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Welcome.
We’re continuing along in Matthew. We’re watching the beginning of Jesus’ ministry unfold before us.
And one of the big questions we must reckon with revolves around the person of Jesus. Who is Jesus?
Is Jesus a nice, sandal wearing hippie? Is Jesus some spiritual mystic? He said he was the Son of God; so is he a liar? Did he lose his mind? Or is he who he said he was? Is he God’s very own son?
Because that means that many of us are living in God’s world and acting as if God doesn’t exist.
If Jesus is really God; if Jesus is ultimate reality; if Jesus is our Savior; it should change the way in which we do life. Shouldn’t it?
It should change the way by which we engage the world.
It should change the way we treat others.
It should change the way we do everything.
Because that means that many people are living in God’s world and acting as if God doesn’t exist. If Jesus is really God; if Jesus is ultimate reality; if Jesus is our Savior; it should change the way in which we do life. Shouldn’t it? It should change the way by which we engage the world.
Something I think we should ask ourselves right as we start this morning:
When you are faced with a big decision; who is the first person you consult for counsel?
When you are stressed; who is the first person you run to for comfort?
When you are tempted; where is the first place you go to for safety?
When you are restless; where is the first place you go to for peace?
How you answer those questions reveals much about how you view Jesus. If Jesus is not the first person you turn to in all the critical and mundane moments of life, then how can you claim him as being the ultimate reality of your life? If Jesus is not the source of truth from which every other point of your life submits, then Jesus is not the Lord of your life?
How you answer those questions reveals much about how you view Jesus.
If Jesus is not the first person we turn to in all the critical and mundane moments of life, then how can we claim him as being the ultimate reality of our lives?
If Jesus is not the source of truth from which every other point of our life submits, then Jesus is not the Lord of our lives?
John Mark is showing us the king who is ushering in a new kingdom. Tim Keller calls it something like, “the upside down kingdom.” Because Jesus contradicted all of the ideals of the culture and flipped them.
The writer is showing us the king who is ushering in a new kingdom. God’s kingdom on God’s terms.
If you’re able, please stand with me for the reading of God’s Word.
At that time Herod the tetrarch heard about the fame of Jesus,
and he said to his servants, “This is John the Baptist. He has been raised from the dead; that is why these miraculous powers are at work in him.”
For Herod had seized John and bound him and put him in prison for the sake of Herodias, his brother Philip’s wife,
because John had been saying to him, “It is not lawful for you to have her.”
And though he wanted to put him to death, he feared the people, because they held him to be a prophet.
But when Herod’s birthday came, the daughter of Herodias danced before the company and pleased Herod,
so that he promised with an oath to give her whatever she might ask.
Prompted by her mother, she said, “Give me the head of John the Baptist here on a platter.”
And the king was sorry, but because of his oaths and his guests he commanded it to be given.
He sent and had John beheaded in the prison,
and his head was brought on a platter and given to the girl, and she brought it to her mother.
And his disciples came and took the body and buried it, and they went and told Jesus.
Again, we’ve been talking about kingdoms because Jesus has been talking about kingdoms — and we’re trying to learn from Jesus. We’re attempting to be guided along by Jesus.
Jesus ministry has started. He is fulfilling the prophesies of old. He is claiming to be God’s Son! All of this is new, bizarre, and exciting!
Now, today what I’m intrigued about is that I think what we see in the text today runs so parallel to our current cultural climate. There are so many similarities going on between what’s happening in this Biblical text and what is happening now — it’s interesting and there’s so much to learn and be encouraged, and also challenged by.
so first:
Power Dynamics
This is what intrigued the philosopher Nietzsche so much… this idea that everything is really about power.
We’re in a power struggle… everyone is advancing ideas and beliefs that give them influence and ultimately, more power.
I’m not saying I agree entirely with that idea, but it’s what Nietzsche spent a lot of time wrestling with.
Now I want to read this text along with the Gospel of Mark’s account, because Mark gives some extra interesting details.
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.
For John had been saying to Herod, “It is not lawful for you to have your brother’s wife.”
So waht
So what in the world is happening here?
Try to follow this one: “Herod had married one of his brother’s nieces. She became the wife of another one of his brother’s. And Herod persuaded her to leave his brother and to marry Herod. Healthy family dynamic, right?”
According to Jewish law, this was sinful because it was adultery and it was sinful because it was his brother’s wife.
Now, keep in mind, Herod isn’t a Jew, he’s not a Christian, he’s not a believer in the God of the Bible, but John is calling him out for his sin.
It’s interesting isn’t it.
It’s interesting because we’ve been told to compartmentalize these things… What are some cultural messages we’ve been influenced by whether we realize it or not:
Separate faith from public life
Not everyone is held to God’s standard
We see right away that John the Baptist didn’t do this! He called a pagan, Herod, out for his sin!
What does this mean?
This again points to the idea of Kingdom, God’s kingdom. If God is over all then his power is NOT limited or confined by whether or not people believe in him. Truth is truth! And if God is creator, if Jesus is the Son of God, then God’s truth will prevail.
Saint Augustine said:
“The truth is like a lion. You don't have to defend it. Let it loose. It will defend itself.”
As Christians, we need not fear. So many Christians are freaking out. Historically, as Christianity moves to the margins of culture, it prevails all the more… a richer, truer church prevails.
I think it was Matt Chandler who said something to the effect of, if you want to see Christianity rise and flourish, persecute it! Come against God’s Church and you will see God’s Church blossom!
Truth is truth. You cannot nullify what is true, no matter how hard you try. We can try and spin it, undermine it, ignore it, but in the end… TRUTH prevails and and the truth is God’s Alone!
Why is it so important to talk about AUTHORITY and POWER in our current time in history?
These are themes we talk about a lot.
I think power and authority are such important themes to talk about: (1) Because Jesus talks about them a lot. (2) The Bible talks about them a lot. (3) Our postmodern context (i.e. the world that surrounds us) has a major authority problem!
Historically, the Church would talk about our primary problem as being sin.
Now, we live in a time when people don’t believe in sin!
And even Christians are numb and misunderstood about sin and its pervasiveness in every sphere of life.
My suggestion, is that one of our biggest problems is rooted in the reality that most people think they can determine what is good and right for them.
Each person has become their own god.
Each person, is operating in their own autonomous creation of justice, right-ness, and meaning.
Each person is now responsible for what is right and good for them, on their own.
“Be yourself.”
“Do what feels right to you.”
“You do you...”
“Follow your heart...”
I believe there are elements of truth in the positive psychology movement… But when we remove the category of sin — we all become these self-congratulatory, everything-goes, affirm everything no matter what — kinds of people!
This is foolishness on display! This is absurdity on display. Take some time this week and read , and reflect on whether or not you can see how the Apostle Paul’s words are being manifested in our day.
For although they knew God, they did not honor him as God or give thanks to him, but they became futile in their thinking, and their foolish hearts were darkened.
Claiming to be wise, they became fools,
and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images resembling mortal man and birds and animals and creeping things.
For although they knew God, they did not honor him as God or give thanks to him, but they became futile in their thinking, and their foolish hearts were darkened.
Claiming to be wise, they became fools,
Romans 1:
When asked questions about life, do you give statements about how you feel or do you relay the truth of what God said?
Do you respond by how you feel about a given topic?
Do you respond by how you feel about a given topic?
-or-
-or-
Do you respond by quoting what God has revealed to us, regarding that topic, in scripture?
Do you respond by quoting what God has revealed to us, regarding that topic, in scripture?
Because, frankly, in the determination of truth, it doesn’t matter how we feel about a particular thing, or morality, or right living?
Because, frankly, I don’t care how you feel about morality or right living? You shouldn’t bet much money on my feelings regarding morality or living?
We shouldn’t bet much money on our feelings regarding morality or living?
What does God’s Word say? That’s the issue in contention here.
What does God’s Word say? That’s the issue in contention here.
Like John the Baptist, we see people all around us living in sin, and what do we do? It’s a good question. Because more often than not, it’s going to be the people closest to you that you have the best view of their sin.
Like John the Baptist, we see people all around us, including ourselves, living in sin, and what do we do?
How do we respond?
Do we speak truth?
Do we remain silent?
Do we conform to a pattern of this world?
Let’s keep going.
Do we call them out? Do we let it be and just hope that they figure it out?
Let’s keep going.
The Cost of Discipleship
***As Dietrich Bonhoeffer put it
There is a cost!
Bonhoeffer writes:
“Because Jesus is the Christ, He has the authority to call and to demand obedience to His Word. Jesus summons men to follow him not as a teacher or a pattern of the good life, but as the Christ, the Son of God.”
There is a cost in following the truth when people would rather only hear what they want.
For John had been saying to Herod, “It is not lawful for you to have your brother’s wife.”
And Herodias had a grudge against him and wanted to put him to death. But she could not,
Mark 6:18-
But an opportunity came when Herod on his birthday gave a banquet for his nobles and military commanders and the leading men of Galilee.
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.”
And he vowed to her, “Whatever you ask me, I will give you, up to half of my kingdom.”
And she went out and said to her mother, “For what should I ask?” And she said, “The head of John the Baptist.”
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.”
Mark 6:21-
A commitment to the truth of God cost John his life.
(1) Now, practically speaking, I doubt any of us will have to face anything like this… But there is a cost to discipleship… and for us it might be as basic as inconvenience.
I mean:
We struggle to show up and serve in any regular and sacrificial way
We struggle to give our money and gifts to help others and the church
We fill our lives with busy, and yet, eternally meaningless obligations!
(2) We will be misunderstood and we will look odd to a world inebriated by their own passions and lusts.
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