Sermon Series: Getting to Know Jesus 

Equipping Against Sin 

Mark 6:14-29 

PSBC-April 7, 2002 AM

In a nutshell: Sin is so dangerous, and anyone can get caught up in it. We equip ourselves against sin through our thought life and practicing spiritual disciplines.

I. Introduction

A. "The Tell Tale Heart"

From your high school literature class, you might remember Edgar Allen Poe's haunting story called, "The Tell-tale Heart". If you forgot, listen to a few paragraphs, again…

No doubt I now grew very pale; --but I talked more fluently, and with a heightened voice. Yet the sound increased --and what could I do? It was a low, dull, quick sound --much like the sound a watch makes when enveloped in cotton. I gasped for breath --and yet the officers heard it not. I talked more quickly --more vehemently; but the noise steadily increased. I arose and argued about trifles, in a high key and with violent gesticulations; but the noise steadily increased. Why would they not be gone? I paced the floor to and fro with heavy strides, as if excited to fury by the observations of the men --but the noise steadily increased. Oh God! what could I do? I foamed --I raved --I swore! I swung the chair upon which I had been sitting, and grated it upon the boards, but the noise arose over all and continually increased. It grew louder --louder --louder! And still the men chatted pleasantly, and smiled. Was it possible they heard not? Almighty God! --no, no! They heard! --they suspected! --they knew! --they were making a mockery of my horror!-this I thought, and this I think. But anything is better than this agony! Anything is more tolerable than this derision! I could bear those hypocritical smiles no longer! I felt that I must scream or die! and now --again! --hark! louder! louder! louder! louder! "Villains!" I shrieked, " I admit the deed! --tear up the planks! here, here! --It is the beating of his hideous heart!"

B. Transition to Herod

Nothing haunts a person, like guilt. And guilt is what's haunting the major character in our study this morning-a fellow by the name of King Herod. In fact, Herod's guilty feelings are one of the main reasons we have the passage we're studying this morning in our Bibles. Please turn to Mark 6, where we'll be looking at verses 14 to 29, today.

C. Review

Actually, we're going to going to get a running start into this section on Herod, by reading two of the verses we covered the last time we studied chapter 6. Jesus is sending out his 12 disciples on a preaching tour of northern Palestine. Mark 6:12-13 12 They went out and preached that people should repent. 13 They drove out many demons and anointed many sick people with oil and healed them.

Now, what Jesus was doing, and what His disciples did, created quite a stir in the northern towns of Palestine. In fact, so many people were being affected, and so many people had questions, and so many people were showing interest in this new Rabbi, Jesus, that news of his activities were coming to the attention of the ruler of the area, King Herod.

Mark 6:14-16 14 King Herod heard about this, for Jesus' name had become well known. Some were saying," John the Baptist has been raised from the dead, and that is why miraculous powers are at work in him." 15 Others said, "He is Elijah." And still others claimed, "He is a prophet, like one of the prophets of long ago." 16 But when Herod heard this, he said, "John, the man I beheaded, has been raised from the dead!"

D. Background of the Herods

Now, the New Testament speaks of several Herods. And it doesn't take a lot of historical research to discover that this was one of the most dysfunctional and evil families in this entire era of Israel's history.

Herod the Great, was king when Jesus was born. He was responsible for the massacre of the children in Bethlehem as he sought to kill the Child whom the wisemen were seeking and whom they had come to worship. Herod the Great married a number of women and had a number of sons by them. Some of those sons, he murdered. But among those who were not killed were Herod Antipas,(the Herod in our passage this morning) and Herod Philip. These two were half-brothers. Another half brother was Herod Aristobulus, who had a daughter named Herodias. Herodias married Herod Philip. And they in turn had a daughter whose name was Salome. (diagram on note sheet, if you're confused.)

Now we get to our story line-and folks, it reads like a Middle-eastern version of Days of our Lives… …On a visit to Rome, Herod Antipas met his brother Philip's wife, Herodias. This gal was a piece of work. She was deceitful and she was ambitious. She saw in Antipas a way to fulfill her own selfish desires to become a queen. So she had an affair with Antipas, left her husband, Philip, and went away with Antipas, back to Palestine.

Now, if you think that's bad, just wait. This was just the beginning of evil being compounded onto evil. You see, since Herodias, was Aristobulus' daughter, and Aristobulus was Philip's half brother, which meant that Herodias was Philip's niece. So when Philip married Herodias, he was marrying his relative and committing incest. Then when Herod Antipas stole her away from his half brother Philip, he was not only committing adultery with his brother's wife, but he was committing incest with his niece, as well.

What a sinful, sordid, incestuous and immoral relationship this all was. This is far more gross than any thing you'll ever see on any soap opera that TV has to offer.

II. The Flashback

A. Guilt Overrides Theology

Now, saying all that, historians also tell us that Herod Antipas, this ruler of northern Palestine, was a Jew, and a member of the Sadducees. One of the primary beliefs of the Sadducees was that they denied the resurrection from the dead. But Herod's paranoia and guilt overrode his theology, because according to verse 16 that we just read, he started to believe that John had come back from the dead. This shouldn't surprise us. The wisdom of Proverbs tells us…

Proverbs 28:1a 1a The wicked man flees though no one pursues,

Guilt will always produce fear in a person. Maybe you've experienced that. -Have you ever been afraid to answer your telephone because it might be someone reminding you of an overdue bill? -Have you ever been fearful that something you did in your past might catch up with you? If you have, then you can identify with Herod. The guilt of sin produces fear. And a fearful person winds up running away, even when no one is chasing him.

B. John's Confrontation

It's at this point that Mark gives us the only flashback that I know of in the New Testament. He does this to explain something that has happened, and how it happened. And as we look at this flashback, we are going to dive, headlong, into sin-and we're going to see it's nature and it's ugliness.

Mark 6:17-18 17 For Herod himself had given orders to have John arrested, and he had him bound and put in prison. He did this because of Herodias, his brother Philip's wife, whom he had married. 18 For John had been saying to Herod, "It is not lawful for you to have your brother's wife."

The flashback begins with John the Baptist, faithfully speaking God's truth to the king. He told Herod, right to his face, that it was not right for him to have his brother's wife. He was committing adultery and incest.

John's confrontation with the truth, produced two effects on Herod and Herodias-and they are a good profile of two kinds of hearts that reject right, and choose wrong… Herod was fearful at what John told him. Probably because he was part Jew and had some of the teaching of the Law in his background, he respected John. … Herodias was just plain angry at what John had to say. She hated him.

Mark 6:19-20 19 So Herodias nursed a grudge against John and wanted to kill him. But she was not able to, 20 because Herod feared John and protected him, knowing him to be a righteous and holy man. When Herod heard John, he was greatly puzzled; yet he liked to listen to him.

Herod was one of these guys who liked to hear new ideas. He was fascinated by mind games and intellectual arguments. He loved to hear what other people were thinking…, just as long as he didn't have to make any of their truths, his truth.

But Herodias was a lion. Do you think she like to be questioned? Absolutely not. Questions were an affront to her. She just wanted to be obeyed. To criticize her for the choices she made in her life was just about the worst thing you could do with her. She was a pompous, arrogant, self-centered and self-willed woman.

Do you know anyone like these two, folks? If you do, then you know that these are some of the hardest personalities to influence with the eternal truths of the Gospel, and the things that matter most to God. But that didn't stop John the Baptist! He just boldly hammered away at Herod and Herodias with the truth of their sin.

C. Herodias Gets Even

Well, Herod feels guilty, but he figures he'll get over it or John will be forgotten in prison. But Herodias remains furious…

Mark 6:21-29 21 Finally the opportune time came. On his birthday Herod gave a banquet for his high officials and military commanders and the leading men of Galilee. 22 When the daughter of Herodias came in and danced, she pleased Herod and his dinner guests. The king said to the girl, "Ask me for anything you want, and I'll give it to you." 23 And he promised her with an oath, "Whatever you ask I will give you, up to half my kingdom." 24 She went out and said to her mother, "What shall I ask for?" "The head of John the Baptist," she answered. 25 At once the girl hurried in to the king with the request: "I want you to give me right now the head of John the Baptist on a platter." 26 The king was greatly distressed, but because of his oaths and his dinner guests, he did not want to refuse her. 27 So he immediately sent an executioner with orders to bring John's head. The man went, beheaded John in the prison, 28 and brought back his head on a platter. He presented it to the girl, and she gave it to her mother. 29 On hearing of this, John's disciples came and took his body and laid it in a tomb.

III. The Application

A. Peer Pressure

It's interesting to me, when I hear people who are my age or older, talk about "peer pressure". Generally we talk about it as though it is something that we only experience when we're teenagers. And then, as if by magic it disappears when we become adults. Theologically speaking, that's a bunch of "hooey"! We never grow out of it!

Herod is a good example of an adult caving in to "peer pressure". He had John executed because of what people might think of him if he didn't. As we read, he made a ridiculous promise to Salome, "I'll give you half of my kingdom." But, the fact was… he couldn't give her a single lot to build a house upon. Herod was a puppet of the Caesar of Rome. He was just a figure-head, set in place, to appease the Jews. He had no right or authority or power to give any land to anyone.

But peer pressure made him afraid of what his guests might think of him if he didn't give Salome whatever she wanted. After all, he had made a promise in front of all of them. So, to save his precious reputation with the people at the party, he had John killed by beheading him. Then he had John's head put on a platter and given to Salome, who in turn gave it to her mom.

Folks, peer pressure never goes away. It doesn't matter how old you are, or how long you've gone to church, or even how mature you are in your faith in Jesus Christ. Peer pressure will always be there, trying to get you to conform your ways to the ways of the world.

But did you know that when you became a follower of Jesus Christ, you joined an army that has declared war on the world's way of living and doing things…

Romans 12:1-2 1 Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God's mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God-this is your spiritual act of worship. 2 Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is-his good, pleasing and perfect will.

The path of a follower of Jesus Christ runs counter to the pattern of the rest of the world. A decision to follow Jesus means we have turned the canoe of our life around and we are paddling upstream, against the current of popular culture. And don't kid yourself, those currents are strong and powerful. If we're not on our guard and relying on God's strength in our lives, then we have our lives diverted from holy thinking, godly values, and righteous living.

Peer pressure is everywhere we turn. -It comes from radio disc jockeys; -TV personalities and programs; -Hollywood writers, producers, and celebrities; -newspaper columnists; -popular literature; -and non-believing friends, relatives, co-workers and neighbors. Just some of the things the world is saying is that… …Christianity is intolerant, because it teaches only one way to God. …We're told that Christianity is cruel, and heartless because it teaches a higher law than just personal choice. …We're told that Christianity is old-fashioned because we hold to values that were taught two thousand years ago. And …We're told that Christianity is irrelevant because it teaches absolute truth.

Friends, the pressure is on. And if we're not equipped for spiritual battles, we will stumble, fall or be neutralized in the war of good versus evil-God versus Satan. So, what are we to do?

B. Equipping against the pressure

The apostle Paul gives us some help in…

Philippians 4:8 8 Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable-if anything is excellent or praiseworthy-think about such things.

This advice stands directly opposite from the way Herod lived. Whatever Herod saw, he wanted. -He lusted after his brother's wife. -He stole her away. -He lusted after his niece and offered her anything she wanted. Herod's desires seemed to go in the direction of whatever his passions were at the moment. He didn't demonstrate self-control, and he just went in whatever direction his lusts took him.

But for you and for me, if we are really going to follow Jesus Christ as… not only the forgiver of our sins, but also as the leader of our lives…, then we cannot neglect the essential spiritual disciplines that have to do with our minds. That's Paul's point in Philippians 4:8.

Illustration: In a study a few years back, the magazine, Discipleship Journal interviewed several hundred Christian men and women. They asked them what was the area of their greatest spiritual challenge. Here they are in order… 1 Materialism 2. Pride 3. Self-centeredness 4. Laziness 5. (tie) Anger/Bitterness 5. (tie) Sexual lust 7. Envy 8. Gluttony 9. Lying

Then those same people gave two major reasons for those temptations being more potent at certain times in their lives, and why obedience seemed harder. They happened… …when they had neglected a regular time with God (81%), …when they were physically tired (57%).

Also, the top reasons those same Christian people gave for being able to resist temptations were… …Prayer (84%) …Avoiding compromising situations (76%) …Bible study (66%) …Being accountable to another Christian (52%) (Discipleship Journal, November 12, 1992)

So, do you see the application to our lives? To help us out, I put it on the front of your WIG's this morning… "Spend time with God; Get your rest; Pray; Avoid compromising situations; Meditate on and learn what's in the Scriptures; Be accountable to somebody."

C. Sin can cause avoidance of help

But let point out something else about sin, that this episode in Herod's life illustrates. Sin can cause you to fear the very thing that can help you.

Herod was afraid and puzzled at the same time, by the John the Baptist. So he threw John into prison. Now, John could have helped Herod in solving the dysfunction of his family, if Herod had just accepted John's help. But by putting John in a prison cell, Herod was trying to put John out of his life. He was trying to avoid John, even though John could have helped him. Sin will do that, friends. Sin can cause us to get rid of, or avoid the very thing that can help us.

Adam and Eve did the same thing. When Adam and Eve committed the first sin, by eating of the forbidden fruit in the Garden of Eden, they immediately hid themselves from God.

Genesis 3:8 8 Then the man and his wife heard the sound of the LORD God as he was walking in the garden in the cool of the day, and they hid from the LORD God among the trees of the garden.

Can you imagine that? A loving God who had made them, called out for them. Even though He knew they had sinned, He still loved them and wanted to be with them. But instead of running to God and seeking His forgiveness, they ran away from God, and hid.

Friends, don't do that. -Even though you have shortcomings and sins. -Even though you disobey, or have disobeyed in the past. -Even though you mess up or are caught up in a compulsive and destructive pattern of behavior… …God still loves you. Your sin doesn't change His love for you.

Romans 5:8 8 But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.

And not only did Christ die for us, while we were still sinners, God continues to help us as we struggle with sin. One of the ways He does this is by sending people into our lives who will show the love of God to us, and are very willing to accept us exactly as we are…, but who love us so much that they refuse to let us stay where we are. Friend, if you're struggling with sin or guilt, you're in luck. God has put you right in the middle of a church family whose first point for their stated existence is to LOVE each person who comes to our church.

My point is simply this…, don't hide from help, like Herod did. Instead, turn to Jesus, embrace His forgiveness, accept His love, and ask for help.

The fate of staying in your sin, and ultimately dying in your sin, like Herod did, doesn't have to be your fate. -Jesus has freed you from yourself. -Jesus' shed blood on the cross has cleansed and purified you. -Jesus loves you, no matter what you're past or present is like. Honestly coming to Jesus and following Him as the leader of your life is what will strengthen you against the strong currents of sin and this world.

IV. Conclusion

There is a story I heard about a principal and a kindergarten student. The principal visited the school library on the day that the Kindergarten class was there. The principal seized an opportunity to sit next to one of the students, a little girl, and get better acquainted.

The little girl was looking at a book that had the picture of a common object on each page, with a single word below the picture. The principal asked the little girl to identify some of the items in the book.

She responded with, "That's a boy and that's a girl and that's a house. That's a car, that's a top, and that's a truck."

When she came to a picture of a hatchet, she said, "That's a hammer." The principal said nothing. She turned the next page and there was a hammer. She turned back and looked again at the hatchet, then back at the hammer. Then she quickly closed the book and, smiling sweetly, she said, "We are in the library and we really shouldn't be talking."

Friends, that's a perfect picture of sin in many Christians' lives. Many of us have learned the ability to hide our sin from other people. But we can never hide it from God. And as long as we don't confess our sin, or neglect the things that will help us resist temptation, we, like Herod, will be roadblocks in the way of God's Kingdom.

In the closing moments, this morning, I'd like you to pray one of three ways…

-If there's sin you need to confess, do it and accept His forgiveness, right now.

-If there's an area of spiritual discipline that you've neglected, ask God to give you a new resolve to do it, instead of neglect it.

-If your not sure you have a relationship with God where you can receive forgiveness for sins, but you want one, you can have it this morning before you leave your chair, by praying the prayer that we've put on the screen behind me.

Amen