John the Baptist Series #5: John and His Death Mark 6:14-29

John the Baptist Series #5: John and His Death Mark 6:14-29

Dietrich Bonhoeffer was a Lutheran Pastor in German during the rise to power of Adolf Hitler. He was one of the few pastors who publicly spoke and privately worked against Hitler and the Nazi takeover of Germany and the German churches. The Nazis forbade him to pastor, to teach, to print and even to speak. He had several opportunities to escape Germany and go to London, Switzerland or the United States but he always returned to German to be with those who could not escape. He worked as a spy and under the cover of being in a German intelligence organization smuggled state secrets and Jewish refugees out of German.

He was arrested in April of 1943, and moved from several prisons and concentration camps until April 1945. Hitler the day before he committed suicide gave orders that Bonhoeffer along with other resistance fighters should be executed. He was sentenced to death on  April 8 1945 without witnesses, records or a defense in Flossenbürg concentration camp. He was hanged by piano wire at dawn on 9 April 1945. Even as the Soviet troops began entering Berlin.

Eberhard Bethge, a student and friend of Bonhoeffer's, writes of a man who saw the execution, “I saw Pastor Bonhoeffer... kneeling on the floor praying fervently to God. I was most deeply moved by the way this lovable man prayed, so devout and so certain that God heard his prayer. At the place of execution, he again said a short prayer and then climbed the few steps to the gallows, brave and composed. His death ensued after a few seconds. In the almost fifty years that I worked as a doctor, I have hardly ever seen a man die so entirely submissive to the will of God.”

Bonhoeffer wrote extensively during the time he was being watched by the Nazis and later his letters were smuggled out of prison by a sympathetic guard.

One of my favorite quotes from him is taken from his book The Cost of Discipleship about grace, “Cheap grace is the preaching of forgiveness without requiring repentance, baptism without church discipline, Communion without confession, absolution without personal confession. Cheap grace is grace without discipleship, grace without the cross, grace without Jesus Christ, living and incarnate.”

He also wrote, “No man in the whole world can change the truth. One can only look for the truth, find it and serve it.”  - Dietrich Bonhoeffer.

Bonhoeffer find the truth in Jesus Christ and served Him through that truth even at the cost of his own life. He follows in the footsteps of all those who have found the truth in Jesus Christ and his death at the hands of a tyrant is a strong echo of the death of John the Baptist who also faithfully stood for the truth even at the cost of his life.

The Prophet as Legend – Mark 6:14-16

14 And king Herod heard of him; (for his name was spread abroad:) and he said, That John the Baptist was risen from the dead, and therefore mighty works do shew forth themselves in him. 15 Others said, That it is Elias. And others said, That it is a prophet, or as one of the prophets. 16 But when Herod heard thereof, he said, It is John, whom I beheaded: he is risen from the dead.

The Truth Missed

At this point in the 3-year ministry of Jesus, his fame had begun to spread. No longer could he keep his miracles, his healings and his teachings quiet in order to gather his apostles and form His church. The Bible says even King Herod heard of him for his name, his reputation had spread everywhere. In the market, in the synagogue, at the community wells and along the highways everyone was talking about this man from Nazareth. And though he was now famous, he was not understood. They all knew of him but none knew who he really was.

Mark, Matthew and Luke all use Herod as an example of this. In Luke 9:7–9  Now Herod the tetrarch heard of all that was done by him (Jesus)  and he was perplexed, because that it was said of some, that John was risen from the dead; And of some, that Elias had appeared; and of others, that one of the old prophets was risen again. And Herod said, John have I beheaded: but who is this, of whom I hear such things? And he desired to see him.

Herod, who had killed John the Baptist, was now thinking that John had been resurrected and because he had come back from the dead, he was now able to do miracles. He was no longer a man, but to Herod he had become a legend. And because he was looking for the wrong person, for the wrong reason, Herod missed the truth, both of John and of Jesus.

It is interesting that, Herod Antipas would see Jesus just before Jesus was crucified and I never thought of this before, but do you remember what Jesus did when He stood before Herod? About a year later when He stood condemned before Herod, we read in Luke 23:8-9 And when Herod saw Jesus, he was exceeding glad: for he was desirous to see him of a long season, because he had heard many things of him; and he hoped to have seen some miracle done by him. Then he questioned with him in many words; but he answered him nothing.

Herod wanted to just see and talk to this famous man. He wanted to satisfy his curiosity, allay his superstition that he was John come back from the dead. Now, Jesus stood before Herod, the murderer of John, his own cousin and he would not even speak to him.

Herod had so many opportunities to hear the truth, respond to the truth and be changed by the truth, but instead he choose to ignore the truth, silence the truth and ultimately execute the one who spoke the truth. But the truth cannot be silenced.

The Truth You See

It was Pilate who sent Jesus to Herod, Pilate ruled in Judea while Herod ruled in Galilee. One was a Roman nobleman, and one was the son of a ruthless king, both were granted their power by Rome, and both missed the truth. They could not, would not see the truth that was standing right before them. The same truth that John the Baptist had preached. Pilate was so blind to truth that his famous statement is, “What is truth?”

Jesus was the truth they needed then and the truth we need to today. He had already given the answer to Pilates questions just a few days before in the upper room. He said in John 14:6 “I am the way, the truth and the life. No man cometh to the Father but by me.” This is the truth no one can afford to not see. No one can dare get this wrong nor ignore it.

If we wonder how Herod and Pilate could miss the truth standing right before them, imagine what it must be like for the host of heaven when they look at this world today. The truth of God’s word as close as the Bible in your hand, as widespread as the electric waves of the internet, TV and radio. The truth is Jesus, and millions are willingly missing that truth.  And yet He is the only truth that matters in all of time and eternity.

Paul talks about the end of all those who in the end will not receive the truth in 2 Thessalonians 2:10-12 And with all deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that perish; because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved. And for this cause God shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe a lie: That they all might be damned who believed not the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness.

The atheist in his blindness to the truth mockingly asks, “If God were real why doesn’t He show himself? The child of God who has seen the truth responds, “He did show Himself and the world called him a liar and then nailed Him to a cross.”

There is truth, and there is eternal truth but the greatest eternal truth is that Jesus Christ, the Son of God died for us, paying for our sin and becoming our Savior.

Mark interrupts his account of Jesus ministry to finish the story of John the Baptist in vs. 17-20 We see…

The Prophet As Prisoner - Mark 6:17-20

For Herod himself had sent forth and laid hold upon John, and bound him in prison for Herodias’ sake, his brother Philip’s wife: for he had married her. For John had said unto Herod, It is not lawful for thee to have thy brother’s wife. Therefore Herodias had a quarrel against him, and would have killed him; but she could not: For Herod feared John, knowing that he was a just man and an holy, and observed him; and when he heard him, he did many things, and heard him gladly.

The Truth Declared

Let’s talk just a bit about Herod. This Herod was one of three sons of Herod the Great, who was the king when Jesus was born. This Herod was Herod Antipas. He was a tetrarch, a ruler over the district of Galilee and Perea. We would consider him like a governor today. Herod, in his vanity, liked to be called King Herod, like his father but he only ruled one small portion of the kingdom of his father and both ruled at the pleasure of Rome.

Herod married his own niece Herodias, who had left her husband Herod Philip, who was Herod Antipas’ older brother. John the Baptist when given the opportunity rebuked Herod and I imagine it was to his face when Herod and Herodias come to hear John preach and see what all the commotion was about.

Herodias did not like what John preached, calling her marriage nothing more than fornication and she wanted John dead. Herod, worried about the reaction of the people if he should kill their prophet, instead arrested John and put him in prison.

John this lowly man from the wilderness had dared to confront the ruler Herod and his wife / niece.  “It is not lawful for thee to have thy brother’s wife.” King Herod, your marriage is sinful, the life you are living with your sister-in-law is sinful. I can imagine John pointing his finger at the tetrarch of Rome, sitting in his chariot somewhere on the bank of the Jordan River, “King Herod, you are a sinner and like all sinners, you must repent!”

 You could say, Ol’ John was a pistol and his ammunition was truth. He had already called the most powerful religious and political rulers of his society a bunch of snakes running from God. So it made little difference to him to call the head of  Rome’s authority a lawbreaker. To John, truth was truth and it applied equally to all. And though there is greater truth and lesser truth, God’s truth is always the greater truth. Herod needed to hear the greater truth of God.

John’s declaration of the truth forced Herod to arrest him. He didn’t understand all the truth that John was preaching but he understood the truth of what John was saying about him and his life.

John didn’t worry about what Herod would do to him, if he proclaimed the truth. He could only carry out the command of God and preach the truth of God.

The Truth You Speak

What do we do about and with God’s truth? First, we better believe the truth but secondly we better share it and finally, we need to stand for the it.

All truth is truth, but God’s truth is paramount. God’s truth is the most important, the most vital, truth because it is eternal truth.

The shortest Psalms is the 117th  and it says, Psalms 117 O praise the LORD, all ye nations: praise him, all ye people. For his merciful kindness is great toward us: and the truth of the LORD endureth for ever. Praise ye the LORD.

The longest Psalm is the 119th and in vs 89 it says, “For ever, O LORD, thy word is settled in heaven.” The 160th verse says, “Thy word is true from the beginning: and every one of thy righteous judgments endureth for ever.”

Only God’s truth is eternal. Only God’s truth can save your eternal soul. Only God’s truth can deliver you from an eternal hell. Only God’s truth tells us of Jesus Christ our eternal Savior and King.

Because God’s truth is eternal and unchanging. Because God’s truth has the power to save the lost. Because God’s truth is Jesus the way the truth and the light, then we, just like John should stand up in the power of the truth.

In God’s Armor, Stand!

Ephesians 6:13-17 Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand. Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with truth, and having on the breastplate of righteousness; And your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace; Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked. And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God:

Being able to withstand the evil, doing all and being able to keep standing against all begins with a foundation of the truth. God’s eternal, saving, truth demands that we take a stand and continue to stand, no matter what may come.

John the Baptist stand for the truth brings us to the end of his story in vs 21

The Prophet As Martyr - Mark 6:21-29

21  And when a convenient day was come, that Herod on his birthday made a supper to his lords, high captains, and chief estates of Galilee;22  And when the daughter of the said Herodias came in, and danced, and pleased Herod and them that sat with him, the king said unto the damsel, Ask of me whatsoever thou wilt, and I will give it thee.23  And he sware unto her, Whatsoever thou shalt ask of me, I will give it thee, unto the half of my kingdom. 24 And she went forth, and said unto her mother, What shall I ask? And she said, The head of John the Baptist. 25 And she came in straightway with haste unto the king, and asked, saying, I will that thou give me by and by in a charger the head of John the Baptist. 26 And the king was exceeding sorry; yet for his oath’s sake, and for their sakes which sat with him, he would not reject her.27  And immediately the king sent an executioner, and commanded his head to be brought: and he went and beheaded him in the prison, 28 And brought his head in a charger, and gave it to the damsel: and the damsel gave it to her mother. 29 And when his disciples heard of it, they came and took up his corpse, and laid it in a tomb.

The Truth Defended

Let me ask you this question, what did John die for? What was the reason he was arrested, put in prison and then beheaded by a spiteful, bitter woman? Simply put, John was killed because of the truth. Specifically, the truth about sin.

He told Herod, “It is not lawful.” You are breaking God’s law. John’s message of Repent for the Kingdom of Heaven is at hand was that same truth. To the nation of Israel, to the Pharisees, to the soldiers and to the King the truth John preached was that all were guilty before a holy and righteous God and they needed to repent for the King was coming. The needed to repent because the lamb of God was coming to take away the sin of the world and the truth is that if you don’t know you are a sinner, you won’t repent and you won’t look to the Lamb of God for salvation.

To John that truth, God’s truth, was worth giving his life for.

The Truth You Die For

You know I believe that if I or you were called by God to die for the truth of the Gospel of Jesus Christ, that we would not fail in that calling. I believe this because I know that Jesus promised the Holy Spirit would provide the assurance and the words we would need even to die for Him.

Jesus talking to the saints about the tribulation gave them these promises in Mark 13:11 But when they shall lead you, and deliver you up, take no thought beforehand what ye shall speak, neither do ye premeditate: but whatsoever shall be given you in that hour, that speak ye: for it is not ye that speak, but the Holy Ghost.

I think that some assurance is ours today as well. Don’t worry about what you will do in that situation, just think about what Jesus has promised the Holy Spirit will do.

I pray and trust that any of us if called upon would stand for and die for the truth, but perhaps more applicable for us here and now is not just to be willing to die for the truth but more needful our family, our church and our community is to “die with the truth.”

The Truth You Die With

Yes, we should be willing to die for the truth but more importantly we should be committed to die after a life lived in the truth.Not to fight one final great battle of the faith, but to live one great life of faith. Not to die by the hands of those who hate the truth but to live so that those who hate God’s truth can see the love, the hope and the joy of God’s truth and be changed by it.

Isn’t this what Paul tells the Romans and us in Romans 12:1,  “I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.”

That phrase, “a living sacrifice” means that we must not just be willing to die for the truth but long before that we must be committed to live for the truth. Our life laid on the altar of God’s service and then rising to live a life of faith, love, service and truth. This is the proof of God’s will.

Living For Jesus

What is it the hymn says?
“Living for Jesus, a life that is true,
Striving to please Him in all that I do;
Yielding allegiance, glad hearted and free,
This is the pathway of blessing for me.

O Jesus, Lord and Savior, I give myself to Thee,
For Thou, in Thy atonement, didst give Thyself for me.
I own no other Master, my heart shall be Thy throne.
My life I give, henceforth to live, O Christ, for Thee alone.

Conclusion

I’m going to close with a final quote from Dietrich Bonhoeffor about the truth. He once said, “ The Cross is God’s truth about us, and therefore it is the only power which can make us truthful. When we know the Cross, we are no longer afraid of the truth. -Dietrich Bonhoeffer (1906–1945)

This really is the central core of the message this morning, Jesus said, “You shall know the truth and the truth shall set you free.” Never forget that the truth He was talking about was Himself. The truth about the cross, the truth about sin and salvation, the eternal truth of God found in the eternal son of God. This is the only truth that can set us free and give us the courage to stand.