Introduction

Good morning, beloved family of God, gathered here in His holy name. We are here not by mere chance, but by divine appointment, called by the Almighty to sit at His feet and drink deeply from the well of His wisdom. We are here to listen, to learn, and to live out the truths that He graciously reveals to us through His word.

In the words of Ed Cole, "All sin promises to serve and please but only desires to enslave and dominate." Today, we are privileged to hear about sin, as we turn our hearts and minds to the book of Mark, chapter 6, verses 14-29.

Please follow along as I read:

[Read passage]

These verses tell a story that is as human as it is divine, a story that is as relevant today as it was two millennia ago. We see in Herod a heart hardened against the truth, in John a voice crying out in the wilderness, and in the consequences of Herod's actions a stark reminder of the cost of ignoring our conscience.

Before we unpack these truths, let us bow our heads in prayer.

Dear Heavenly Father, we thank You for the gift of Your word, for the light it sheds on our path, and for the life it breathes into our souls. As we study Your word today, we ask that You open our hearts and minds to receive the truths You have for us. May we not just be hearers of Your word, but doers also. In Jesus' name we pray, amen.

Let’s get started!

Hardening of the Heart

In the narrative we just read, we see King Herod, a man of power and influence, who has allowed his heart to become hardened to the truth. This hardening didn't happen overnight. It was a gradual process, a slow turning away from what he knew to be right. It started with a decision, a choice to marry his brother's wife, Herodias. This was not only a violation of societal norms, but also a direct contradiction to the laws of God. Yet, Herod chose to do it anyway.

This decision set him on a path that led to the hardening of his heart: He chose to ignore the voice of conscience, represented by John the Baptist, who boldly spoke the truth to him. Instead of repenting and making things right, Herod chose to silence the voice of truth. He had John arrested and put in prison. But even then, the voice of truth continued to echo in his mind. The scripture tells us that Herod was greatly puzzled by John, yet he liked to listen to him.

When we choose to ignore the truth, it doesn't go away: It continues to echo in our minds, causing us to be puzzled and conflicted. We may try to silence it, but it persists, reminding us of the path we should be on.

The power of grudges: Herodias, Herod's wife, held a grudge against John for speaking the truth about their marriage. This grudge consumed her to the point where she wanted John dead. Herod, influenced by his wife's grudge, allowed this bitterness to further harden his heart. Grudges have a way of doing that. They make us see the world through a lens of bitterness and resentment, blinding us to the truth and hardening our hearts.

The danger of making rash promises: In a moment of pleasure, Herod made a promise to Herodias' daughter that he later regretted. He promised to give her anything she asked for, up to half his kingdom. When she asked for John's head, Herod was distressed. He didn't want to kill John, but because of his rash promise, he felt he had no choice. This shows us how our words and actions can lead to consequences that further harden our hearts. We make a promise or a decision in the heat of the moment, without considering the long-term effects. When the consequences come, instead of admitting our mistake and seeking forgiveness, we often choose to harden our hearts and go through with it.

The consequence of a hardened heart: For Herod, it led to the death of John the Baptist. He had the prophet beheaded and his head presented on a platter. This was the result of a series of choices that Herod made, each one hardening his heart a little more. The consequence of a hardened heart is always destruction. It may not always be physical death, but it can be the death of relationships, opportunities, and our spiritual life.

In Herod's story, we see a warning and a lesson: The warning is clear: beware of the hardening of the heart. It starts with small choices, small compromises that we think are insignificant. But each one leads us further away from the truth and hardens our heart a little more. The lesson is equally clear: listen to the voice of truth. When our conscience speaks, when the Word of God convicts us, we should listen and repent. If we ignore it, we risk hardening our hearts and facing the destructive consequences.

Ask ourselves: Are there areas in our lives where our hearts are becoming hardened? Are we ignoring the voice of truth, holding onto grudges, making rash promises, or facing the destructive consequences of a hardened heart? Let's take a moment to examine our hearts and ask God to soften them, to make them receptive to His truth, and to guide us in the path of righteousness.

Hearing the Warnings

In the midst of this narrative, we find a man who, despite his power and prestige, is plagued by a nagging sense of unease ... View this full PRO sermon free with PRO