The Martyrdom of St. John the Baptist

The Martyrdom of St. John the Baptist
“John and Jesus”
Mark 6:14-29
Vicar Darren Harbaugh

Sermon Outline
Intro: A morbid, Christless, irrelevant story? Hardly!
A. Why is such a gruesome tale in the Bible?
B. Where is Jesus in this story?
C. What does this story mean for us?

I. John is a “type” of Christ
A. The Bible is filled with “types.” (i.e. Issac)
B. This story points to Christ

II. John and Jesus – similarities.
A. Seized and led away (v. 17; Mk 14:44-46)
B. Recognized as “righteous and holy” men (v. 20; 15:14)
C. “Greatly perplexed” authorities (v. 20; 15:4-5)
D. Authorities gave into pressure (vv. 26-27; 15:15)
E. Disciples laid body in a tomb (v. 29; 15:42-46)

III. John and You
A. John is a “type” of Jesus but also of all believers. (vv. 7-12, 30)
B. Peril, toil, and pain. (AKA: the junk of life.)
C. That’s not the end of the story (Mark 16:5-6)

IV. Jesus and You
A. You are wearing your Jesus Coat – Baptism (Gal 3:27; Rom. 6:3)
B. You are united in His Death (Rom. 6:4-5
C. You are united in His Resurrection (Rom 6:4-5)

V. Where is Jesus in your story? He is your story!

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Intro
"I want you to give me at once the head of John the Baptist on a platter."
Yikes! What a morbid story! Why is such a gruesome tale in the Bible? This week’s gospel reading definitely fits into that “not-quite-PG-rated” category of Bible stories. For instance, I think it would be hard to find any children’s storybooks or flannel graph lessons that deal with this reading.
You know what else is hard to find in this story? Jesus. Where is Jesus? I was taught at Seminary that all Scripture points to and bears witness of Jesus and his redemptive work on the cross. Or to put it another way, as Lutherans, we are Christ-centered and Cross-focused just as the Holy Scriptures are Christ-centered and Cross-focused.
However, this reading from the “Gospel” –the good news about Jesus - is quite unusual in that it appears to leave Jesus behind. The reading begins talking about Jesus, but then Saint Mark - the author of this book - seems to go on a tangent about the death of John the Baptist. Jesus’ name doesn’t even appear for 13 verses. How do we make sense of this gory story? How do we see Christ in it? And what does this story mean for us - you and I who do not seem to be in danger of having our respective heads winding up on a platter? On first glance, it almost appears that today’s Gospel reading is morbid, Christ-less, and irrelevant. Is that the case? Hardly!
I to begin, let’s go back to that question: “Where is Jesus?” - that’s always a good question to ask - it turns out that Jesus is the center of this story all along. You can see this when you look at John and how he is portrayed, comparing his story to that of Jesus. You see, Saint Mark, portrays John as a “type” of Christ. The Bible is actually filled with “types.” For example, Abraham was willing to shed the blood of his only-begotten son Issac as a sacrifice. Issac is a “type” that points to Christ.
We can also see John as a type that points to Christ. Mark deliberately includes details in this account to connect the stories of John and Jesus, showing that what happened to John was what also lay in store for Jesus and by extension what lay in store for all believers in Christ. We all share in the stories of John and Jesus.
II So, where is Jesus? Even though Jesus’ name is not mentioned, our Gospel reading is very much about Him. Let’s look at 5 details in the last hours of John the Baptist and how they point to the sufferings of our Lord as recorded in Mark 14 and 15.
Pointer #1 - Both John and Jesus were seized and led away. Our reading says “Herod seized John and bound him in prison.” This points to Jesus’ capture and imprisonment. Mark 14 reads, “The men seized Jesus and arrested him.
Pointer #2 - Both John and Jesus were recognized as innocent by the men who executed them. Our reading says that Herod knew John was a “righteous and holy man.” This points to Jesus in Mark 15, when Pilate asks, "What evil has he done?"
Pointer #3 - Both John and Jesus “greatly perplexed” the authorities. Those are the exact words to describe Herod when he heard John. This points to the way, Jesus perplexed Pilate. Mark 15 says, “Jesus made no further answer, so that Pilate was amazed.”
Pointer # 4 - Both John and Jesus were killed after the authorities gave into pressure. Herod didn’t want to kill John. Our reading says “the king was exceedingly sorry, but because of his oaths and his guests he did not want to break his word.” This points to Mark 15, where Pilate, just like Herod, wished “to satisfy the crowd,” resulting in Jesus’ execution
Pointer # 5 - Both John and Jesus had their bodies laid in a tomb by their disciples. Verse 29 of our reading mentions this concerning John, pointing to Joseph of Arimathea laying the body of Jesus in a tomb.
III These pointers from John to Jesus show the connection that St Mark was making in this Gospel. As it was with John, so will it be for Jesus. But, John is not just a type of Jesus, pointing to his suffering as death on a cross. John is also a type of all believers – you and I. As it was for John, so will it be for us.
If you were to read all of Mark chapter 6, you would notice that this story of John is sandwiched in between a story about Jesus’ disciples. Just before our reading we are told about Jesus sending out the disciples. Then just after our reading we are told that the disciples return. This is a deliberate move by St Mark to sandwich the story of John’s beheading in-between the story of the disciples. It points to what lay in store for Christ’s disciples, who are so greatly described in our opening Hymn - “The Son of God goes Forth to War.” These disciples “mocked cross and flame, met the tyrant’s brandished steel, the lion’s gory mane…bowed their necks their death to feel.”
The hymn mentions saints who endured “peril, toil, and pain” and it offers the prayer “Oh, God to us may grace be given to follow in their train.” Though it may not seem it, you and I have much in common with John and Christians throughout the ages.
We too endure peril, toil, and pain. No, you may not be in danger of being feed to the lions or being burnt at the stake, but honestly, our lives are sometimes not very pretty – they are filled with gory details. We get in car crashes, endure manmade and natural disasters, suffer divorce, broken relationships, physical, mental and emotional turmoil. Ourselves, our friends and our loved ones become sick and die. Tragedy exists. We all can recall those moments when we get news that just makes our heart sink - much like how the disciples of John and Jesus must have felt when they received their awful gruesome news.
Besides, big tragic events, there is the normal day-to-day grind – what one of my seminary professors calls “the junk of life.” “The junk of life” consists of all the seemingly mundane goings-on that weigh us down day-after-day. As Pastor Arnold mentioned recently, the Christian endures an “on-going life-long struggle.” Maybe your life seems mundane. Sometimes, we don’t even try to find Jesus in the midst of our busy lives. Often, He doesn’t even cross our mind. Think about those repetitive responsibilities, obligations, the little things that go wrong - the frustration of driving in traffic, the printer that doesn’t work. We live in a world of sin so it should not be surprising that all these little things accumulate and produce anxiety and anger in us.
Thankfully, we are not left to tread water. The stories of John and Jesus do not end with their bodies lying in a tomb. Where is Jesus? He is risen from the dead for you, that’s where he is! You are not left alone. Because of Jesus’ resurrection, John - and all of us who believe in Christ - will have our bodies raised from the dead to be with him. We have a future glory which outweighs all the junk around us. We are not men and women without hope!
IV Whether you are in the midst of “peril, toil, and pain” or whether you are living a normal, everyday, hum-drum life, it can be easy to lose sight Jesus. We look around and wonder “Where is Jesus?” But the fact is, you are wearing Him. Galatians 3:27 says, ‘For as many of you as were baptized into Christ, have been clothed with Christ.” Everyday you are clothed with your “Jesus coat”. Baptism is not just a one-time thing that happened to you a long time ago. It is actually like something you wear. Your Father has clothed you with a daily garment so when that daily grind gets you down, your Baptism - your Jesus Coat - reminds you that you are daily united with Him.
In your baptism, you are united with Christ in His death. You participate in Christ’s suffering - the gory details, the daily grind, the “junk of life” - but you are also united with Him in His resurrection. You are given the promise that you will be raised with him. Your sins are forgiven. You have died to sin and live to Christ.
V Cling to your Jesus coat. It is an all-weather garment. When the storms of peril, toil and pain get you down, take comfort that Christians throughout the ages have endured by looking to Christ, who bore all our pain on the cross. Where is Jesus in your story? He is your story. He is THE story. He is the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end.
A morbid, Christless, irrelevant story? Hardly! We know the end of the story – life everlasting in the world to come. Amen!