Sermon Tone Analysis
Overall tone of the sermon
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Introduction
Pet bird - died within a week - Tragedy! Mom, “We don’t cry over birds.”
No sympathy for my broken heart.
She understood that there were far bigger tragedies than a dead bird.
You’ve experienced tragedies in your life.
Some small tragedies.
Some larger tragedies.
Reality, in most of our tragedies, even though we cannot see it at the time, it could always be worse.
The absolute worst tragedy is living a godless life .
Tragedy of Herod Antipas, the man who beheaded John the Baptist, was a godless life.
The only story in the Gospel of Mark not focused on Jesus.
You probably haven’t heard preached a lot! We’re committed to learning the Bible at Northwood, we’re going to study the passages that don’t get talked about a lot.
For unbeliever: A man who repeatedly heard good news.
Close to responding to the message of the Kingdom, but chose instead godlessness.
Maybe this is you!
For believer: you need the encouragement to continue in your pursuit of godliness.
Maybe a Christ follower - you need the encouragement to continue in your pursuit of godliness.
This morning, three ways to set your heart on a life of pursuing godliness - rather than the greatest tragedy of life: a godless life.
Story
When Jesus was born, Herod the Great ruled Israel - appointed by the Roman government, not a full-blooded Jew, and the people of Israel were suspicious of him.
Herod the Great was crazy.
He had ten wives.
Because of his suspicion of his own family plotting against him, he had one of his wives and sons killed.
He was in love with himself and in love with power.
Upon his death, Rome divided Palestine into three different regions, and three of his sons were made tetrarch or governor over each region.
Southern region = Archelaus.
Part of the northern region to Philip the Tetrarch.
Herod Antipas - over the territory of Galilee and Perea.
, Jesus sent out the twelve.
Everyone is hearing the news of the Kingdom of God.
And, miracles are performed by Jesus and His apostles.
Word about Jesus spreads to Herod A. Who is this man?
Common question.
Some thought He was Elijah who had come back from the dead (think Malachi).
Some thought He was a great prophet who had risen up.
() Herod A. had another guess: John the Baptist resurrected.
Herod A. had beheaded John the Baptist.
(vs.
16)
Herod A. paralyzed by guilt and shame.
He had killed a holy prophet whose message he was close to believing.
John the Baptist had come back from the dead for him!
Why did Herod A. killed John the B?
Herod Antipas - flawed character.
He had an adulterous relationship with his brother Philip’s wife, and he eventually married her.
Herodias was also the daughter of his half-brother, Aristobulus.
Herod A. married his brother’s wife who was at the same time his niece.
Not good.
Jesus
John the B. began publically preaching against Herod A.’s immorality and incest.
(vs.
18) “You shall not uncover the nakedness of your brother’s wife; it is your brother’s nakedness.” .
16 You shall not uncover the nakedness of your brother’s wife; it is your brother’s nakedness.
Herodias, Herod’s wife, enraged.
Herod had John locked up.
She wanted John the B dead, but Herod feared John the B. Josephus - Herod imprisoned John the B. at Machaerus, a palace his father had built around the Dead Sea with lots of dungeons underneath the palace.
The Holy Bible: English Standard Version (Wheaton: Standard Bible Society, 2016), .
Herod fascinated by John the B.’s holy life and unique message.
Nightly went down to the dungeon to hear John - heard gladly - looked forward to conversations with John the B.
Perplexed by John the B. - “What do I do with his message?”
The Good News was enticing - but so was his life of power and prestige.
Knew John was holy.
Knew there was something to the message, but...
Herod A. intrigued, Herodias not.
She wanted John the B. dead.
Herod’s birthday party - men together - drinking - rowdy - the fraternity party of all fraternity parties.
Parties would usually include prostitutes that would entertain the crowd.
Herodias sees opportunity.
She sends her daughter in to dance.
Herod pleased by what he sees.
A vow: vs. 23 - “Mom, what do I ask for?”
Herodias, “The head of John the Baptist.”
Daughter, “Give me the head of John the Baptist on a platter.”
Herod sorrowful, but he’s the king.
He has to be a man of his word.
What would everyone think if he didn’t fulfill his vow?
Immediately, John the B. beheaded.
His head on a platter, and girl proudly takes it to her mother.
A story of absolute godlessness - a man of God mercilessly killed for speaking the truth.
A godless king with no courage to act on conviction but swayed by people and his godless wife.
A man who now, in Mark’s Gospel, paralyzed by guilt and fear because he thinks John the B. is back to get him.
What is strange story saying to us?
How do we avoid the tragedy of a godless life?
1. Be freed by Jesus rather than blinded by guilt.
Story filled with grace.
A personal audience with John the B. - that’s grace.
Now, an even greater act of grace, the One who John the B. foretold is present!
Not to condemn, but to forgive!
This could be another opportunity for repentance!
But, Herod A. will not see Jesus for who he is because he is blinded by the guilt of his sin - “I missed my opportunity, now I’m doomed.”
Some of you are blinded and paralyzed by guilt as well.
You look at your life and see:
People you’ve hurt.
Mistakes you’ve made.
Damage you’ve done in your life and lives of others because of poor choice.
Like Herod, you feel like you’ve missed your opportunity:
I can’t be loved.
I can’t be forgiven.
My life can never change.
So, you stay the same.
You don’t pursue change because you don’t think change is possible for you.
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