"Now What?" - Eighth Sunday after Pentecost
Author: Pastor Carolyn Hetrick
July 14, 2024
Today I’d like everyone to be seated as we hear the
gospel, because I would like everyone to immerse themselves in this gospel and
imagine you are there because questions will arise- “Now what?” “Where’s the
good news?”
The Gospel Text: Mark
6:14-29
14 King
Herod heard of [the disciples’ preaching,] for Jesus’ name had become
known. Some were saying, “John the baptizer has been raised from the dead; and
for this reason these powers are at work in him.” 15 But
others said, “It is Elijah.” And others said, “It is a prophet, like one of the
prophets of old.” 16 But
when Herod heard of it, he said, “John, whom I beheaded, has been raised.”
17 For
Herod himself had sent men who arrested John, bound him, and put him in prison
on account of Herodias, his brother Philip’s wife, because Herod had married
her. 18 For John had been telling
Herod, “It is not lawful for you to have your brother’s wife.” 19 And
Herodias had a grudge against him, and wanted to kill him. But she could
not, 20 for Herod feared John,
knowing that he was a righteous and holy man, and he protected him. When he
heard him, he was greatly perplexed; and yet he liked to listen to him. 21 But an opportunity came when Herod on his birthday gave a
banquet for his courtiers and officers and for the leaders of Galilee. 22 When
his 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.” 23 And
he solemnly swore to her, “Whatever you ask me, I will give you, even half of
my kingdom.”
24 She
went out and said to her mother, “What should I ask for?” She replied, “The
head of John the baptizer.”25 Immediately
she rushed back to the king and requested, “I want you to give me at once the
head of John the Baptist on a platter.” 26 The
king was deeply grieved; yet out of regard for his oaths and for the guests, he
did not want to refuse her. 27 Immediately
the king sent a soldier of the guard with orders to bring John’s head. He went
and beheaded him in the prison, 28 brought
his head on a platter, and gave it to the girl. Then the girl gave it to her
mother. 29 When his disciples heard
about it, they came and took his body, and laid it in a tomb.
Now what? Where’s the good news? There’s no way I can ignore
the news of what’s happening in our part of the world lately with those
questions, “now what?” “where’s the good news?”
To get to the good news, we’ve got to go through some
things, so I want to start us our by asking who here knew that “Herod” is not a
first name? It’s actually a title- “heroic warrior.” So this is the story of
Heroic Warrior Antipas. Of course, any title is not necessarily a reality and
certainly not here. This “Heroic Warrior” is ultimately a man full of fear. He
cannot be seen as a failure. He longs for power, even when it overtakes sense.
He and another “Herod” in the Bible share this in common. That Herod was called
“The Great” who ordered the slaughter of all children who would have been
Jesus’ age because he is afraid of a challenger king, even when that king comes
in the form of a baby.
Seemingly, “Heroic Warrior Antipas” never had anyone
stand up to him like John the Baptist did. If John had just stuck with baptisms
and occasional harsh pronouncements about the Pharisees, but not waded into the
lives of the powerful, Herod would have been curious, or even bemused, but John
would not be in prison.[1] You see, John had the audacity to chastise the Heroic Leader about ethics, and specifically,
about his marriage. His wife, Herodias, had been married to his brother Phillip.
But, Phillip didn’t share Herodias’ desire for power and Herod Antipas wasn’t really
all that thrilled with his first wife. So they both got divorced and married each
other, creating scandal and difficulties at family gatherings.[2] We catch up with him as now John the Baptist was a thorn in their side and Herodias
too was full of fear, fear that this John could get in the way, so now John is
in prison.
Herodias and first husband, Phillip, had a daughter,
Salome. Enter the dancing girl. She
dances and the great Heroic Warrior is captivated, just as his wife knew she
would be able to push his buttons. She knew she wanted John the Baptist gone.
And Antipas, sufficiently drawn to the dancing girl, would want to give the
girl something. Anything. And Salome being young, did what a young girl in over
her head would do, she went and asked her mother. And of course Herodias had an
answer, the perfect answer- John’s head on a platter. Now what?
You can almost wonder if Salome realized the power of it
all, or if she like a lot of teenagers just got caught up acting on the
impulse, or maybe even thought it was a joke. Yet, the Hero Warrior who would
have parted with half his riches is caught in the snare of desire and he is
backed into a corner. He has to make a choice- what next?
Just as Herod Antipas fears John, enjoys conversing with
him, and is grieved at the thought of having him beheaded, it is his
unwillingness to risk embarrassment and the nursing of his own vanity that
suppresses whatever spiritual notions he might have. And everyone is watching.
What would they think if he said “no?” That need to appear powerful and fear of
what others think wins out. For the Heroic Leader, John the Baptist becomes a
footnote in what he thinks is the main story. I’ve always wondered what happened
to Salome after that, and I don’t know, but I can tell you what history says
happens to Herod Antipas. He himself will become a footnote and not the main
story because he will go on to play the power game too many times and ends up
in exile.
It might seem easy to look at this story like a tabloid
or internet sensation- to see it from afar- let’s not do that. I think there
are two takeaways about what living and breathing the gospel means. The first
one is that John’s death, will presage Jesus’ own death, but they won’t get the
last word. The victory of the cross does. But the second takeaway is where I
want to spend my time because it starts with those questions- now what? What’s
next? What will we do? Questions I am sure John’s disciples had, questions we
have.
Don’t we all make choices every day that ask us to
balance appeasing and pleasing others, acquiescing to culture, social
expectations or to keep our standard of living? Of course we do. Do we sometimes
accept the “way things are,”[3] the noise of distractions takes over or thoughts of self-preservation win and we
are torn between these things which we can be convinced to love, and our love
for God’s justice and kingdom?
These are not easy questions. They should not be so. It
was not so in John’s and Jesus’ day and is not on our own. In all of the noise
of our world, it can feel like a small thing to say love is stronger. Yet, in
the face of John’s death, his followers refused to be intimidated. John foresaw
a different world about to emerge in Jesus. His disciples advance it through a simple
but difficult and faithful act of love. They ask for John’s body so they can love
him to the end by giving him the dignity he deserves of burial, even when it
surely felt risky to do so. And I know, friends, that’s digging pretty deep to
find some good news. But the small acts of love are that.
You see, the gospel asks us to connect my story, and your
story, and our story and the world’s story with God’s story.
We do not always have the power to rein in the
destructive potential of self-obsessed rulers, or toxic behaviors, violence run
amok, or the unwillingness to listen to the truth. Herod Antipas and his
household remind us that innocent people suffer when we do not use the power
that is available to us. We are possessors of the good news that because
of Jesus, the bottom line of our lives does not need to be a sad spectacle.[4]
Because of the gospel, the end of the story is finally
resurrection, restoration and the cry, “Behold, I make all things new!” Only
the good news of Jesus Christ has the power to let us hope for a restored
humanity and gives a good shepherd who will feed his people with abundant life
even in places we might find it hard to see it present. [5]
We have the ability to choose the eternal heart of the
Creator of the universe, and a love that calls to us even in the wildernesses
of life- turn back, turn away from what is not life giving, and prepare the way
of the Holy One of God.
To live in this way, we must get the main story and the
footnote in the right order. We are not called to live in a world whose main
story is power struggles, deception, greed, violence run amok, and an immunity
to suffering while noting that we also believe in Jesus. We are called to live
in the main story of Jesus Christ, whose kingdom is, and is here and is unfolding;
whose love is larger and stronger than anything or anyone; a love that will
never leave us, while we note that power struggles, deception, greed, violence
run amok, and an immunity to suffering also seem to be among us. Do you see
the difference? The main story matters.
Opposition to the reign of God takes a toll and has
lasting even long-term consequences, but it never has the last word. We need
this reminder.
John paved the way for Jesus who opened the door to an
entirely new reality. Our reality.
That reality will exist no matter what, but even more so will
we perceive it when we walk through that door and lead others to join us in dancing
a different dance. The love that calls to us is the main story, and the only
one that is worth living.
“Who are we in this? Beloved but failure prone creatures made
in the image of God and loved without fail by the God who promises as Julian of
Norwich said, “All manner of things shall be well.” So there’s nothing to prove.[6] And with Jesus as our focus, we do not need to act out of fear.
Because God loves us despite our failures, we should love
all others despite theirs, even when it seems that this way of being feels like
a footnote in a much larger story.
Don’t lose sight of God’s good news. Jesus is our guide.
Love does win.
But the choice of which story we help write is before us.
[1]Scott Hoezee, https://cepreaching.org/commentary/2021-07-05/mark-614-29-3/
[2] Suzanne Guthrie, http://edgeofenclosure.org/proper10b.html
[3] Ibid.
[4] Matt Skinner,
https://www.workingpreacher.org/commentaries/revised-common-lectionary/ordinary-15-2/commentary-on-mark-614-29-6
[5] Hoezee
[6] Miroslav Volf, Matthew Croasmun, Ryan McAnnally-Linz, Life Worth Living, A Guide to What Matters Most, The Open Field, 2023, p. 130.
Copyright Rev. Carolyn K. Hetrick, 2024 All rights
reserved. May not be reproduced in whole or in part without written permission.
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