Dark World

Good Morning

I had a meeting with my boss last week and while we were talking, he told me that I should dress for the job I want not the job I have. He wasn’t happy when I showed up for work the next day dressed like batman.

Today we are going to be in Mark 6:14-29. Last week we looked at the 12 getting to finally go out on their own. Jesus sent them out 2 by 2. He gave them authority over demons. He would not let them take anything but their sandals and a staff. He wanted them to learn to depend on God. He wanted them to learn that God was faithful to provide all that they needed. They cast out many demons and healed many people. I would have loved to be there when they got back to tell the stories of all that they got to do.

Today we are going to see the results of all that Jesus and the 12 had been doing. Word had gotten out and people were talking about this Jesus and all that He was doing. Lets read out verses and see what God has for us today. Please stand

Mark 6:14–29 NASB 2020

14 And King Herod heard about it, for His name had become well known; and people were saying, “John the Baptist has risen from the dead, and that is why these miraculous powers are at work in Him.” 15 But others were saying, “He is Elijah.” And others were saying, “He is a prophet, like one of the prophets of old.” 16 But when Herod heard about it, he kept saying, “John, whom I beheaded, has risen!” 17 For Herod himself had sent men and had John arrested and bound in prison on account of Herodias, the wife of his brother Philip, 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 held a grudge against him and wanted to put him to death, and could not do so; 20 for Herod was afraid of John, knowing that he was a righteous and holy man, and he had been protecting him. And when he heard him, he was very perplexed; and yet he used to enjoy listening to him. 21 An opportune day came when Herod, on his birthday, held a banquet for his nobles and military commanders, and the leading people of Galilee; 22 and when the daughter of Herodias herself came in and danced, she pleased Herod and his dinner guests; and the king said to the girl, “Ask me for whatever you want, and I will give it to you.” 23 And he swore to her, “Whatever you ask of me, I will give it to you, up to half of my kingdom.” 24 And she went out and said to her mother, “What shall I ask for?” And she said, “The head of John the Baptist.” 25 Immediately she came in a hurry 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 although the king was very sorry, because of his oaths and his dinner guests, he was unwilling to refuse her. 27 Immediately the king sent an executioner and commanded him to bring back his head. And 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 about this, they came and carried away his body, and laid it in a tomb.

This is the only story in Mark that is not directly about Jesus. This is a dark story in the Bible. There is so much in this story that we can relate to today. This is straight out of as the world turns or the days of our lives! I couldn’t make up stories like this. We live in a dark dark world. That is why it is so important that we live out what we say and preach. The world needs the light that is in us.

First we see that King Herod heard of it. What did he hear of? He heard of all that Jesus and His disciples were doing. Jesus’ fame was spreading throughout the land. Herod heard of what was happening and it troubled him.

King Herod may sound familiar to you. There are 2 main King Herod’s in the Bible. They were all just Roman appointed rulers. The first one was King Herod the Great. He was King when Jesus was born and he was the one that was trying to kill baby Jesus. He was a great builder and because of that, Rome liked him. One of his most famous buildings was 2nd Temple and its expansion. Herod the Great had 10 wives and a lot of sons. Like George Foreman, He like naming his sons after himself. Just kidding, but 2 or 3 of his sons are named Harod. The other main King Herod is Herod Antipas, this is the Herod we will talk about today. When his father died, his territory was divided into 4 territories. We see him today in our verses and again in Jesus’ trials before His crucifixion.

The news of Jesus and His disciples has reached Herod and people were saying that John the Baptist has risen from the dead, some were saying that He was Elijah, and others that He was a prophet like the prophets of old. Herod was nervous. He kept saying that John the Baptist, whom I beheaded, has risen! We see in our verses that Herod was afraid of John the Baptist and kept him safe from Herodias. He was dumbfounded that people were saying he had risen.

We see that Herod had John arrested and bound in prison because of Herodias. Notice that the Bible does not call her his wife! Neither did John and that is what got him in trouble. There are 4 reasons why they should not have been married.

1. Herod was already married. He was married to the daughter of the King of Nabatea, which bordered on the southeast side of the land that Herod was in charge of. He sent his wife away and that made her father mad and he attacked Herod. It was bad enough that the Romans had to send help.

2. She was married. She left her husband to be with Herod.

3. She was married to his half brother Herod II. Not only was she married but to his brother. This is some twisted stuff. It gets weirder!

4. She was his niece! It’s hard to get more messes up that this family!

This is why John that Baptist was calling out Herod for his illegitimate wife. She did not like it and wanted to kill him. The only thing keeping John alive was the fact that Herod was afraid of him. He knew that John was righteous and holy man. He was afraid of what the people may do if he killed him. The people like John and many were coming to him to be baptized.

We see that when Herod talked with John, it left him perplexed. He was torn inside about the truth that John was telling him. He had an internal conflict, a moral struggle. We are never told that he became a believer, but I don’t think so. We can see why next.

Mark tells us that there was a strategic day, Herod’s birthday. Who was this day strategic for? Herodias! She wanted John the Baptist dead. They threw this huge party for Herod. They invited all the important people of the area. This was the who’s who for the people of Galilee. All the important business men and all the elite military men were invited. The top tier tax collectors would have been at this party. If you were considered important, you were at this party. Herodias took advantage of this opportunity and when Herod was drunk, she sent her daughter in to dance for the men. What! This wasn’t a liturgical dance! The word for danced refers to a solo dance that has highly suggestive hand and body movements. It is comparable to a modern striptease. This was not normal for this kind of dance and especially a daughter of the king! It is estimated that the daughter would have been around 15 years old. What kind of parents would let their daughter do something like this! Let alone the mom encourage it. She must have really hated John! What is even worse is that it pleased the king! and his guests! This is a sick family! This sounds like it could happen today in the world we live in. We have parents that are encouraging their children to change their sex and to make them have reassignment surgeries! We live in a dark dark world, even today.

Next we see a man running his mouth trying to show off for his friends, and it gets him in trouble! Herod tells Salome, his daughter that she can have whatever she wants up to half his kingdom. He doesn’t really have a kingdom to give away, it is Rome’s. It is a figure of speech, he is trying to show his gratitude for her pleasing his guests. He is being over the top, exaggerating his generosity.

Salome goes back to her mother and asked what to ask for. She should have known what her mom wanted. She asked for John’s head. Again, how sick is this family. Lets have our 15 year old daughter do a striptease and then ask for her dad to kill a man and bring his head on a platter so she can give it to her mom as a gift! Wow! This is some dark stuff. It’s bad enough to ask for some to be killed, but to want their head!

Herod probably sobered up real quick when Salome asked for John’s head. We see that Herod wasn’t just sorry, but very sorry. He like John and I think he liked the talks that they had. But because of the way he talked in front of all his guests and because of his pride, he sent the executioner to kill John and bring his head back. He actually gave the head of John the Baptist to his 15 year old daughter and she actually gave it to her mother! You can’t make this stuff up. This is real life story. This isn’t a parable or a made up story to make a point. This really happened. These people were full of darkness. They were full of hate and pride, and it lead to this messed up situation. If God hadn’t saved us, we would be no different than they were. Our hate and pride would become so big in us that we wouldn’t be able to control it either. Praise God that He sent His son to save us!

Finally we see that John’s disciples heard of his death, they came and took his body and put it in a tomb. They gave John a proper burial.

As a side note on Herod, he got accused of conspiracy against the Roman emperor Caligula, and was exiled to Gaul with Herodias, where he died. A little justice here on earth.

The big picture I want us to focus on in this story is from the fist 3 verses.

WHO IS JESUS?

People were saying that He was John the Baptist risen.

Some said that He was Elijah.

Some said He was a prophet like the old ones.

Who is Jesus to you?

Was He just a good man?

Was He just a good teacher?

Was He even real?

Was He who He said He was, the Son of God!

There is no more important question that you will have to answer than this one. Salvation only comes to those who answer this question correctly. There is only one right answer, and it has nothing to do with your truth, with your situation.

Who do you say Jesus is?

Are you going to listen to the dark world that we live in? Are you going to let them define who Jesus is?

Are you going to let your life situation define Jesus?

Are you going to let Jesus tell you who He is?

If He is anything other that the only Son of God, who came to this world to save it through His death on the cross, there can be no salvation.

The Bible says that no comes to the father except through the son. John 14:6.

Romans 10:9 NASB 2020

9 that if you confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved;

The Bible teaches one way, one savior.

The world teaches multiple ways and many saviors.

Only one can be right. Eternity is a long time to be wrong.

I know from my life and the things that God has done for me, that He is the way and the truth. If you knew me in high school, you laugh yourself to death knowing that I am a pastor now. Serving others and teaching about Jesus and God. He has made wonderful changes in my life. He can do the same for you. All you have to do is repent and believe. He died for all. Are you one of the whomsoever’s?

If you haven’t answered that question yet, time is running out. He will return one day and on that day it will be too late. All will bow that day. Don’t be forced to bow, be one of the ones who have chosen to bow. Let him in and let him change you. He loves you enough that He died the worst death that the world could throw at Him. He did it for you.

Let’s pray.