"I will speak of Your testimonies also before kings, And will not be ashamed" Martyrdom of St. John the Baptist
Preaching and Teaching from St. John Ev. Lutheran Church (Sherman Center), Random Lake, Wisconsin · Rev. Christopher Gillespie
Audio is streamed directly from the publisher (anchor.fm) as published in their RSS feed. Play Podcasts does not host this file. Rights-holders can request removal through the copyright & takedown page.
Show Notes
29. August 2021
Martyrdom of St. John the Baptist
Mark 6:14-29
John the Baptist couldn’t keep his mouth shut. Within his vocation as prophet, he had to speak. The king was living a lie and left unchecked, one lie would lead to another. For the sake of the king and the kingdom, the last Elijah, John, spoke the truth in love. And what did he get for it? First he was imprisoned by the king and then the bitter adulteress and incestuous queen had him beheaded.
Was it worth it? Was John’s witness a waste of time? Look what it got him! The memory of him is forever marked by his end. Two thousand years of church artwork has featured his notorious head on a platter. Was it worth it? Was there another way to overcome over Herod and Herodias’s heart? Perhaps if John had instead preached a more encouraging word or simply looked the other way, those two would have come around eventually?