Trinity 6: Countering the ‘virus’ of sin

Herod was jealous of the following Jesus had.

Rumors were being spread, without people bothering to find out the truth.

Herod was scared, because he had done something really bad.

Herod had lots of power, and he had used that power for his own gain.

He had wanted something that was not his, his brother’s wife, and indeed, he ended up stealing her.

John had been telling Herod that he was doing the wrong thing, and this made Herod really not like him, in fact, it made him want to kill him.

Herod was breaking the law.

Herod was torn between what he wanted to do, what he was doing, and what he knew he should do.

Herod was spoiling his daughter. No matter how appealing it is, it is not a good idea to give anyone that much power, especially when someone else can manipulate it.

‘Have anything you like’ – that’s not good for any of us.

He swore to her that she could have anything. Let your yes be a yes and your no be a no.

Little girl being manipulated by her mother to do the wrong thing.

The mother wants to get rid of the person who is challenging Herod for her own gain.

She says to kill John

The little girl does not step up to change the situation but goes along with it.

Even though the King knew he shouldn’t, he did as she asked

He was more interested in appearances than doing the right thing.

Didn’t do his own dirty work, but ordered someone else – dragging more people in.

 

Here we are in our church dedicated to the memory of John the Baptist, and we need to be careful that bitterness, jealousy, wanting our own way do not kill this John the Baptist as well.

 

How should we act to counter this powerful virus that spreads and touches everyone around?

 

Look at our epistle

We have been blessed beyond measure

We have been given the riches of heaven.

Chosen

Adopted as children

At great cost

his glorious grace that he freely bestowed on us

Beloved

Redeemed

Forgiven

Love lavished on us

Wisdom and insight has been made available to us.

We are not left in the dark.

God has made clear how we are to relate to one another

To reconcile everything, and we are his agents

We have inherited hope to live for God, not for ourselves.

This is how we break down the virus of sin.

Think of Christ first, and what he has given, it puts ourselves and our niggles into perspective

We have heard the truth, we have freely been saved from ourselves, we know Jesus, we have been given the Holy Spirit, now live like it.