Beware of Modern Herodians

The point: Be prodded by biblical warnings to enter the way of life and salvation, and to remain on the narrow way.

Jesus' use of 'leaven' is explained as a metaphor for error that is active, infectious, and self-perpetuating, emphasizing that a little bit goes a long way.

For Paul could say, Whom we preach, that is, with reference to Christ that he preached, warning every man as well as teaching every man, that he might present every man complete or mature in Christ. Now, one of the most important warnings of our Lord, is that which we have come to in our consecutive expositions in the Gospel of Mark, the warning recorded in Mark 8 and verse 15. We come this morning to our final message, and this is the final final. After a broad exposition and application of verses 14 to 21, the paragraph in which the warning occurs, and after seeing the vital points, the vita...

4:24 - 5:46 Read in full sermon

In this part of the sermon: The sermon then focuses on the third warning: the leaven of Herod/Herodians. Martin meticulously distinguishes between Herod the Great, Herod Antipas (the 'fox' who beheaded John…

Herod the Great's reaction to the Magi and his decree to kill children under two years old illustrates his jealousy and determination to guard his political power.

And under the guise of wanting to go and worship him, he said, Look, when you find out that the angel of Christ is going to be king, you will not be able to go and worship him when all the while he had one intention to kill him because he felt threatened in his position by one who was not a usurper king sent by Rome, but one who was a home-born king of the Jews. Well, this man and his life is a saga of sickening, debauchery, jealousy, carnal ambition. And since the Scripture is silent about those details, I will not weary you with them. Suffice it to say that after he died, one of his sons, wh...

14:38 - 15:43 Read in full sermon

In this part of the sermon: The sermon then focuses on the third warning: the leaven of Herod/Herodians. Martin meticulously distinguishes between Herod the Great, Herod Antipas (the 'fox' who beheaded John…

The story of Herod Antipas beheading John the Baptist after a rash promise to his paramour's daughter illustrates Herod's sensuous, unprincipled, and man-pleasing character.

This is the Herod who laid hold of John the Baptist, who heard him preach gladly. This is the Herod who, when he made that rash promise to his paramour's daughter, is the Herod who had John the Baptist beheaded. And I hope some of you can remember when studying Mark 6, 14 to 29, we gained some insights into the character of this Herod Antipas. We learned that he was a horribly tortured man, sensuous and unprincipled and a man-pleaser on the one hand, and yet somehow attracted by the vigorous, godly manhood of John the Baptist on the other. We learn from Luke chapter 13, verses 31 and 32, that ...

15:43 - 17:08 Read in full sermon

In this part of the sermon: The sermon then focuses on the third warning: the leaven of Herod/Herodians. Martin meticulously distinguishes between Herod the Great, Herod Antipas (the 'fox' who beheaded John…

Jesus labeling Herod Antipas a 'fox' illustrates his shy, cunning, and carnivorous nature, highlighting his deceptive and dangerous character.

This is the Herod who laid hold of John the Baptist, who heard him preach gladly. This is the Herod who, when he made that rash promise to his paramour's daughter, is the Herod who had John the Baptist beheaded. And I hope some of you can remember when studying Mark 6, 14 to 29, we gained some insights into the character of this Herod Antipas. We learned that he was a horribly tortured man, sensuous and unprincipled and a man-pleaser on the one hand, and yet somehow attracted by the vigorous, godly manhood of John the Baptist on the other. We learn from Luke chapter 13, verses 31 and 32, that ...

15:43 - 17:08 Read in full sermon

In this part of the sermon: Based on scriptural inferences and historical context, Martin describes the Herodians as primarily Galilean Jews enamored with Roman lifestyle, indifferent to messianic hope…

Herod the Great rebuilding the temple is used as an example of his pragmatic use of religion to promote his own glory and placate the Jews, rather than for God's intended purpose.

had come to be enamored with much of the imported Roman lifestyle that had come into Palestine. It was this Herod the Great who both to promote his own glory and to placate the Jews rebuilt that temple at Jerusalem that was so magnificent that the disciples came out with their Lord and said, look at this marvelous building. He was determined to make it more glorious than it was in the days of Solomon. Now, most likely it was the generation living during the reign of Herod the Great when you had a younger generation of Jews grew up who were fascinated with the, quote, liberty that the Romans ha...

22:28 - 23:53 Read in full sermon

In this part of the sermon: Based on scriptural inferences and historical context, Martin describes the Herodians as primarily Galilean Jews enamored with Roman lifestyle, indifferent to messianic hope…

Herod Antipas living with his brother's wife and the Roman sensual dance leading to John the Baptist's beheading illustrate the imported Roman morality and paganism embraced by Herodians.

they brought Roman morality into Palestine. Here's the man who's living with his brother's wife and John says it is not lawful for you to have her. It is there in that setting when the Roman sensual dance becomes the very catalyst that results in John losing his head. So the picture seems to be this, that a younger generation of Jews growing up under the magnificent and apparently beneficent reign of Herod the Great become enamored with the lifestyle of Rome, with the paganism as it comes to expression in that setting.

23:53 - 24:34 Read in full sermon

In this part of the sermon: Based on scriptural inferences and historical context, Martin describes the Herodians as primarily Galilean Jews enamored with Roman lifestyle, indifferent to messianic hope…

The proverb 'if the parson may fiddle, may not the people dance' is used to illustrate how the moral laxity of a leader like Herod sets a permissive example for his followers.

If indeed they took their moral standards from the one who bears their name in this text, and were aware of the leaven of Herod, then we have reason to assume that his own moral laxity formed the code by way of example and probably precept for all who were identified with him. So if he can join himself in an incestuous relationship to his brother's wife, for there was a mixing of bloodlines beyond the permitted boundaries of the word of God, if that can be permitted in your idol and your hero, if the parson may fiddle, may not the people dance, and one can again only imagine how the standards ...

28:02 - 29:25 Read in full sermon

The point: Expect combined opposition from modern Pharisees, Sadducees, and Herodians to the extent that you embrace, live out, and proclaim the true religious principles of Jesus and His apostles.

Believing the Bible in humble trust is described as being a 'burr under the saddle' of the skeptical, rationalistic Sadducee, illustrating the discomfort true faith causes them.

That's why he could say in Matthew 5, 10 and following, blessed are you when men revile you and persecute you and say all manner of evil against you falsely for my sake. If your attachment to me is real, if it is an attachment of an enlightened faith, of a heightened devotion, expressed in a practical obedience hedged up by my precepts, you will be hated of all men for my name's sake. For you see, to the extent that we embrace in faith all that is revealed, we are a constant burr under the saddle of Sadducee and skepticism. You mean you believe the Bible when it says, in the beginning God crea...

43:27 - 44:26 Read in full sermon

The point: Insist upon heart religion, not mere forms and ceremonies, and be prepared to bury any tradition that cannot stand up to Scripture.

Martin recounts hearing a preacher in a large church spending 20-25 minutes absolving people and pronouncing blessings after a sermon on election, illustrating the externalism and ceremony of modern Phariseeism.

Yes. And when we interact with this book in the posture of humble believing trust, we are a burr under the saddle of the skeptical rationalistic Sadducee. And when we insist upon heart religion, no forms and ceremonies, no merely walking down the street, walking down the aisle, and I listen to something on the way to our retreat on Friday and then again earlier this morning that appalled me, had me crying out in my car out loud, God have mercy, in one of the largest churches in this country after a sermon on election, a preacher spent, I've not listened to it all yet, it's gone over 20 minutes...

44:29 - 45:56 Read in full sermon

The point: Insist upon heart religion, not mere forms and ceremonies, and be prepared to bury any tradition that cannot stand up to Scripture.

Attending church without heart engagement is likened to plunging one's body down in the pew 'as though it were a corpse,' illustrating the externalism of Pharisaic religion.

Yes. And when we interact with this book in the posture of humble believing trust, we are a burr under the saddle of the skeptical rationalistic Sadducee. And when we insist upon heart religion, no forms and ceremonies, no merely walking down the street, walking down the aisle, and I listen to something on the way to our retreat on Friday and then again earlier this morning that appalled me, had me crying out in my car out loud, God have mercy, in one of the largest churches in this country after a sermon on election, a preacher spent, I've not listened to it all yet, it's gone over 20 minutes...

44:29 - 45:56 Read in full sermon

The point: Be determined to have a heavenly religion, recognizing that 'My kingdom is not of this world,' and not to pursue political mandates for the church.

Martin uses the absurd example of marching for the right to plant banana trees to illustrate that while individual Christians can engage in political action, the church's mandate is not political activism.

And then you'll be an offense to the Herodian, who says, Why? Because you're determined to have a heavenly religion. My kingdom is not of this world, else would my servants fight. Pastor, why doesn't Trinity Church go and march on this and march on that and march on the other?

46:25 - 46:43 Read in full sermon

The point: Be determined to have a heavenly religion, recognizing that 'My kingdom is not of this world,' and not to pursue political mandates for the church.

The image of lining up 'all the dicks and shoot them with machine guns' in a 'Christian world' is used to reject the idea of establishing a worldly kingdom through force, emphasizing the church's heavenly focus.

God have mercy on us. My kingdom is not of this world. We have here no abiding city. We have no dreams that by the application of Biblical law we're going to have a Christian world and be able to line up all the dicks and shoot them with machine guns.

47:09 - 47:34 Read in full sermon

The point: Let your Christian morality be thoroughgoing, affecting even how you handle a paperclip in your office, and be consistently Christian in all relationships and circumstances.

The phrase 'this world is not my home, I'm just a passing through' illustrates the heavenly-mindedness that makes Herodians uncomfortable, as they are focused on the 'now kingdom'.

Well, you see a Herodian who wants just enough religion to float his now kingdom. He feels uncomfortable in the presence of a man who says this world is not my home. I'm just a passing through. My treasures are laid up.

48:05 - 48:20 Read in full sermon

The point: Let your Christian morality be thoroughgoing, affecting even how you handle a paperclip in your office, and be consistently Christian in all relationships and circumstances.

Christian morality extending to 'how you handle a paperclip in your office' illustrates the thoroughgoing nature of true holiness, contrasting with the convenient, pragmatic religion of Herodians.

And when you live with both feet planted firmly in the path of duty down here, but with your affections and heart and rebuke to the Herodian who's only got enough of God and the Bible and Jesus and religion to float his ship upon the sea of the now kingdom. When you're determined that your Christian morality will get as honest as how you handle a paperclip in your office, not just a convenient religion to turn its faith in the presence of the religious to get their support for your own ends, but be prepared to turn that face which is the only face you have. One that looks upon the face of Jesu...

48:30 - 49:44 Read in full sermon

The point: Live in the fear of Christ, under His eye, and in His presence consistently, rather than cranking up religious intensity only in special buildings.

Martin asks if one's face would be red if he 'popped out from under that desk tomorrow at three o'clock' while listening to a friend, to illustrate the need for consistent Christian living under the constant eye of Christ.

Are you that? Would your face be red if I happened to pop out from under that desk tomorrow at three o'clock in the midst of what you're listening to from some friend at school or college or in the office? Well, my friend, if your face would be red because I was there, it ought to be redder yet because Christ is there. And if you learn how to crank up the intensity of your religion when you come to a special building, you've not learned the first thing of what it is to live in the fear of Christ, under the eye of Christ, to live in the presence of Christ.

56:15 - 56:51 Read in full sermon