John 6:1-21 Nothing to Fear

Good morning boys and girls!

Have you ever been scared? Would anyone like to tell me about a time when you have been scared? Has there ever been a time when someone told you to do something and you were scared to do what they told you to do?

You know, even people in the Bible were scared from time to time. For example, on at least two occasions the disciples were scared. One time, the disciples returned from a long trip and they were tired. Jesus told them to go with him to a quiet place where they could rest. Unfortunately, the people found out where Jesus and his disciples were, and they went to see them. Jesus had compassion on them, so he taught them.

As the day wore on, the people didn’t have anything to eat. The disciples urged Jesus to send the people away to get something to eat, but Jesus told them to give the people something to eat. The disciples didn’t have enough food, and they didn’t have enough money to buy food. The disciples were scared, but Jesus knew what he was going to do. Andrew found a little boy with a small lunch. Jesus took the lunch, blessed it and gave it to the disciples to give out to the people. Suddenly there was more than enough food-enough to fill twelve baskets with leftovers. 

After Jesus dismissed the crowd the disciples got into a boat and started to cross a lake. Before they got to the other side, it became dark and a storm came. The disciples were afraid, and they were scared even more when they saw someone walking on the water and coming toward them. The disciples recognized Jesus when he said, “It is I, don’t be afraid.” Jesus calmed their fears, and they invited him to get into the boat.

All of us have been afraid at one time or another, even adults. Being scared is nothing to be ashamed of. When we invite Jesus into our lives, we don’t have to be afraid, because we aren’t alone.

Let’s close our eyes and pray. Dear God, thank you for sending Jesus to help us, especially when we are scared. Help us to remember that with Jesus we have nothing to fear because he protects us with his love. In Jesus’ name we pray, AMEN.

Bibliography

1.      “There’s No Fear in Jesus.” Retrieved from http://sermons4kids.com/no_fear_in_jesus.htm

 

John 6:1-21 Jesus and His Tests

Have you ever had to prepare a meal for a large group of people with little or no advance notice? When you prepared that meal, did you ever stop to wonder how you would do it, especially if you realized that you did not have enough food and you did not have the time or money to go to the grocery store? If that is the case, perhaps you can sympathize with the disciples in the story of the feeding of the crowd, which we heard from John’s Gospel a few minutes ago.

Jesus had been teaching the crowd all day, and it was almost time for the evening meal. The disciples wanted Jesus to dismiss the people so they could go and buy food in the neighbouring towns and villages. Jesus had other ideas. He told the disciples to feed the people.

We see the reactions of two of the disciples to Jesus’ instruction. Philip saw the need for a miracle and calculated the odds. He tried to prove that it could not be done. How many times are we like Philip? How often do we fail to see what God is doing because we are focused on our selfish desires and needs?

Andrew, on the other hand, set out to try to solve the problem, and the solution he found is the key to the first part of this story. He searched for food among the people, but he found only one small boy with a small lunch that seemed inadequate for the task at hand. We have to give credit to Andrew for at least trying to find a solution to the problem.

Barley was a staple part of the diet for the poor. The loaves were small, flat wafers. The fish were the size of sardines. The meal was barely enough for one little boy, let alone sufficient to satisfy the appetite of a grown man. When Jesus accepted the boy’s gift, he blessed it, and in the blessing the small became great. There was suddenly enough bread because Jesus saw the people and wanted them to be fed, just like Jesus saw the fear in his disciples on the sea. He loved the disciples and the crowd and gave both groups the peace of his presence.

This story shows the difference between two types of churches-missional and maintenance. Missional churches welcome all situations and see the potential while acknowledging the challenges these situations create. Maintenance churches focus on creating committees that make decisions and not disciples. Maintenance churches distance themselves from problems because they are too busy having committee meetings. Maintenance churches are filled with tension because the members don’t know what’s going to happen or how to respond. They do just enough to get by. Missional churches look for things to do, even when their members are already doing things. They believe that because God is in what they are doing, God will provide everything that they will need. Maintenance churches are paralyzed by the size and scope of the task before them, but missional churches break the task down into manageable parts. They do not try to do everything all at once because they know they can’t be everything to everyone all of the time. Jesus accepts their limitations and only expects them to work with what we have and with the next people they meet. Which type of church would we prefer to be? 

Jesus can take anything we give him, no matter how big or how small, and multiply it to be used to do his work in the world. My own ministry and spiritual life are good examples. God has taken the talents and gifts I have (and have offered to him) and used them to spread the good news and do his work both locally and world-wide through the worship services I lead and the sermons I post on my blog.

All life and all good gifts come from God. Jesus comes to open our hearts and our hands to those around us. We can do that only because he opens our eyes to his own presence as the grace-and-peace-filled “I” in the middle of the storm.

When Jesus sets an impossible task before us, he knows what he is going to do, but he wants us to see how we will react. Will we react in fear, confusion or faith? Jesus tested the disciples. He wanted them to fail so that he might strengthen them. Jesus also tests us for the same reason. Failure gives us strength. We and the disciples should have learned a lesson from this story. We must never gauge the size of a challenge in terms of our capability. God calls us to commit whatever we have, and he will use it for his glory. When we give ourselves into God’s hands, we become instruments in his service. We can then serve many people who are hungry physically and/or spiritually. When we come to the end of our resources, God comes in with his resources. In Jesus, there is more than enough for everyone.

The miracle of giving is that it produces a ministry of giving. Money is a miracle because it increases when we give it away, especially when we give it away to God so he can use it to do his work in our world. Jesus gives us ample resources, but we have to receive them before we can share them with others. This story has to do with faith in Jesus rather than his compassion. It is also about God’s ability to take too little and change it into more than enough.  

Jesus intended for his miracle to point people to God. That included his disciples and everyone he met. The people realized that the food they had eaten was a sign from God and that they might believe in Jesus, and they did. They realized he was the long-promised Messiah, but he wasn’t the type of Messiah they were looking for. They were following Jesus for the spectacle, not because of who he was. They were enamoured with his words and what he might do for them. Coming to God on the mountain was a fearful experience, yet it was full of expectation at the same time. Why? Because God was seen at this time in history as a mighty and exalted God.

Because he could work miracles, many people wanted to make Jesus a king. They thought that if he could feed them, he could free them from Roman rule. They wanted an earthly king who would protect them and provide for them. Instead, Jesus was a humble, servant king who would restore their relationship with God. They wanted a Messiah who would provide for their physical needs, but Jesus was the type of Messiah that would provide for their spiritual needs. He wanted their undivided attention, just like he wanted the disciples’ undivided attention.  Jesus got the disciples’ attention thanks to the storm. He wanted them to make him their chief focus even when the storms of life take over. He also wants us to pay attention to him, especially when we face the storms of life.  

A colossal testing often follows a colossal success. The real proof of discipleship is how closely a person follows Christ when his/her needs are not met right away and the storms of life are raging. Jesus’ walking on the water is a sign of his power over the living spirit of the sea-a living spirit that is dangerous and unpredictable. By telling his disciples, “It is I; do not be afraid,” Jesus identified himself as the Great I AM. He comes to all of his followers in their storms and reminds them that he is the Great I AM. When Jesus walked on the water and told his disciples not to be afraid, he showed his power to rescue human inadequacy.

The story focuses on how the disciples will respond to the tests Jesus gives them. We are also being tested as we apply this story to our own lives. The test for us is how we will do the work Jesus wants us to do, especially when the task seems impossible. We must not concentrate on what we lack. We must concentrate on what we have. Jesus gives us the resources we need, but if we want to get them, we have to get rid of our earthly habits. We must starve judging and feed on kindness. We must starve indifference and feed on compassion. We must starve isolation and feed on community.

There will come a time when we will face a test that we declare to be impossible. When that happens, we need to take the following steps:

1.      Acknowledge our inadequacy and the Lord’s omnipotence.

2.      Be certain the challenge before us glorifies the Lord, obeys one of his commands from Scripture, or helps to fulfill a spiritual mandate.

3.      Give the challenge back to the Lord as a chance for him to accomplish it on our behalf and receive glory for the victory.

4.      Do what we can, supply what we have, put forward our effort, then let God multiply it at his discretion.

The two parts of this story are linked by Jesus’ doing something totally unexpected, and it changes the lives of those around him. This story tells us that there are things in life that will catch us off guard, but nothing will catch God off guard. God sends the storms of life that we face. These storms have been engineered to strengthen us, teach us something and cause us to grow deeper in our faith. God knows what we are dealing with before it happens. He also knows how we are going to get out of the situation. He still allows the trial to happen because it will be for our benefit.  When we face the storms of life, we must remember the words of the hymn, “Will Your Anchor Hold?”

Will your anchor hold in the storms of life,

When the clouds unfold their wings of strife?

When the strong tides lift and the cables strain,

Will your anchor drift, or firm remain?

We have an anchor that keeps the soul
Stedfast and sure while the billows roll,
Fastened to the Rock which cannot move,
  Grounded firm and deep in the Savior’s love.

Our job is to involve Jesus in any problems we are facing and to count on his presence and power. Jesus is present and ready to help in any situation of need. All we have to do is come to him in faith.

 Bibliography

1.      Jeremiah, David: The Jeremiah Study Bible, NKJV (Brentwood, TN: Worthy Publishing; 2013)

2.      Swindoll, Charles R.: Swindoll’s New Testament Insights on John (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan; 2010)

3.      Frederikson, R.L. & Ogilvie, L.J.: The Preacher’s Commentary Series, Vol. 27: John (Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson Inc.; 1985)

4.      Stanley, C.F.: The Charles F. Stanley Life Principles Bible, NKJV (Nashville, TN: Nelson Bibles, 2005)

5.      Os Hillman, “Thinking Outside the Bo.” Retrieved from Christianity.com@crosswalkmail.com

6.      Pastor David McGee, “Trusting God.” Retrieved from www.crossthebridge.com

7.      Anne Graham Lotz, “Receiving His Resources.” Retrieved from angelmin.info@angelministries.org

8.      Exegesis for John 6:1-21. Retrieved from www.lectionary.org.

9.      Jude Siciliano, O,.P., “First Impressions, 17^th Sunday (B).” retrieved from www.preacherexchange.org

10.  Pastor Jack Hibbs, “The Storms of Life.” Retrieved from devotion@reallifewithjackhibbs.org

11.  Anne Graham Lotz, “Give All that You Have.”  Retrieved from angelmin.info@angelministries.org

12.  Tozer, A.W., “The Church: Philip the Calculator.” Retrieved from biblegateway@e.biblegateway.com

13.  “On Barbeque Grills & A Boy’s Lunch.” Retrieved from http://www.dancingwiththeword.com/2012/07/on-barbeque-grills-and-boys-lunch.html

14.  Sharon L. Blezard, “Blood, Water, and Signs of God.” Retrieved from http://stewardshipoflife.org/2012/07/bread-water-and-signs-of-god.html

15.  David Lose, “Bread of Life Sermon Series.” Retrieved from http://www.workingpreacher.org.craft.aspx?post=1504

16.  Brian Peterson, “Commentary on John 6:1-21.” Retrieved from http://www.workingpreacher.org/preaching.aspx?commentary_id=350

17.  Alyce McKenzie, “Mind the Gap: The Feeding of the 5,000.” Retrieved from http://www.patheos.com

18.  Katie Munnick, “All the Water in All the Oceans.” Retrieved from http://presbyterianrecord.ca/2102/07/23/all-the-water-in-all-the-oceans.html

19.  The Rev. Sharon Hiers, “More Unexpected Jesus.” Retrieved from http://day1.org/1373-more-unexpected-jesus.print

20.  Weekly Evangelectionary for Sunday, July 26, 2015. Retrieved from http://www.evangelismconnectgions.org/weekly-evangelectionary-for-sunday-july-26-2015/

 

Mark 6:30-34,53-56 The Compassion of Christ

How many of you have had days where you’re rushing from one appointment, event or chore to another without having time to get rest or have a decent meal? How many of you have had days that have been so busy that you didn’t have time to cook and instead went to a fast food restaurant? It’s not surprising, especially considering our fast-paced, hectic lifestyles.

For example, in his book, “Fast Food Nation: the Dark Side of the All American Meal,” New York Times reporter Eric Schlosser wrote the following:

“Over the last three decades, fast food has infiltrated every nook and cranny of American Society…..in 1970, Americans spent about $6 billion on fast food; in 2000, they spent more than $110 billion. Americans now spend more money on fast food than on higher education, personal computers, computer software or new cars.”

Fast food restaurants have an impact on our lives that is hard to overstate. In fact, someone once said that the Golden Arches of McDonald’s are more widely recognized than the Christian cross. Part of the problem is that we have trouble setting boundaries in our lives.

Jesus set an example for setting boundaries and limits. He said yes many times, but he also said no many times. When the demands on him became too great and he found himself physically and spiritually exhausted, he withdrew to a private place. He recognized that he needed time to stop, reflect, pray and nourish his inner life. After all, he was God, but he was also human, and along with that came the physical needs of nourishment and rest.  

There is an uneasy balance between retreat and meeting people’s needs. If we want to be like Jesus we have to be moved by people’s pain and do what we can to ease their pain. At the same time, we must educate them with a clear explanation of the Gospel. How we do this is a question each of us has to answer for ourselves because the answer will be different for each of us. The answer will depend on the gifts God has given us.

Jesus displayed his concern for practical matters. Despite the fact that he was tired, he ministered to the needy souls because they needed spiritual leadership. Jesus showed compassion by staying to teach them.  Compassion arises within Jesus when he sees the same sign in the crowd that he sees in a flock of sheep without a shepherd. They were lost, hysterical, wandering aimlessly and hopeless. Jesus understood their needs and responded in compassion. We are the same. On our own, we are defenseless. We are not united. Each and every one of us tries to do our own thing. We are vulnerable just like sheep are vulnerable without a shepherd.

Jesus chose to help the people without taking advantage of them. He helped them by teaching them, organizing them, speaking for them and feeding them. He taught them many things to build the foundation of truth that would sustain them when life was hard and he was not with them in person.

The people wanted miracles because they believed they could not meet their own needs, but Jesus kept asking them to feed each other. He kept telling them they could meet their own needs in one another and find the fullness of life they sought in one another. They needed to believe in themselves.

We also want miracles today. Sometimes we believe that we can’t meet our own needs, but in reality we can meet our own needs in each other. We can find fullness of life when we come together in fellowship and worship. We can believe in ourselves. As the late Pastor Robert H. Schuller once said, “If you can dream it, you can do it.”

Jesus doesn’t discriminate when it comes to healing. He doesn’t sort out easy diseases or desirable people. What he does look for is a show of faith and determination. He does not force healing on anyone nor does he reward those who play games. He even healed the thankless, the hardened and the selfish. Remember the story of the ten lepers? Jesus healed all of them, but only one returned and gave thanks to Jesus. Jesus set the example for caring and we as members of the church need to follow this example. The church needs to have the same reputation today. The church needs to address both the spiritual and the physical needs of the people. The church needs to be a servant church.

If we want to lead like Jesus, we have to touch and change the lives of those around us. We have to be aware of the needs of those around us and use our resources to meet their needs. We need to have compassion for other people. We must not see people as an interruption. We must see them as an opportunity to reveal God’s loving care and compassion to meet their needs. We have to see people as God sees them-sheep who need a shepherd. The best way to know that we’re looking at life the way God does is to consider how we see other people. That’s the true test of our spiritual maturity.  

Jesus had compassion for the crowd, but he also had compassion for his disciples. His disciples had just returned from a long and exhausting ministry trip, so he told them to come and rest awhile. They didn’t have time to eat. Discipleship has to strike a balance between service and renewal. Without this balance, the stress can be debilitating.

All of us need time alone with Christ. Only he can heal and renew our tired bodies. This is especially true because of modern technology. We have instant access to one another, but we can’t escape this access. We need to take a Sabbath or a sabbatical from technology just like we need to take a Sabbath and spend time with God. Our Christian life is a marathon, not a sprint. We need to have endurance to reach our heavenly rest. We need diligence in serving the Lord and diligence in taking time to rest. If we don’t take time to rest, we will come apart physically. Medicine tells us that many of our physical problems are a result of the lack of rest. We will also come apart spiritually if we don’t take time for spiritual renewal and time with God.

When we come away to our own deserted places, we are renewed and refreshed by God’s love. God is with us in our joys and our trials. God will be with us to the end. Jesus looks on us with compassion as he teaches us that we belong to him. We can go on in our daily lives and share God’s love and truth.

Jesus means compassion. He knows what we need. We need Jesus to save us from ourselves. We need Jesus to save us from evil. We need Jesus to do more for us than what we hope or imagine that he ought to do in any given situation. Jesus’ compassion and authority will help us to get through the storms of life. They will also cast out our sin-filled nature. We will be cleansed and made pure, and we will have access to a God that loves us very much. Jesus is available. His presence is sure. His strength is positive. He fills the emptiness of our lives. We serve a compassionate God.

When we come to a deserted place, God welcomes us with his healing grace and peace. He renews us and sends us out to share his gifts with the world. When we get tired, we come to God for rest and refreshment, and then the cycle continues. Churches are called on to be those deserted places where we can find the rest and refreshment God wants to give us. The church provides an experience of God’s grace, peace and healing. When we are renewed by the church, we can go out into the world and show God’s love and compassion to a hurting world.

Bibliography

1.      Jeremiah, David: The Jeremiah Study Bible, NKJV (Brentwood, TN: Worthy Publishing; 2013)

2.      McKenna, D.L. & Ogilvie, L.J.: The Preacher’s Commentary Series, Vol 25: Mark (Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson Inc.; 1982)

3.      Exegesis for Mark 6:30-34, 50-53. Retrieved from www.lectionary.org

4.      Anne Graham Lotz, “Jesus Saw People as God Does.” Retrieved from angelmin.info@angelministries.org

5.      Jude Siciliano, O. P., “First Impressions, 16^th Sunday (B).” Retrieved from www.preacherexchange.org

6.      Doug Fields, “Are You an Accident Waiting to Happen?” Retrieved from www.homeword.com

7.      Pastor Rick Warren, “Do You See Others the Way Jesus Does?” Retrieved from connect@newsletter.purposedriven.com

8.      Preaching Magazine, May/June 2015, pgs.51-52 (Nashville, TN: Salem Publishing Co.)

9.      Rev. Peter Lockhart, “Come Away to a Deserted Place.” Retrieved from http://revplockhart.blogspot.ca/2012/07/come-away-to-deserted-place.html

10.  Peter Woods, “Can You Feel the Gut-Wrenching Care?” Retrieved from http://thelisteninghermit.com/2012/07/18/can-you-feel-the-gut-wrenching-care-mark63056.htm

11.  Mark G. Vitalis Hoffman, “Commentary on Mark 6:30-34, 53-56.” Retrieved from www.workingpreacher.org/preaching.aspx?commentary_id=375

12.  Brian P. Stoffregen, “Exegetical Notes for Mark 6:30-34,53-56.” Retrieved from www.crossmarks.com/brian/mark6x30.htm

13.  Samuel D Zumwalt, “Jesus Means Compassion.” Retrieved from http://www.predigten.uni-goettingen.de/archiv-8/060723-10-e.html

14.  The Rev. Edward Markquart, “Hurried, Harried and Hassled, With No Time to Eat.” Retrieved from http://www.sermonsfromseattle.com/series_b_hurried_and_hassled.htm.

15.  Pastor Dave Risendal, “Welcome. Now Go!” Retrieved from donotreply@wordpress.com

16.  “Miracles Require Hope.” Retrieved from http://biteintheapple.com/miracles-require-hope

 

 

 

 

 

Mark 6:14-29 The Three Faces of Evil

How many of you have ever watched a horror movie or read a horror story? It’s not always a pleasant experience, is it? As strange as it might seem, there are actually some horror stories in the Bible, and one of the most famous of its horror stories is the story of the death of John the Baptist.

John condemned Herod’s marriage to Herodias because it went against the Law of Moses. Herodias was the wife of Herod’s brother Philip, and she divorced Philip in order to marry Herod. Herodias was also Herod’s niece (She was the daughter of Herod’s half-brother Aristobulus). She wanted the intrigue of palace politics and a man whom she could not have lawfully. John’s condemnation upset Herodias so much that she looked for an opportunity to have him killed, and that opportunity came at Herod’s birthday party.

Herodias hated John so much that murder was in her heart. There is an old saying that someone who tries to get even by making others suffer for their sins is interfering in God’s business. Revenge is all-consuming and all hatefulness. Revenge is in the business of hurting others. Revenge is the destructive force in life. Herodias had all of these characteristics and one more-coldness.  She was an example of another old saying-revenge is a dish that is best served cold.

Herodias’ daughter Salome was not an innocent bystander. On the contrary, she had an active part in the plan. Salome’s dance, which some modern commentators labelled as pornographic in nature, pleased her step-father so much that he made a promise he would later regret. When he promised her anything she wanted, he thought she would ask for material goods, but she didn’t. She fell under the influence of her mother and asked for the head of John the Baptist on a platter. 

Herod should have relied on the following advice, which is the same advice we need to rely on when we face temptation:

1.      Recognize temptation for what it really is and what it can do to us.

2.      Run away from temptation’s seduction and turn to God. Do not walk.

3.      Rely on the power of God through the Holy Sprit’s power to give us strength as we ask for his moral courage.

Herod allowed John to speak the truth and protected him, even though John’s words puzzled him (according to some ancient manuscripts). Herod listened to John because John told him the truth, even though it hurt. Herod was surrounded by “yes men” who would tell him anything he wanted to hear, and he got tired of it. Herod wanted to hear the truth.

John spoke the truth about Herod and his wife, but he also spoke the larger truth about repentance in our lives and the even larger truth that he shared as he always pointed to Jesus. The same certainty rings true to us today as we also clear the way and get ourselves out of the way so that others can encounter Jesus.

Herod beheaded John and did not give him a formal trial. This was in violation the Law of Moses. Herod did this because he wanted to save face and not look like a fool in front of his guests. Many of the sins we commit today are done in order to save face. How many lies have we told because we are more concerned with looking good in front of others than we are with pleasing God?

Herod’s story was one of impulse, pride and stubbornness, and the story of our lives is similar. Herod gave his word to his stepdaughter Salome in front of his friends, so he had no choice but to agree to her demands. To do otherwise would have led to a loss of power. Politics overruled principle. Herod was infected with guilt both physically and psychologically. Guilt does that to everyone. Herod had greater concern for his pride and reputation than for truth and integrity. Believers and unbelievers alike can easily allow peer pressure and public opinion to turn them away from doing what they know in their hearts is right.

Herod ordered the execution of John the Baptist even though he wanted to spare his life. He made a foolish promise to his stepdaughter. When Herod heard about Jesus’ work, his guilty conscience made him wonder if John the Baptist rose from the dead. His conscience bothered him. He could not forget the evil he did by having John beheaded.

Herod is an example that speaks to leadership. People in positions of power are subjected to pressures that threaten their security or cause greed, the desire for prestige or the influence of ambitious advisors to take control of their lives and their careers. As a result the desire to serve truth and the common good can fade. The results can be damaging. Even great leaders who are devoted to the welfare of the people they serve find themselves in conflict with human greed.  

John’s life counted for something. He put himself in God’s hands, went where God told him to go, did what God told him to do and said what God told him to say. God was in control of John’s life. John is a good example for us as believers to follow. In the case of Herod, the voice of God cane from the mouth of John. This same voice comes to us today in many forms. It can come in the form of a sermon or a friend. It can even come in the form of beauty in nature. In any event, something or someone awakens our spirit to the fact that there is something more in life. When we realize that there is more to life than our earthly circumstances, we have a choice. If we make the wrong choice, it leads to more bad choices. Instead, we need to listen for the voice of God, decide to make our relationship with God the top priority in our lives, keep our eyes on who we are in Christ and remember that no one can take the place of the inheritance we have in Christ.

In Mark’s Gospel, John’s death was crucial because it was a preview of the death of Jesus. Both men were put to death by secular rulers who did not want to execute their prisoners. Both secular rulers caved in to pressure from outsiders.

This story also serves as a warning of the dangers involved to those who proclaim God’s word. Mark included this story to encourage us by reminding us that nothing can stand in the way of God’s kingdom. The story also suggests that just as the mission of the disciples followed the death of John the Baptist, the mission of the church must follow Jesus.

Those who do good and right things still won’t be protected from being badly hurt. The story of John the Baptist’s death is meant to shock us out of our complacency. We are called on to confront the evil we see around us. Confrontation is never comfortable, but it is necessary. Those who proclaim the truth of God’s word will certainly face opposition, and John was no exception. John condemned Herod for marrying his brother’s wife, and the condemnation was based on Leviticus 18:16 and Leviticus 20:21. Herod knew that his life was wicked and John’s was holy. Herod recklessly abused his power and privilege. He took dead aim at every standard of decency and morality. He was not the first ruler who sinned because they took advantage of their God-given power to challenge God himself. Herod still had some characteristics and conscience that were not destroyed by sin.

Some might think that God doesn’t care about them deeply. Just when we feel forsaken, God appears and assures us that we have an eternal inheritance. We might be martyred for our faith. Our martyrdom is a symbol of a deep commitment to Jesus and the truth and value of the Gospel. Martyrs inspire us, lift us up and energize us to the same quality of commitment to Christ and his values that the martyrs had. 

John and Jesus are linked to Herod, the man who would play a role in both of their deaths. Herod killed John for telling the truth. In time Herod became involved in Jesus’ death. Herod was ambivalent about both John and Jesus. Neither Herod nor Pilate wanted to kill Jesus, but they were persuaded by crowds. John’s disciples took his body and laid it in a tomb. Joseph of Arimathea did the same for Jesus. Both John and Jesus continued to wield power after their deaths. John’s death haunted Herod, and he thought Jesus was John resurrected. Of course, Jesus was in fact resurrected.

John was faithful to his calling-faithful to death. He prepared the way for Jesus, and so should we. John’s life was intended to prepare the way for Jesus and point people to Jesus. The church needs to make these same two roles the centre of its ministry. We as individuals and as the church need to spend our lives preparing the way for Jesus, pointing toward Jesus and drawing people to Jesus.

Herod wasn’t the first person who had a false opinion of who Jesus was. People then and now have different opinions about who Jesus is. Some people in Jesus’ time thought he was a reincarnation of the prophet Elijah. Others saw him as the prophet foretold by Moses in Deuteronomy 18:15-19. Still others thought of Jesus as someone like the prophets of old-a remarkable holy man and teacher, but nothing more.

Christianity is not about knowing about Jesus. It is about knowing God as represented in Jesus. It is about having a relationship with God through Jesus. Our affirmation and allegiance to the truth of the Gospel is all or nothing regardless of the consequences. We have a choice-be like John or be like Herod. Will we be weak like Herod, easy tempted and easily manipulated, or we will be strong in our moral convictions like John? We are often fascinated by the wealth, power and intrigue of Herod’s court, but the death of John in Herod’s prison is the most significant point of the text. Mark invites us to look closely at success, and then choose significance by following Jesus on his way.

Bibliography

1.      Jeremiah, David: The Jeremiah Study Bible, NKJV (Brentwood, TN: Worthy Publishing, 2013)

2.      McKenna, D.L. & Ogilvie, L.J.: The Preacher’s Commentary Series, Vol. 25: Mark (Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson Inc.; 1982)

3.      Macarthur, J.F. Jr.: The MacArthur Study Bible, NASV (Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson Inc.; 2006)

4.      Exegesis for Mark 6:14-29. Retrieved from www.lectionary.org

5.      “Barriers to Blessings.” Retrieved from www.lectionarysermons.com/jul_16_00.htm

6.      The Rev. Dr. Catherine Taylor, “Remembering Faith.” Retrieved from www.day1.org/507-remembering_faith.print

7.      Mark G. Vitalis Hoffman, “Commentary on Mark 6:14-29.” Retrieved from www.workingpreacher.oerg/preaching.aspx?commentary-id=348

8.      Rev. James M. Childs, Ph.D., “The Downfall of Giving Into Fear.” Retrieved from www.huffingtonpost.com

9.      Preaching Magazine, May/June 2015 (Nashville, TN: Salem Publishing Inc.; pgs. 50-51)