Sermon Tone Analysis

---The death of John the Baptist

We come back again to the story of John the Baptist but this time to his death.

We have heard recently that those who seek to live godly in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution, not just those who proclaim the Gospel but those who seek to live honourable lives as did John the Baptist.

John brought the good news of the Kingdom but he also spoke against sin and the need for repentance.

This was a man who, in modern parlance, spoke truth to power.

King Herod Antipas had John arrested on trumped up charges because he did not like his condemnation of his relationship with his newly acquired wife Herodias.

What was wrong with this marriage?

Except that she was his sister-in-law through his brother.

If you did not approve of this relationship then you were putting yourself in danger.

“You shall not covet your neighbour’s wife”, says Leviticus but here he coveted and got his brother’s wife.

And John the Baptist did not approve.

All along Herod wanted to put him to death but because he did not want an uprising from the people who knew John the Baptist was a prophet so he just kept him locked up.

John was a political prisoner.

We are still fortunate in this Country to have a lack of political prisoners but those things can easily change.

We await court judgements about whether one can be forced to make a cake with a political message such as ‘I support gay marriage’ on it if you run a bakery.

People are already losing their jobs on the basis of political correctness such as registrars who do not agree with gay marriage have found out.

It is not a leap to find people going to prison for not agreeing to and refusing to do things which are against our faith.

Indeed if the fines that are handed out are not paid then prison is a place that one can end up.

It would not be hard to see with the indoctrinated young folk who are brainwashed into thinking that any sexual deviancy is acceptable and that anyone thinks otherwise should be banned, that when this generation grow up freedom of speech will be a thing of the past unless you agree with them!

John the Baptist used the freedom of speech given to him by God and he ended up in prison and, in due course, lost his life.

And how did he end up losing his life?

The daughter-in-law of Herod, the daughter of his brother pleased him and the other men present with a dance.

What would drive Herod to offer up to half of his kingdom?

I think lust was at work here.

Was he, in effect, offering her his hand in marriage to be co-regents?

However, she did not know what to ask for and so asked her mum.

Her mum was instant: get rid of that man who has condemned me.

I hate him.

To think he has a right to speak against me.

Kill him!

And in her spite for a man who spoke the truth John was guillotined and she gained a trophy.

What evil!

But do you know what?

I suppose she was not always like this.

She got a little corrupted, then a little more, then a little more, then she had an affair, then she hated, then she murdered.

She serves as a warning to us that there is no such thing as a little sin.

Because whatever it is that we count as small or of no consequence it is sowing seed to a much larger plant, a larger sin with great consequences.

People do not often commit murder in a vacuum.

Take King David.

He was supposed to lead his forces out to war; that was his job.

Instead he sent someone else.

Then, whilst he remained at home he spied a certain woman.

But then he got on Snapchat to her, well, Ok, maybe not, but would have sent an old-fashioned messenger.

Got her to come up to the palace, then slept with her.

Already he had compromised in a number of areas before he got to adultery.

But then the fear of being found out after she got pregnant and then the plan to cover it up.

Which ultimately ended in murder at the very front line that David should have been at in the first place.

He was not in the battle he was supposed to be but had already been overcome.

At the start, when he thought, I can’t be bothered to go today, he could not possibly have envisaged that when all was said and done, a couple of months later, he would murder one of his friends.

Compromise in any area of our lives even in something that seems trivial can have long-lasting consequences.

Do away with your sin.

Do not play with matches.

For what a great fire can be kindled and it destroys everything.

Let us beware of pride of thinking it could never happen to me.

The consequence of Herodias’ sin was the death of an innocent man, a great man, an honourable man.

The disciples then came and gave him a dignified burial rather than that of a criminal.

He was honoured in his death.

And Jesus, his cousin, was told.

---The feeding of the 5000

Up to that time Jesus had been doing some incredible things.

Miracles were happening.

And for some reason Herod thought that this was John the Baptist come back from the dead such was his superstition and guilty conscience.

And now we find that the disciples that had been sent had come back with stories of what amazing things had happened.

But now, after being informed of John’s death he needed some alone time.

And so did the disciples.

In another Gospel we read that they had been so busy with all the to-ing and fro-ing that they had not eaten.

They got in a boat to get away and have some down time.

Notice the care that Jesus had for His disciples.

And note there is nothing wrong with stopping and resting and eating if you have been working.

But it was not going to be a long rest for people had seen them get in the boat and the news spread like wildfire, they were going to Bethsaida.

And literally people ran and got there ahead of the boat.

Of course, it was not motorised.

I guess that if it had been Jesus would have made sure the engine was not turned on.

Then they landed.

But before they got there the multitude was clearly visible.

And Jesus’ heart went out to them.

They were desperate to hear something from him, to receive a miracle, to find comfort and peace.

And Jesus was not about to turn them away.

These divine interruptions would not affect us if we stick rigidly to our plans.

We can make plans but we must allow for things to change when new opportunities arise.

And though Jesus and His disciples deserved a rest they were not going to miss what had been presented to them especially as they were sheep without a shepherd.

So Jesus taught them and healed their sick because His heart melted for them.

All day they were there and in the evening the disciples started to think about their welfare too.

Send them away so they can get some sleep and food, Tesco and Aldi will be closing soon.

But Jesus’ response surprised them.

You feed them.

Hey Judas, how much money have we got?

This is about to bankrupt us!

We are told that there are 5000 men, so with the women and children there were at least 8000 people.

We find it hard enough to cater for 13 of us let alone thousands!

So, they sent out word to the people.

What food have you?

We know this because they discovered a lad with 2 fish and 5 barley loaves in John’s Gospel.

What is this among so many?

This is a reasonable question.

Let’s stop for a moment.

In John’s gospel we find out that Jesus is testing his disciples.

What was it that they were to learn?

Let’s keep this question in mind.

What are we to learn?