Mark 6:20 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.
Even evil people know the truth when they hear it. King Herod
was no exception. Like his wicked father before him, he was a cruel despot who
retained his power by wiping out his enemies. He was also a puppet-king who sovereignty
solely depended on the reports of the Roman Governor and the whims of the
Emperor. If Herod did anything to displease the Romans, he would have been
immediately assassinated or executed. On the other hand, if he did anything
which displeased the people, he could always rely upon the Roman garrison to
back him up.
Herod’s fascination with John the Baptist is full of
contradictions. He imprisons John for preaching against Herod and his wife, and
yet the king visits him in prison because he liked to listen to him. He was a despotic
ruler who ruthlessly crushed his enemies, and yet he is afraid of John because
he speaks the truth. Herod is used to being pampered in his palaces and lives a
life of luxury; John, however, is the exact opposite – he lives in the rough outdoors,
surviving on locusts and wild honey. The two men are worlds and poles apart –
and yet Herod protects John because likes to listen to him.
I wonder what would have happened if Herod had not made
the rash promise which resulted in John’s beheading. Would Herod have
eventually repented and been restored to God? If so, would he have intervened
on Christ’s behalf or kept him protected as a prisoner so that the king could
listen to the carpenter? We’ll never know, but at some point in his life, Herod
listened to what God had to say through John; his only trouble was this: he
never fully accepted or personally applied the truth of John’s words.
As we approach Christmas, our churches become fuller
because of the special programs and great festivals that take place in our
sanctuaries. People like to listen to the Christmas carols and hear the
Christmas story. However, just like Herod in the past, they miss the wonderful opportunity
to make a direct connection to God through Jesus. They like listening to Christ’s
words; they’re just not ready to live accordingly.
Questions
for personal reflection
What truths do the Gospels convey to me, especially
during this season of Advent and Christmas? Do I like listening to them, or am
I willing to go further and live by them?
Prayer: Lord
Jesus, speak Your Truth to us throughout this season of Advent. Allow our
hearts and minds to embrace Your words and to live according to the challenges
that they contain. Be with us and strengthen our faith in You this day. Amen.
John Stuart is the pastor
of Erin Presbyterian Church in Knoxville, Tennessee. If you would like to
comment or ask questions about today’s message, please send him an email to Traqair@aol.com.
Today’s image is John’s
latest nativity drawing called “Long Ago.” If you would like to view a larger
version, please click on the following link: Long
Ago.
No comments:
Post a Comment