A Tale of Two Kingdoms

The Eighth Sunday after Pentecost

July 14, 2024

Mark 6:14-29

 “A Tale of Two Kingdoms”

Gospel means “good news,” but today’s Gospel lesson sure doesn’t seem like good news. The grisly death of John the Baptist that we heard in the Gospel lesson is a stark reminder to us all that following Jesus can come at a very high cost. We may not be called upon to offer the sacrifice of our lives as John did, but there are other sacrifices for the sake of the kingdom of God that we may be called upon to make. Such sacrifices are never easy, and are often painful. So what is the good news for today? Today we see two kingdoms revealed in the Gospel lesson: the kingdom of Herod and the kingdom of Jesus. They are diametrically opposed to one another, and each understands power in very different ways. This becomes the focus for today’s sermon, entitled “A Tale of Two Kingdoms.” May the Lord’s rich grace and abundant blessing be upon the preaching, the hearing, and the living of his Word for Jesus’ sake.

Mark chapter 6 begins with a whole lot of confusion about Jesus: who he is, what he’s doing, and how he came to do all the mighty works that he did. This is what we heard in the Gospel lesson for last Sunday (Mark 6:1-13). The hometown folks back at Nazareth were all abuzz with questions like: “Where did this man get these things? What is this wisdom given to him? How are such mighty works done by his hands? Is not this the carpenter, son of Mary and brother of James and Joses and Judas and Simon? And are not his sisters here with us?” (Mark 6:2b-3a). They couldn’t believe that one of their own was doing all of this. In their minds, Jesus was clearly getting way too big for his britches, as the old saying goes. And the net effect of this? “And they took offense at him” (Mark 6:3b). Everybody was asking the same question: “Who is this?” And everybody had an opinion about Jesus’ identity, including Herod, who was called “king of the Jews.” This is Herod Antipas (20 B.C. – 39 A.D.), son of Herod the Great (72 B.C.- 4 B.C.). Herod the Great was a client king of Rome and ruler of Judea at the time of Jesus’ birth. Upon his death, Herod’s kingdom was divided upon into quarters among his sons. Herod Antipas was ruler of Galilee (Luke 3:1), where Nazareth was located, as well as Perea. Herod was asking the same question everyone else was asking about Jesus: “Who is this?” After Jesus sent out his apostles (Mark 6:7-13), Herod thought that John the Baptist, whom he had beheaded in prison, had come back to life. We’re told the backstory of how John’s death occurred. An innocent man of God who spoke truth to power was martyred. Why? Herod had married Herodias, his sister-in-law, who was his brother, Philip’s, wife. John called Herod out on this and Herodias nursed a longstanding grudge against John because of this. One thing led to another, and Herod’s birthday bash became the occasion for ordering the execution of John.

This is where we clearly see how Herod’s kingdom is diametrically opposed to the kingdom of Jesus. One king kills in order to save face and retain his power while the other is killed in order to bring others into his kingdom. Herod knew how the system worked and how the game was played. He was skilled in knowing how to navigate the ins and outs of staying in power within the Roman Empire. We may see parallels between then and now. Living here in the shadow of our nation’s capital, many here know how the system works and how to navigate the ins and outs of the power game. In truth, it’s not just here, but it’s in all places where self-interest, personal security and getting to the top take priority over against doing what is just and true and right. Using others to get what you want, tamping down conscience for the sake of expediency, thinking that the rules don’t apply to you – these can lead to disastrous consequences, both for self and for others.

Jesus’ kingdom offers so much more! Instead of expecting others to wait on him, Jesus makes clear that “the Son of Man came not to be served, but to serve, and to offer his life as a ransom for many” (Mark 10:45). The world doesn’t understand this kind of kingdom; it makes no sense to the world. John the Baptist’s death points ahead to the death of Jesus himself. Before his crucifixion, when Jesus stood before Pontius Pilate, Pilate asked him: “Are you the King of the Jews?” (John 18:33), to which Jesus replied, “My kingdom is not of this world” (John 18:36). In Jesus’ upside-down kingdom, whoever would be first must be last of all and servant of all (Mark 9:35). In Jesus’ upside-down kingdom, the mighty and powerful are brought down from their thrones; the hungry are filled with good things and the rich are sent away empty (Luke 1:52-53). In Jesus’ upside-down kingdom, power is revealed in humble and loving service; in compassion, mercy, and forgiveness. Jesus himself shows us what this means by going to the cross and offering his very life for us and for our salvation. Jesus’ kingdom is not about what we can do for him, but what he has already done for us through his life, death and resurrection.

Herod’s banquet that he gave for his nobles, military commanders, and leading men of Galilee will be eclipsed by the banquet which Jesus provides in the verses that follow today’s Gospel lesson. With just five loaves of bread and two fish, Jesus fed 5000 people (Mark 6:30-44). And it was not just a light snack; mere appetizers to tide people over. No, in Jesus’ kingdom he provides richly for the needs of his people. We are told “they all ate and were satisfied” (Mark 6:42). So often in life, we wonder if we will have enough – enough funds to cover the bills, enough resources for retirement, enough of everything. Jesus’ kingdom is not marked by shortage, insufficiency, or scarcity. Quite the opposite: in Jesus, the words of the psalmist are fulfilled: “You open wide your hand and satisfy the desire of every living thing” (Psalm 145:16). Today we receive a foretaste of that banquet of Jesus’ kingdom in the Lord’s Supper. Here and now, Jesus comes to us and assures us of his own presence: “Take, eat, this is my body… Take, drink, this is my blood..” (Matthew 26:26, 28). In the kingdom of our crucified and risen Lord Jesus Christ, there is more than enough for everyone who comes to him with repentant faith and trust.

This is the King and this is his kingdom. Amen.