deep the message is it would stir Your Heart for Jesus for

Christ to love him. An adornment crown him and Obey

him. This was not the case for Herod,

he can digest and and receive, and contemplating be perplexed.

And even be convicted yet when it came to the person of Christ,

Not only was there no connection.

There was contempt. There's some who openly show

content and others who indirectly show contempt to

Christ. But I see something else about

Herod here. His puzzling relationship with

the truth shows shows the danger of being in a setting like this

and being able to praise bold Proclamation.

At the same time be shriveled up in your soul.

Concerning the person of Christ, but there's more to this even

more. Could you believe it?

Yes. What we see here is that even

Herod sitting under the ministry of John, holy men.

Like John also proves that you are not guaranteed Freedom From

The Bondage that you're in. Back at verse 21 of Mark 6, but

an opportunity came. When Herod on his birthday.

Give a banquet for his Nobles and Military commanders and the

Leading Men of Galilee from when herodias his daughter came and

danced. She pleased Herod and his

guests. And the King said to the girl

asked me for whatever you wish, and I will give it to you.

You're told about that. You're given this scene

immediately. After being informed that Herod

heard John gladly, Meaning that even being under the truth

accurately and powerfully proclaimed does not guarantee

liberation. And transformation.

This same man can come and listen to this and then go home

and have such a birthday. Do you think that happens on

Sundays? Think so possible.

Is it because truth wasn't being preached not necessarily so you

can have John Baptist come up here and preach and still have

people act like Herod how Well it's just like me giving you a

recipe and you hearing every ingredient, me spelling out.

The instructions of how to go about it and you understand it

and you might amen. And you might be even excited

about what that recipe will look like and you go home and you

don't you don't honor the recipe.

It's like me giving you a directions to a desired location

and you understand everything and all the turns and all the

warnings and you're excited because you want to go to this

place that you heard about, but you never get in your car.

You never turn it on and you never go.

You can hear all about Jesus, how wonderful he is.

How glorious is, how you can know how you can grow and him.

Embrace it nod your head to it, maybe even get excited about it

and go home and have a birthday like Herod.

It's true. It's not like people to hear but

it's true. And look at this attitude that

Herod has in the king said, to the girl asked me for whatever

you wish, and I will give it to you.

What's wrong with you, man? You're willing to give half your

kingdom to a girl, a teenager I present to you the intoxicating

influence of lust, Not just alcohol, I'm sure there was

alcohol. But lust lust has the ability to

inebriate you and to cause you to make misjudgments at the

cause you to evaluate certain things more great than they are

and, and see the great things as less as what they truly are men.

If you can conquer lust, you can conquer so much if you can

conquer the appetites of the flesh, you can conquer so much

in life. And here is a man who is so

stirred. So aroused.

So moved by this site that he makes this silly vow your what

whatever half the kingdom and I'll give it to you.

It's Herod. Do you realize that Rome is your

supervisor. Do you realize that?

If you even if you do, if you do get this request for half the

kingdom. Because he's a man who obviously

kept his word, we're about to find out.

You're gonna get in big trouble, you're gonna get in serious

trouble. But this is, this is a picture

here of how sin makes us foolish.

It makes a stupid. I mean, look at it.

What he's willing to throw away? Just for a moment of

Satisfaction, Just because he's been exhilarated In the Flesh,

look what he's willing to give up.

And I think about Sinners today, that throw away so much not

herod's Kingdom, God's Kingdom. His purpose is his plans.

His love his satisfaction. They're willing to just just

waste it and throw it away for, what, for something.

So, trivial for something, so silly for something.

So there is a perverted Yes, yes, Sinners makes foolish

decisions. They make rash vows and make

rash decisions, and they're willing to give up so much for

something that is so trivial. And so temporary.

But here's a man who would leave unchanged after being under

John. How do you change then?

How do you change will go beyond appreciation?

Go beyond being perplexed, and stirred and challenged and come

to him. Come to Jesus.

Come to the Lord. He's real.

He's there he's available. I remember the early days of

walking with the Lord sitting under a young, adults Ministry

and the Lord was so fresh to me. So real to me, still is but in

that time the the you know, the first moments and I always use

this example as a joke. But I remember there was a

particular Sunday night. We had a Sunday night service

and the preacher got up there and he shared about Elijah.

When those young kids came out says go up.

You bald head go Up you bald head?

And Elijah turns around with the authority of God, calls a curse

upon him. And two.

She bears come out and Mall 40-something of those kids to

tragic story but it's deeper than how it sounds.

And I remember sitting there hearing that story a story that

would cause the skeptic to say how can a good god do such a

thing. How can the true God that, you

know, what? I was feeling in my heart.

Oh, Lord, you're amazing, you're beautiful.

Lord. I want to spend time with you,

your glorious Lord. Look at the authority.

Look at the Holiness of God, look at the faithfulness of God,

look at his protection over his servant.

Look at how this was actually fulfillment of a warning in The

Vedic is that if you were to continue to reject God and his

purpose is that your children would suffer by wild animals,

that's what it was. Oh, Look how deep your word is

a. I just want to spend time with

Jesus. After hearing about the Bears.

Mauling children. Yes.

Because it's God's word and it reveals God.

Oh, come to him. Everything in this text even

hearing about even hearing about John the Baptist being beheaded,

let your heart be stirred and hear the wisdom of Christ and

let it pull you to his person. I love this verse in Acts 17

when Paul preached there to these Gentiles.

And he said in Acts 17 27, that they should seek God talking

about how God created the world and how he put different people

in different parts of the world and he has determined the

boundaries of their dwelling place for what purpose.

And he says here in verse 27 and acts 17, that they should seek

God and perhaps feel their way toward him and find him.

And then he says this in verse the second part of the verse and

he's actually not far from each one of us.

That they should seek on and perhaps feel their way toward

him and find him. God created you so that you

would find him. And then he goes on to say, he's

actually not far from each one of us.

And he confirms it in the following verse for in him.

We live and move and have our being he is here, he's always

around you, he's One Call Away. He is the City of Refuge that

has been established at a distance where you can go and

find safety. That's Christ.

Also, even in A Moment Like This Before, a message, even ends you

can call upon Christ, Lord, I've been far from you, but now I

want to come to you, Lord. I don't want to leave this

message Shackled In my sin anymore, Or how I want to be

free. I want these chains to fall down

at my feet, Christ can do it, he can do it.

And we see here. Paul says, he's right there, you

don't have to jump through hoops, you don't have to stand

on your head. You don't have to climb some

Mountain. You don't have to spend some

weeks with monks, he's right here, Jesus, the son of the

Living. God the resurrected, Lord.

The one who conquered the grave, the one who will return again.

He's here and he's always here. We preach a Christ.

Who can save and set free. This is the Jesus whom I bear

witness. This is the Jesus who

commission's us to preach this truth, not the one who just

saved. But one who satisfies one, who

delivers one who sets free. And Herod heard it, I'm sure

John preached it. But he couldn't let go of that

once in he couldn't he couldn't get away from that claw. that

was around his neck herodias, is her name a New Testament kind of

Jezebel couldn't. He feared her, he feared the men

that he invited over for his birthday more than God and it

would cost him. I can say so much more, but I'm

going to scroll down here. We see what happens next.

He vows us to her the little girl goes to his mother.

Her mother. What should I ask?

What should I ask him? I want you to give me at once

the head of John the Baptist on a platter.

And Herod was sorry, exceedingly.

Sorry, not sorry for what you would think.

He's not convicted, he's worried about what kind of consequences

this will breed and he's in this place of tension.

If I say no, these men will mock me.

I'm not a man of my word. If I say yes, the people they

prize John, we can cause some kind of upheaval here.

But his pride got the best of him.

He could not deny his oath, even though his oath was for evil,

and he submits to the request of his, which of a wife, And it

says, in verse 27, immediately the king sent, an executioner

with orders to bring John's head.

He went and beheaded him in the prison and brought his head on a

platter and gave it to the girl. And the girl gave it to her

mother. They couldn't even wait for the

birthday to end. Wonder what kind of Silence was

in that room? I wonder what kind of feeling

came over them as that Grizzly, man's head laid on that platter

perhaps with his eyes opened. I don't just look at Herod as a

coward. I look at these men who knew

very well, John the Baptist as cowards just, as much, not being

able to speak up to stop this evil.

And here, they are with this decision, irreversible,

determined done, and something happens in verse 29, when his

disciples heard of it, they came and took his body and laid it in

a tomb. These brave men, they came to

that place. They retrieve the body,

headless, their love teacher. The preacher that they learn so

much from his way of life, that inspired them to be ready for

the coming of the Messiah. Is no longer alive.

Put him away with dignity and honor.

But what I love about this verse is how Matthew adds a detail to

it, and I want to show you that detail and clothes and go to

Matthew 14 verse 12. Matthew 14:12 it says and his

Matthew 14:12 Matthew 14:12

disciples came and took the body and buried it and they went and

told Jesus. They went and told Jesus.

Wise men. I don't know what was going on

through their minds if they go tell Jesus to warn Jesus.

Do you think John was afraid of Herod?

Not if you preach like this, Cave, John wasn't afraid.

Do you think Jesus was afraid of Jesus?

Jesus was afraid of Herod know. When he was told another time

about Harry's is go, tell that fox.

Remember those words go tell that fox, doesn't sound like a

man who was afraid about what Herod could do it then?

They come and tell Jesus, I'm sure to inform them, but I'm

under this persuasion, you could disagree with me.

You would have to disagree with me.

And Matthew Henry though. That they did more than report,

what happened? They sought comfort from Jesus.

Jesus, John is gone. Lord.

The 4Runner, he's no longer here and they opened their hearts to

him, they brought this tragedy to him, they brought their

sorrows their Heavy Hearts to to the perfect person.

So yes. He is so close to the sinner as

Paul preached in Acts 17. If he is not so far from them,

how much closer Is He To You. Beloved child of God, how

available is he to you? That you can come to him.

Once you are holding your arms, something that you can't fathom

and comprehend and trust that. As you do come to him, he can

console you and pour his love and his presence heal, you and

strengthen you I look at this and I think to myself, Lord,

don't only teach me how to be like, John, Who was not like a

reed easily shaken, by the wind, teach me to be like John's

disciples, who knew, who to go to when even their counselor,

their Mentor, their father in the faith was no longer

available, you know, who you can go to when the most spiritual

man, you know, of is no longer there, the one who called him

and made him the one who used him to bless your life.

The Source, the mouth of the river of all the blessings that

you enjoyed through him or through her go to Christ and sit

at his feet and pour your heart out.

But trust that men and women of God will come and go.

But Christ will remain forever. He's there and he's a friend and

he's the ever-present mentor. He's the one who's given all

those things. All those things through those

people to you. Does he not have an abundance

himself? Does he not have all the things

that you need himself? He does.

He surely dies all. There's so much more I can say,

and maybe we'll say more next week, but for now, I think

that's a perfect. Place to end.

Come to Jesus. Come to Jesus with your sorrow.

Come to Jesus for salvation. He is closed.

Lord this afternoon. We magnify Your Great Name.

With the Simplicity of these truths.

Lord, we are reminded of things perhaps that we have known.

But Lord, we ask that at this time, we would not be like Herod

far from it. Lord that what we heard today

would draw us closer to you and which stir us to say, oh I want

to be with him. I want to walk closer to him.

Lord, we pray that You would make us like pillars in your

house not like reads but pillars.

And Lord you would also help us as we go out into this world and

try to be faithful and effective that we would believe in the

power of your truth. And that like Herod we don't

know what's occupying a heart when it has come into contact

with who you are. Help us believe that you are in

control of all things and help us be like John who was faithful

until the end though, he could not perceive the great extent of

his efforts and a man as hardened and difficult.

And Herded and deviant, as Herod.

Well, we know that there are people like Herod who will be

convicted but never changed but oh help us.

Oh God, believe that there can be people like the parable that

Jesus taught that can say, I will not but will later change

their minds and submit to your will And Lord, if there is that

person in this place, who has many times that I will not, I

will not May today be the day where they say, I will.

I won't walk away anymore. Not only you can do it.

We bless you. Jesus name.

Amen.