Mark 6:14-29

Mark 6:14-29 King Herod heard about this, for Jesus’ name had become well known. Some were saying, “John the Baptist has been raised from the dead, and that is why miraculous powers are at work in him.” Others said, “He is Elijah.” And still others claimed, “He is a prophet, like one of the prophets of long ago.” But when Herod heard this, he said, “John, the man I beheaded, has been raised from the dead!” For Herod himself had given orders to have John arrested, and he had him bound and put in prison. He did this because of Herodias, his brother Philip’s wife, whom he had married. For John had been saying to Herod, “It is not lawful for you to have your brother’s wife.” So Herodias nursed a grudge against John and wanted to kill him. But she was not able to, because Herod feared John and protected him, knowing him to be a righteous and holy man. When Herod heard John, he was greatly puzzled; yet he liked to listen to him. Finally the opportune time came. On his birthday Herod gave a banquet for his high officials and military commanders and the leading men of Galilee. When the daughter of Herodias came in and danced, she pleased Herod and his dinner guests. The king said to the girl, “Ask me for anything you want, and I’ll give it to you.” And he promised her with an oath, “Whatever you ask I will give you, up to half my kingdom.” She went out and said to her mother, “What shall I ask for?” “The head of John the Baptist,” she answered. At once the girl hurried in to the king with the request: “I want you to give me right now the head of John the Baptist on a platter.” The king was greatly distressed, but because of his oaths and his dinner guests, he did not want to refuse her. So he immediately sent an executioner with orders to bring John’s head. The man went, beheaded John in the prison, and brought back his head on a platter. He presented it to the girl, and she gave it to her mother. On hearing of this, John’s disciples came and took his body and laid it in a tomb.

Matthew 14:13 When Jesus heard what had happened, he withdrew by boat privately to a solitary place.

Does Jesus care about our troubles, our heartaches, our sicknesses? This is a question that many of us have in our hearts. If He really cared would He not be doing something about our problems? Would He not spare me this grief, this pain I am experiencing? I think this is not only the question that Christians sometimes harbor in their hearts, but it is an abiding thought in the consciousness of the world. Why is there so much pain? Why, as in the above passage, do evil people get their way? Why doesn't justice reign if there is a God?

Well, God does exist, and He does care. After hearing of John's beheading, Jesus withdrew to mourn John's death, his friend from childhood. Jesus also wept over Lazarus. Jesus mourned over Jerusalem's wayward ways. Jesus trudged wearily and incessantly from city to city to spread the "good news" because He cared. And of course, Jesus cared so much that He gave his life for the world, and then at his crucifixion, He lovingly beseeched the Father to "forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing.” (Luke 23:34) Yes, Jesus cared, God cares. However, that doesn't answer the question that each of us personally has in our hearts. Yes, I know He cares, but DOES HE CARE FOR ME, and if so, HOW DO I KNOW THAT. This is when the Comforter comes to the rescue. He abides within every "saved" individual. He alone can talk to our spirits. All other talk can be resisted, evaluated, judged as true or not, but the Holy Spirit speaks to the innermost being of every Christian. He is always saying, "Yes, I care, and YOU ARE NOT ALONE. I AM WITH YOU." Is this not the reason that Jesus and Stephen could say forgive them when they were exposed to killing mobs. Is it not the reason that Paul could get up from a stoning and go back into the very town where the people who stoned him dwelled. There must be more inside of us than ourselves or the question of Jesus' concern will never be satisfied in our souls.

The unremitting truth of human existence is that sin and death abide here, and all who are alive will be affected by these negative influences. No one will escape the tentacles of sin, and no one will leave here, unless the rapture happens, without experiencing death. But Jesus does care. He came to rescue us from the sentence of death. We who are saved have eternal life within us. We have been delivered from the eternal consequences of sin. As believers, we pray that God will intervene in our lives, in the world, and in our friends' lives, but we are all still walk about as inhabitants of Earth and not heaven. This world is contaminated. As with John, bad things do happen to good people. But God is able to bring good out of everything, even our deaths. Therefore, in everything we give thanks, and we pray fervently about all things. We pray when we need deliverance, healing, and solutions to life's problems. We pray, and we pray. And we sing praises to his name, for He is worthy of all praise and honor. For we know God is good, and He will intervene in our lives. But not all our answers are yes: some are wait, and some are no. However, even in our insignificant lives, we know, "He chose the lowly things of this world and the despised things — and the things that are not — to nullify the things that are, so that no one may boast before him." (1 Corinthians 1:28-29) No matter what, we know He uses our lives and the conditions of our lives to confound the wise and to bring glory to himself. Whether we are sick, despised, troubled, despairing, or confused, may our lives be lived by faith to bring glory to him, for HE DOES CARE.