A Prophet's Reward - sermon notes

Mark 6:14-29

      There is a lot of discussion these days about what is right and what is not, particularly in the area of sexuality. In schools, for example, officials and parents argue about whether students should be required to take sex education courses, and whether those courses should encourage abstinence, or merely safety. Some schools hand out contraceptives, reasoning that if students are going to be active, we should at least try to keep them safe. And what kinds of relationships are being discussed? Heterosexual, LGBT, and a wide variety of relationships that used to be considered inappropriate, or at least impolite, are now being discussed in the open.

      It is not just in the schools that these discussions are taking place. It is happening in the church as well. This year’s 220^th General Assembly is a case in point. There was quite a lot of discussion about sexuality, and exactly what a marriage is, or is not. You might think issues like that would be fairly clear cut, particularly in the church, but you would be wrong. Before the General Assembly was a proposal for marriage to be defined as not just between a man and a woman, but between “two persons”, thereby leaving open a great number of possibilities. Thankfully, it was defeated.

      In today’s Gospel message, we read that John the Baptist went to great lengths to proclaim the truth about marriage and what is, and what is not, appropriate.

1.  John spoke the truth – about sexuality, marriage, and what is right. When he saw the immorality and corruption of the king, he did not hold back, but spoke out boldly.

      Truth has consequences. John made some enemies when he spoke so boldly. Herodias, the wife of Herod, was one of them. She was the daughter of Herod’s half-brother, so technically his niece. She was also married to Herod’s brother Phillip, who she left and married Herod. He was the king, after all. But she did not like John.

      Herod liked John, and protected him, up to a point. He had him arrested, kept in prison, where he visited him and listened to John.

      2.  Not everyone likes the truth. Even though John spoke boldly, Herodias plotted against him to have him killed.

      Politics are everywhere – in schools, in businesses, in churches, even in families. By “politics” I mean the process of bargaining to get what we want, usually from someone with more power. No doubt, Herodias had tried many things to have John killed before: direct request, feminine wiles, perhaps even bribery. Hard to bribe a king.

      This time she backed Herod into a corner. She used his birthday party with lots of guests/witnesses present, and her daughter to perform some sort sensuous dance normally performed by court dancers and prostitutes, not women of her rank. Herod was so pleased that he made a generous, and inappropriate promise: “up to half my kingdom”. Salome could have had almost anything: Chariots, houses, even her own town! After consulting with her mother she asked for the head of John the Baptist – adding the platter herself!

      3.  John paid the price for his honesty. The prophet’s reward. The first time I heard that phrase was from Andy Dearman @ APTS. It’s a reference to the statement of Jesus in Matthew 23, where he said, “Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You who shed innocent blood and murdered the prophets. You brood of vipers! How will you escape being condemned to hell?” Many of the Old Testament prophets, like Jeremiah, were arrested, flogged, thrown in prison, and even killed. They spoke God’s truth, and yet they suffered terrible consequences. Or did they?

      What did John’s death mean? To John himself: paradise and God’s approval. Jesus said, “I tell you the truth: Among those born of women there has not risen anyone greater than John the Baptist.” (MT 11:11). For Herodias: she thought she had won a victory. For Herod: the death of his conscience. When Jesus came to him, he turned him away and sent him back to Pilate. For John’s followers: They buried John and Matthew says, (14:12) they went and told Jesus. Very likely, many of them became followers of Jesus.

      Who paid the ultimate price? John? NO. Herod. He hardened his heart and ultimately turned Jesus away.

      What will we do? Stand up for the truth, even though it may be costly? Give in to pressure from society, and lose our conscience?