The beheading of John the Baptist – 1608 – Caravaggio (1573–1610)
John the Baptist went to prison for telling Herod what he needed to hear. (Luke 3:19-20)
It is nothing new to see God’s word challenged in the government. Men have a terrible habit of letting power go to their heads.
Right now, we see laws based on morality changed or challenged every week. It is not hard to understand why: Allowing the country to slide further and further into an amoral atmosphere is exciting! We are liberated!
And … anyone that points out God’s way gets the same treatment as John. Maybe not physically, but certainly verbally.
The lesson for us to take away from the life of John is one of steadfastness in the face of outside challenges. We are not excused from teaching God’s word just because things are getting challenging.
Jesus praised John for his steadfastness. (Matthew 11:7-19) He did that to reassure us that it is definitely worth it to stick with God. In the end, we want Jesus to include us in that praise when he introduces us to the Father.
The key to growing steadfast is:
- remain committed
- show consistency when we apply God’s word
- teach as many as are willing to hear.
Work hard now – the reward comes at the end.
But, Compared to what John went through – we don’t really have it that bad do we? We’ve got this!
Question: When was the last time you were beaten or thrown in jail for teaching what the Bible says?
March 19, 2014
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