Talk Tuesday - The Complexity of Sin

Join us for our new journey into the Word of God as we examine the complexity of sin through the lens of John The Baptist's interaction with King Herod. We will be focusing on the Gospel of Mark, Chapter 6, verses 17 through 29 (Mark 6:17-29). We will explore each person's interaction with sin, the outcome and how it applies to our lives today.

There is John The Baptist, whose message was, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand!” Matthew 3:2. He was sent as, “The voice of one crying out in the wilderness; 'Prepare the way of the LORD; Make His paths straight,'” Matthew 3:3 (Isaiah 40:3). John's mandate was to call men and women to confess their sin and to turn away from it. His was to prepare hearts for the coming of the One (JESUS CHRIST) whose ultimate sacrifice would obliterate the very wages of sin-death.

There is King Herod who, “... himself had given orders to have John arrested, and he had him bound and put in prison. He did this because of Herodias, his brother Philip’s wife, whom he had married. 18 For John had been saying to Herod, 'It is not lawful for you to have your brother’s wife,'”  Mark 6:17-18. The fact that his sin had been called out by John, seemed to affect him greatly-it moved him to action, yet as we shall see, he is very conflicted.

Then there is Herodias, who, “... nursed a grudge against John and wanted to kill him. But she was not able to, 20 because Herod feared John and protected him, knowing him to be a righteous and holy man. When Herod heard John, he was greatly puzzled; yet he liked to listen to him,” Mark 6:19-20. She appears to be so set in her sin and her intention to continue her illicit relationship, that the very mention of it brings out murderous rage in her heart towards John the Baptist. However, here we see Herod's confusion and inner conflict. He imprisons John, but protects him from the wrath of Herodias; he does not understand his words yet he likes to listen to him speak. He inherently knows John to be righteous and holy.

Lastly, there is the daughter of Herodias, whose actions and loyalty to her mother, prove to the be the catalyst for John's death. How does her mother's sin affect her daughter's decision?

In preparation for this new series, we would like to encourage you to read this passage of scripture, meditate on it and be prepared to share with our BGO community some of the insights the Holy Spirit gives you as you study the Word of God.