Becoming Herod

Mark 6:13-29

Our gospel account for today raises a question about who stands at the center of our lives. “King Herod heard of it,” we read, “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.’ But others said, ‘It is Elijah.’ And others said, ‘It is a prophet, like one of the prophets of old.’ But when Herod heard of it, he said, ‘John, whom I beheaded, has been raised’ (Mark 6:14-16). Clearly Herod was unable to see the big picture. As an earthly king he was convinced that everything centered on him, on his actions, on his beliefs. For this reason he, like so many others, was not able to understand who Jesus really was. Herod had sentenced John to death; now John must have been raised and sent to continue tormenting Herod. Somehow it all had to do with the king, right? Of course it didn’t. Jesus was, and is, at the center of everything, but Herod could not see it that way.

You don’t have to be a king to get it wrong, of course. All too often we put ourselves at the center of life judging everything according to our own perspective. Herod was so concerned with himself that he failed to see what grace Jesus was offering. Do we have the same problem? I know that from time to time I get so caught up in my own feelings that I neglect to see all that God is doing for me and for other through me. On these occasions I play the role of Herod, assuming that I must be at the center of life while ignoring the truth: Jesus alone is at the heart of all things and in him God’s grace abounds.

Prayer: Lord, help us to place you at the center of our lives so that we may see more clearly the blessings you offer and the love you pour out. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Forging a New Community

Luke 23:1-12

The portion of Jesus’ passion contained in Luke 23:6-12 is unique to this gospel. One line from that story is particularly interesting. “That same day Herod and Pilate became friends with each other; before this they had been enemies” (Luke 23:12). It would appear that in their contempt for Jesus these two men found a reason for friendship, for a new community of sorts.

This got me to thinking about the various communities in which I am engaged. One is the neighborhood in which I live, of course. But there are other ways of identifying me, some of which serve group with others. I tend to support a political party which puts me in one sort of community. I am a minister which gives me another. I am of a particular race, gender, socio-economic standing, and age all of which give me communities with which to relate. The schools I have attended give me communities. And I am on Facebook and write this blog, each of which create electronic networks for me. It would be virtually impossible for me to live without connections, without some sort of community. Pilate and Herod found a basis for friendship in their shared disdain for Jesus. I do not knowingly associate with anyone so avowed anti-Christian. But there are groups, communities, if you will, whose purposes are contrary to the call to discipleship and faith. And while I do not advocate isolation or separatism, I do believe we need to carefully examine our habits and our relationships to see what they say about us, about our faith, about our devotion to God.

The church, the body of Christ at work in the world, can be both the most fulfilling and the most frustrating of all communities. Within the context of faith men and woman are trained, encouraged, sent forth, and asked to share from their resources in support of the church’s work. But no group of people is perfect, and when the church demonstrates its fallibility it can be very disheartening. Still, the church is the best sort of community with which to participate because it is the only one truly established by God to do God’s will.

So let’s enjoy our relationships and celebrate the imperfect community we have found in Jesus Christ. Let’s be united in our efforts to serve, not in our desire to ridicule or tear apart.

Prayer: Lord, bring us together in your love and help us to find community in your fellowship. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Good Question

According to Luke’s account Herod the tetrarch had heard about the things that Jesus was doing and he was perplexed by it. “…(I)t was said by some that John had been raised from the dead, by some that Elijah had appeared, and by others that one of the ancient prophets had arisen” (Luke 9:7-8). “…(W)ho is this about whom I hear such things?” Herod asked (v. 9).

Good question. Who is Jesus, this one about whom we “hear such things?” A few answers can be found elsewhere in the same account from Luke. In commissioning “the twelve” to go and “proclaim the kingdom of God and to heal” (vv. 1-2), Jesus embodied God’s act of calling and sending prophets like Elijah and Elisha, Isaiah and Jeremiah who were given powers to speak and to act on God’s behalf. And later, when he fed the 5,000 near Bethsaida, Jesus repeated a similar event in the prophetic career of Elisha (2 Kings 4:42-44). Jesus was also at work welcoming, teaching, and healing the crowds who had followed him (Luke 9:11). In this very busy passage from the gospel Jesus tells us much about himself and reveals much about his work and his identity. Who is this about whom we hear such things? He is the one who transcends the ancient prophetic witness, rises above the teachings of John, and lays claim to the power and authority that belong to God. Yet this is just a glimpse of Jesus that Luke gives us in this passage.

The resurrected Jesus may be more difficult for us to define, but today he remains in our midst, Immanuel, God with us calling, teaching, healing, and proclaiming the kingdom of heaven so that we, may discern God's will and live accofdingly.

Prayer: Lord, help us to discern your work and your will in our world, and give us the strength to follow you in faithfulness. Amen.