Victories of Persistence: Mark 6:14-29 - Seventh 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)

Perseverance by Jon Cornwell on Flickr. CC BY 2.0

My favorite movies of all time include the first and third installments of the Indiana Jones Franchise. Unfortunately, having lost two hours of my life to the disastrous fourth installment, I do not have high hopes for the final film currently under production. I found the second installment, The Temple of Doom, to be gratuitously gory and dark—to the point that it was almost painful to watch.

I have similar feelings about today’s “Gospel.” It’s bad enough that John the Baptist was struck down by his king. But the details about his death are so gruesome, you almost want to close the book and read no further. 

But here’s why I believe Mark tells this story: it’s real life. Here, we see the very essence of evil—which we will see again at the cross. Christians throughout history have suffered and died in a similarly brutal manner. At the same time, we see into the darkness that exists inside of every human heart.

What I find so fascinating here is that Herod had taken quite a liking to John the Baptist, even after John had spoken out publicly against him for coveting his brother Philip’s wife. Herod recognized that John was a righteous and holy man. This goes to show you just how powerful the Gospel is—not only that John would minister to the man who put him in prison, but that Herod would pay attention and recognize that John was speaking the truth.

But when Herod heard the Gospel, he was perplexed. All of God’s love and forgiveness was there for him to claim, but it was not possible to live in right relationship with God and keep living as he was living. When he foolishly swears an oath to give his stepdaughter up to half his kingdom, he backs himself into a corner. Does he do the right thing by releasing John from prison, thus risking his reputation, his marriage, and his throne? Or does he take the easy way out and order John’s death?

Tragically, Herod chooses the latter. But Herod soon finds himself in an even greater crisis when he hears about Jesus. He suspects that Jesus is really John the Baptist, raised from the dead—which means that he indeed murdered a righteous and holy man.

On the other hand, when the disciples heard the devastating news about John’s horrific death, it would have been so easy to give up following Jesus, and return to their families and their fishing boats—rather than risk losing their heads proclaiming the Gospel. 

And even though we do not live in a time or place when Christian discipleship poses fatal risks, it is no less easy for you and me to give up on God and give up on the Gospel. When confronted with suffering and evil of this magnitude, your faith can quickly turn to dust.

Do you give in to temptation, believing that it is too strong for you to resist?

When someone rejects you for sharing Jesus’s love, does that convince you to keep your faith to yourself from then on?

As fewer and fewer people believe in God, and non-denominational and megachurches expand, what else is there for us to do but keep the doors open for as long as we can, until the money runs out or there’s no one left to open them up?

How about when you are diagnosed with a serious illness, a loved one dies, or you’re facing a devastating hardship? Does not that convince you that prayer doesn’t work or that God doesn’t answer?

It will always be easier to give up in God rather than keeping faith in God. For the time being, the Herods of the world will have their victories. Death will have victories. You will pray but not see the outcome you hoped for; you will go out of your way to minister to someone, and it won’t make the slightest bit of difference; you’ll come to worship hungry for the presence of God and leave unsatisfied. Churches will close and ministries born of high hopes will end in disappointment. We will fall away from God while attempting to satisfy our wants and desires on our own terms. But are these reasons to give up on God? Are these reasons to give up on the Gospel? Does the present really determine the future? Is death the only real power at work on the world; and resurrection but a fantasy?

The happy ending of John’s tragic death isn’t merely the fact that Jesus’s ministry vindicates John before Herod… The Good news is that the reign of God advances despite all human and supernatural attempts to stop it. The Gospel cannot be silenced, and God’s purposes cannot be stopped. God’s enemies may prevail in the short-term, but never in the long-term. 

God’s victory begins in the faith, hope, and love the Spirit creates within you right now. 

How can you be like John the Baptist, loving his persecutor and speaking the Gospel to him? How might you be like Jesus’s disciples, spreading love and good news to a hostile and chaotic world?

God’s victors are those who persevere in prayer for what would appear as a lost cause. God’s victors are those who love their neighbors and do good works for them, even when love is not returned in kind. God’s victors are those who prioritize the Gospel even when there are other tasks you could be accomplishing and fun you could be having elsewhere. We are a victorious congregation for as long as we gather to hear the Gospel, share our faith with others, and give generously of the treasures that God has showered upon us to build up the neighbor.

Soon and very soon, God’s kingdom will triumph. In the meantime, you victory is perseverance and persistence in faith, hope, and love. If kings and empires could not silence the Gospel, if death could not keep Jesus in the tomb, why should you give up on God? Why should we give up on the Gospel that changes lives and the world?