Scripture: St. Mark 6:1-29 (NKJV)
1 Then He went out from there and came to His own country, and His disciples
followed Him. 2 And when the Sabbath had come, He began to teach in the
synagogue. And many hearing Him were astonished, saying, “Where did this Man
get these things? And what wisdom is this which is given to Him, that such
mighty works are performed by His hands! 3 Is this not the carpenter, the Son
of Mary, and brother of James, Joses, Judas, and Simon? And are not His sisters
here with us?” And they were offended at Him. 4 But Jesus said to them, “A
prophet is not without honor except in his own country, among his own
relatives, and in his own house.” 5 Now He could do no mighty work there,
except that He laid His hands on a few sick people and healed them. 6 And He
marveled because of their unbelief. Then He went about the villages in a
circuit, teaching.
7 And He called the twelve to Himself, and began to send them out two by two,
and gave them power over unclean spirits. 8 He commanded them to take nothing
for the journey except a staff—no bag, no bread, no copper in their money
belts—9 but to wear sandals, and not to put on two tunics. 10 Also He said to
them, “In whatever place you enter a house, stay there till you depart from
that place. 11 And whoever will not receive you nor hear you, when you depart
from there, shake off the dust under your feet as a testimony against them.
Assuredly, I say to you, it will be more tolerable for Sodom and Gomorrah in
the day of judgment than for that city!”
12 So they went out and preached that people should repent. 13 And they cast
out many demons, and anointed with oil many who were sick, and healed them. 14
Now King Herod heard of Him, for His name had become well known. And he said,
“John the Baptist is risen from the dead, and therefore these powers are at
work in him.” 15 Others said, “It is Elijah.” And others said, “It is the
Prophet, or like one of the prophets.” 16 But when Herod heard, he said, “This
is John, whom I beheaded; he has been raised from the dead!”
17 For Herod himself had sent and laid hold of John, and bound him in prison
for the sake of Herodias, his brother Philip’s wife; for he had married her. 18
For John had said to Herod, “It is not lawful for you to have your brother’s
wife.” 19 Therefore Herodias held it against him and wanted to kill him, but
she could not; 20 for Herod feared John, knowing that he was a just and holy
man, and he protected him. And when he heard him, he did many things, and heard
him gladly. 21 Then an opportune day came when Herod on his birthday gave a
feast for his nobles, the high officers, and the chief men of Galilee. 22 And
when Herodias’ daughter herself came in and danced, and pleased Herod and those
who sat with him, the king said to the girl, “Ask me whatever you want, and I
will give it to you.” 23 He also swore to her, “Whatever you ask me, I will
give you, up to half of my kingdom.” 24 So she went out and said to her mother,
“What shall I ask?” And she said, “The head of John the Baptist!” 25
Immediately she came in with haste to the king and asked, saying, “I want you
to give me at once the head of John the Baptist on a platter.” 26 And the king
was exceedingly sorry; yet, because of the oaths and because of those who sat
with him, he did not want to refuse her. 27 Immediately the king sent an
executioner and commanded his head to be brought. And he went and beheaded him
in prison, 28 brought his head on a platter, and gave it to the girl; and the
girl gave it to her mother. 29 When his disciples heard of it, they came and
took away his corpse and laid it in a tomb.
Devotion
“And whoever will not receive you nor hear you, when you depart from there,
shake off the dust under your feet as a testimony against them.”
It is a serious and tragic thing to ignore the Word of God. His Word is not
just one more set of platitudes to be taken or left on a sort of smorgasbord of
philosophies. His Word is truth. His Word is the only source of redemption and
life. It is the only true key to wisdom and peace in this world, so to reject
it is not a matter of rejecting some idle news. To reject it is a matter of
rejecting the reality of life. So those who reject this truth and cling to
dangerous lies should be marked and avoided, because their dangerous adherence
to falsehoods creates peril for themselves and for everyone else who abides in
that rejection.
Those who reject the wisdom of God’s Law and the faithful preaching of the
Gospel in Jesus Christ crucified reject the repentance of their deadly sins,
and they reject the only thing that will give them forgiveness and life. God’s
faithful people should not be indifferent about that rejection. We are to
always point them back to God’s Word of life so they may hear it faithfully by
the power of God’s Spirit.
We pray: Lord God, send Your faithful servants to preach and teach Your Word so
that all nations may turn from their faithless rejection of the truth and be
given abundant life in Jesus Christ. Amen.
The Lutheran Herald is a publication of the Evangelical Lutheran Diocese of
North America. These daily devotions are authored by the bishop, pastors, and
deacons of the diocese. Daily posts are provided by The Reverend Jeffrey A.
Ahonen.
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