Sinful History

Gospel of Mark: Jesus a life to serve   •  Sermon  •  Submitted
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Don't let history keep you from future

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History Repeats Itself

If you don’t learn from history it surely can repeat itself, can’t it? In our passage today, it may seem like a random story that Mark interweaves into the gospel, but it has a point. So let us look at history and see how this plays out in the scripture and how we can learn from history so as not to keep us from our future.
No doubt that the ministry of Jesus was going to attract attention. Some through the training and the work of the apostles. The word of Jesus and His miracles (Mk6:14-16) spread and even reached the palace of Herod Antipas (Lk9:7)
Luke 9:7 NASB95
7 Now Herod the tetrarch heard of all that was happening; and he was greatly perplexed, because it was said by some that John had risen from the dead,
The spreading word put the king (as Mark addresses Him) at odd’s with Godly message and his own sinful nature (Mk6:17-29)
Mark in our passage shows us the weakness of seat of power, the grievousness of sin and a picture of a godly man.
Mark, the recorder of Peter’s thoughts as many believe is not random here, after the rejection in Nazareth, the sending in Galilee, now a recalling of John the Baptist. Jesus had told them what they were going to be facing, now looks at history to prove it in the beheading of John the Baptist.
There are a few ways to look at this passage.
Historically
Characteristically
Or how about morally?
How about a little history about the character’s then get to the moral of the story and the application for us?
First we need the passage.
Mark 6:14–15 NASB95
14 And King Herod heard of it, for His name had become well known; and people were saying, “John the Baptist has risen from the dead, and that is why these miraculous powers are at work in Him.” 15 But others were saying, “He is Elijah.” And others were saying, “He is a prophet, like one of the prophets of old.
Mark 6:16–17 NASB95
16 But when Herod heard of it, he kept saying, “John, whom I beheaded, has risen!” 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.
Mark 6:18–19 NASB95
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;
Mark 6:20–21 NASB95
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;
Mark 6:22–23 NASB95
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.”
Mark 6:24–25 NASB95
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.”
Mk6:26-27
Mark 6:26–27 NASB95
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,
Mark 6:28–29 NASB95
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.
What do you see, what do you notice, what sticks out to you?

The Characters

In looking at the passage can you pick out the characters? People play a important part in history and the in the furthering, or not furthering the kingdom. In our story, who are the characters?
King Herod (Mk6:14)
Herod Antipas was not really a king, but a Tetrarch; a godless man; godless for he
Divorced his wife to marry his niece (Herodias) wife of Herod Philip
Historically known for killing his own children it was even said of Herod “It is better to be Herod’s pig than Herod’s son. A pig has a chance to live longer.”
One commentator said “Herod deserves a niche in the pantheon of history’s villains along with Caligula, Nero, Genghis Khan and Adolph Hitler.”
Godless for he was easily influenced by Herodias and worry about what others thought about him, then standing up and being God fearing.
People (Mk6:14)
John the Baptist (Mk6:14)
We know the message, we know the method, we know the thoughts that Jesus had about John the Baptist
Herodias (Mk6:19)
Was the wife of Herod’s half brother, Herod Philip II, who was Tetrarch of Iturea and Trachonitus.
Daughter of Herodias aka: Salome (MK6:22)
Executioner (MK6:27)
John’s disciples (Mk6:29)
The History
He was Tetrarch from 4BC to 39AD; over Galilee and Perea
He was credited with building cities of Sepphoris, and Tiberias.
He is the one who imprisoned John, because he was incensed (Mk6:14-29)
He only had one other dealing with Jesus, at his trial (Lk23:7-12)
He is the son of Malthace, a Samaritan, 4th of Herod the Great’s 10 wives
Brothers Archelaus, Philip II, Lysanias

Sinful History: Herod a moral look

I think we need to look at the life of Herod morally now. Having a respect for John, enjoying listening to him still did not lead him to morally stand with and for the truth that has been revealed through John and now by Jesus.
The arrogance of sin. (Lev18:16, Lev18:21)
Sinners may be kings or peasants; In Herod he had it all, power, wealth, privilege, wives and women, but it was not enough, he had to have his brothers wife, Herodias.
While not a Jew but being the Tetrarch over Jewish area, he is in violation of Mosaic law (Lev18:16, 20:21)
Leviticus 18:16 NASB95
16 ‘You shall not uncover the nakedness of your brother’s wife; it is your brother’s nakedness.
Leviticus 20:21 NASB95
21 ‘If there is a man who takes his brother’s wife, it is abhorrent; he has uncovered his brother’s nakedness. They will be childless.
Lev
We know sin is missing the mark. Herod exercises power and privilege and disregards the standard of decency and morality.
So what can we learn about the arrogance of sin? Those in power need to be careful and now use power, privilege, or wealth to take advantage of their God given power (Dan2:37-38)
He is not alone in this moral issue of defying what is given
David broke trust in his sexual, immoral behavior with Bathsheba and orchestrating the murder of her husband Uriah.
Solomon allows his desires to take in 600 hundred wives and 300 concubines which lead to idolatry returning to the promised land
Balaam was a prophet for hire who tried to manipulate God for his own material gain.
________________________________________
Other examples of moral shortcomings
David with Bathsheba and murder of Uriah
Solomon with his 600 wives, 300 concubines, allowing idolatry
Balaam, prophet for hire
________________________________________
The arrest of sin (Jn16:8; 2Sam12:1-7; Mk6:17; Mt14:3-4; Psm51:1; 51:4, 51:7)
God uses the Holy Spirit to convict the world of sin (Jn16:8); sometimes it is the voice of man (a prophet) that He uses (2Sam12:1-7)
Quickly summarize 2Sam12:1-7; Nathan the voice God used to convict David
Sin could have been arrested if Herod listened to John; but instead John was arrested (Mk6:17 and Mt14:3-4); listened to his wife instead of the prophet of God
Matthew 14:3–4 NASB95
3 For when Herod had John arrested, he bound him and put him in prison because of Herodias, the wife of his brother Philip. 4 For John had been saying to him, “It is not lawful for you to have her.”
Matthew 13:3–4 NASB95
3 And He spoke many things to them in parables, saying, “Behold, the sower went out to sow; 4 and as he sowed, some seeds fell beside the road, and the birds came and ate them up.
Herod even knew John was a holy man, but did not respond (Mk6:20) unlike David (Psm51:1, 4, 7)
Psalm 51:1 NASB95
1 Be gracious to me, O God, according to Your lovingkindness; According to the greatness of Your compassion blot out my transgressions.
Psalm 51:4 NASB95
4 Against You, You only, I have sinned And done what is evil in Your sight, So that You are justified when You speak And blameless when You judge.
Psm51:1
Psalm 51:7 NASB95
7 Purify me with hyssop, and I shall be clean; Wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow.
May we remember when sin was arrested for us and when our life began. Don’t compromise with sin, it is like a spider web and will entangle us. That brings us to:
Alignment of Sin (MK6:19, 22, 25-27; Rom7:18-20)
Rationalization is a part of sinning, especially when we compromise morally knowing what is right and still doing what is wrong (Rom7:18-20)
Romans 7:18–19 NASB95
18 For I know that nothing good dwells in me, that is, in my flesh; for the willing is present in me, but the doing of the good is not. 19 For the good that I want, I do not do, but I practice the very evil that I do not want.
Romans 7:20 NASB95
20 But if I am doing the very thing I do not want, I am no longer the one doing it, but sin which dwells in me.
Rom
Philip in pursing Herodias must have thought he was above the law (Jewish law) and God’s moral law.
Today people compromise saying “everyone else is doing it” or “why not, I deserve it.”
Be careful to not get in the web of compromise and align yourself with the world and sin.
It is apparent that Herod was in a tangled web right along with his wife Herodias and even the step daughter Salome, his problem was he knew John was a prophet a man of God, Herodias was arrogant and vengeful and that desire for vengeance entangled the daughter to end John’s life.
May we be aware that when we make sinful choices they do not just impact us, they can entangle those who are around us too.
Herod in his choices had political complications too. If he backed down at the request from Salome he will lose political power and influence.
Mark 6:25–26 NASB95
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.
Herod’s sin has now come full circle. It was enticing at first, looked harmless and pleasing to others too and in the end enslaved him for he had no way out where he could save face.
The agony of sin (Mk6:14-16; 2Cor7:10; Mk11:27-33; Mk8:36)
Mark 6:14–15 NASB95
14 And King Herod heard of it, for His name had become well known; and people were saying, “John the Baptist has risen from the dead, and that is why these miraculous powers are at work in Him.” 15 But others were saying, “He is Elijah.” And others were saying, “He is a prophet, like one of the prophets of old.
Mark 6:16 NASB95
16 But when Herod heard of it, he kept saying, “John, whom I beheaded, has risen!”
Herod haunted by his memories of the beheading of John. He thought that Jesus was John resurrected.
Sin is contagious and can infect the body physically and emotionally (psychologically) too.
All the political and even financial power and influence Herod had it did him nothing being haunted by the past.
Herod’s sin is before him, acknowledging he knew John was a man of God and he was responsible for beheading him.
Sin’s of the past, can they come back to haunt us today?
Herod because of the sin of pride was not courageous enough to heed to John’s word, but had to heed to his own, even when he was greatly distressed.
Mark 6:26 NIV
26 The king was greatly distressed, but because of his oaths and his dinner guests, he did not want to refuse her.
Other versions say he was “sorry” or “greatly sorrowful.” I think you can get the idea, sorry is not enough is it?
If sorry is not enough, what is needed?
We need Godly sorrow that leads to repentance (2Cor7:10)
2 Corinthians 7:10 NKJV
10 For godly sorrow produces repentance leading to salvation, not to be regretted; but the sorrow of the world produces death.
Now Herod was not alone in not responding to John’s message either, the religious leaders did not heed either.
Mark 11:27–28 NASB95
27 They came again to Jerusalem. And as He was walking in the temple, the chief priests and the scribes and the elders came to Him, 28 and began saying to Him, “By what authority are You doing these things, or who gave You this authority to do these things?”
Mark 11:29–30 NASB95
29 And Jesus said to them, “I will ask you one question, and you answer Me, and then I will tell you by what authority I do these things. 30 “Was the baptism of John from heaven, or from men? Answer Me.”
Mark 11:31–32 NASB95
31 They began reasoning among themselves, saying, “If we say, ‘From heaven,’ He will say, ‘Then why did you not believe him?’ 32 “But shall we say, ‘From men’?”—they were afraid of the people, for everyone considered John to have been a real prophet.
Mk
Mark 11:33 NASB95
33 Answering Jesus, they said, “We do not know.” And Jesus said to them, “Nor will I tell you by what authority I do these things.”
The people thought John a prophet, the leaders did not, but we will cover that more when we get to that chapter.
In the end John’s disciples come and take his body for burial
Mark 6:29 NASB95
29 When his disciples heard about this, they came and took away his body and laid it in a tomb.
MK6:
So we have seen the
Arrogance of Sin
Arrest of Sin
Alignment with sin
Agony of sin
From a king who had it all to a man who was haunted by his sinful history. This king profited much but lost it all
Mark 8:36 NASB95
36 “For what does it profit a man to gain the whole world, and forfeit his soul?
May we not trade or compromise with sin and even sin that is history. Keep our eyes on the prize and help each other to stay the course.
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