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Sound & Season is a daily audio devotional designed to connect the routine moments of life to the rhythms of the Church seasons.
This is Sound and Season. It's Wednesday, 13th day of Lent. Our passage today comes from the gospel of Mark chapter 6 verses 1 through 29. He went away from there and came to his hometown, and his disciples followed him. And on the Sabbath, he began to teach in the synagogue, and many who heard him were astonished saying, where did this man get these things?
Lauren Starnes:What is the wisdom given to him? How are such mighty works done by his hands? Is this not the carpenter, the son of Mary, and the brother of James, and Joses, and Judas, and Simon? And are not his sisters here with us? And they took offense at him.
Lauren Starnes:And Jesus said to them, A prophet is not without honor, except in his hometown, and among his relatives, and in his own household. And he could do no mighty works there, except that he laid his hands on a few sick people and healed them, and he marveled because of their unbelief. And he went about among the villages teaching, and he called the 12 and began to send them out 2 by 2, and gave them the authority over the unclean spirits. He charged them to take nothing for their journey except a staff. No bread, no bag, no money in their belts, but to wear sandals, and not put on 2 tunics.
Lauren Starnes:And he said to them, whenever you enter a house, stay there until you depart from there, And if any place will not receive you, and they will not listen to you, when you leave, shake off the dust that is on your feet as a testimony against them. So they went out and proclaimed that people should repent, and they cast out many demons, and anointed with oil many who were sick, and healed them. King Herod heard of it, for Jesus's name had become known. Some said, John the Baptist has been raised from the dead, that is why these miraculous powers are at work in him, but others said, he is Elijah, And others said, he is a prophet, like one of the prophets of old. But when Herod heard of it, he said, John, whom I beheaded, has been raised.
Lauren Starnes:For it was Herod who had sent and seized John and bound him in prison for the sake of Herodias, his brother Philip's wife, because he had married her. For John had been saying to Herod, it is not lawful for you to have your brother's wife, And Herodias had a grudge against him and wanted to put him to death, but she could not. For Herod feared John, knowing that he was a righteous and holy man, and he kept him safe. When he heard him, he was greatly perplexed, and yet he heard him gladly. But an opportunity came, when Herod on his birthday gave a banquet for his nobles and military commanders, and the leading men of Galilee.
Lauren Starnes:For when Herodias's daughter came in and danced, she pleased Herod and his guests. And the king said to the girl, Ask me for whatever you wish, and I will give it to you. And he vowed to her, Whatever you ask me, I will give you, up to half of my kingdom. And she went out and said to her mother, for what should I ask? And she said, the head of John the Baptist.
Lauren Starnes:And she came in immediately with haste to the king, and asked, saying, I want you to give me at once the head of John the Baptist on a platter. And the king was exceedingly sorry. But because of his oaths and his guests, he did not want to break his word to her, and immediately the king sent an executioner with others to bring John's head. He went and beheaded him in the prison, and brought his head on a platter and gave it to the girl. And the girl gave it to her mother.
Lauren Starnes:When his disciples heard of it, they came and took his body and laid it in a tomb. This is the word of the Lord. Thanks be to God.
Jeffrey Heine:The shocking account of John the Baptist's death comes after 2 brief scenes of rejection. 1st, Jesus is rejected in his hometown, and then, the disciples are prepared by Jesus for rejection as they journey to heal the sick and proclaim repentance. While many people are marveling at Jesus and coming to him in trust and belief, many more are marveling at Jesus and rejecting him. The death of John the Baptist demonstrates the contempt that so often follows the truth. If the apostles, John the Baptist, and Jesus himself could not escape the dismissive contempt, we should not expect better.
Jeffrey Heine:John was willing to speak the truth of God to the ruling power of his day and suffer the consequences for it. For even today, in every church, you can hear John still crying aloud through the gospels, behold, the lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world.
Lauren Starnes:Lord, hear our prayer, and let our cry come to you. Let us pray. Heavenly Father, help us to behold your glory. Help us to proclaim the truth of your gospel for all of our days. Oh Lord, you are worthy of our praise and our lives laid down before you.
Lauren Starnes:Oh, lamb of God, who takes away the sins of the world, have mercy on us. Glory to the father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be forever. Amen.