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Mark 6:14-29 · Providence Baptist Church - Sermons

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Turn with me to Mark chapter 6.
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As most of you know, we have been studying through Mark's Gospel,
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and we've already seen some really, really remarkable things
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! surrounding the life of Jesus Christ.
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And he's been traveling, for the most part,
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in and around a village called Capernaum.
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It's a fishing village on the north shore of the Sea of Galilee.
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We've seen him casting out demons, he's healed sick,
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he's performed all kinds of miracles.
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And we learned last week that he sent his disciples out in pairs.
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So word of Jesus has been spreading very quickly all over this region.
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Between Jesus and his closest followers,
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they've been shaking things up in the area,
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and word's begun to spread all over Galilee,
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and indeed, even to the local Roman government officials,
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as we see in this passage, a man named Herod.
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And this is where we find ourselves in Mark chapter 6, verse 14.
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And I have to warn you before we jump into this passage,
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this is not a light-hearted passage.
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Some of you have already mentioned this to me yesterday at the picnic,
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and you mentioned how you're excited to see
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how we're going to actually go through this passage.
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It's not an easy passage by any means.
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There's a lot of feel-good passages in God's Word,
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and this is not one of those.
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There's a lot of passages that we like to quote.
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We like to put them around our homes for good reasons.
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We like to post them on Twitter.
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This one, however, is not likely to go on your Facebook status anytime soon.
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So what we're about to read is one of the most gruesome displays of human depravity
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that we find in the New Testament.
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So if you're ready, if your stomach is ready, read along with me, starting in verse 14.
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And Herodias had a grudge against him and wanted to put him to death,
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but she could not.
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For Herod feared John, knowing that he was a righteous and holy man, and he kept him safe.
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When he heard of him, he was greatly perplexed, and yet he heard him gladly.
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But an opportunity came when Herod, on his birthday, gave a banquet for his nobles and military commanders
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and the leading men of Galilee.
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For when Herodias' daughter came in and danced, she pleased Herod and his guests.
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And the king said to the girl, Ask me for whatever you wish, and I will give it to you.
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And he vowed to her, Whatever you ask me, I will give to you, up to half of my kingdom.
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And she went and said to her mother, For what should I ask?
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And she said, The head of John the Baptist.
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And she immediately came in with haste to the king and asked, saying,
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I want you to give me at once the head of John the Baptist on the platter.
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And the king was exceedingly sorry.
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But because of his oath and his guests, he did not want to break his word to her.
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And immediately the king sent an executioner with orders to bring John's head.
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And he went and beheaded him in the prison.
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And brought his head on a platter and gave it to the girl.
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And the girl gave it to her mother.
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And the disciples heard of it.
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They came and took his body and laid it in a tomb.
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How's that for a happy ending?
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For a good, light-hearted Sunday morning passage?
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I wish I could say there was more to this passage.
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But there really isn't.
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And Nathan told me to stop there.
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So I had to stop there.
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In reality, I kind of feel like I should be preaching a funeral right now.
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Rather than a Sunday morning sermon.
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This is really the biblical version of Braveheart.
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Instead of William Wallace, it's John the Baptizer.
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Instead of Longshanks, it's Herod Antipas.
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And instead of paving the way for Scotland's freedom,
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it's John the Baptizer paving the way for Christ,
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who would bring freedom from our sins.
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Most of us know a good deal about John the Baptist.
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He was essentially sent by God as a forerunner to Jesus.
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He was born miraculously against all odds to an aging couple named Zachariah and Elizabeth,
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who was the cousin of Mary, mother of Jesus.
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One of the interesting things about John the Baptizer
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is that he's included in many of the Messianic prophecies that we see in the Old Testament.
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He was the one who was coming to prepare the way.
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Someone who was coming and preaching in the wilderness.
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And indeed, that's what he did.
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He's described as a man who wore strange clothing.
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He wore skins, and he looked much like an Old Testament prophet.
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He ate locusts, amongst other strange things.
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And people thought he was a little bit different.
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People thought that there was something a little bit strange about John.
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In the words of Christian rock legend DC Talk,
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they have a verse in one of their most popular songs that many of you have probably heard.
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In their verse, it says,
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With skins on his back and hair on his face,
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they thought he was crazed by a locust T8.
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You see, the Pharisees tripped when they heard him speak
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until the king took the head of this Jesus freak.
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Wes, if we could do that.
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Where's Wes?
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If we can do that as a closing song today, that would be perfect.
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His primary ministry centered around the Jordan River,
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where he baptized followers and prophesied about the coming Messiah.
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He was in an important, integral role of what Jesus did.
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And as strange as he may have been to the people in that day,
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what possibly made him the most unique
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was that he had the privilege of baptizing the Son of God.
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No one else can hold claim to that,
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except for John the baptizer.
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And Jesus also spoke well of him, saying,
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Among those born of women,
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there is not risen anyone greater than John the baptizer.
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And this in and of itself should be enough for us
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to pay attention to this man's life.
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By the way, I made the distinction between Baptist and baptizer
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because there's some apparent confusion in some circles
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that John was the first Southern Baptist.
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If you study Baptist history,
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you see that Baptists don't come until well after the Reformation.
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I know people, including people who are related to me,
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that I won't mention their name
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because this is going on the internet at some point.
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But they believe that John the Baptist was the first Baptist.
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And he was the first baptizer.
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But in our context today,
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Baptist means many different things,
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including the title of the convention
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to which we as a faith family belong.
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But just to be clear,
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John's no more a forerunner to our denomination than Paul,
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or any of the apostles,
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or than Jesus himself.
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But he did play an important role
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in preparing the way for Jesus,
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the coming Messiah.
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And we, as a church,
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and as a denomination,
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still baptize in the way that he baptized,
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which is through immersion.
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We hold that to be very important here in this faith family.
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We see a stark contrast, however,
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in the other important man in this passage,
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named Herod.
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We should not confuse him with his father,
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who is Herod the Great,
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who was responsible for the deaths of thousands of firstborns
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around the time Jesus was born.
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See, his father was trying to quelch
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any type of prophecy that could have come true
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in his time.
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So he killed off many firstborns.
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This is Herod the Great's son,
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known as Herod Antipas.
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And when Herod the Great died,
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his kingdom was divided into four different parts.
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And Herod Antipas was ruler of the Galilee region.
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He therefore wasn't technically a king.
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He was a tetrarch,
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which literally means the ruler of a fourth part.
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But although he wasn't a king,
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he still made his followers call him king.
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This is the kind of person he was.
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And he was actually banished in 39 AD
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for asking or requesting of Rome
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that he be made a king.
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So this is the type of egocentrism
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that surrounds Herod's life.
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Jesus, in contrast to what he says about John,
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summed up the character of Herod Antipas
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by once calling him a fox
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in Luke 13, 32.
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So Herod decides to take on a wife
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named Herodias.
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It's important to note here
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that Herodias was Herod's
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half-brother's daughter.
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She was also,
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to complicate the family tree even further,
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she was also married
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to one of Herod's brothers,
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divorced Herod's brother,
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in order to become Herod's wife.
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So Herodias relates to him
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as niece,
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as sister-in-law,
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and as wife.
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In the Jewish culture,
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that didn't bode very well.
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It wasn't a good thing
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for that type of thing to happen.
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In fact, it was forbidden by the law.
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And so straight shooting John,
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preaching the gospel of righteousness
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and the gospel of repentance,
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tells them only what he finds
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in his own law,
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in his own truth text.
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And he tells them,
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in verse 18,
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it's not lawful for a man
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to marry his brother's wife.
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And that John,
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he was just so close-minded,
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wasn't he?
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Isn't that what people tell us
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when we hold to our truth text?
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I'm surprised that people are surprised
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that we want to hold
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to our truth document.
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And that was certainly
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the attitude of this royal couple
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who decided to get married
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against what John was teaching them
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and preaching to them.
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And this,
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for very personal reasons,
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Herodias nursed a grudge
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against John.
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She wanted to have him killed,
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but she couldn't
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because there was something
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about John
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and something interesting
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happened.
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When John was arrested
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and was in the depths
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of the dungeon,
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Herod began to form
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a relationship with John.
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It's interesting.
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I believe this text
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really indicates to us
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that Herod and John
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were actually fairly close.
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I don't know how much
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they interacted,
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but we see that they
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interacted some.
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We see that Herod
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favored John
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in some way.
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And so,
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in verse 20,
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it says,
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when he heard him,
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he was greatly perplexed,
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and yet he heard him gladly.
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And it's safe to say
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that John was a pretty direct person.
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He didn't beat around the bush.
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He told the gospel truth
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as it was.
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He was direct
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and to the point.
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It didn't matter who it was.
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It didn't matter who
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he was teaching to.
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It didn't matter how much
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it offended them.
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He was going to say it.
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And it says,
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he feared John.
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Why would a man
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like Herod Antipas,
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a man who esteems himself
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as king,
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though he isn't,
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and wants all his followers
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to call him king,
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he's an egocentric type of person,
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and why would he,
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Herod,
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be afraid of a man
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like John the Baptist?
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And I think that it has something
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to do with John's righteousness.
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In other words,
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when you're living
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in a state of unrighteousness
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and you encounter
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a righteous character,
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there's something
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intimidating about that.
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And Herod distinctively
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recognized John's
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moral excellence.
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And so Herod is perplexed
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because he's uncomfortable
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in his fear.
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Yet Herod somehow
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is drawn into
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John's character.
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And I think it's because
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something about
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righteous character
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does one of two things
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with those
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who practice unrighteousness.
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Either one,
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they hate them.
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They turn away from them
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in bitterness
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and hatred
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and rejection
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of that person.
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We see this in Herodias
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in this passage.
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Or,
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they have a sort of
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reverent respect
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for the person.
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This is what we see
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in Herod Antipas.
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Herod feared John
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because he recognized
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something in him.
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He recognized justice
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and righteousness
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and holiness.
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And he admired a man
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in whom he saw
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those things.
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He listened to John.
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He continued to listen
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to him preach gladly.
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But the ultimate problem
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with Herod
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was that while he feared John,
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he never quite looked
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to John's master.
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He never quite saw
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Christ in him.
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He never quite saw
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God
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in the person
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of John the Baptist.
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And John was a man
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who was preaching
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Christ as Messiah
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and a message
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of repentance.
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But there was no repentance
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in Herod's heart.
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He was under
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the dreadful sway
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of sin.
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And his heart
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was hardened
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by his own lust
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for power,
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for wealth,
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and for all things
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of this world.
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This is the same man
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who would later
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mock the Savior
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as he stood trial
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before him.
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I want you to see
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the contrast
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between these two men
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in this passage.
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One,
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revered by Jesus,
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preaching repentance.
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He was a little strange.
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Yes, indeed.
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He was very strange.
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But he was unashamed
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by the message
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that God called him
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to preach.
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His very character
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shouts righteousness.
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It proclaims truth.
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He looked different
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than the world
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because he understood
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that this world
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was not his home.
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He's the picture
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of what God desires
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is to be radically different
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than the culture.
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Not for his own sake,
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but to glorify God
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with his life.
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Was John perfect?
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There's no way.
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He was still human.
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But his mistakes
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are certainly
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not highlighted
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in Scripture.
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On the other hand,
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we have a man
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who is a picture
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of the prodigal.
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a man who
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lived his life
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lavishly,
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squandering away
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his life
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for the sake
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of no one
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but himself.
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He was a man
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who slew a preacher
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whom he respected.
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And ultimately,
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he lost his power
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only to go down
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in history,
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known mostly
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for his infamy
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and not for anything
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good.
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He was a picture
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of human depravity.
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And he's only part
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of the picture
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of human depravity
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in this text.
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Because there's
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a woman here
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and her name
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is Herodias.
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And if there was
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ever a black widow,
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she was it.
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She is the woman
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your mom
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warned you about.
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Okay?
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You would do well
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to stay away
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from this type
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of woman.
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She is conniving.
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She's cruel.
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She's the epitome
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of evil.
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And she harbored
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hatred for John.
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Not just a little
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kind of
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heartbreaking
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type of hatred.
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It was
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horrible hatred
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that leads
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and just ate her
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up on the inside.
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And she had been
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waiting for a moment
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that she could kill
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John the Baptist
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or see him killed.
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And so this is
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what's happening
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in this text.
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Herod's party
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is advancing
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on into the evening.
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And it wasn't
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uncommon for people
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to be drinking
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heavily during
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these types of parties.
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He's invited
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all the important
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people
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and all of Galilee
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are here.
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His military leaders
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are here.
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All kinds of people
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are in this group,
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this party that he's
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got going on,
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this feast.
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And the party's
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advancing on.
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They're probably
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getting a little bit
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inebriated.
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And the text says,
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For when Herodias'
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daughter came in
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and danced,
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she pleased
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Herod
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and his guests.
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This, by the way,
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was a type of
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entertainment
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that was set aside
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for harlots
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and prostitutes.
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It was unheard
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of for someone
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of Herodias'
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daughter's stature
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and place in life
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to do this type
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of dance.
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And I think it's
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safe to say
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this dance
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was sensual.
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There was something
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sinful about
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this dance.
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And so Herodias
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sends her
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young daughter
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in to dance
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in front of
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many men.
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We don't know
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how many are there,
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but many men
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who are possibly
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intoxicated
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to watch her
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do a sensual
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dance.
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So this whole
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thing,
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this whole
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scenario
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is conceived
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by sin.
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And this is
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exactly why
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Herod liked it.
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It was an
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unusual thing.
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It was unusual
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to see someone
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of nobility
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dancing in this
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way.
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And his guests
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were pleased
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as well.
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And Herod
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falls right
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into the trap.
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And he offers
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her anything
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in this kingdom,
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up to half
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of the kingdom.
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And so she
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goes away,
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the daughter
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goes away,
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leaving everybody
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else to guess
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what she might
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ask for.
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This is a
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generous offer,
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by the way.
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This is an
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offer that any
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of the people
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in that room
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would have
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loved to have
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received.
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And so they're
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all wondering
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what in the
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world is going
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to happen.
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What in the
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world is she
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going to ask
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for?
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She goes
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away,
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and in
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verse 24
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she asks
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her mother,
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for what
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should I
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ask?
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And she
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said,
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the head
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of John
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the Baptist.
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And she
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came in
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immediately
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with haste,
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immediately
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with haste,
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to the king
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and asked
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saying,
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I want you
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to give
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me at
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once the
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head of
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John the
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Baptist.
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And in her
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own little
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evil conniving
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way,
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on a
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platter.
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mother,
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like
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daughter.
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We find
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suddenly that
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Herod is
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sober.
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He didn't
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want this to
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happen.
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He didn't
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want this to
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be her
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request.
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And he
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is truly
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distressed
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here in
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this passage.
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I believe
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the text
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indicates that.
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In verse 26
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he says that
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the king
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was exceedingly
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sorry.
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The language
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here indicates
18:53
a very deep
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sorrow.
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This word
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perilupos
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in the
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Greek
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means
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surrounded
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by sorrow.
19:02
And it's
19:02
only used
19:03
a handful
19:03
of times
19:04
in the
19:04
New Testament.
19:04
One being
19:05
when Jesus
19:05
was in the
19:06
Garden of
19:06
Gethsemane
19:07
about to
19:07
face an
19:09
arrest that
19:09
would ultimately
19:10
lead to
19:10
his death.
19:12
A time
19:12
when Jesus
19:13
would sweat
19:14
droplets of
19:15
blood.
19:15
He was
19:16
under such
19:16
distress.
19:18
Same word
19:18
used there
19:19
in the
19:19
Garden of
19:20
Gethsemane
19:20
as it is
19:22
here in
19:22
our text
19:23
this morning.
19:25
And so
19:25
I have no
19:25
doubt that
19:26
Herod was
19:27
indeed
19:27
sorrowful.
19:30
But what
19:30
was he going
19:31
to do?
19:31
What would
19:31
his friends
19:32
think if
19:33
they were
19:33
to go
19:33
back to
19:34
their areas
19:34
of nobility
19:35
and tell
19:37
everyone in
19:37
all the land
19:38
that Herod
19:38
is a man
19:39
that goes
19:39
back on
19:39
his promises?
19:42
And so
19:42
Herod began
19:43
to fall
19:43
into the
19:44
temptation
19:45
of being
19:45
afraid
19:46
of man.
19:48
The problem
19:48
was really
19:49
that Herod
19:49
had no
19:49
backbone.
19:50
He was
19:50
the ruler
19:50
of that
19:51
land.
19:51
He may
19:51
not have
19:52
been a
19:52
king,
19:52
but he
19:52
was the
19:53
ruler
19:53
of that
19:54
land.
19:54
And anything
19:55
that he
19:55
said
19:55
goes,
19:56
and he
19:56
could have
19:56
told her
19:56
anything
19:57
that he
19:58
wanted to,
19:59
including what
19:59
probably all
20:00
of us in here
20:00
are thinking,
20:01
and what maybe
20:02
most of us
20:03
would have
20:03
told her,
20:04
being people
20:05
of God's
20:05
word and
20:06
people who
20:07
are redeemed,
20:08
that girl,
20:09
that is
20:09
sick.
20:09
you shouldn't
20:12
be asking
20:12
for stuff
20:13
like that.
20:14
Young
20:14
girls are
20:15
supposed to
20:15
like dresses
20:16
and closets
20:18
full of
20:18
shoes or
20:19
wardrobes
20:20
full of
20:20
clothes or
20:22
jewelry.
20:25
She
20:25
asked for
20:26
the head
20:27
of John
20:27
the Baptist,
20:29
but Herod
20:30
buckles under
20:31
the pressure
20:31
and he
20:32
gives the
20:33
order to
20:34
do the
20:35
unthinkable.
20:35
And I
20:37
want you to
20:37
see something
20:38
here that
20:38
is pathetic
20:39
and astounding
20:41
at the same
20:42
time.
20:44
Because Herod's
20:44
conscience has
20:45
kind of
20:46
become to
20:48
be awakened
20:49
in a sense
20:50
through the
20:51
person of
20:51
John the
20:52
Baptist.
20:52
He had
20:52
had his
20:53
eyes open
20:54
or begun
20:55
to have
20:55
his eyes
20:56
open to
20:56
righteousness
20:57
or at
20:57
least begun
20:58
to respect
20:58
righteous
20:59
character.
21:00
He may
21:00
have even
21:00
begun to
21:01
consider some
21:02
of his own
21:03
depravity.
21:04
There was
21:05
a little
21:06
life and
21:06
then it
21:07
was all
21:07
crushed
21:08
because he
21:11
was afraid
21:11
of what
21:11
people might
21:12
think about
21:13
him.
21:15
You know
21:15
there are a
21:15
lot of
21:16
people today
21:17
that do
21:17
just the
21:18
same thing.
21:19
How many
21:19
people do
21:19
you know
21:20
that have
21:20
had their
21:20
eyes open
21:21
to eternal
21:21
things?
21:22
Maybe through
21:22
something that
21:23
you shared
21:23
with them?
21:24
Maybe through
21:24
something that
21:24
another believer
21:25
shared with
21:25
them?
21:26
Or maybe
21:26
they came
21:26
across a
21:27
Bible passage
21:27
and they
21:28
began to
21:28
understand
21:29
something about
21:29
their condition
21:30
of their
21:31
heart.
21:31
They began
21:32
to understand
21:32
something about
21:33
the sin
21:34
and the
21:34
debt that
21:34
they owe
21:35
to God
21:35
because of
21:35
this sin.
21:37
They become
21:38
aware that
21:39
they have a
21:39
deep-seated
21:40
problem with
21:40
sin and
21:41
maybe they
21:41
learned
21:41
something about
21:42
the atonement.
21:44
They began
21:45
to think about
21:45
it and then
21:46
it became
21:47
known to
21:47
their friends
21:47
that they
21:48
were thinking
21:48
on these
21:49
topics and
21:50
on these
21:50
issues.
21:52
And then
21:52
there was a
21:53
little smirk.
21:55
Or maybe
21:55
there was a
21:55
little sneer.
21:57
Or,
21:57
you a
21:58
Christian?
22:00
No way.
22:01
I
22:04
want to
22:04
have all
22:04
hope
22:05
crushed
22:06
from
22:07
beginning
22:08
to think
22:08
about it
22:08
and then
22:09
for them
22:09
to turn
22:10
away,
22:10
to never
22:10
return
22:11
again
22:11
to that
22:12
thought
22:13
process
22:13
simply
22:14
because
22:15
they're
22:15
concerned
22:16
about what
22:16
other
22:17
people think
22:18
about them.
22:19
If you
22:19
don't know
22:20
anybody like
22:20
this,
22:21
then you
22:21
can just
22:22
think about
22:22
our
22:22
politicians
22:23
today.
22:24
Over the
22:24
past 20
22:25
to 30
22:25
years.
22:25
This is
22:26
as if
22:26
they can't
22:26
make a
22:27
decision on
22:28
their own
22:28
without
22:29
taking a
22:30
poll or
22:30
without asking
22:31
or trying
22:31
to figure
22:31
out if
22:32
somebody's
22:32
going to
22:33
be offended
22:33
by their
22:34
stance.
22:35
And so
22:35
you see
22:35
politicians
22:36
who are
22:36
going against
22:37
their
22:37
biblical
22:38
faith.
22:40
Because
22:40
they don't
22:40
want to
22:41
take a
22:41
stance for
22:41
a biblical
22:42
marriage.
22:43
Or they
22:43
don't want
22:43
to take a
22:44
stance that
22:44
might lead
22:45
their polls
22:46
to drop.
22:49
If people
22:50
or will
22:51
the people
22:51
elect me if
22:52
I take a
22:52
stance on
22:52
this issue?
22:53
Will my
22:53
party agree
22:54
with me if
22:55
I don't
22:56
agree with
22:57
everything that
22:58
they hold
22:59
to you?
23:00
And this
23:00
tragic mentality
23:01
has worked
23:02
its way into
23:03
the Christian
23:03
life as
23:04
well where
23:05
born again
23:05
believers don't
23:06
truly live for
23:07
God.
23:08
They live for
23:08
fear of what
23:09
man might
23:10
say to
23:11
them.
23:13
And little
23:13
by little
23:14
they begin to
23:14
look more
23:15
and more
23:15
like the
23:16
world and
23:17
less and
23:18
less like
23:19
the redeemed.
23:21
They begin to
23:22
look more like
23:23
Herod and less
23:23
like John the
23:24
Baptizer.
23:25
And this
23:26
is what
23:26
happens when
23:26
we fear
23:27
people over
23:29
our great
23:30
sovereign
23:30
creator God.
23:32
And in my
23:33
counseling experience
23:34
one of the
23:34
greatest struggles
23:35
I see people
23:35
facing is this
23:36
very issue
23:37
that we're
23:37
talking about
23:38
here.
23:39
Where we
23:39
think too
23:40
much of
23:40
man and
23:42
too little
23:42
of God.
23:45
God being
23:46
the greatest
23:46
being in the
23:47
universe and
23:47
everything,
23:48
literally
23:48
everything in
23:49
the universe
23:50
having been
23:51
created for
23:53
His glory,
23:54
to glorify
23:55
Him.
23:56
We know
23:57
this from
23:57
Colossians 1
23:58
16,
23:58
all things
23:58
have been
23:58
created through
23:59
Him and
24:00
for Him.
24:02
He deserves
24:03
the affections
24:04
of our hearts,
24:05
but in our
24:06
minds,
24:06
in our hearts,
24:07
we often get it
24:08
backwards and we
24:08
tip the scales
24:09
the wrong way.
24:10
And God
24:10
becomes less than
24:11
man and we
24:12
fear man over
24:13
God.
24:15
Instead of God
24:16
being the center
24:17
of our affection,
24:18
the desire of
24:19
our hearts,
24:19
instead of us
24:21
being focused
24:21
on what other
24:22
people think
24:25
about us.
24:26
And well-meaning
24:27
believers,
24:27
whether they
24:28
realize it or
24:29
not,
24:29
are concerning
24:30
themselves more
24:31
with what people
24:32
think about them
24:34
than what God
24:35
thinks about them.
24:37
And this
24:37
mentality, by the
24:38
way, is
24:38
everywhere in our
24:39
society.
24:39
You see it in
24:40
our public
24:41
school systems
24:41
where principals
24:42
and teachers
24:42
will say things
24:44
like, you
24:45
know, we just
24:45
really like to
24:46
focus on high
24:48
positive self-esteem.
24:49
this might come
24:51
as a surprise
24:52
to some of us
24:53
in here, but
24:53
self-esteem is
24:55
an unbiblical
24:56
concept.
24:58
Scripture teaches
24:59
us to humble
25:00
ourselves before
25:00
the Lord, not
25:01
to esteem
25:01
ourselves.
25:03
In 1 Peter 5,
25:04
6 and James
25:05
4, 10, I
25:05
could give you
25:06
some more
25:06
references, but
25:07
I think two
25:07
should suffice
25:08
for this morning.
25:10
There's more
25:10
places that talk
25:11
about humbling
25:12
ourselves in
25:13
Scripture.
25:14
Scripture teaches
25:14
us that there's
25:15
nothing good about
25:16
us apart from
25:17
Christ.
25:19
What Scripture
25:20
does teach is
25:21
that our hearts
25:22
are wicked.
25:25
Our righteous
25:25
acts are as
25:26
filthy rags
25:27
before a holy
25:28
God.
25:29
According to
25:30
Isaiah 64,
25:31
Romans 3, 12
25:32
says, no one
25:33
does good, not
25:34
even one.
25:37
There's
25:38
absolutely
25:38
nothing
25:39
esteemable
25:40
about us
25:41
because of
25:42
our sin
25:43
condition.
25:45
So Kyle, are you
25:46
saying that we
25:47
should all walk
25:47
around with low
25:48
self-esteem?
25:48
Absolutely not.
25:51
On the contrary, I'm
25:52
saying that we
25:52
shouldn't esteem
25:53
ourselves at all.
25:56
This low self-esteem
25:57
is still focused on
25:58
the self and still
25:59
glorifying man
26:00
in the self.
26:03
And when you get
26:04
this concept, it'll
26:04
blow your mind
26:06
because what happens
26:07
is when we put
26:07
God as preeminent
26:09
in our lives
26:10
and in our hearts,
26:11
when we concern
26:12
ourselves about
26:12
Him and His
26:13
thoughts and His
26:14
desires, how we
26:15
esteem ourselves
26:16
becomes a non-issue.
26:17
It doesn't matter
26:19
if we have low
26:19
self-esteem or
26:20
high self-esteem,
26:21
we esteem Christ
26:23
and Christ alone.
26:26
So self-esteem,
26:27
no matter high or
26:28
low, it no longer
26:29
matters.
26:29
Whether other
26:30
people think about
26:31
you, it no longer
26:32
matters.
26:33
Whether you were
26:33
invited to the party
26:34
or not, it no
26:35
longer matters.
26:37
Whether people
26:38
make jeering
26:40
statements or
26:41
hiss or make
26:42
smart remarks about
26:43
your faith, it no
26:45
longer matters.
26:46
matters.
26:46
Because the only
26:47
thing that matters
26:48
is that Jesus
26:49
paid it all on
26:50
the cross for
26:51
your sins.
26:53
So that we may
26:53
be righteous in
26:55
Him.
26:56
Not of anything
26:56
that we can boast
26:57
about in and of
26:58
ourselves.
27:00
But if we are to
27:00
boast, it's to boast
27:01
in the sacrifice
27:02
that He paid.
27:03
That we are
27:04
righteous only
27:05
because of Him.
27:08
And that our
27:09
lives may shout
27:10
His glory and
27:11
His praise.
27:12
Proverbs puts it
27:13
best.
27:13
The fear of
27:14
man lays a
27:16
snare.
27:17
It entraps us.
27:19
But whoever
27:19
trusts the
27:21
Lord is safe.
27:23
Proverbs 29, 25.
27:26
And that is
27:26
just it.
27:27
If we fear
27:28
man, we live
27:29
in the self-entrapment
27:31
and the self-deception
27:33
of conceitedly
27:34
thinking that we
27:35
are somehow
27:35
important.
27:37
And we're not.
27:40
But Christ in us
27:41
is important.
27:42
And when we
27:43
place our trust
27:44
in Him and
27:45
His goodness
27:45
and we lean
27:46
on His
27:47
righteousness,
27:48
our identity
27:49
is no longer
27:50
wrapped up in
27:51
this world.
27:51
Our identity
27:52
is now wrapped
27:53
up in Christ.
27:55
And we
27:56
experience freedom
27:57
from this world.
27:59
It's a freedom,
28:00
by the way,
28:01
that Herod Antipas
28:02
would never know.
28:05
I don't know if
28:06
Herod slept well
28:07
that night.
28:07
I don't know if
28:08
he could have
28:08
slept well that
28:09
night.
28:09
Maybe he did,
28:11
maybe he didn't.
28:13
I wouldn't have
28:13
been able to
28:14
sleep well that
28:14
night if I had
28:15
done what he
28:15
did.
28:17
I don't know if
28:18
John ever crossed
28:18
his mind after
28:19
this time.
28:21
I think probably
28:22
he did.
28:23
I think probably
28:24
John's memory
28:25
slowly faded
28:27
from Herod.
28:30
And he probably
28:30
eventually thought,
28:31
well, what was
28:32
the big deal
28:32
about John
28:33
anyways and all
28:34
of his preaching
28:34
and all of his
28:35
righteousness?
28:35
Meanwhile,
28:39
word of Jesus
28:39
is being spread
28:40
all over Galilee.
28:41
Great miracles
28:41
have taken place.
28:43
Things are being
28:43
moved and shaken
28:45
up a bit in the
28:46
land.
28:47
He's commissioned
28:47
his apostles on
28:48
a missionary
28:49
journey.
28:50
And people are
28:50
being healed.
28:52
And word of Jesus
28:52
is beginning to
28:53
creep inside the
28:54
palace walls.
28:57
This is where we
28:58
get to in verse
28:58
14 through 16,
28:59
which introduce
29:00
our passage.
29:02
And it tells us
29:02
what happens.
29:03
In verse 14,
29:04
Herod,
29:04
heard of it
29:06
for Jesus'
29:07
name,
29:08
had become
29:08
known.
29:09
Some said,
29:10
John the Baptist
29:10
has been raised
29:11
from the dead.
29:12
And that's why
29:12
these miraculous
29:13
powers are at
29:15
work in him.
29:16
But others said,
29:17
he is Elijah.
29:17
And others said,
29:18
he is a prophet
29:18
like one of the
29:19
prophets of old.
29:21
But when Herod
29:21
heard of it,
29:22
he said,
29:22
John,
29:24
whom I beheaded,
29:25
has been
29:26
raised.
29:28
This language
29:29
is so graphic
29:30
here that this
29:31
I and this
29:32
passage should
29:33
stand out to
29:34
us.
29:35
John,
29:36
the man I
29:37
beheaded,
29:38
I did this.
29:39
It's on me.
29:41
And suddenly
29:42
he remembers
29:42
his evil deed
29:43
as though
29:43
he had buried
29:46
it away
29:46
and it had
29:47
risen back
29:47
up into
29:48
his mind
29:48
when he
29:49
hears about
29:50
Jesus.
29:51
Even though
29:52
this was not
29:53
the man,
29:53
Jesus was not
29:54
the man that
29:54
he beheaded.
29:55
His conscience
29:56
is bringing it
29:57
back to light
29:57
in his mind.
29:59
And you may
29:59
have experienced
30:00
something similar
30:00
to this,
30:01
where maybe
30:01
possibly you
30:02
did something
30:03
atrocious,
30:04
committed an
30:05
atrocious act
30:05
or a sin,
30:06
possibly even
30:07
before you
30:08
became a believer
30:09
in Jesus Christ
30:10
and something
30:12
happens in your
30:12
life.
30:13
You thought that
30:13
you had buried
30:14
it away,
30:14
you had buried
30:15
it deep
30:15
in the depths
30:16
of your heart
30:17
and you thought
30:17
that it was
30:18
over and you
30:18
didn't have to
30:19
think about that
30:19
anymore,
30:20
but then suddenly
30:20
something happens
30:22
in your life,
30:22
an event takes
30:23
place,
30:23
maybe you heard
30:24
a sermon,
30:24
maybe you had
30:25
a friend in
30:25
your life that
30:26
had something
30:26
similar happen
30:27
to them,
30:27
and something
30:28
all of a sudden
30:28
begins to come
30:29
up and you
30:30
remember this
30:31
deed that you
30:33
did in the
30:33
past.
30:35
And these
30:35
things happen
30:36
to us because
30:36
God gives us,
30:37
he has built
30:38
into us a
30:39
conscience to
30:40
know whether
30:41
we've done
30:41
right or wrong.
30:43
And when these
30:43
things happen,
30:44
it's God's way
30:45
of leading us
30:46
to repentance.
30:48
And so if you
30:48
have dealt
30:50
with sin,
30:51
then you're
30:51
going to have
30:51
these feelings
30:53
rise up from
30:54
time to time
30:54
until we deal
30:55
with these things.
30:56
And this is
30:56
what's going on
30:57
in Herod's
30:57
heart right
30:57
now.
30:59
He's feeling
31:00
a bit guilty
31:01
because of
31:02
what he's
31:03
done in
31:03
the past.
31:07
He hears
31:07
of the miracles
31:08
and the
31:09
righteousness of
31:10
Jesus and
31:10
falsely assumes
31:11
that it must
31:11
be John the
31:12
baptizer raised
31:13
from the dead.
31:15
And it
31:15
shouldn't come
31:15
to surprise
31:16
us that
31:16
Herod believes
31:17
that people
31:17
could be
31:18
raised from
31:18
the dead
31:18
because he
31:19
was not a
31:19
regenerate
31:21
believer.
31:22
He was
31:22
certainly not
31:23
repentant.
31:25
He likely
31:25
had little
31:26
contact with
31:26
his righteousness
31:27
people and
31:27
he had no
31:28
idea how to
31:28
deal with
31:29
this thing
31:29
that was
31:29
going on
31:30
in his
31:30
heart.
31:31
This
31:31
conviction
31:32
that was
31:32
going on
31:32
in his
31:33
heart.
31:33
And it
31:33
was tearing
31:34
him up
31:35
on the
31:35
inside.
31:37
And the
31:37
reality is
31:38
that Herod
31:38
needed a
31:39
new heart.
31:41
That only
31:42
comes through
31:43
the gospel
31:43
of Christ
31:44
and the
31:44
regenerate
31:45
heart of
31:45
a believer.
31:47
Therefore,
31:47
if anyone
31:48
is in
31:49
Christ,
31:50
he is a
31:50
new creation.
31:51
The old
31:52
has passed
31:52
and the
31:53
new has
31:53
come.
31:55
And so
31:55
we understand
31:56
his regeneration
31:56
and it
31:57
helps us to
31:58
understand our
31:58
sin for what
31:59
it really
32:00
is and it
32:01
helps us to
32:01
turn away
32:02
from that
32:02
sin and
32:04
to run
32:04
toward
32:04
righteousness.
32:06
But for
32:06
Herod,
32:07
it was not
32:07
so.
32:07
He had
32:08
little
32:08
understanding
32:09
of what
32:10
his depravity
32:11
meant.
32:13
And this
32:13
is demonstrated
32:14
no greater
32:15
than in the
32:15
last New
32:16
Testament
32:16
recording of
32:17
Herod Antipas
32:18
in Luke
32:19
23.
32:21
Starting in
32:21
verse 8,
32:22
it says,
32:22
when Herod
32:23
saw Jesus,
32:24
he was very
32:25
glad.
32:25
By the way,
32:26
this is when
32:27
Jesus is going
32:29
before Herod
32:29
in trial.
32:31
He's already
32:31
gone to see
32:32
Pontius Pilate,
32:32
Pontius Pilate,
32:33
sends him
32:33
back to
32:34
Herod,
32:34
finds out
32:34
Herod's in
32:35
this region.
32:36
So he
32:37
goes and
32:37
finds out
32:38
that he's
32:39
from Galilee
32:39
and sends
32:40
him on
32:40
to Herod.
32:41
So Herod's
32:41
glad of
32:42
this happening
32:42
for he had
32:43
long desired
32:44
to see
32:45
him.
32:45
Of course
32:45
he did.
32:46
He thinks
32:47
this might
32:47
be the
32:48
man he
32:48
murdered,
32:50
the man
32:50
he beheaded.
32:52
He thought
32:52
this man,
32:53
he'd heard
32:53
of his
32:54
miracles
32:55
and his
32:55
signs
32:56
and his
32:56
wonders
32:56
and of
32:56
course
32:57
he thought
32:57
that he
32:58
wanted to
32:58
see him
32:59
because he
33:01
had heard
33:01
about him
33:02
and he
33:02
was hoping
33:02
to see
33:03
some sign
33:04
done by
33:05
him.
33:06
Herod was
33:06
looking for
33:06
some sort
33:07
of spiritual
33:07
pleasure
33:08
in this
33:09
meeting with
33:09
Jesus,
33:10
maybe something
33:11
of a magic
33:11
show,
33:12
so to speak.
33:13
That's probably
33:13
how he was
33:14
viewing it at
33:15
least.
33:15
Verse 9,
33:16
so he
33:16
questioned
33:16
him at
33:17
some length
33:18
but he,
33:19
Jesus,
33:20
made no
33:21
answer.
33:23
The chief
33:24
priest and
33:24
the scribe
33:25
stood by
33:25
vehemently
33:26
accusing him
33:26
and Herod
33:28
with his
33:28
soldiers
33:29
treated him
33:29
with contempt
33:30
and mocked
33:31
him.
33:31
Then arraying
33:32
him with
33:33
splendid clothing,
33:34
he sent
33:35
him back
33:35
to Pilate.
33:37
You see,
33:37
Herod was
33:38
looking for
33:38
some sort
33:38
of spiritual
33:39
entertainment.
33:40
He was
33:41
hoping to
33:41
see some
33:41
sort of
33:42
sign in
33:42
Jesus,
33:43
but there
33:43
is no
33:44
repentance
33:45
here.
33:46
In fact,
33:47
Herod remained
33:47
in front of
33:48
the Son
33:48
of God
33:48
perfectly
33:50
dead
33:51
in his
33:52
heart.
33:54
Here,
33:55
Herod stands
33:55
before God
33:56
himself,
33:57
righteousness
33:58
incarnate,
34:00
absolute
34:01
perfection,
34:02
and there
34:02
is nothing,
34:04
there is
34:06
nothing going
34:07
on in his
34:08
heart that
34:08
day.
34:09
And what
34:11
might be
34:11
even more
34:11
terrifying,
34:12
even more
34:13
bone-chilling,
34:14
is that
34:15
Christ sees
34:16
nothing in
34:17
him.
34:18
He won't
34:19
even reply
34:20
to him.
34:21
The Son
34:22
of God
34:22
standing
34:23
before Herod
34:24
has nothing
34:25
to say to
34:25
him.
34:26
He is
34:26
spiritually
34:27
dead before
34:28
the Son
34:28
of God,
34:28
and it
34:29
is a
34:29
tragic
34:30
day.
34:32
God
34:32
tells us
34:33
in Ezekiel
34:33
33,
34:34
as surely
34:34
as I
34:34
live,
34:35
declares
34:35
the Sovereign
34:36
Lord,
34:36
I take
34:37
no pleasure
34:37
in the
34:38
death of
34:38
the wicked,
34:39
but rather
34:39
that they
34:40
turn from
34:41
their ways
34:41
and live.
34:43
There is
34:43
no rejoicing
34:45
going on in
34:45
heaven in
34:46
that moment.
34:48
You see,
34:48
it's possible
34:49
for someone
34:50
to stand
34:50
before the
34:52
Son of
34:52
God,
34:54
and for
34:54
nothing to
34:55
happen in
34:55
their hearts.
35:00
And I
35:00
think the
35:00
primary message
35:01
in our text
35:02
today is
35:02
twofold.
35:03
Kind of
35:04
two primary
35:04
messages going
35:05
on here.
35:06
First is
35:06
for non-believers,
35:08
and we
35:08
know that
35:09
you're here.
35:10
We know
35:10
that you're
35:10
among us.
35:11
In a room
35:12
this size,
35:12
there are
35:13
non-believers
35:13
here.
35:16
If Jesus
35:16
has been
35:17
moving in
35:17
your heart,
35:17
whether a
35:18
friend has
35:18
shared something
35:19
with you
35:19
recently,
35:20
whether you've
35:20
heard something
35:20
through a
35:21
sermon
35:21
recently,
35:22
or maybe
35:22
you've
35:22
been flipping
35:23
through
35:23
Scripture
35:23
at some
35:24
point
35:24
recently,
35:26
but maybe
35:26
you've
35:26
come to
35:27
see that
35:27
there's
35:27
a sin
35:27
problem
35:28
in your
35:28
life.
35:29
There's
35:30
a gap
35:30
between
35:31
you and
35:31
God.
35:33
And you've
35:33
come to
35:33
see that
35:33
Christ is
35:34
the answer
35:34
to that
35:34
sin
35:35
problem,
35:35
as the
35:35
perfect
35:36
Son of
35:36
God,
35:36
a sinless
35:37
human
35:37
sacrifice,
35:39
the only
35:39
sacrifice,
35:40
by the way,
35:41
that can
35:41
atone for
35:42
your sins.
35:44
The
35:44
application for
35:45
you this
35:45
morning is
35:46
to repent,
35:47
to turn
35:47
away from
35:48
your sin,
35:49
and to run
35:50
towards
35:51
righteousness.
35:52
He's already
35:53
completed the
35:54
work.
35:55
Christ has
35:55
already done
35:56
it.
35:56
He's
35:57
completed it.
35:57
It is
35:57
finished.
35:58
All you
35:59
have to do
35:59
is to repent
36:00
and to turn
36:01
away from
36:01
your sin
36:01
and believe.
36:02
There's a
36:04
stark message
36:05
for believers
36:06
this morning
36:06
as well.
36:09
I feel
36:09
like I
36:09
need to
36:10
remind you
36:10
in a sense
36:11
this morning
36:12
that you're
36:13
recipients
36:14
of the
36:15
greatest
36:15
blessing
36:17
known to
36:18
man.
36:19
You're
36:19
recipients
36:20
of this
36:20
blessing.
36:21
And God
36:22
didn't intend
36:22
for that
36:23
to be kept
36:23
secret.
36:25
Go
36:25
proclaim
36:26
Him to
36:26
the nations.
36:29
Go
36:29
live as
36:30
the redeemed
36:31
should live
36:32
which means
36:33
that we
36:33
go out
36:33
and we
36:34
proclaim
36:34
this
36:34
message.
36:35
We go
36:36
out
36:36
from
36:36
these
36:37
walls
36:37
and we
36:37
proclaim
36:38
Him
36:38
to
36:38
the
36:38
nations.
36:39
Do you
36:39
think
36:40
that John
36:40
the
36:40
baptizer
36:41
would have
36:41
made an
36:42
impact
36:42
if he
36:42
was afraid
36:43
of what
36:43
other
36:43
people
36:43
thought
36:44
about
36:44
him?
36:44
No,
36:45
he
36:45
wouldn't
36:45
have.
36:46
He
36:47
boldly
36:47
taught
36:47
truth.
36:48
He
36:48
boldly
36:49
preached
36:49
the
36:49
gospel.
36:50
He
36:50
wasn't
36:51
afraid
36:51
of who
36:52
it
36:52
was
36:52
or
36:52
how
36:53
he
36:53
might
36:53
offend
36:53
them.
36:57
Are
36:57
we
36:57
going to
36:58
be ridiculed
36:58
for our
36:59
faith?
36:59
Yes,
37:00
we will.
37:01
If we're
37:01
doing what
37:01
we're called
37:02
to do,
37:03
we're going
37:04
to be
37:04
ridiculed.
37:05
Are you
37:05
going to
37:06
be rejected?
37:06
Yes,
37:07
you're going
37:07
to be
37:07
rejected.
37:07
Are people
37:08
going to
37:08
hate you
37:09
because of
37:09
the message
37:10
that you
37:10
teach?
37:11
Yes,
37:11
people
37:12
will hate
37:12
you.
37:13
Jesus
37:13
said in
37:13
no uncertain
37:14
terms,
37:15
you'll be
37:15
hated by
37:16
all for
37:16
my name's
37:17
sake,
37:18
but the
37:18
one who
37:19
endures to
37:20
the end
37:20
will be
37:21
saved.
37:23
We should
37:24
not be
37:25
surprised
37:25
when there
37:26
are haters
37:26
and mockers.
37:28
What should
37:29
surprise us
37:29
is if we're
37:30
not experiencing
37:31
any sort
37:31
of persecution
37:32
or any sort
37:33
of resistance
37:33
at all
37:34
because it
37:34
probably means
37:35
we're not
37:35
doing a lot
37:36
for the
37:36
kingdom.
37:39
And so
37:40
we press
37:41
on through
37:41
the hate
37:42
and through
37:43
the persecution
37:43
because there
37:44
are some
37:45
who will
37:45
believe.
37:47
And so
37:47
it's time
37:47
for us
37:48
as we
37:48
walk away
37:49
from this
37:50
building
37:50
this morning,
37:52
it's time
37:52
for us to
37:53
go be
37:53
the church,
37:54
to be
37:55
great
37:55
commission
37:56
believers,
37:56
and to
37:58
go make
37:58
disciples
37:58
of all
37:59
nations,
37:59
baptizing
38:00
them in
38:00
the name
38:00
of the
38:01
Father,
38:01
the Son,
38:02
and the
38:02
Holy Spirit.
38:04
You see,
38:04
there's a
38:04
reason why
38:05
we call it
38:05
the great
38:05
commission
38:06
and not
38:07
the great
38:07
suggestion.
38:09
It's not
38:10
a suggestion
38:10
for us.
38:12
It is a
38:12
commission.
38:13
Christ has
38:13
commissioned us
38:14
all as
38:14
believers to
38:15
go and
38:16
preach the
38:16
gospel and
38:17
to make
38:17
disciples.
38:19
Let's go
38:19
be the
38:20
church.
38:20
You see,
38:20
we have to
38:22
make a
38:23
decision this
38:23
morning whether
38:25
we're going to
38:25
be individuals
38:26
and whether
38:26
we're going
38:27
to be a
38:27
church who
38:27
either sits
38:28
on the
38:28
sidelines or
38:30
whether we're
38:30
going to be
38:30
part of God's
38:31
redemptive history
38:32
and to go out
38:33
and proclaim
38:34
him to the
38:35
world.
38:35
So my hope is
38:36
that as you
38:36
walk out of this
38:38
building this
38:38
morning,
38:40
that you have
38:40
someone on your
38:41
heart,
38:42
at least one,
38:43
maybe many,
38:45
but at least one
38:45
person on your
38:46
heart that you
38:47
want to begin to
38:48
pray for and to
38:49
begin to boldly
38:50
teach the gospel.
38:51
And my prayer for
38:51
you is that as
38:53
the Spirit leads
38:54
you,
38:54
that you will
38:55
go and preach
38:56
gospel truth boldly
38:58
into their lives
38:58
this week and
39:00
next week and for
39:01
the rest of your
39:02
life as you go
39:03
out and live out
39:04
the gospel.
39:06
That's what John
39:07
did.
39:09
John has an
39:10
excellent example
39:11
of someone who
39:12
preaches boldly
39:13
in our lives.
39:15
Let's go and
39:16
preach gospel truth
39:18
boldly into North
39:20
Georgia and to the
39:21
ends of the earth.
39:22
Let's pray
39:23
together.