John’s Murderers (Part B)

Then it got worse for Herodias worse for Harrell death is not the worst thing that can happen to a human being.

This is the gospel message that there's death can be the most wonderful thing that happens to a human being timely death not self appointed gospel says the good news that after this life.

There are no more tears, but if you choose against God. There will be weeping and gnashing of teeth. This is cross reference radio with our pastor and teacher Rick Gaston. Rick is the pastor of Calvary Chapel Mechanicsville. Pastor Rick is currently teaching through the book of Mark, please stay with us after today's message to hear more information about cross reference radio, specifically how you can get a free copy of this teaching John's murderers as the title of Pastor Rick's message today.

He'll be in Mark chapter 6 Herod he had no problem in believing that a man who had been beheaded.

Could risen from the dead, just craziness. If he could believe that. Why would he not submit to the one who rules over this. Is it possible to believe in the resurrection of Jesus Christ and still be unmoved by it to submit to him absolutely. It is the Pharisees went out of their way to cover up his resurrection. Many of Scripture saw miracles and refused to submit to them, dealing with what sin has done to the race is tough stuff is very real is very hot is the knockdown drag out fight all the way is very ugly.

We were just singing the song pass me not while another is our calling.

Please Doug do not pass me by. Before I became a pastor when God called me to the ministry and I had no church. I used to sing that song.

Lord told pass me by.

But at the dealing with the devil's work enough years, you know, maybe if you want to find somebody else.

Lord, I'm I what should I send him a lie. Do you and tell you that it's all been wonderful balls that I barrow my body marks of Christ. I can set barrow. My heart marks a Christ. No, not in a boastful way in a gallon way but is still nonetheless it is true I have hurts from serving Christ that I otherwise would not of heard or had and it should be that way.

To some degree with all of us who serve Christ. All of us take up a cross cross is not something you want to take up the CL have the turkey sandwich with everything on it and across a cross to bear. We don't think like that, but we are called to think like we learn to think this way. It is the teaching of the spirit in our lives and so these fiends that's what they were, who had John murdered have such power in this world too much for my liking. Because is a real devil, and there is a real filtering system God is getting to the bottom who is going to serve him and who is not, and is using this life to do it and he will not be moved off of that mission looks gospel chapter 13. On that very day.

Some of the Pharisees came saying to him get out and depart from here. Herod wants to kill you.

Course you killed John by that time and he said to him, go tell that fox. Behold, I cast out demons and perform cures today and tomorrow and the third day, and I shall be perfect.

In other words, I don't care what you think. If you are against God, your doom is going to be sure when he mentions that fox. Remember that in those days foxes were seen as sneaky and sly and destructive. They were more of a nuisance than anything else, they were not these cute little things that you rarely saw crossing the road.

They were predators of weaker animals in the eyes of the people who lived at that time. Solomon writes about the little foxes, that spoil the vine.

Just when everything have a good day and some little move from Satan just ruins it for you. Verse 17 for Herod himself and sent and laid hold of John and found him in prison for the sake of Herodias, his brother Philip's wife where he had married her. Well we have, we can say a lot about these characters what it can suffice to say in a single word wicked giving the details of you know the incest that was taking place. She had married her. Her first husband Philip was her uncle and so was Herr Rod and is give you an idea what was going on with these mindless, savage and eternally damning choices made by these people. Luke 319, but Herod the tetrarch see Luke does not call Herod this Herr Rod King equals am attaching ruler of 25% of the land, cut up by Rome being rebuked by him concerning Herodias's brother Philip's wife for all the evils which Herod had done. See John had dealt with all the evils that Herr Rod had done.

John was thorough again didn't allow the consequences of his being thorough deter him from doing what he was supposed to do and so these are the people in the his field of ministry. They were not only wicked but very able to execute their wickedness on others.

Verse 18 because John and said to Herod, it is not lawful for you to have your brother's wife.

Now Herod was of Edomite and Jewish mixture and in his bloodline, he considered himself a Jew. Of course he use that to his advantage in dealing with the Jews in the region of Galilee and Pereira, where he had authority because he considered himself a Jew that gave John the right to set him straight. According to the law of Moses and in Leviticus chapter 18, and I think chapter 20 is very clearly said not to take your brother's life and so John and I gave him sermons on that and other things also course John the baptizer. His rebukes negatively affected the social standing of Gerard's stolen wife Herodias. I mean, people would be talking behind her back that that profit John was scolding you publicly.

He's calling you out. It was saying you were an illegitimate life.

You were an adult through your wicked, she would have none of that. She hated John for this. John preached in spite of the consequences we go back a little bit of egg again. Daniel chapter 3 verse 18 but if not, let it be known to you.

If God does not answer our prayer as precious as our lives are to ourselves, and we have no right to think that those men and women in Scripture who were persecuted, some to death some near death. We have no right to think that they were just good with this I mean of that that was not a problem.

They were just as much unhappy with being persecuted and killed. As we would be. It's not just the story is real people and real lives.

And so when these men were facing the death of a fiery furnace.

This was their stance. God is able to deliver us, but if not, let it be known to you again. We do not serve your gods know who we worship the God of the gold image which you have set up something you concocted something you created. Whether it is in the form of a statue or an idea whether it is an ideology or whatever it may be if you made it up and it goes contrary to God. We really are against it is contrary to us and this is been part of our Christian heritage forever. Other religions have the same thing. They believe in their dots so not all of them. So some of them believe you can believe whatever you want to believe it doesn't matter its relative. Sounds like it's such a deep works relative you going to be a relative of hell you don't fix that opinion or that's offensive well you know what God finds you rejecting his proof and his troops offensive.

You can side with him and fix this sounds to somebody doesn't like it is you hearing me say the center of you saying, wow, you're right right I would give my life to Christ will that's what I want you to say, but maybe you might be single you think you are just a nobody. But I'm talking about somebody who is big and awesome and worthy to be praised. Well, Nebuchadnezzar, 328 Nebuchadnezzar spoke, saying, Blessed be the God of Shadrach me shack and Abednego, who sent his angel and delivered his servants who trusted in him. What if he did you know always, didn't deliver John by the end of the story right there frustrated the king's word, and yielded their bodies, they should not serve nor worship any god, except their own God. I know I'm repeating this on purpose.

We when we is good to be reminded. They yielded their bodies sticks out stands out glass off the page at me. Verse 19. Now Mark chapter 6. Therefore, Herodias held it against him and wanted to kill him, but she could not. She held against him that he is again publicly scolding her he wasn't trying to visit preaching the word to everybody.

She hated John for convicting her of her sin. There wasn't sin, live and let live.

Do your own thing. John said that's fine. But here's what God says in Galatians chapter 4 Paul asked believers. Those who once loved him, have I therefore become your enemy because I tell you the truth, you tell people the truth. You make them your enemy. They will like you. But truth really doesn't care true this is. It is not doesn't have feelings. It's just fact in front of you. You can argue what you can huff and puff what is going to make a demand on your will is going to cut right to you. It's going to isolate you from everything else is a way to do this. That's what's Carolyn's issue was in this story. He had to finally face the truth in full force and make a decision on his birthday. Jesus said the world cannot hate you, but it hates me because I testify of it that his works are evil. Pastors enter the pulpit and they preach the word as it's given to us and many people hate them for because their works are evil.

They don't want to submit to what God has said they want to tell her what God is said to what they want to do that to be able to say I love the Lord and then boldface disrespect him with your actions and not think it's a problem you adjust mocking God that all men be alive. God is not mocked, you will be judged for that such behavior is the case of King Saul in the in the Old Testament and others to come out and say they worship God then trampled the very word of God. The next breath well if it went terribly wrong for her rotted judgment. What about Herodias and that's why she has that name Herodias and he is here because she's part of the fence incestuous.

She's a Nice and are you her daughter solemnly will pick up the same habit.

But anyway what happened to her savage eternity awaited her to Herod's not the only one to fall into judgment in the store where these two right now at this very moment someone like the kid themselves.

They're just, you know, nowhere while eventually.

You know, somehow somebody prayed them out a hell that's not what the Bible teaches at all. In fact, totally against such concoctions after death. It got worse for Herodias after death. It got worse for Herr Rod death is not the worst thing that can happen to a human being. This is the gospel message that there's death can be the most wonderful thing that happens to a human being timely death not self appointed gospel says this is the good news is that after this life. There are no more tears, but if you choose against God.

There will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.

Verse 24 Herod feared John, knowing that he was a just and holy man, and he protected him and when he heard him, he did many things, and heard him gladly so. So Herod knew John was connected to God. You could say and that he himself that Herat himself was not any of it was drawn to Johnny wanted some of this.

That's the problem. He just wanted to sample it. He did not let this knowledge help him enough, just in time became familiar with John's sermons Jesus speaking Matthew records about hell in darkness.

Jesus said that those in profitable service were cast a said and cast the unprofitable servant into outer darkness. There will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.

That's a promise you this is what's going to happen he's telling expecting us to respond to the warnings in a positive way and even now Herr Rod and Herodias, and countless others to us sitting in endless hell and we need to be very serious about this and not dismiss it, that there are consequences that can be a consequence for preaching the truth such as persecution, such as beheading, but there's also consequence to telling God your son's death on the cross ain't all that and I think many people think the going to somehow be okay if they reject Jesus that the going to somehow survive. This is witchcraft. This is believing in spiritual forces that don't exist in your favor. When he heard him, he did many things, and heard him gladly.

It tells us here in verse 20. Now some translations say that instead of saying he did many things. He was very perplexed to little tricky but the idea is that John influenced the thinking of Herr Rod at this, John was making headway. John was moving the man's heart with the truth from the Scripture. He heard he did and gladly that's what it says when he heard him, he did many things, and heard him gladly. John, the baptizer's preaching was making progress in this man, this is done a spooky because Herod was that close to heaven and he chose Helen instead internally was conflicted. That's when the war was the Holy Spirit is what you do give worse when heat this up in a moment he knew he was guilty for marrying Herodias taking Philip's wife from him and for his walk for a while. His conscience was alive. It was not yet seared with a hot iron beyond retrieval but he becomes irretrievable about anybody here starting to wade out into the waters of rejection of Christ into making up things about Christ and his word.

You going out deeper and deeper until you are either retrievable. You can be irretrievable in this life. For God can't get you back is my point is, what if you just don't agree with the fine good donor agreement for the phone right what a phone right in you messing around with these things. Well, the story here tells us otherwise tells us that you can reach a point of no return. Verse 21, then an opportune day came when heroine on his birthday, gave a feast for his nobles. The high officers and the chief men of Galilee yeah where they too, John. The baptizer was Herr Rod's last chance at eternal life really wouldn't get another. I mean, technically you could say when Jesus stood before me had another chance but realistically speaking, it was he was too far gone use at the point of no return.

It was a defining moment in this life we have those we have many of them, but this had to do with his soul. This was his last chance as it was with Pharaoh and Moses stood before him.

Eventually it became the last chance until Farrell chased them to the sea and was swallowed up there.

Then there was Saul. Samuel.

Samuel came up at and/or and preach tomorrow you'll be dead to Saul. Saul had a chance threw it away. King David. David had a chance to repent over his sin with Bathsheba and Uriah and Nathan confronted him and David took that chance David did not resist it to. I'm the man I met, he repented, he wrote Psalms about it. David shows us how to respond, as did the Ninevites.

Jonah comes through 40 days. You guys have done. God will judge you 40 days God will judge that was his sermon.

Some of you might be saying why can't you preach worship sermons like that. Will Jonah didn't have the gospel of Mark, but Nineveh repented, if they had not repented that generation would've perished. What about Absalom. Even Joab was used to give Absalom a chance and he threw it away. Judas Iscariot go do what you must do that was in his last chance. He was approaching there in the garden when he betrayed him.

And Jesus said friend Judas dismissed it and went out and hung himself in remorse but not repentance will come of that moment to. Then there was Caesar Nero Nero wasn't too bad as seizures go as a ruler until after Paul the apostle spoke with him. History kind of skips over that within Nero goes really wacky, even kills his mentor Seneca but we know Paul went before him. Because act 27 tells us God speaking to an angel the ball. Do not be afraid, Paul, for you must be brought before Caesar and indeed God is granted you and all those who sail with you. This is when they were on the facing shipwreck and they did shipwrecked but they survive and so the point is, Nero was given a chance one more chance and after he told Paul no, he went into his Christian hatred mode and we know him as the man who really introduced the first Gentile severe persecution of believers, there was the Jezebel of Thyatira Christ gave her a chance revelation to verse 21, where he says you have that woman Jezebel teaches my servant and so here he says and I gave her time to repent of her sexual immorality, and she did not repent to reach that tipping point, going partway, but not all the way into repentance and harden the heart to the point where it's too late, these were given a chance.

One last chance Herr Rod has again.

Galatians chapter 3, Paul lamenting to the church. This is all foolish collation size talking to those who said they were believers who has bewitched you that you should not obey the truth, I am afraid for you Les, I have worked fun.

Nothing. How many times the pastor preached to the use and use love it and then they go out to the world and all of a sudden then all of that pastoring even though he's done nothing to give them the word of God is to find others that give it to them better.

I don't dispute that. I know there are better men than I am in the pulpit you really believe that do you know I don't course, I believe it could hit is kind of funny right because you want.

As luck. I don't care what you are. I think if you have any sense of decency you want to be the best at what you do, knowing you can't be is always going to be somebody better and is no difference in my case, or any other pastor's case. Some of the pastor knows that I'm better than him just like I know he's better than me.

Well anyway, these facts are things we need to be reminded of from time to time and yet some people come to the church because I'm the only girl on the dance floor.

Well I go to another church but I can't find one thought is with you. This is very flattered by the others, have been given a chance. One last chance they may want me, you can say the same thing. You and Deb want some point, you were given the chance and you took at the Christ would maybe maybe it was your last chance. Maybe you're sitting here and you still undecided. Satan loves the bubbleheaded undecided individual, you have no right to be undecided in the face of these truths to that powerful. That's why God will eventually say no more mercy. What a scary thought. Would you rather me to sell not just keep on you know you never know just you never know you want me to preach that kind of just an noncommittal stuff what you want to understand that this is serious business. Every cemetery says to all of us. This life is not a joke. For every tombstone. There's a broken heart. Many of them here.

Here we have this worldly party and these can be nasty gatherings. These parties party led to Moses breaking the tablets of the law before the guilty revelers. It was a party that King has your sorriest tried to parade his wife Vashti and she had the courage to say no and he lost. He lost her.

His wife, King Bell says the last one of the Babylonians, he saw the handwriting on the wall at a party and was not in his favor knees knock against another another things course. He perished that night and this morning the decision to chop off the head of John the baptized was made to move. Thanks for tuning in to cross reference radio for this study in the book of Mark cross reference radio is the teaching ministry of pastor Rick Gaston of Calvary Chapel Mechanicsville in Virginia to learn more information about this ministry. Visit our website cross reference radio.com once you're there you'll find additional teachings from Pastor Rick. We encourage you to subscribe to our podcast. When you subscribe will be notified of each new edition of cross reference radio you could search for cross reference radio on your favorite podcast app that's all we have time for today, but we hope you'll join us next time.

As Pastor Rick continues to teach through the book of Mark Rocky on cross reference radio