Listen and Live it Out

Listen and Live it Out

Mark 6:12 – So they went out and preached that all should repent. 13 – They cast out many demons and anointed many sick people with oil and healed them. 14 – Now King Herod heard this, for Jesus’ name had become known. Some were saying, “John the baptizer has been raised from the dead, and because of this, miraculous powers are at work in him.” 15 – Other said, “He is Elijah.” Others said, “He is a prophet, like the one of the prophets from the past.” 16 – But when Herod heard this, he said, “John, whom I beheaded, has been raised!”

It was a sad story.  John had repeatedly told Herod that his marriage to Herodias was unlawful.  As a result Herodias wanted to kill John but could not – ‘because Herod stood in awe of John and protected him, since he knew that John was a righteous and holy man. When Herod heard him, he was thoroughly baffled, and yet the liked to listen to John.’ – Mark 6:20.

Herod knew that John was a righteous and holy man.  Herod also knew that John was right concerning his marriage but chose to do nothing about the situation he was in.  Herodias cunningly devised a way to trick Herod into giving her what she wanted and he fell for it.  Deeply grieved he chose to behead John in order to keep a rash oath that he made to Herodias’ daughter  in front of his guests at his birthday.  Now the message of John was spreading like wildfire from Jesus and the disciples.

There’s an important warning in the book of James for all of us.  We may have our favorite preachers we stand in awe of because they speak the truth in the power of Jesus Christ – 

But be sure you live out the message and do not merely listen to it and so deceive yourselves. For if someone merely listens to the message and does not live it out, he is like someone who gazes at his own face in a mirror. For he gazes at himself and then goes out and immediately forgets what sort of person he was. But the one who peers into the perfect law of liberty and fixes his attention there, and does not become a forgetful listener but one who lives it out – he will be blessed in what he does. If someone thinks he is religious yet does not bridle his tongue, and so deceives his heart, his religion is futile. Pure and undefiled religion before God the Father is this: to care for orphans and widows in their misfortune and to keep oneself unstained by the world. – James 1:22-27.

Herod saw who he really was through John’s preaching but became a forgetful listener refusing to live the message out.  He could not bridle his tongue resulting in the death of John the Baptist, whom he deeply respected. Herod’s religion was futile since, despite John’s preaching, he remained stained by the world.

Let’s live out the gospel message today and practice a pure and undefiled religion of taking care of the poor and unfortunate people among us – and keep ourselves unstained by this world of sin.