Finding Faith ... in Jesus' better example

EDITOR'S NOTE: In October 2017 I began a new venture as a synodically authorized minister at Faith Lutheran Church in Wolverton, Minn. The ride over the past 3 1/2 years has been an amazing journey of learning, growing and a deepening of my theological mind. This sermon took place on July 7, the seventh week after Pentecost. For the summer, we moved to live Wednesday night services, that were simultaneously livestreamed.

This week's preaching text: Mark 6:14-29.

The Death of John the Baptist

14 King Herod heard of it, 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.” 15 But others said, “It is Elijah.” And others said, “It is a prophet, like one of the prophets of old.” 16 But when Herod heard of it, he said, “John, whom I beheaded, has been raised.”

17 For 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. 18 For John had been telling Herod, “It is not lawful for you to have your brother’s wife.” 19 And Herodias had a grudge against him, and wanted to kill him. But she could not, 20 for 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. 21 But an opportunity came when Herod on his birthday gave a banquet for his courtiers and officers and for the leaders of Galilee. 22 When 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.” 23 And he solemnly swore to her, “Whatever you ask me, I will give you, even half of my kingdom.” 24 She went out and said to her mother, “What should I ask for?” She replied, “The head of John the baptizer.” 25 Immediately 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.” 26 The king was deeply grieved; yet out of regard for his oaths and for the guests, he did not want to refuse her. 27 Immediately the king sent a soldier of the guard with orders to bring John’s[f] head. He went and beheaded him in the prison, 28 brought his head on a platter, and gave it to the girl. Then the girl gave it to her mother. 29 When his disciples heard about it, they came and took his body, and laid it in a tomb.

Message:

So, in 1987, when my mother and I moved to Fertile, Minn., I was lucky to have a built-in friend already. I knew him from family connections, and so it didn't make the move to a new town in seventh grade as daunting. And for the first couple of years, he and I hung out most of the time ... same friend group, same activities, same interests, same mischief.

But then, by a couple of years later, as we were entering high school, our paths started to diverge. I didn't mind school, and and it came easily to me. And I started growing interested in athletic activity. ... That was not my friend. That's not the path my friend chose. And as you can imagine, under those circumstances, we started to drift apart.

So, one day, inexplicably, a line was crossed. Thirty-some years later, I still can't for the life of me recall what happened, but some words were said by someone. And then those words got spread around to different groups in school, and eventually through the grapevine those words made it back to each of us.

Remember, we were ninth grade boys, and to ninth grade boys, what is more important than saving face? ... So, a place and time was set ... because this transgression had passed beyond words at this point. ... Action was demanded of each of us. If we were to escape that reputation of being a chicken.

When the time came, my friend and I both arrived at the set meeting place, with our entourages in the tow. ... His the BMX kids that I used to hang out with, and mine my more recent friends that I started to play sports with. The two of us gathered inside a circle of other boys, being cheered on by a bunch of other testosterone-fueled knuckleheads.

Of course, we had to exchange the obligatory taunts to each other, and that only served to amp up the apes around us that much more. And they started cheering us on to be the first to throw a punch. ... But we only danced around that circle so more, taunting each other to be the first to throw a punch. ... Because neither of us was going to lower ourselves by being the one to throw that first punch. We had too much class to do that, evidently.

After a lot more talking, and verbal jabs and jousting, we both came up with several reasons that a fight on that particular day wasn't wise. ... And a few of the onlookers concurred because they're really were good reasons not to fight that particular day. ... And so the opposing sides disassembled to digest and analyze just who got in the best verbal shots.

But let's be honest here: I was lucky beyond belief. ... Because I would have gotten my butt kicked that day. I'd never been in an actual fight in my entire life. ... But what was I supposed to do? I was a 13-year-old boy making his way in a new school. My pride drove me to that fight on that particular day. Intellectually, I knew it was a stupid decision, but my pride got me to believe that showing up to get bashed by a much tougher, more experienced kid was a better decision than just backing down and declaring that fighting was stupid.

It all was silly, really. ... Teenage boy pride drove me to that spot, and unfortunately, I have to admit that at times, pride still drives me on many occasions even as an adult. I guess maybe we humans have a tough time learning that pride really does get us nowhere.

In tonight's gospel text, we learn that King Herod had suffered from pride as well. ... Suffered so mightily from human pride that he was willing to allow John the Baptist to beheaded, rather than to lose face in front of the guests gathered at his birthday party. And the difference between that silly day in my ninth grade year, and this story in the text, is that this wasn't so much a kid's game meant to impress a few friends. ... This was a case of human pride that was wrapped up in absolute unadulterated power, the kind of power that only tyrants hold. The kind of power that only those who remain unchecked maintain.

The story of King Herod beheading John the Baptist can read as a kind of sterile nowadays, in our media violence saturated world. The story probably doesn't even see all that violent anymore. But please do not let its gruesomeness escape you.

This is a story about how unchecked power and human arrogance leads to one of our most famous prophets losing his head, having it cut from his body. His head gets served on a silver platter, the last course of the evening. ... It's served to the prideful one who coveted John's head, Herodias, the king's wife. ... I invite you to just dwell in that image for a moment because this isn't just another gospel text.

And what was John's crime? ... Why was it that the king's wife wanted John Dead? Even worse yet! She wanted his head on a platter and served to her! ... John was already imprisoned by King Herod for his crimes. So, what had John done that was so despicable that he first deserved to be imprisoned, be beheaded and served up to Herodias.

Well, we if we look back at the text, it was because he had been speaking the truth, the gospel of God's truth. John had warned Herod that quote, “It is not lawful for you to have your brother’s wife.” That's text.

You have to do a little digging to find out the backstory, but essentially King Herod had divorced his first wife because he had coveted his half brother's wife Herodias. And then he took her, and John was there to call him out for his behavior: "King Herod, you just can't do that because you are the king. It is still unlawful."

But you know what came next. What rightful and proper king is going to stand for some Jesus follower calling him out like that? ... So, he has John arrested and locked up. ... There, problem was solved. ... But we know from the text tonight that the problem wasn't solved, was it?

There wasn't only one unchecked, prideful person involved in the story here. And while the king who was kind of afraid of John's truth speaking, of John the Jesus follower, and so he was content with just locking him up to shut him up ... his wife certainly wasn't happy with just that.

She also has been maligned in the public by John, according to her, and and she wanted John the Baptist to pay dearly. She wanted him to pay with his head, and so she waited for just the right opportunity. ... A time when King Herod walked right into a trap. She got it when the prideful king Herod promised his daughter anything! ... Anything in the world, even half of his kingdom for her dancing that had so pleased his banquet guests. ... And once offered, the prideful King Herod just couldn't lose face among its guests.

So full of pride. ... Human arrogance unchecked. ... And John the prophet paid the price, not the transgressors.

Faith Family, today's gospel gives us a perfect example of when human power is unchecked. When earthly desires override God's commandments. Sure, I understand that comparing my little ninth grade peacock strutting incident this gruesome beheading is ridiculous.

But I do know that there have been plenty of other times when people have paid the price for my own pride. Times when I've hurt others with my own and pride and arrogance, just as Herod did tonight.

Mark, our gospel writer, invites us to take a look at what happens when we value earthly principles and morals more than God's kingdom, and as we saw in the text earlier, it isn't pretty.

We know Jesus offers us a different example, with a loving invitation to God's kingdom. ... Here and now, even right here on this earth, we have the example of our savior to follow.

And that is the Good News for this Wednesday, July 7, the seventh week after Pentecost. ... Amen.