Avoiding the retirement party
This week is on Matthew 14:1-12:
Here's another example of a Christian life that doesn't go the way we'd expect the typical Christian life to go. John the Baptist was an obedient Christian who lived a life of self-sacrifice in his service of God's kingdom. You'd think that after all of that, he'd get some kind of jubilee party or a comfortable retirement, complete with whatever the first century equivalent of a gold watch was. What he got was almost the opposite.
Herod sent soldiers to kidnap John and drag him back to the government compound, where he was imprisoned. His crime was speaking against the government. (Actually he was trying to help the government by encouraging Herod to stop steeping himself in sin and start paying attention to what God wants. The same inattention to God's will in Herod's personal life was probably also evident in his decisions as the governor of that region of Israel.) Herod decided to keep him locked up indefinitely, until another moment of indiscretion caused him to order John's execution. You know those nasty videos the insurgents in the Middle East make of reporters they get their hands on? That's what they did to Herod when they dragged him out of his cell, beheaded him, and then put his head on display. (They didn't have video then.) Where's the tract that sells that aspect of God's wonderful plan for your life? :)
I know this doesn't sound very spiritual of me, but I really don't want to get beaten up or thrown in jail. I especially don't want to be locked up in some third world compound. And I love Jesus, but I do not ever want to have my head cut off. From the sound of it, Jesus wasn't thrilled with the idea either. He wasn't all like "Great, nail me up!" when he knew his days were numbered. He prayed for a different plan if one was available. I doubt either Jesus or John were eager for martyrdom. That's why it was a sacrifice.
The thing is, this life isn't the only thing that matters. We might even live our whole lives without seeing the fruits of our spiritual labor. If all we had to look at was this life, we'd probably assume that John and Jesus had made horrible mistakes somewhere. Both died the deaths of criminals. The truth was the opposite though. They lived righteous lives. Our rewards aren't necessarily here, but are paid out in eternity by being with God. John got the express ticket to his reward, even if we can't see it ourselves.
Most of us will probably have the privilege of living comfortable lives right up until the day we die a peaceful death. Some of us will even make good money, have nice kids, a fulfilling circle of friends, etc. Still, if we're serious about God, and are willing to stand by him in difficulty, we may end up like John too. It's not a particularly appealing thought, but it's OK in the eternal sense. It's more important to be useful than it is to be comfortable.
Take a moment to put yourself in John's place. Would you be willing to speak out like he did, if you had to? Would you stand by God's message, even if it meant a gruesome death for you? How serious is your Christianity to you? We're lucky we haven't had to answer those questions for real, but it's useful to consider them nonetheless. There's a reason why those stories are in the Bible. In prayerfully considering John's life and position, and the life of Jesus and his sacrifice, we can be more aware of our strengths and weaknesses, and more thankful for the easy lives we live in comparison.
At that time Herod the tetrarch heard the reports about Jesus, and he said to his attendants, "This is John the Baptist; he has risen from the dead! That is why miraculous powers are at work in him."Now Herod had arrested John and bound him and put him in prison because of Herodias, his brother Philip's wife, for John had been saying to him: "It is not lawful for you to have her." Herod wanted to kill John, but he was afraid of the people, because they considered him a prophet.
On Herod's birthday the daughter of Herodias danced for them and pleased Herod so much that he promised with an oath to give her whatever she asked. Prompted by her mother, she said, "Give me here on a platter the head of John the Baptist." The king was distressed, but because of his oaths and his dinner guests, he ordered that her request be granted and had John beheaded in the prison. His head was brought in on a platter and given to the girl, who carried it to her mother. John's disciples came and took his body and buried it. Then they went and told Jesus.
Here's another example of a Christian life that doesn't go the way we'd expect the typical Christian life to go. John the Baptist was an obedient Christian who lived a life of self-sacrifice in his service of God's kingdom. You'd think that after all of that, he'd get some kind of jubilee party or a comfortable retirement, complete with whatever the first century equivalent of a gold watch was. What he got was almost the opposite.
Herod sent soldiers to kidnap John and drag him back to the government compound, where he was imprisoned. His crime was speaking against the government. (Actually he was trying to help the government by encouraging Herod to stop steeping himself in sin and start paying attention to what God wants. The same inattention to God's will in Herod's personal life was probably also evident in his decisions as the governor of that region of Israel.) Herod decided to keep him locked up indefinitely, until another moment of indiscretion caused him to order John's execution. You know those nasty videos the insurgents in the Middle East make of reporters they get their hands on? That's what they did to Herod when they dragged him out of his cell, beheaded him, and then put his head on display. (They didn't have video then.) Where's the tract that sells that aspect of God's wonderful plan for your life? :)
I know this doesn't sound very spiritual of me, but I really don't want to get beaten up or thrown in jail. I especially don't want to be locked up in some third world compound. And I love Jesus, but I do not ever want to have my head cut off. From the sound of it, Jesus wasn't thrilled with the idea either. He wasn't all like "Great, nail me up!" when he knew his days were numbered. He prayed for a different plan if one was available. I doubt either Jesus or John were eager for martyrdom. That's why it was a sacrifice.
The thing is, this life isn't the only thing that matters. We might even live our whole lives without seeing the fruits of our spiritual labor. If all we had to look at was this life, we'd probably assume that John and Jesus had made horrible mistakes somewhere. Both died the deaths of criminals. The truth was the opposite though. They lived righteous lives. Our rewards aren't necessarily here, but are paid out in eternity by being with God. John got the express ticket to his reward, even if we can't see it ourselves.
Most of us will probably have the privilege of living comfortable lives right up until the day we die a peaceful death. Some of us will even make good money, have nice kids, a fulfilling circle of friends, etc. Still, if we're serious about God, and are willing to stand by him in difficulty, we may end up like John too. It's not a particularly appealing thought, but it's OK in the eternal sense. It's more important to be useful than it is to be comfortable.
Take a moment to put yourself in John's place. Would you be willing to speak out like he did, if you had to? Would you stand by God's message, even if it meant a gruesome death for you? How serious is your Christianity to you? We're lucky we haven't had to answer those questions for real, but it's useful to consider them nonetheless. There's a reason why those stories are in the Bible. In prayerfully considering John's life and position, and the life of Jesus and his sacrifice, we can be more aware of our strengths and weaknesses, and more thankful for the easy lives we live in comparison.
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