The Death of John the Baptist, Part 3

The point: Recognize the mental torture of an awakened conscience willfully rejecting what it knows to be right and true.

Herod's awakened conscience is likened to seeing John's ghost behind every drapery and under every rug, illustrating the mental torture of willfully rejecting known truth.

The first was this, that there is no mental torture like that of an awakened conscience willfully rejecting what it knows to be right and true. From the moment, John the Baptist is beheaded, Herod sees, as it were, the ghost of John behind the ripple of every drapery in his bedroom. Under every rug and behind every tree, the ghost, as it were, of John is over his shoulder, so that when he hears that mighty works are being done by someone called Jesus of Nazareth, he says, no, it is not Jesus, it is John risen from the dead. John whom I beheaded. The conscience that was awakened to the righteou...

7:08 - 8:13 Read in full sermon

The point: Understand that moral madness and ethical inconsistency are found in those with enlightened consciences who are still slaves to darling sins.

Herod's internal conflict is depicted as 100 horses of an enlightened conscience pulling him towards righteousness, but 200 horses of lusts pulling him towards sin, illustrating the moral madness of one enslaved to darling sins.

And we ask the question, which is the true Herod? And the answer is found in the fact that he is still a slave of his sin. The 100 horses of an enlightened conscience pull him in the direction of breaking off his sin, moving in the direction of righteousness and godliness. But the 200 horses of his own lusts and sinful passions pull him in the direction of those lusts and passions and they conquer in the end.

8:54 - 9:27 Read in full sermon

The point: Follow John the Baptist's pattern of speaking plainly about wickedness, publicly and privately, rebuking all who are living in sin, regardless of offense or unpopularity.

Martin quotes Bishop Ryle's commentary on John the Baptist's plain speaking to Herod, emphasizing that ministers must rebuke sin publicly and privately, regardless of consequences, as a matter of faithfulness and love.

But it's risky business. It's costly business. And as Bishop Ryle has so accurately stated, commenting on this very passage, John the Baptist spoke plainly to Herod about the wickedness in his life. He didn't excuse himself under the plea that it was imprudent or impolite.

24:44 - 25:06 Read in full sermon

In this part of the sermon: Martin argues that the scriptural exposure of specific sin in specific people is a costly but necessary activity, as exemplified by John the Baptist's rebuke of Herod. He supports…

The story of Samuel Davies, President of Princeton, rebuking King George III during a sermon illustrates the courage required for a minister to expose sin in high places, even at personal risk.

There is a wonderful example of this in the annals of our own American church history. There was a man by the name of Samuel Davies.

26:44 - 26:53 Read in full sermon

The point: If you have contracted an unrighteous commitment, such as an engagement to an unbeliever, the most honorable thing to do is break it, admitting your sin.

The example of a Christian woman making an unrighteous vow to marry an unbeliever illustrates that one is not bound to keep promises that violate God's law, and breaking such a vow is not sinful but honorable.

Hormonal that creates. Look at one another. He looks at her. She looks at him and zappo.

41:34 - 41:42 Read in full sermon

The point: If you have committed to an activity that demands perpetual violation of the Lord's Day or leads to defiling friendships, it is honorable to back out.

The example of committing to a sports team that demands perpetual violation of the Lord's Day or defiling friendships illustrates that breaking such a commitment is not dishonorable but necessary to avoid adding sin to sin.

then. She's bound, bound for life. But oh, dear young woman, dear young man, if you've contracted a commitment, the circumstances of which are unrighteous, it is not sinful to break that commitment. Some of you commit yourself to play on a team and then you find out that that's going to demand the perpetual violation of the Lord's day, the entering into certain intimate friendships that are defiling. And you say, everyone's counting on me. They've promised me that I'm going to make it happen. I'm going to make it happen. I'm going to make it happen. I'm going to make it happen.

43:16 - 43:49 Read in full sermon

The point: If you have committed to an activity that demands perpetual violation of the Lord's Day or leads to defiling friendships, it is honorable to back out.

Herod's rationalization of his oath is described as 'chickens coming home to roost' in his conscience, with John's 'ghost' haunting him, illustrating the long-term consequences of unrighteous vows.

been able to rationalize according to verse 26, exceeding sorry, but for the sake of his oaths and for the sake of saving face, you see, it was relatively easy to rationalize and say, well, I did make an oath and an honorable leader cannot continue to lead and have the confidence of those who are under him. If he appears vacillating and doesn't keep his promises, he could rationalize well as long as John's head was attached to his shoulders. But the moment he followed through with his rationalization, then the chickens came home to roost in his conscience and a ghost of John Hunson, Hunson, Hu...

44:20 - 45:25 Read in full sermon

The point: Do not make any rash oaths and commitments, whether in romantic relationships, sports, or jobs, that demand a loyalty beyond your loyalty to Christ.

Salome's lack of reservation in requesting and receiving John's head is used to illustrate the profound depravity that can result from negative parental influence, making her 'frozen with horror' at the thought of such an act.

literally a girl, that's the word used to describe that 12-year-old girl in Mark, 5. 41 and 2. It's the diminutive of the word that we use as a girl's name, Cora. And this is the diminutive of that. So she was probably in her early or mid-teens at the most. Had just developed as a young woman, and yet here she is at that age, able to mesmerize, expand by her presence in this filled world here. What would be your response if someone said, well, you can't do this. You can't do this. Would you please go out and bring in the freshly beheaded head of a man or woman? You'd be

46:27 - 47:22 Read in full sermon

The point: Recognize the awesome power of your parental influence, which is continually molding your children for good or evil by example, precept, and disposition.

Salome is called a 'veritable teenage Jezebel' to emphasize the extent of her wickedness and the powerful, negative molding influence of her mother, Herodias.

what in the name of all rationality can take a young teenage girl and make her so heartless, make her so wise, subtle in the ways of influencing men with her feminine charms, as a girl and she can turn. I'll tell you, she's quite a teacher. That was her mom. Attitudes and precepts molded that.

49:05 - 49:48 Read in full sermon

The point: Recognize the awesome power of your parental influence, which is continually molding your children for good or evil by example, precept, and disposition.

The positive example of Mordecai's molding influence on Esther is contrasted with Herodias's influence on Salome, highlighting the power of parental example and precept.

Directives that come from the lips of that depraved mother. Dear parents, the power put in our hands is awesome. It's awesome. That power to mold our children is always at work either for good or for evil, but work it does and work it well. By example, by precept, by disposition, you are continually molding in our consecutive reading, In the Old Testament, the beautiful description of the molding influence of that man of God, Mordecai, upon the young woman whom he took in as a daughter, though not his daughter after the flesh, and when she was a grown woman, beautiful enough to be desired abov...

51:04 - 52:22 Read in full sermon

The point: Examine your lifestyle: are you teaching your children the vanity of this world and things, or are you excited about the Bible and spiritual matters?

Parents getting excited about new possessions (dining room set, fridge, car) but not the Bible illustrates how children learn the vanity of the world over spiritual priorities.

Is it teaching your children the vanity of this world and of things? Or do they look at you and say, you know, whatever life is all about, surely one of its primary goals must be the accumulation of things and things and more things. I see when Daddy and Mommy get excited when they got a new thing. That's when they get excited.

52:35 - 52:59 Read in full sermon

The point: Exercise discrimination in what you watch on television, teaching your children the distinction between what is innocent and pure versus unclean and counterproductive.

Parents allowing children to watch anything on television without discrimination illustrates teaching children there is no distinction between pure and unclean, counterproductive content.

I tell you the thing that gets you teaching your kids... ...on the television.

53:29 - 53:50 Read in full sermon

The point: Husbands and fathers, show physical affection and speak tenderly to your wives, lest you teach your sons that women are 'things'.

Husbands walking by their wives without affection or tender words illustrates teaching sons that women are 'things,' perpetuating a cycle of mistreatment.

Husbands, Father, when you come through the door and walk by your wife like she's a thing, never pause to show her some physical affection. Never speak to her tenderly and gently. How has your day been, dear? How did things go?

54:11 - 54:27 Read in full sermon

The point: Wives and mothers, respond to your husbands with wholehearted, joyful submission, and avoid attitudes of resentment or manipulation, lest you teach your daughters similar patterns.

Wives showing resentment or lack of submission to their husbands, or manipulating them, illustrates teaching daughters similar patterns of behavior.

When your husband speaks to you gently and sweetly and graciously, lays before you the biblical principles that impinge upon a given decision,

54:57 - 55:05 Read in full sermon

Driving home: This passage is a classic example of the apparent triumph of evil over good.

Herodias's face is imagined 'like the cat that swallowed the canary' after John's death, illustrating her malicious satisfaction at the apparent triumph of evil.

And as I've meditated upon the passage, I've thought about what it must have been like that first night after John was beheaded and Herod and Herodias went to their bedchamber.

57:37 - 57:46 Read in full sermon