Jump Start # 767

Mark 6:16 “But when Herod heard of it, he kept saying, ‘John, whom I beheaded, has risen!”

Today, my church family is reading Mark 6. It is amazing all the things that Marks stuffs in a chapter. Mark is unique for all the action and the miracles of Jesus. This chapter shows Jesus healing a few in Nazareth and ends with the feeding of the 5,000. In the middle we find the limited commission. The first real mission of the apostles in which they cast out demons and the their first journey without Jesus. He stayed and they went. The news spread about Jesus. It even caught the attention of Herod.

This is where our verse is found today. Herod had arrested John because he proclaimed that his marriage was unlawful. Herod had married his sister-in-law. John was plain in his speech. He told Herod that it was unlawful for you to have her. We just have to appreciate the boldness of John. Today, many preachers wouldn’t say anything. Those that did might get fired for saying such things. There are consequences for standing with the truth. For John, it meant getting thrown into prison. Herod would bring John out to hear him speak. He enjoyed that, which is interesting. Some like listening to preaching without ever changing or making application to their lives. Herod must have been one of those.

At his birthday party, after what must have been a lustful dance, the wicked women in Herod’s life demand the execution of John. He granted their wish. Herod appears weak. The women know how to get what they want. Kill the messenger and everything will be fine. The message of God’s word doesn’t change when the messenger is silenced. How shallow wicked people think. Herod consents to this evil request. John is executed.

When word spreads about Jesus, Herod thinks it is John. Our verse is interesting. It states that Herod KEPT SAYING that John whom I beheaded, has risen. Apparently, he didn’t just say this in passing, or in secret, or jokingly, instead, he KEPT SAYING it. Herod is bothered. Guilt has besieged him. He knows that he did wrong and now he fears that it is coming back to haunt him. Herod had enough of a conscience to realize that he was wrong.

Guilt works that way, even with us. It doesn’t just go away. There are reminders. It surfaces. We try to stuff it away and some how it pops back up. Guilt is one reason some stay away from church services. They have done wrong and they are trying to run from the guilt. Church services reminds them of God and goodness and how one ought to live. That’s just more guilt upon a guilty heart. So instead of coming home to a forgiving and loving God, they go the other way and surround themselves with other guilt ridden people who pull them deeper and deeper into sin.

Guilt comes about when our conscience runs into the word of God. The more of God’s word that is in us and the more that our conscience is working the more guilt, shame and embarrassment work in our lives. These things serve a purpose. Without embarrassment, shame or guilt, which is driven by our conscience, we’d say anything, do anything and wear anything. When we hear people talking with a sewer mouth, or dressing very immodestly, we wonder how in the world can they do that? They do it because their conscience isn’t working. There is no shame, embarrassment, or guilt for those things. There is no word of God dwelling in their hearts.

Our embarrassment, shame and guilt keeps us from staying in the land of wrong. That guilt drives us back to God. Without forgiveness from God, we would be overcome with guilt and shame. Those that don’t know God experience that. Thoughts of suicide dominate a person who is guilty and without hope. God offers hope. God offers a second chance.

Herod was haunted with his guilt. There is no recorded  passage of Herod finding peace with God. A conscience governed by the word of God is a good thing. It will keep us on the path with God. It will cause us to have a course correction when we get off the path.

Guilt—it’s a good thing when it causes you to turn back to God. Guilt is not a place God intends for you to dwell. The honest heart recognizes the times when one has let God down. Changes take place. A better and more determined effort follows. Good triumphs. In this way, guilt has been helpful to wake a person up.

Herod kept saying…interesting thought!

Roger