Pastor Scott Andrews | February 16, 2025
Watch
Listen
Read
Luke 9:7-11
There is a cost to be a follower of Jesus Christ. That is, if we confess we are His disciples and live like it, inviting others to follow Him, too. But do that, and it will cost you. You see, last week, we saw Jesus send out the Twelve – to do what He did and say what He said. That is, first, to preach the gospel of the kingdom, which includes the necessity of repentance. Mark says that clearly in his parallel account. Of course, second, we also saw Jesus gave them power and authority. Authority, you’ll remember, is the right to do something, power is the ability to do it. Jesus gave them power and authority over demons and disease – to cast out demons, and to heal people. And so, the Twelve began going throughout the villages, preaching the gospel and healing everywhere.
Preaching the gospel and healing everywhere. So, what would be wrong with that? Why would people have a problem with that? Well, preaching the gospel does include the need for people to repent, which has always been offensive. Most don’t like being told they are sinners – dead in trespasses and sin, and they should repent. That is, turn from their sin. That they have attitudes and actions that are wrong – sin against a holy God. Of course, they don’t think so – they justify their actions and accuse us of being judgmental.
Just an aside here – such accusations of offense have caused some among us to adjust the message. After all, we don’t want to offend people; we don’t want to be known as holier-than-thou, judgmental. So, here’s the new and improved message – let me share the truth of Jesus with you without repentance. That He loves you and wants to make your life better – you can live your best life now – and at the end of it all, you get heaven. The problem with that is, what are people being saved from? Where is life transformation? Further, if people are not sinners and there is no judgment to come, why give my life to Jesus? I don’t need Him, I like my life just how it is – there’s no reason to change – I’m the captain of my own soul, the master of my own destiny. Of course, we know they aren’t, but if we leave out this little problem called sin, there is no reason to be saved. To be transformed. To be redeemed.
And so, if we faithfully share the gospel of the kingdom and the need to repent, we will be opposed. We will call sin what the Bible calls sin – even as it flies in the face of culture. Because the good news of the gospel starts with the bad news of sin and God’s corresponding wrath. Well, end of aside.
Ultimately, Jesus’ healings and exorcisms and miracles were a demonstration of the Spirit’s power and that the kingdom of God had come. That it was available. So, to accept the healing was to affirm the messenger and His message. And some said, no, Jesus was empowered by Satan – His message and healing can’t be right.
But the Twelve went out preaching repentance, casting out demons, and healing the sick. Now, one thing I didn’t point out last week is this is another of those sandwich narratives. You know, where Luke starts a story, and interrupts it to tell another story, then finishes the first story. He does it several times, and he usually does it because there are related themes in the two stories – similarities or contrasts. So, in this one, Luke tells us Jesus sent out the twelve. He finishes the story in Luke 9:10, “When the apostles returned, they gave an account to Him of all that they had done.” Notice, they go out, and come back to give an account. We’ll come back to that.
But the in-between story? Well, for Luke, it’s certainly to ask the question again, who then is this Man? This time it’s by the governmental leader of Galilee. You see, the news about Jesus had even reached the ears of Herod the Tetrarch. So he asks the question. But, the in-between is also a reference to the martyrdom of John the Baptist. Luke just mentions it – but the parallel accounts in Matthew and Mark give the full account of how John the Baptist lost his life. Because, to be a follower of Jesus comes with a cost. You see, even Luke’s mention of John the Baptist being dead – beheaded – catches us off guard. What, the forerunner prophesied by Isaiah and Malachi? The prophet between the old and new covenants – dead?
And how does this relate to Jesus sending out the twelve to do His work? Because, there is a cost to being a disciple of Jesus. That is, if you confess Him, and invite others to follow Him too. If you decide to be a sent one – to join Him in the work, take His message of the gospel, which includes repentance, it will cost you. That’s the message John preached to this Herod, and it cost him his life. Further, tradition tells us 11 of the 12 died a martyr’s death. People don’t like being told they’re sinners and need a savior. There is a sense in which the sandwich today – the in-between story – is the story of the first martyr of Jesus – for calling out sin.
And there have been many since. Name the name of Jesus, share His truth, the hope of the gospel, the need to repent, and it will cost you – maybe even your life. It’s costing brothers and sisters around the world today – and the evangelical bubble in which we’ve lived seems to have burst. But, it will separate the professors from the possessors. He’s sending us out with His message. Will you speak for Christ, even if it’s no longer popular to do so? Even if it cost you?
Our text today is found in Luke 9. It’s one of Luke’s summary statements, but it also asks the question everybody seems to be asking: who then is this man? We’ll simply follow this outline:
- Herod’s Response to Jesus (7-9)
- Luke’s Summary [which includes Jesus continuing the work under the shadow of growing opposition] (10-11)
This text serves to illustrate the rising opposition to Jesus as it closes the last chapter of John’s life. And it reminds us, if you are a follower, you’ll be opposed – just like John, just like Jesus.
Now, you remember, because I’ve emphasized it, Luke’s primary purpose is to prove Jesus is indeed the Christ, the Son of God, so that we can be sure, confident in what we’ve believed. So we know the answer to the question, who is Jesus? Well, finally, let’s begin by reading the text to see Herod’s response to Jesus. Luke 9:7-11. Read it with me.
Again, this kind of catches us off guard. This is the first time we hear John the Baptist is dead. We first met him in chapter 1, where he’s introduced by way of his coming birth – many will rejoice at his birth, he will be great in sight of the Lord, and he will be the forerunner, the one who goes before Him, the Christ, in the spirit and power of Elijah. He’s born at the end of chapter 1, begins his ministry of preaching repentance in chapter 3, where he is further identified as the voice of one crying in the wilderness, make ready the way of the Lord. But then, still in chapter 3, as John is decrying sin and calling for repentance, he called out Herod, who then added to his sin by locking John the Baptist up in prison. That’s it – John is born, John preaches, John is imprisoned, and now we find, John is dead. Why? Because it will cost you to share the good news of Jesus. Because the good news starts with the bad news of sin.
Now, we read Herod heard about Jesus – perhaps through what Jesus had been doing, or maybe through the Twelve Jesus sent out. Regardless, Jesus’ teaching and miracles had become well-known. As a result, some were saying, He’s John the Baptist risen from the dead. That’s a bit curious, why would they say that? Likely because John had been quite popular with the people. In fact, the Jewish historian Josephus says the reason John the Baptist had been imprisoned by Herod was because of his popularity, leaving the possibility of an insurrection. Now, Jesus comes along with the same popularity – maybe Jesus is a resurrected John. Of course, we know, and likely the people knew Jesus and John were contemporaries – so probably they meant, Jesus has the spirit of John – much like the spirit of Elijah rested on Elisha.
So, some were saying Jesus was John the Baptist risen from the dead, how else could He do these miracles? He’s a supernatural being – a ghost – how else could Jesus do what He did? Others were saying, He’s Elijah, based on the prophecy in Malachi 3 that Elijah would come before the Messiah. You do see, they missed it. The truth is, Elijah had come – in the person of John the Baptist – not literally Elijah, but John came in the spirit of Elijah – to announce the coming of the Messiah – Jesus.
But, others were saying He’s a prophet, like of one of the prophets of old. That is, like the OT prophets – we haven’t seen any like them for 400 years. So when John came dressed like an OT prophet, eating like an OT prophet, and preaching like an OT prophet, well, they knew he was a prophet. And now Jesus came preaching the same message, repent for the kingdom of God is at hand. So when Herod heard about Jesus, the other accounts tell us he was convinced Jesus was John the Baptist risen from the dead. Perhaps, Herod was feeling guilty. Why? Verse 9, “I myself had John beheaded.” What – when did that happen?
You see, it costs something to be a follower of Jesus, and proclaim the need of repentance in order to receive Him. So, what happened to John? Well, his job was to announce the coming of the Messiah, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world. His message was, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.” It didn’t matter whether the hearers were among the Jewish ruling party or the religious elite. It didn’t matter whether the hearer was a soldier carrying out Roman law or a puppet king carrying out Roman orders – the message was the same. Repent, the kingdom of heaven is at hand. By the way, if we’re being faithful, that’s our message.
John would even name the sin which needed repentance. Religious leaders, you brood of vipers, turn from your hypocrisy. Tax collectors, don’t cheat people – don’t collect more than you’ve been ordered. Soldiers, stop extorting people – don’t take money by force. Political leader, king/tetrarch, you’re living in adultery – it is not lawful for you to have the woman you have. It was that last one that resulted in his being taken into custody, confined to a dungeon. It was that last one which cost his life.
His dungeon was located beneath a magnificent palace at Machaerus, located seven miles east of the north end of the Dead Sea. Archeological excavations reveal walls where prisoners were chained. Most did not make it out alive – they died, alone, forgotten. How did John end up here?
It started with King Herod or Antipas or Herod the Tetrarch. He wasn’t actually a king, that’s what he wanted to be. Luke rightly calls him a tetrarch – one of four rulers. You see, this Herod was one of the many sons of Herod the Great. Herod the Great was the first of the Herods and ruled Israel under the authority of Rome. He came to power around 40 BC and ruled until 4 BC. He was given the title King of the Jews by the Roman Senate even though he wasn’t a Jew. He’s the guy who had all the male babies under the age of two murdered in Bethlehem in Matthew 2, trying to kill the Messiah, the rightful King of the Jews.
When Herod the Great died, his kingdom was divided between four sons: three of whom where Herod Philip II to the north; Archelaus, to the south; and Herod Antipas, who was tetrarch of Galilee and Perea right in the middle. This Antipas is the Herod we’re talking about. He lived primarily in Tiberias, on the western shore of the Sea of Galilee. It’s interesting, in all of His ministry, Jesus never visited Tiberias, even though it was within walking distance of Capernaum. He did miracles all around Tiberias, but seemed to steer clear of Herod.
In addition to Tiberias, Herod also had a palace in Machaerus. It was kind of a summer palace for him, and Josephus tells us it was there this story takes place. Underneath the opulent palace, deep in the ground, was a dungeon. It was there John the Baptist was kept for about a year.
Now, Herod the Great actually had more than three sons – in addition to these three who ruled, he also had a son named Aristobulus. Most of these guys were half-brothers since Herod the Great had ten wives. So, Aristobulus had a daughter named Herodias. She married her uncle, Herod Philip I. Together, they had a daughter named Salome. Try to keep up with this sordid story. I told it awhile ago when John was arrested, so I’ll abbreviate it today. So, Herodias marries her uncle Philip. But, one day while she was visiting her uncle Herod Antipas, he seduced her. They agreed to get a divorce from their respective spouses and marry each other. This is the marriage John the Baptist decried, and no wonder.
Well remember, there is this daughter of Herodias, Salome. At this time, she is probably 12 or 14 years old. You might be interested to know that she grew up to marry her great uncle, Herod Philip II the tetrarch, making her both the aunt and sister-in-law to her own mother. This is one sick family. John thought so too, which is why he denounced Herod Antipas’ wedding to his brother’s wife, Herodias. So, you have the background – Herodias divorced one brother to marry another. An unlawful divorce and remarriage, just lust and disgust. So rightly, John condemns their marriage as unlawful – against the law of Moses. And don’t miss, Mark tells us, John said it over and over to Herod himself. John had some serious moxie.
All this began the chain of events that led to his death. Because of his denunciation of their illicit relationship, John was arrested and imprisoned. By the time we get to Luke 7, he’s been there perhaps a year. Luke 7 is where imprisoned John sent a deputation to Jesus to ask, I’m languishing here in prison. Are You the Christ, or should we look for another?
Now, Herodias was a spiteful, bitter woman – she wanted John put to death because of his audacity is call out her illicit marriage. But, Matthew tells us Herod was afraid of the people, who saw John as a prophet. Fear seemed to govern Herod’s life. You see, he was also afraid of John, knowing John to be a righteous man. In other words, he knew John was right. In fact, he became interested in John and actually enjoyed talking to him. John’s message perplexed him, but it wasn’t enough to cause him to turn from his sin. Which is interesting – lots of people are interested in Jesus – after all, He’s a fascinating character – but not enough to cause them to turn from their sin and follow Him.
By the way, Luke says Herod kept trying to see Jesus, but again, Jesus seemed to steer clear of Tiberius. Later, when Jesus was arrested and brought before Pilate, Pilate finds out Jesus is a Galilean, so he sends Jesus to Herod, who’s still intrigued. He’d been wanting to meet Jesus for some time – to see Him do a miracle. But standing before Herod, Jesus remained silent, so Herod clothed Him in a purple robe, had Him beaten and sent Him back. Which means, Herod met the forerunner to the Messiah, and the Messiah Himself – who both preached the same message, repent. But he was so committed to his sinful rebellion, he never turned from his sin. He mocked the Son of God.
Well, Herod is a fearful man – afraid of the people and afraid of John. But we also find, he was afraid of some dinner guests. These guests were a veritable who’s who of Galilean aristocracy. It was Herod’s birthday, so he threw himself a huge party – and everyone who was anyone was there – lords, military commanders, and leading men of Galilee. These were political, military and social leaders of the region. Herod’s party was nothing but a drunken gathering. The men would eat and drink themselves into oblivion, and then they would bring out the women. The dancing at these parties was sensual, vulgar and lustful.
In this particular case, one of the women to dance was really just a girl – Herod’s young stepdaughter named Salome. She pleased them, most notably, proud stepdad. Get the picture – stuffed to the gills, drunk out of his mind, enjoying lewd dancers, one of whom was his step-daughter, this blithering idiot promises her too much. He’s so pleased he promised her whatever she wanted – up to half his kingdom. Salome was only a young girl – she didn’t know what to ask for, so she went and asked her mother. This was the moment Herodias had been waiting for. All her rage and bitterness spilled out – ask him for the head of John the Baptist. The language recorded in Matthew and Mark is one of urgency – I want his head right now.
And because of the oath he had taken, fear of losing face, Herod gave the order. In a cold, dark dungeon, for no apparent reason, the executioner made his way to John’s cell. He was murdered, and his head taken to a girl on a platter, who in turn, took it to her mother.
You see, it costs something to be a follower of Jesus. But as awful as that sounds, that’s not the worst that can happen. Yes, the body they may kill – they killed John the Baptist. But Jesus said, don’t fear him who has power over the body. Fear Him, rather, who has power over the body and soul. Herod came to the end of his life, and because of his fear of man and a woman, while he had the amazing opportunity to hear John about Jesus, he never repented. He never entered the kingdom. And all that awaited him was fearful judgment. Fear Him who is able to cast the body and soul into hell. I know, culturally offensive, but true nonetheless.
And so, this middle story reminds us, there is a cost to being a follower of Jesus. In fact, in the parallel passage in Matthew, when Jesus sends out the Twelve, He said:
16 “Behold, I send you out as sheep in the midst of wolves….
17 “But beware of men, for they will hand you over to the courts and scourge you in their synagogues;
18 and you will even be brought before governors and kings for My sake, as a testimony to them and to the Gentiles….
22 “You will be hated by all because of My name, but it is the one who has endured to the end who will be saved….
24 “A disciple is not above his teacher, nor a slave above his master.
25 “It is enough for the disciple that he become like his teacher, and the slave like his master. If they have called the head of the house Beelzebul, how much more will they malign the members of his household!
26 “Therefore do not fear them….
27 “What I tell you in the darkness, speak in the light; and what you hear whispered in your ear, proclaim upon the housetops.
28 “Do not fear those who kill the body but are unable to kill the soul; but rather fear Him who is able to destroy both soul and body in hell.
29 “Are not two sparrows sold for a cent? And yet not one of them will fall to the ground apart from your Father.
30 “But the very hairs of your head are all numbered.
31 “So do not fear….”
In Matthew, Jesus says it outright, you will be opposed. In Mark, he illustrates it with the martyrdom of John. Luke simply mentions it, because, there is a cost to being a follower of Jesus.
Very quickly, Jesus continued the work in verses 10-11. When the apostles returned from their first mission, having been sent out by Jesus, they came back and gave an account to Jesus of all they had done. Over and over in the NT, we are told Jesus has left us with responsibilities, and we will one day give an account for those responsibilities. For example, the parables found in Matthew 25 – the parable of the talents and the parable of the ten virgins. The master has left, the bridegroom is coming, and when the master returns, when the bridegroom comes, we are to be found faithful. We will give an account.
Then we read Jesus took the Twelve with Him. Remember, last week, we noted we have turned a significant corner in Luke 9 – Jesus is going to concentrate His attention on the Twelve, preparing them for the work He will entrust to them after the cross and resurrection when He returns to the Father. So Jesus took the Twelve with Him to Bethsaida, a small community off the northeast shore of the Sea of Galilee. It was the hometown of Peter, Andrew and Philip.
But the crowds followed Jesus there, and notice, He welcomed them. He always welcomed those who followed Him – who would be His disciples. Even though He turned His attention to the Twelve, He taught the crowds about the kingdom of God, and cured those who had need of healing. Which sets up the next story – the feeding of the five thousand. The crowds were ever present – and He taught them, He healed them, and He fed them. That’s next week.
But by way of conclusion, listen to Revelation 6:9-11. It’s become one of my favorite texts since our time in Revelation:
9 When the Lamb broke the fifth seal, I saw underneath the altar the soulsof those who had been slain because of the word of God, and because of the testimony which they had maintained;
10 and they cried out with a loud voice, saying, “How long, O Lord, holy and true, will You refrain from judging and avenging our blood on those who dwell on the earth?”
11 And there was given to each of them a white robe; and they were told that they should rest for a little while longer, until the number of their fellow servants and their brethren who were to be killed even as they had been, would be completed.
How long? Till the number of your brothers and sisters who are to be killed are killed. Then, the day will come when the blood of the martyrs will be avenged. All will be made right. The day is coming. Until then, preach the gospel of the kingdom. Broadcast the seed. Oh, and by the way, and the blood of the martyrs will be the seed of the church.