Speaker: Rev. Mikha Sanda Toding
Peace and grace in the love of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Matthew 14:1-12
14:1 At that time Herod the tetrarch heard the reports about Jesus,
14:2 and he said to his attendants, “This is John the Baptist; he has risen from the dead! That is why miraculous powers are at work in him.”
14:3 Now Herod had arrested John and bound him and put him in prison because of Herodias, his brother Philip’s wife,
14:4 for John had been saying to him: “It is not lawful for you to have her.”
14:5 Herod wanted to kill John, but he was afraid of the people, because they considered John a prophet.
14:6 On Herod’s birthday the daughter of Herodias danced for the guests and pleased Herod so much
14:7 that he promised with an oath to give her whatever she asked.
14:8 Prompted by her mother, she said, “Give me here on a platter the head of John the Baptist.”
14:9 The king was distressed, but because of his oaths and his dinner guests, he ordered that her request be granted
14:10 and had John beheaded in the prison.
14:11 His head was brought in on a platter and given to the girl, who carried it to her mother.
14:12 John’s disciples came and took his body and buried it. Then they went and told Jesus.
John the Baptist was killed. There are three facts found in killing John the Baptist as follows:
God blesses us.
Peace and grace in the love of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Matthew 14:1-12
14:1 At that time Herod the tetrarch heard the reports about Jesus,
14:2 and he said to his attendants, “This is John the Baptist; he has risen from the dead! That is why miraculous powers are at work in him.”
14:3 Now Herod had arrested John and bound him and put him in prison because of Herodias, his brother Philip’s wife,
14:4 for John had been saying to him: “It is not lawful for you to have her.”
14:5 Herod wanted to kill John, but he was afraid of the people, because they considered John a prophet.
14:6 On Herod’s birthday the daughter of Herodias danced for the guests and pleased Herod so much
14:7 that he promised with an oath to give her whatever she asked.
14:8 Prompted by her mother, she said, “Give me here on a platter the head of John the Baptist.”
14:9 The king was distressed, but because of his oaths and his dinner guests, he ordered that her request be granted
14:10 and had John beheaded in the prison.
14:11 His head was brought in on a platter and given to the girl, who carried it to her mother.
14:12 John’s disciples came and took his body and buried it. Then they went and told Jesus.
John the Baptist was killed. There are three facts found in killing John the Baptist as follows:
- Refusing the repentance and the true water baptism.
Luke 7:28-30
7:28 I tell you, among those born of women there is no one greater than John; yet the one who is least in the kingdom of God is greater than he.”
7:29 (All the people, even the tax collectors, when they heard Jesus’ words, acknowledged that God’s way was right, because they had been baptized by John.
7:30 But the Pharisees and the experts in the law rejectedGod’s purpose for themselves, because they had not been baptized by John.)
Mark 1:4
1:4 And so John the Baptist appeared in the wilderness, preaching a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins.
The result is one cannot repent and be reborn thus he appears as the wild beast that is born to be destroyed.
2 Peter 2:12
2:12 But these people blaspheme in matters they do not understand. They are like unreasoning animals, creatures of instinct, born only to be caught and destroyed, and like animals they too will perish. - Refusing the true teaching Word.
Matthew 14:5
14:5 Herod wanted to kill John, but he was afraid of the people, because they considered John a prophet.
John is the prophet that is trusted to convey the prophetic Word or the true teaching Word.
2 Peter 1:19
1:19 We also have the prophetic message as something completely reliable, and you will do well to pay attention to it, as to a light shining in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts.
John 6:60-61
6:60 On hearing it, many of his disciples said, “This is a hard teaching. Who can accept it?”
6:61 Aware that his disciples were grumbling about this, Jesus said to them, “Does this offend you?
The result is entering the shaking or crisis of faith until one departs from it. Also crisis in ministry, one lives without the true teaching Word but receives another teachings.
Hebrews 12:25-28
12:25 See to it that you do not refuse him who speaks. If they did not escape when they refused him who warned them on earth, how much less will we, if we turn away from him who warns us from heaven?
12:26 At that time his voice shook the earth, but now he has promised, “Once more I will shake not only the earth but also the heavens.”
12:27 The words “once more” indicate the removing of what can be shaken—that is, created things—so that what cannot be shaken may remain.
12:28 Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, let us be thankful, and so worship God acceptably with reverence and awe,
Until one enters the crisis of love, rebelliousness and lives in uncleanness.
Mark 1:6
1:6 John wore clothing made of camel’s hair, with a leather belt around his waist, and he ate locusts and wild honey.
The prophet refers to one who is anointed.
John wore clothing made of camel’s hair means having the anointing of Holy Spirit. Killing John the Baptist means ministering without the anointing of Holy Spirit.
The sign of the anointing of Holy Spirit is serving and ministering with righteousness, obedience, faithfulness, and fervency in spirit.
Holy Spirit is the Spirit of truth.
John 16:13
16:13 But when he, the Spirit of truth, comes, he will guide you into all the truth. He will not speak on his own; he will speak only what he hears, and he will tell you what is yet to come.
If there is Holy Spirit, we can obey the Word.
Romans 8:15
8:15 The Spirit you received does not make you slaves, so that you live in fear again; rather, the Spirit you received brought about your adoption to sonship. And by him we cry, “Abba,Father.”
Holy Spirit is the Spirit of faithfulness.
Isaiah 11:1, 5
11:1 A shoot will come up from the stump of Jesse; from his roots a Branch will bear fruit.
11:5 Righteousnesswill be his beltand faithfulness the sash around his waist.
We serve and minister God in fervency in spirit.
Romans 12:11
12:11 Never be lacking in zeal, but keep your spiritual fervor, serving the Lord.
Without Holy Spirit, one will be controlled by the spirit of division.
Jude 1:18-19
1:18 They said to you, “In the last times there will be scoffers who will follow their own ungodly desires.”
1:19 These are the people who divide you, who follow mere natural instincts and do not have the Spirit.
It will damage and divide the ministry.
1 Corinthians 3:16-17
3:16 Don’t you know that you yourselves are God’s temple and that God’s Spirit dwells in your midst?
3:17 If anyone destroys God’s temple, God will destroy that person; for God’s temple is sacred, and you together are that temple. - Dividing the Head from Body means refusing the worship, the cross, or the flesh suffering.
Mark 1:6
1:6 John wore clothing made of camel’s hair, with a leather belt around his waist, and he ate locusts and wild honey.
One refuses to worship God (as the Head) and the cross. The result is placing Satan as the Head.
Matthew 8:19-20
8:19 Then a teacher of the law came to him and said, “Teacher, I will follow you wherever you go.”
8:20 Jesus replied, “Foxes have dens and birds have nests, but the Son of Man has no place to lay his head.”
Matthew 16:21-23
16:21 From that time on Jesus began to explain to his disciples that he must go to Jerusalem and suffer many things at the hands of the elders, the chief priests and the teachers of the law, and that he must be killed and on the third day be raised to life.
16:22 Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him. “Never, Lord!” he said. “This shall never happen to you!”
16:23 Jesus turned and said to Peter, “Get behind me, Satan! You are a stumbling block to me; you do not have in mind the concerns of God, but merely human concerns.”
The result is one becomes the same as Satan that will be destroyed.
For that reason, we must follow God in the way of cross. There are three kinds of cross suffering as follows:- The flesh suffering to stop sinning.
1 Peter 4:1
4:1 Therefore, since Christ suffered in his body, arm yourselves also with the same attitude, because whoever suffers in the body is done with sin.
It means repentance. It starts from the sin of Herod that is the sin of eating-drinking and marrying-being given in marriage. We can live in righteousness. - The flesh suffering to obey the will of God that is ministry in righteousness, obedience, faithfulness, and fervency in spirit.
1 Peter 4:2
4:2 As a result, they do not live the rest of their earthly lives for evil human desires, but rather for the will of God. - The flesh suffering to be able to pray and worship God.
1 Peter 4:7, 12
4:7 The end of all things is near. Therefore be alert and of sober mind so that you may pray.
4:12 Dear friends, do not be surprised at the fiery ordeal that has come on you to test you, as though something strange were happening to you.
Especially when we face the temptation, suffering, and sorrow. We worship and trust fully to God. He will stretch out His hands to give the two wings of a great eagle.
Psalm 17:8
17:8 Keep me as the apple of your eye;hide me in the shadow of your wings
It is to protect us as the apple of God’s eye until the age of Antichrist.
Revelation 12:14
12:14 The woman was given the two wings of a great eagle, so that she might fly to the place prepared for her in the wilderness, where she would be taken care of for a time, times and half a time, out of the serpent’s reach.
It is also to give a new strength to follow God.
Isaiah 40:29-31
40:29 He gives strength to the wearyand increases the power of the weak.
40:30 Even youths grow tired and weary,and young men stumble and fall;
40:31 but those who hope in the Lordwill renew their strength.They will soar on wings like eagles;they will run and not grow weary,they will walk and not be faint.
Until we are lifted up to see God on glorious clouds, we enter the marriage supper of the Lamb, a thousand years kingdom of peace, and the New Jerusalem.
- The flesh suffering to stop sinning.
God blesses us.