Mark 6:17-29 - New Year. Know Jesus! 'Sins'
New Year. Know Jesus! • Sermon • Submitted • Presented
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Introduction
Introduction
Here’s my starting assumption: Everyone is a believer.
No matter what they say or how they live, deep down everyone knows there is a God.
20 For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes, His eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly seen, being understood through what has been made, so that they are without excuse.
But even so, not everyone believes in Jesus. Why?
[ILLUS] A lady once told me, “No one can answer my questions.”
Sometimes questions keep people from trusting Jesus.
[ILLUS] An older lady, “Those deacons did that man wrong.” + An older man, “That pastor hurt my son.”
Sometimes hurt keeps people from following Jesus.
[ILLUS] Young man, “Just when I think I’m done with doubts, they resurface again. I can’t seem to shake them permanently.”
Sometimes doubt keeps people from placing faith in Jesus.
[ILLUS] An atheist turned believer in Christ, “My intellectual objections were just a mask for my love of sin.”
Sometimes love of sin keeps people from believing on Jesus.
During the month of January, I hope to address these barriers to trust in Jesus because in this New Year I want you to know Jesus.
If you have yet to trust in Him, I hope that during this month you’ll be persuaded to trust in Him.
If you have already trusted in Him, I hope to equip you for the work of the ministry...
...the work of sharing Christ with others...
...the work of patiently conversing with someone who is considering Jesus.
The first BARRIER to trusting Jesus that I want us to consider is sin.
Turn with me to Mark 6…
(Note: I had originally thought we would talk about the barriers of sins and idols together, but we will have to consider idols in another sermon as I am too long-winded to talk about two passages in one sermon.)
[CONTEXT] At this point in Mark’s Gospel, the ministry of Jesus is growing, greater miracles are being performed, but Jesus has been rejected in His hometown of Nazareth.
Jesus sends out His twelve for ministry, but they won’t always feel the triumph of success, sometimes they too will feel the sting of rejection.
In fact, they may even be killed just as John the Baptist was.
In Mark 1:14, it is briefly mentioned that John was imprisoned at the same time that Jesus began His public ministry.
14 Now after John had been taken into custody, Jesus came into Galilee, preaching the gospel of God...
In Mark 6, King Herod hears of the powerful ministry of Jesus and thinks that John has risen from the dead. He says in Mark 6:16...
16 But when Herod heard of it, he kept saying, “John, whom I beheaded, has risen!”
Now, if we’ve only read Mark’s gospel and we’re reading it for the first time, that comes as news to us—What do you mean John is dead? Why was he beheaded?
Mark fills in the gaps for us in Mark 6:17-29.
17 For Herod himself had sent 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 Herodias had 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 kept him safe. And when he heard him, he was very perplexed; but he used to enjoy listening to him.
21 A strategic day came when Herod on his birthday gave a banquet for his lords and military commanders and the leading men 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, yet because of his oaths and because of 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 had him beheaded 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 took away his body and laid it in a tomb.
[PRAYER]
BARRIER #1: Sin (Mark 6:17-29)
BARRIER #1: Sin (Mark 6:17-29)
[EXP] For our purposes this morning, in the story of John’s death, we are going to focus on Herod’s sin.
First, notice that Herod’s sin was sin (vv. 17-18).
Verses 17-18 tells us that John had been put in prison because Herod had taken his brother Philip’s wife.
John kept saying to Herod, “It is not lawful for you to have your brother’s wife.”
John may have quoted Leviticus 18:16 or Leviticus 20:21…
16 “Do not have sexual relations with your brother’s wife, for this would violate your brother.
21 “If a man marries his brother’s wife, it is an act of impurity. He has violated his brother, and the guilty couple will remain childless.
God’s Word clearly revealed Herod’s adultery as sin.
[APP] God’s Word tells us what sin is.
We do not get to define right and wrong for ourselves.
That was the lie that Satan deceived Adam and Eve with in the Garden of Eden when he said they would not die if they ate form the tree of the knowledge of good and evil.
He said they would be like God, knowing good and evil for themselves...
...but believing Satan’s lie led to their separation from God.
We do not get to define right and wrong for ourselves and culture or popular opinion doesn’t define sin for us either.
What’s accepted or popular at the time may not be right in God’s sight.
In our time, many celebrate divorce calling it “pursuing my happiness.”
In our time, many celebrate adultery calling it “open marriage.”
In our time, many celebrate homosexuality, calling it “embracing my true self.”
In our time, many celebrate greed calling it “taking care of my family.”
Speaking of family, the people we love, they don’t get define what sin is for us either.
There are countless stories of Christ-professing parents, suddenly calling sin ok when their children or grandchildren embrace it.
“Well, I use to be against it until I saw how much he loved him.”
But just as God’s Word revealed Herod’s sin as sin, so God’s Word reveals all our sin as sin.
[EXP] Second, notice that Herod’s sin was confronted (vv. 18-20).
In Mark 6:18, John looks right at Herod and directly says, “It is not lawful for you to have your brother’s wife.”
Through John’s words, God confronted Herod’s sin verbally.
In v. 20, God was confronting Herod’s sin spiritually.
20 for Herod was afraid of John, knowing that he was a righteous and holy man, and he kept him safe. And when he heard him, he was very perplexed; but he used to enjoy listening to him.
Although Herod was resistant, the Holy Spirit was confronting his sin.
Because of the Spirit, he knew John was a righteous and holy man.
Because of the Spirit, Herod was intrigued by John’s words and wanted to hear more.
Although Herod wouldn’t give up His sin, His sin was being confronted by God.
[APP] Our sin is always confronted by God as well.
When the Christian friend calls us to repent, our sin is confronted verbally.
When the Spirit convicts of the wrong we’ve done, our sin is confronted spiritually.
Sure, just like we can ignore a faithful friend, we can ignore the Holy Spirit, but our sins is always confronted...
...and when it is, we have an opportunity.
[EXP] Third, notice that Herod had the opportunity to repent.
John’s whole message for everyone had been, “Repent for the Kingdom of God is at hand,” and the message was the same for Herod.
Herod had the opportunity to repent initially.
When the prophet, Nathan, confronted David about his adultery with Bathsheba, David immediately repented...
...but not Herod.
Rather, than repent of his sin, Herod had John locked up.
Herod had to the opportunity to repent continually.
When John was in Herod’s dungeon, he would bring him up to listen to him, and what do you think John’s message was?
No matter what John said or taught in Herod’s presence, the message surely always came back around to, “You must repent of your sins...”
But rather than repent—rather than turn away from his sins—he just listened to John and sent him back to the dungeon.
Herod had the opportunity to repent initially, continually, and finally.
Because John confronted Herod’s sin, which involved Herodias, the wife Herod took from his brother, Herodias held a grudge against John.
She wanted John dead but Herod was afraid of a riot if he had John executed because the people knew John was a prophet of God.
So, Herod compromised and had John imprisoned instead.
But Herodias didn’t let go of her grudge against John. She bided her time, and when the opportunity came to take John’s life, she pounced on it.
Herod was throwing a big party with all the important people there. It was the kind of get-together that would’ve made the most profane Mardi Gra party look tame.
At this party, Herod has his stepdaughter come in to dance seductively for the crowd. All the men are blown away, and Herod is too; he says to her, “Ask me for whatever you want, up to half of my kingdom, and I will give it to you.”
The teenage girl ran back to her mother and says, “What should I ask for?”
This is the moment that Herodias has been waiting for. We imagine a smile creeping across her face as she says, “The head of John the Baptist.”
Herod’s stepdaughter goes back to him and says, “The head of John the Baptist on a platter.”
The moment is immediately sobering for Herod. He doesn’t want to have John executed, but he has been trapped by his own words and his conniving wife.
Refusing to refuse the request of his seductive stepdaughter for fear of embarrassment in front of his powerful guests, Herod dispatches an executioner to take John’s head.
Herod could’ve repented in this final moment, but because of arousal and peer pressure, he refused.
But this wasn’t the final final time that Herod had opportunity to repent.
What prompted Mark to clue us in as to why John the Baptist was arrested and how he died?
It was the fact that Jesus reminding Herod of John the Baptist.
16 But when Herod heard of it, he kept saying, “John, whom I beheaded, has risen!”
As John has said the Kingdom of God was at hand—it was at hand in the Messiah, the Christ, Jesus of Nazareth.
Someone greater than John had come to call Herod to repentance of sin, but Herod still refused.
[APP] This morning you have the opportunity to turn from sin—all your sins...
...no matter how cherished they are...
...no matter how much you enjoy them...
...no matter how much they’ve become apart of your identity...
...no matter what they cost you.
Repentance would have cost Herod his wife.
Repentance may have cost him his reputation or even his throne.
But it would’ve been worth it to gain Jesus.
Jesus is worth more than your sin.
Jesus is more enjoyable than your sin.
Jesus is where your true identity lies.
Jesus died on the cross to pay the price for your sin, so that you can turn away from it through faith in Him.
Will you turn away from your sin by trusting in Jesus this morning?
John the Baptist didn’t come back from the dead, but Jesus did...
...and His resurrection proves that all who trust Him will be set free from sin.
Don’t let your love of sin be the barrier that keeps you from Christ.
Don’t wait to repent of your sin and trust in Jesus.
Your sin is sin.
Your sin has been confronted by God.
Now if your opportunity to turn from sin and turn to Christ.
[TS]...
Conclusion
Conclusion
[PRAYER]
