Headed down the wrong path

Scripture

The Death of John the Baptist

Mark 6:14 King Herod heard of 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.” 15 But others said, “He is Elijah.” And others said, “He is a prophet, like one of the prophets of old.” 16 But when Herod heard of it, he said, “John, whom I beheaded, has been raised.” 17 For it was Herod who had sent and seized John and bound him in prison for the sake of Herodias, his brother Philip’s wife, because he had married her. 18 For John had been saying to Herod, “It is not lawful for you to have your brother’s wife.” 19 And Herodias had a grudge against him and wanted to put him to death. But she could not, 20 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.

21 But an opportunity came when Herod on his birthday gave a banquet for his nobles and military commanders and the leading men of Galilee. 22 For when Herodias’s daughter came in and danced, she pleased Herod and his guests. And the king said to the girl, “Ask me for whatever you wish, and I will give it to you.” 23 And he vowed to her, “Whatever you ask me, I will give you, up to half of my kingdom.” 24 And she went out and said to her mother, “For what should I ask?” And she said, “The head of John the Baptist.” 25 And she came in immediately with haste to the king and asked, saying, “I want you to give me at once the head of John the Baptist on a platter.” 26 And the king was exceedingly sorry, but because of his oaths and his guests he did not want to break his word to her. 27 And immediately the king sent an executioner with orders to bring John’s head. He went and beheaded him in the prison 28 and brought his head on a platter and gave it to the girl, and the girl gave it to her mother. 29 When his disciples heard of it, they came and took his body and laid it in a tomb.

MANY TIMES, IF SOMEONE FALLS INTO HARMFUL HABITS OF ADDICTION OR IS NEGATIVELY AFFECTED BY CHARACTERISTICS OF MENTAL ILLNESS, THEY MAY BE VIEWED AS HEADING DOWN THE WRONG PATH

BUT THE TERM “HEADED DOWN THE WRONG PATH” TAKES ON VARIOUS CONOTATIONS

WHEN WE SAY “ HEADED DOWN THE WRONG PATH “ IT’S AN IDIUM THAT MEANS

TO PROCEED ALONG SOME COURSE OF ACTION OR BEHAVIOR THAT WILL ULTIMATELY LEAD ONE TO DANGER, DIFFICULTY, OR FAILURE

THIS IDIUM CAN BE USED TO DESCRIBE A WIDE VARIETY OF PEOPLE AND PROFESSIONS, AND AGE GROUPS, AND SEXES

IN ESSENCE, NO ONE IS EXEMPT ACCORDING TO ROMANS CHAPTER THREE WE WERE ALL HEADED DOWN THE WRONG PATH UNTIL JESUS STEPED IN AND SAVED US

BUT THIS IDUM CAN EASILY BE USED TO DESCRIBE

YOUTH AND ADULTS

MEN AND WOMEN

HUSBAN AND WIFE

PARENT AND CHILD

BOSS AND EMPLOYEE

IT CAN AFFECT THE PULPIT AND THE PEW

AND THIS TEXT GIVES US A GLIMPS OF WHAT IT REALLY LOOKS LIKE WHEN SOMEONE IS HEADED DOWN THE WRONG PATH

WHEN HE OR SHE CONTINUES ALONG SOME COURSE OF ACTION OR BEHAVIOR THAT WILL ULTIMATELY LEAD TO DANGER, DIFFICULTY OR FAILURE

OUR FIRST MEMORY VERSE REFLECTS THIS DEFINITION

PROVERBS 22:3 A prudent person foresees danger and takes precautions.

The simpleton goes blindly on and suffers the consequences

AND IN OUR TEXT THIIS MORNING THERE’S THIS WOMAN WHO BY WAY OF HER ATTITUDE AND RESPONSE LET’S HER ANGER TAKE HER DOWN THE WRONG PATH

Sermon Points

Scripture base Mark 6:14-29

THE CONTEXT OF OUR TEXT

Opening: Mark 6:7-13 - Jesus sends out the twelve two by two. He gave them instruction and authority and according to vs. (12-13) they were successful.

CAN I SUGGEST .. WHAT A GREAT FORMULA FOR MAINTAINING DAILY DEVOTIONS

I GET INSTRUCTION

AUTHORITY

AND THEN I’M SUCCESSFUL!!

NONETHELESS THE DISCIPLES ON THEIR MISSION BEGAN HEALING THE SICK AND CASTING OUT DEMONS IN JESUS’ NAME

vs. 14 - 15 Jesus’s name is getting a buzz, but there are mixed emotions about who he is. Some say he’s John the Baptist raised from the dead, BUT others say Elijah, and others say he is a prophet like one of the prophets of old

AND IT’S INTERESTING BECAUSE NOBODY WANTS TO ACCREDIT OR ASSOCIATE JESUS WITH THE MIRACLES THAT ARE TAKING PLACE

VS. 16 But when King Herod here’s of the miracles being performed, He’s convinced more so convicted that it was John the Baptist

Because Herod was responsible for killing John

We also learn who was behind the plot

The Conviction

Mark 6:16 But when Herod heard of it, he said, “John, whom I beheaded, has been raised.” 17 For it was Herod who had sent and seized John and bound him in prison for the sake of Herodias, his brother Philip’s wife, because he had married her. 18 For John had been saying to Herod, “It is not lawful for you to have your brother’s wife.” 19 And Herodias had a grudge against him and wanted to put him to death. But she could not, 20 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.

Herod was convicted of John’s message

Herod was also convicted that he had martyred John AND HE DID IT RELUCTANTLY ON THE ACCOUNT OF HIS WIFE ACCORDING TO VS 24

LOOK WHAT THE TEXT REVEALS...

THERE ARE TWO MAIN PEOPLE IN THIS TEXT HEROD & HERODIAS IN OTHER WORDS MR AND MRS. HEROD

THEY GOT MARRIED

THE PROBLEM IS THAT HERODIAS USE TO BE MARRIED TO HERODS BROTHER PHILLIP ( DRAMA )....

JOHN THE BAPTIS GETS WIND OF IT AND CALLS THEM OUT ON THERE SIN , HE CALLS A BALL A BALL & A STRIKE A STRIKE

AND THE TEXT REVEALS THAT THERE ARE TWO RESPONSES TO JOHNS REBUKE

VS. 20 HEROD WELCOMES THE REBUKE AND RECEIVES IT WHICH I WANNA SUGGEST IS THE FIRST STEP TO GETTING IT RIGHT. ACCEPTANCE ( PROVERBS 28:13) THE TEXT SAYS HE HEARD HIM GLADLY

WHILE HERODIAS ON THE OTHER HAND ACCORDING TO VS 19 IS FURIOUS AND WANTS TO KILL JOHN WHICH IS THE FIRST STEP TO HER SPIRALING OUT DOWN THE WRONG PATH

AND CAN I SUGGEST, THAT GOD CAN HANDLE OUR SIN ( 1 JOHN 1:10 ) IT’S OUR RESPONSE WHEN IT’S CALLED OUT THAT HE’S MORE CONCERNED ABOUT

BECAUSE OUR RESPONSE REVEALS HOW WE FEEL ABOUT HIM ( 1 JOHN 5:3)

AND CAN I ASK THE QUESTION HOW DO YOU REPOND WHEN SOMEONE POINTS OUT YOUR FLAWS ( DO YOU TAKE OFFENSE) ?...

DO YOU HOLD GRUDGES & SNAP BACK & STONE WALL & SHUT DOWN

The Conspiracy

vs 19 Herodias nursed a grudge

vs 21 an opportunity arises

she conspires with her husband through her daughter

English Standard Version Chapter 6

21 But an opportunity came when Herod on his birthday gave a banquet for his nobles and military commanders and the leading men of Galilee. 22 For when Herodias’s daughter came in and danced, she pleased Herod and his guests. And the king said to the girl, “Ask me for whatever you wish, and I will give it to you.” 23 And he vowed to her, “Whatever you ask me, I will give you, up to half of my kingdom.” 24 And she went out and said to her mother, “For what should I ask?” And she said, “The head of John the Baptist.”

NOW THIS IS WHAT BLESSED ME IN THE TEXT

ULTIMATELY JOHN GETS BEHEADED

BUT INITIALLY GOD BLOCKED IT IMMA LET THAT SINK IN

IN VS 19 HERODIAS WANTS TO OFF HIM , BECAUSE SHE FEELS LIKE HE MINDING HER BUSINESS AND PUTTING HER ON FRONT STREET

IN VS 20 GOD BLOCKS IT !! THE TEXT SAYS “ HEROD KEPT HIM SAFE”

AND I DON’T KNOW WHAT YOU SHOUT FOR AND BLESS GOD FOR THIS MORNING BUT I THANK HIM FOR THE THREATS THAT HE BLOCKED ON MY LIFE

I DON’T KNOW ABOUT YOU, BUT WHEN I THINK ABOPUT WHAT SHOULD OF HAPPENED AND WHAT COULD OF HAPPENED, I THANK GOD THIS MORNING FOR BLOCKING IT

THERE’S THIS PASSAGE IN 2 KINGS CHAPTER 6:16-17 ELIJAH PRAYS FOR HIS SERVANT ( BECAUSE AT THE TIME OF THE TEXT THE ASSERIANS ARE AFTER ELIJAH, A WHOLE NATION ) AND ELIJAHS SERVANT IS SCARED. SO ELIJAH PRAYS AND ASK GOD TO OPEN THE EYES OF HIS SERVANT SO THAT HE WOULD SE HOW GOD WAS BLOCKING IT

AND I PRAY THAT GOD WOULD OPEN YOUR EYES THIS MORNING AND SHOW YOU WHAT HE BLOCKED

I THANK HIM FOR DANGER SEEN BUT IN THE SPIRIT REALM THERE’S SOME THINGS HE BLOCKED...

I’M TO THE POINT THAT I THANK HIM FOR DOORS OPENED BUT I THANK HIM FOR DOORS CLOSED BECAUSE HE COULD BE BLOCKING SOMETHING THAT I DON’T SEE

The Plot Carried Out (The Continual Process of Anger)

Mark 6:25 And she came in immediately with haste to the king and asked, saying, “I want you to give me at once the head of John the Baptist on a platter.” 26 And the king was exceedingly sorry, but because of his oaths and his guests he did not want to break his word to her. 27 And immediately the king sent an executioner with orders to bring John’s head. He went and beheaded him in the prison 28 and brought his head on a platter and gave it to the girl, and the girl gave it to her mother. 29

The plot to kill John was carried out

John called out Herod’s and Herodias sin of illegal marriage

Herodias grudge

Opportunity (the oath at the banquet)