Gospel Breakthroughs: Mark 6:14-29 - Eighth Sunday after Pentecost

¹⁴King Herod heard of [the disciples’ preaching,] for Jesus’ name had become known. Some were saying, “John the baptizer has been raised from the dead; and for this reason these powers are at work in him.” ¹⁵But others said, “It is Elijah.” And others said, “It is a prophet, like one of the prophets of old.” ¹⁶But when Herod heard of it, he said, “John, whom I beheaded, has been raised.”
 
  ¹⁷For Herod himself had sent men who arrested John, bound him, and put him in prison on account of Herodias, his brother Philip’s wife, because Herod had married her. ¹⁸For John had been telling Herod, “It is not lawful for you to have your brother’s wife.” ¹⁹And Herodias had a grudge against him, and wanted to kill him. But she could not, ²⁰for Herod feared John, knowing that he was a righteous and holy man, and he protected him. When he heard him, he was greatly perplexed; and yet he liked to listen to him. ²¹But an opportunity came when Herod on his birthday gave a banquet for his courtiers and officers and for the leaders of Galilee. ²²When his daughter Herodias came in and danced, she pleased Herod and his guests; and the king said to the girl, “Ask me for whatever you wish, and I will give it.” ²³And he solemnly swore to her, “Whatever you ask me, I will give you, even half of my kingdom.” ²⁴She went out and said to her mother, “What should I ask for?” She replied, “The head of John the baptizer.” ²⁵Immediately she rushed back to the king and requested, “I want you to give me at once the head of John the Baptist on a platter.” ²⁶The king was deeply grieved; yet out of regard for his oaths and for the guests, he did not want to refuse her. ²⁷Immediately the king sent a soldier of the guard with orders to bring John’s head. He went and beheaded him in the prison, ²⁸brought his head on a platter, and gave it to the girl. Then the girl gave it to her mother. ²⁹When his disciples heard about it, they came and took his body, and laid it in a tomb. (NRSV)

Lutherlyn Zipline & High Ropes Course.  Photo by author.

I just got back from Camp Lutherlyn.  I was there as a leader of Remnant Confirmation Camp—a week-long immersion into faith, friendships, and nature.

I was too shy to go to Lutherlyn when I was their age.  It was a world outside my comfort zone into which I would not venture.  But our campers took the plunge.  They left their homes, their families, and their devices behind.  They trusted themselves to stay in a place they’d never been, with people they’d never met, to do things they’d never done, and actually have fun.  They prayed out loud in front of their peers.  They dressed up in costumes and made fools of themselves.  They spoke openly about their struggles and pains. They trusted their peers to lift them up over a high wall.  They trusted their counselors to keep them safe on the zipline. 

Since they did, they had incredible fun—and grew in ways they never could have imagined.  More importantly, they experienced God’s love in ways they never had before. And above all else, they learned to trust God.

As I think back to my refusal to go to camp, I’m reminded of how easy it to tell God, “no.”

This is the tragedy we see played out in our so-called “Gospel” for today.

King Herod had imprisoned John the Baptist for insulting his honor and the honor of his wife.  Herod’s wife bore a grudge against John, but Herod took a liking to him.  He admired John.  He protected John.  He knew him to be a righteous and holy man.  But he was also troubled by John—because John spoke truths that he didn’t want to hear.

Then one night at the birthday party Herod threw for himself, his daughter so pleased him and his guests with her dancing that he carelessly swore an oath to give her anything she desired—even half of his kingdom. 

The child, not knowing how to respond to such a lavish offer, asks her mother, who tells her to ask for the head of John the Baptist. 

Herod is deeply grieved over the debacle he’d gotten himself into—but he couldn’t appear foolish in front of his guests.

So he did what he had to do: he murders a holy and righteous man… He sacrifices John to save face and stay in power.

And now, in the echo of thus brutal violence, a question remains: what do you do with a Gospel that reveals truths you don’t want to hear?  That threatens to turn your world upside down?

None of us is royalty—or can summon goons to kill people on demand.  Thank God.

But that is not to say that you won’t find yourself facing Herod’s dilemma… On one hand, you’re glad to hear the Gospel and call yourself Christian. But you also want security, control, and people’s approval… You want to be successful and have fun…. And you don’t want anything getting in your way. Then you find there’s no time for church.  There’s no time for prayer.  You can’t afford to be late by stopping to help that stranger.  If you give something away, you may be depriving yourself of it later.  It’s not worth it to change your habits to be a more faithful steward of God’s gifts.  You will not be uncomfortable or inconvenienced. You don’t want Jesus messing with your life.  God can’t be trusted to give you what you want. 

It’s so much easier to admire Jesus rather than love him. 

Herod admired John—but not as much as he loved being king.  And he’s not as powerful as he thinks.  His throne is so fragile that he can topple it with one careless word.  And now, he’s petrified—because he suspects that Jesus is actually John the Baptist, raised from the dead—and out for revenge.

Though that isn’t true, John will be vindicated—because he faithfully prepared the way for of the one who will free God’s people from the evil Herod commits—and from everything that robs you of abundant life.  Your restless anxieties, your ambitions, your need for approval and control—these are all “little Herods” reigning in you.  They destroy the life God creates.  They bind you in fear.  They lure you into sinning against God and neighbor.  They create more misery for you and for others than you’d probably care to admit.

Jesus wants to break through to you just as he did to our campers this week: to free you from the vicious cycles that bind you to perpetual anxiety; to end the violence you commit against your neighbor to get what you want.  He breaks through your pain to carry you through tough times when you can’t carry yourself; and to draw God’s love out of you to heal broken lives.

Be on the lookout for Jesus to break into your life as a stranger in need; for Jesus to loosen your grip on things you think you can’t live without so that you can know what it’s like to live by his grace alone.  Be on the lookout for Jesus to raise you up over your fears and show you what you can do and the difference you can make by trusting in him.  Be on the lookout for Jesus to show you what abundant life really is. 

He did it for our teens this week, and he will do it for you too. 

Don’t settle for being an admirer of Jesus.  Be a disciple and let Jesus fill you with the life and love that saves the world.  Jesus loves you, so get set—because his Gospel is going to break through on you.