Sermon #33 Series:
Matthew
Title: THE BAPTIST BEHEADED
Text: Matthew 14:1-12
Subject: Lessons From The Martyrdom of John
the Baptist
Readings: Office: Ron Wood Aud.
Rex Bartley
Date: Tuesday Evening – February 21, 1995
Tape: R – 3
Introduction:
J.C.
Ryle’s introduction to this chapter is excellent. He wrote, “We have in this
passage a page out of God’s book of martyrs: the history of the death of John
the Baptist. The wickedness of King Herod, the bold reproof that John gave him,
the disgraceful circumstances of his death, are all written for our learning.
“Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of His saints.” (Psalm 116:15).
Mark
gives us far more detailed account of John’s martyrdoom than Matthew does. I
suggest that you carefully read Mark’s account before you go to bed tonight,
while this message is still fresh on your mind. It is in Mark 6:14-29. But for
now, I want to give you some plain, practical instruction from Matthew’s
account of John’s murder. If you are taking notes, the title of my message
tonight is The Baptist Beheaded.
I. Herod
was the vile son of a vile man.
Faith and godliness are never passed from father to son. Only God can
give a man faith. And only God can make men righteous. But ungodliness and
wickedness fathers do pass on to their sons generation after generation.
The Herod mentioned in Matthew 14
was Herod the tetrarch also known as Herod Antipas. He was the son of
Herod the Great, a Gentile, a descendant of Esau. Herod the Great was infamous
for his cold-blooded atrocities. He murdered the entire Jewish Sanhedrin because
they dared challenge his authority. He murdered one of his wives on a
whim. He murdered two of his sons, for fear that they might take his
throne. And he had all the male children in Bethlehem slaughtered in a
vain attempt destroy the Lord Jesus in his infancy. Herod the Great was a vile,
detested man.
His sons were just like him. After
Herod’s death, the Roman government divided his province into three parts,
giving three of Herod’s many sons of authority. Archelaus was given the
southern province of Judea and Samaria (Matt. 2:22). Philip was given
the northern provinces of Trachonitis and Ituraea. And Herod Antipas was
given the area that included Galilee and Porea.
This Herod the tetrarch, Antipas,
was the ruthless, shameless, henpecked, lustful man given to every imaginable
evil. He was no less beastly than his vile father, only less defiant and
courageous.
While visiting Rome with his
half-brother Philip and his wife Herodias, Herod and Herodias became involved
in a sordid, promiscuous affair. When Herod returned to his province, he was
married to Herodias. In order to have her, he betrayed his brother and divorced
his wife, and almost lost his kingdom. His enraged father-in-law, King
Arêtes, would have killed him had not the Roman army intervened.
Let us ever beware of our behavior in our homes. Our sons and daughters
will most likely imitate us in our most unbecoming traits. Godliness does not
breed godliness. But wickedness does breed wickedness.
II. Herod’s marriage to his brother’s wife
was a matter of public scandal and wickedness that had to be reproved.
The gospel writers do not tell us how or where John
and Herod were brought together. It is possible, if not likely that Herod
summoned John to come into his court that he might perform some miracle.
Kings and rulers often summon religious leaders.
Being summoned to preach to the
king, had John not rebuked him for his publicly known snub of God’s law and demanded
repentance of him, had he not demanded that Herod bow to the throne of God,
acknowledging his sin and seeking God’s mercy through Christ, the Lamb of God,
he would not have been faithful to God or to Herod. Whatever the occasion, John
said to Herod, “it is not lawful for you to have your brother’s wife.” Although
Herodias had been divorced from Philip for a number of years. In so far as
Roman law was concerned, she was Herod’s wife. But John did not recognize Roman
law when it contradicted God’s law. He refused to recognize the marriage.
Though she was sleeping with Herod, Herodias was Philip’s wife!
Let me say some things here about
marriage. I wish everybody in the world could and would here this.
A. The law of God does not change.
B. Marriage is for life.
C.
The marriage band can only be broken by three things.
NOTE:
I realize that some who hear this
message have experienced things in the past that greatly disturb them – Forget
the past. God has!
III. John the Baptist was a faithful servant
of God.
The first Baptist preacher in history was John the Baptist. He set the standard and laid down the example for all who would come after him to follow.
A. His Message – “Behold the Lamb of God.”
B. His Ministry – Preaching!
C. His Manner – Faithfulness! (I Cor. 4:1-2).
John was faithful even unto death. He
was neither a compromiser nor a diplomat. He was a faithful gospel
preacher. He was no more reluctant to confront Herod and Herodias with the
claims of God than he was the scribes and Pharisees. He feared nothing and no
one but God.
“It cost him his head; but it is
better to have a head like John the Baptist and lose it than to have an
ordinary head and keep it!” A.T. Robertson.
NOTE:
God’s servant is God’s servant
everywhere. He does not consider the costs or the consequences of delivering
God’s message.
IV. The conscience of a man is a powerful
thing.
It had been more than a year since Herod had John beheaded and his head
brought to Salome in a charger. But his
conscience never let him forget John or his words. When he heard about the Lord
Jesus, he thought John the Baptist had come back from the dead to get revenge.
(vv. 1-2).
A. We all have a conscience by nature.
B. Your conscience will always either accuse
you or excuse you (Rom. 2:15).
C. Unless you have been given over to a
reprobate mind and have a seared conscience, the only way for a sinner to have
a peaceful conscience before God is by faith in Christ - (Heb. 9:14).
V. We must never look for reward or
recognition in this world.
If ever there was a case of godliness and faithfulness unrewarded and
unrecognized in this life, it was that of John the Baptist.
A. There is a day of judgment appointed by God.
B. In that great day, God will set the record
straight (I Cor. 4:3).
C. That great day will more that make amends
for all these lesser days.
VI. In times of trouble, heartache, and
sorrow, children of God, we must do what John’s disciples did if we are to find
comfort, instruction, and help. (v. 12).
A. ”His disciples came and took up the body,
and buried it.”
NOTE: Not the man, the body!
NOTE: Buried
in hope of the resurrection!
B. Then, they “went and told Jesus!”
#347
– Tell It To Jesus!