Haunted Herod

 



Matthew 14:1–13

Herod heard reports about Jesus, but instead of wonder, he felt fear.

“This is John the Baptist,” he said. “He has been raised from the dead.”



Herod had tried to silence John, but he could not silence the truth John had spoken. He could behead the prophet, but he could not behead the truth. This message explores what happens when truth confronts power, when conscience is silenced but not satisfied, and when a person has enough spiritual curiosity to be disturbed by God but not enough surrender to repent.

John loses his head.
Herod loses his soul.
Jesus receives the news, withdraws in holy grief, and continues the work of the Kingdom.

Main idea:
When truth confronts power, the faithful may suffer, but the Kingdom does not die. The real tragedy is not that John lost his head, but that Herod lost his soul while trying to save face.

Read the full Substack reflection and subscriber study materials here:
https://tomsims.substack.com/p/the-haunting-of-herod

Join The Fellowship of Joy discussion of this message here:
https://www.facebook.com/groups/fellowshipofjoy/posts/10167691144434409/?__cft__[0]=AZbQFLeFC4vGdK2gdEhWjfPYAOQ7jerkCrHEpsy4OEGQCmADXLtcEzvqIMcLoPGE9ME3y4KaqMj5qIDt0fQcGrG3daVYg7PyB0xJA0iH0y3IWt8Q32NdE5OOrrF5cSTcHX6b5BY29-LBpf_CjJmxHOKV&__tn__=%2CO%2CP-R

More from Tom Sims:
https://linktr.ee/tomsims

Discussion Questions:

  1. What is the difference between being troubled by truth and being transformed by truth?
  2. Why do you think Herod was fascinated by John but unwilling to repent?
  3. Where do we see people “saving face” at the expense of doing what is right?
  4. What does it mean that Herod’s banquet serves death, while Jesus’ table serves life?
  5. When grief, injustice, or confusion comes, what would it mean to “go tell Jesus”?

Key lines from the message:

Herod could behead the prophet, but he could not behead the truth.

Herod was not haunted by John’s ghost. He was haunted by his own conscience.

A ruler can still be ruled. A king can still be a puppet.

Power does not make us free. Sometimes power only gives our bondage a larger stage.

When you do not know what else to do with your grief, go tell Jesus.

#Matthew14 #JohnTheBaptist #TheHauntingOfHerod #BibleChat #FellowshipOfJoy #Sermon #KingdomOfGod #Repentance #TruthAndPower #Jesus

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