Sermon Tone Analysis

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Intro
It’s almost Thanksgiving and the Christmas countdown begins.
That means lots of good food and often lots of parties.
There are school parties, work parties, friends parties, family parties, community parties.
Who likes going to parties?
Who would rather be home with just a few people?
Have you heard “it’s not a party until something is broken"?
That’s definitely not something you want to hear when you are the host or hostess.
Today’s passage in Mark 6 includes a party that got way out of hand.
The Jewish people typically only celebrated the feasts that God prescribed.
But Herod, the ruler of a quarter of Israel, was following the Roman tradition of a birthday party, and he used it as an excuse to impress people with his wealth and power.
Things went from bad to worse ending with a dead body.
You know that’s a really terrible ending for any party!
Series
This morning in the Crown & Cross series from the Gospel of Mark we are continuing in Mark chapter 6.
Mark shows Jesus as a man of decisive action with a clear message and mission, and the reader is called to actively response to the message.
Mark divides Jesus’ life into two parts: his identity as Messiah and King over all things in chapters 1-8a (the crown) and then we see His purpose in suffering and dying on the cross in chapters 8b-16.
Last week we saw Jesus call the twelve disciples and send them out in twos to carry His message of the Gospel and His ministry to people.
In verse 30, they disciples return to tell Jesus what happened, but sandwiched in between is this narrative about the death of John the Baptist, the proclaimer of Jesus as Messiah and Son of God.
Jesus and all of His followers, including John, are compelled to speak the truth about sin and the need for repentance as they share the good news of the Gospel, regardless of the consequences.
In this passage, Mark also provides some foreshadowing and comparisons to Jesus and his mission at the cross.
PRAY
READ Mark 6:14-29
Herod Heard & Feared
vv.
14-20
King Herod heard about Jesus and His miracles and His message of the Kingdom.
His name was spreading.
And the twelve disciples going out certainly expanded the spread of the Gospel message.
Mark calls him King Herod, but the other Gospels refer to him as Herod Antipas, the Tetrarch.
His father Herod the Great was the king from Matthew 2 who heard from the wise men about the new King born in Bethlehem.
Herod feared losing his position and had all the baby boys two and under murdered.
This is his son, also called Herod - as a title.
His father set him and his brothers as rulers over a quarter of Israel.
Tetra means four parts.
There were several theories about Jesus and his miraculous powers to heal, cast out demons and even raise the dead.
Some people were saying Jesus was John the Baptist raised from the dead.
Other said He is Elijah.
Others said he is a prophet like the old days.
Herod superstitiously decided he must be John, whom I beheaded, raised from the dead.
It didn’t really make sense because John introduced his followers to Jesus and even baptized him.
But Herod may have been feeling guilty and was afraid that John was back to haunt him.
He may also have recognized that this message of another king and a coming kingdom was not silenced even by John’s death.
Back in Mark 1:14, after John baptized Jesus, it says “now John was arrested” then Jesus began proclaiming the Gospel.
Now Mark fills in the rest of the story about John’s arrest.
v17-19 Herod had John arrested and imprisoned for the sake of his wife.
Earlier, Herod was visiting his half-brother, Philip, and desired Philip’s wife for himself.
He divorced his own wife, Herodias divorced Philip, and married Herod Antipas.
It appears to be lust on Herod’s part, but Herodias may have just wanted to move up the political and societal ladder.
John, unafraid of the consequences, told Herod his marriage to his brother’s wife was sinful according to the Law in Leviticus 18:16.
John’s message, like Jesus’ was to repent because the Kingdom of God was at hand.
Like the courageous prophets before him, John understood that the proclamation of God’s word included moral responsibility.
He did not read the polls before speaking and acting; he protected no special interest groups.
The Gospel message was not changed based on the wealth or influence of the audience.
He spoke the truth in love.
The message of repentance was necessary for someone to humbly accept God’s gift of salvation.
John’s courage came at the great cost of his freedom and eventual death.
Herodias held a grudge against John and wanted to see him put to death.
She didn’t want to be told by anyone how to live her life.
And perhaps as a queen, thought she was above the law.
Herod feared John, knowing he was righteous and holy and kept him safe.
He didn’t let his treacherous wife kill John but he did put him in prison to silence his call to repent of sin.
This godless couple reminds us of Ahab and Jezebel, who were also called to repent by the prophet Elijah in 1 Kings 21.
Jezebel made it her mission in life to see Elijah destroyed, but God prevailed and both were killed.
v. 20b Herod apparently continued to listen to John’s message and was greatly perplexed yet heard him gladly.
Do you know people like that?
They want to hear more about God and His love but they don’t want to hear anything about their sin and guilt.
Herod Partied & Promised
vv.
21-25
One day, Herod threw a big party for his birthday.
He was in power only because the invading Romans allow him to rule.
And in keeping with Roman traditions, he celebrated his own birth inviting his nobles, military commanders and the leading men of Galilee.
So he had the nobility the government officials of the Jews, the Roman army officers, and the upper crust - wealthy men from the surrounding area.
These were men he wanted to impress and influence.
In following with a pagan banquet, there would have been lots of rich food, lots of wine, and wild entertainment.
Think of Roman orgies with gluttony and worse.
Imagine allowing your young daughter to come dance in front of a bunch of drunk men?
It’s implied by the passage that her dancing was erotic as it entertained and please her father and his guests.
One commentary said It was culturally unthinkable for a princess to appear as a dancing girl in front of a male audience.
Queen Vashti refused to dance before King Ahasuerus and his friends in Esther 1.
Herod bragged for all to hear, “Ask me for whatever you wish and I will give to you.”
He repeats, maybe drunk and forgot?
Now with a vow a promise - “whatever you ask me, I will give you, up to half of my kingdom.”
As a puppet king, he really had no control over his territory.
It was not really his to give.
But it was culturally expected that a successful entertainer would be given an extravagant gift to flaunt the giver’s wealth.
This boast again echoes Esther 5 and 7, when King Ahasuerus was please with Esther and promised her anything she asked even to the half of my kingdom.
This appears to be a hyperbole - an exaggerated figure of speech.
The girl, named Salome in other passages, went out to ask her mother what she should ask for.
And Herodias seized her opportunity to get back at John replying “the head of John the Baptist.”
Just what any girl would love to have!
The girl rushed back in and immediately said “I want you to give me at once the head of John the Baptist on a platter.”
There was no thank you or polite manners.
She sounds like the rich overly spoiled Veruca Salt in Charlie and the Chocolate Factory who demanded “Daddy I want an Oompa Loompa!”
And Salome gruesomely ordered the head served up on a platter as though it was part of the feast!
This daughter was as sick as her mother.
Herod Agonized & Complied
vv.
26-28
The king was exceedingly sorry.
He had been protecting John even though he was in prison.
He recognized that this was a man of God.
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