Old Llantrisant Hill
Introduction
- The Power of God
- The word of God speaks to people
- Often through your conscience
- Looking at Herod
- He was so troubled
- His conscience was plaguing him
- He did nothing about it
- Reading: Luke 9:7-9
- The parallel passages show us he came to the persuaded position this was John the Baptist risen from the dead
- Background
- Herod's father - "Herod the Great"
- A murderer
- A ruthless and immoral man
- Herod the Tetrarch was the son - he followed in his father's footsteps
- He married his brother's wife
- He was denounced by John the Baptist
- His wife was livid and persuaded Herod to imprison him
- Herod would see John the Baptist in prison
- His conscience must have been troubling him
- He started to make changes in his life
- We know the story - explanation
- Herod makes a rash promise, perhaps because of drink
- Herod is exceedingly troubled by the request for the death of John the Baptist
- Herod gives way to keep his promise
- John the Baptist is executed
- What has his conscience saying to him?
- He publicly declares that Jesus is John the Baptist raised from the dead
- Overview:
- A terror of an unawakened conscience
- The danger of ignoring it
- The necessity of responding aright
A terror of an unawakened conscience
- The talk of the town was not about the disciples but about Jesus
- Who is He?
- Is he Elijah or another great prophet?
- Was it somebody from the past?
- Some were asking - is this John the Baptist?
- Have you answered this question of 'who is Jesus?'
- Have you come to the right decision?
- Herod is troubled
- He makes his concern public
- Such is his troubled mind
- God speaks primarily through the word of God
- God also speaks through our conscience
- The only place for your conscience to be cleansed is in the blood of Jesus Christ
- A suppressed conscience
- Can cause irrational fears
- Can cause depression and suicide
- Conscience is God given
- Quote from Mark Twain
- An inner voice given to every person
- We must listed to our conscience and not dull or quiet it
The danger of ignoring it
- It becomes damaged and seared
- Like a branding iron
- Causes insensitivity - examples
- Did Herod have a conscience
- Reading Mark 6:20
- He believed there was something genuine in John the Baptist
- He believed John the Baptist was from God
- He was under the sway of his wife
- Do we listen to others?
- He had no moral courage to refuse others
- Results:
- He no longer had access to the word of God
- He no longer had access to the presence of God
- Would God stop speaking to him?
- Would God withdraw His presence from him?
- Would God no longer open His truth to him? - Example of Saul
- Remember that Jesus did not answer Herod
The necessity of responding aright
- You may think that Herod responded aright
- Luke 9:7 - His conscience indicated he wanted to meet Jesus
- Luke 13:32 - God knew the motive of his heart
- We must come to Jesus
- Some can think that maybe we have gone too far
- Example of Herod
- Example of David - the latter requested forgiveness and was forgiven
- Example of Saul/Paul
- Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners
- But we must acknowledge our sin
- If you don't come to Christ
- You will be judged justly and righteously
- Your conscience will continually trouble you in hell
- If you come to Christ
- You will be cleansed
- You will be forgiven
- You will be given a new heart
- You will be taken to heaven
- Respond to Jesus if you hear His voice speaking this morning