Luke 9 begins as Jesus sending out his disciples to proclaim the kingdom of God. God is carefully working out His plan to spread the good news of the Gospel by piquing the interest of both political and religious leaders and the people living throughout the region. But, as the news begins to spread, confusion grows as well-especially for Herod the Tetrarch, who was no stranger to Jesus. Herod the Tetrarch, also known as Herod Antipas, was the ruler of Galilee and Perea and son of Herod the Great, who had ordered the murder of newborn Jesus. Herod the Tetrarch himself had John the Baptist beheaded to satisfy the vindictive wishes of his former sister-in-law-turned-wife, Herodias.
So as news of Jesus and the disciples’ ministry made its way to Galilee, Luke tells us that Herod became very confused and agitated. He didn’t know what to do with the information. The first rumor, that John the Baptist had come back to life, must have been particularly agitating to Herod as he was the one who had ordered John’s execution a few months earlier. Other rumors included the possible return of Elijah or other prophets. Galilee was buzzing! Interest in Jesus and his ministry was growing; more and more people were being drawn to Jesus. They wanted to hear the teachings of Jesus and His disciples and experience miraculous healing from both physical and spiritual sickness. They knew something important was happening!
But Herod wasn’t so sure. Luke tells us that Herod did indeed want to see Jesus but not because He was willing to acknowledge He was the Messiah. He just wanted to look. Herod wasn’t a sincere seeker; he was just curious. A few years later, when Pilate provides the opportunity, Herod meets Jesus just before his crucifixion (Luke 23), but his motives are still selfish: he wants to see Jesus perform a sign. And, when Jesus doesn’t respond to Herod’s questions and requests, He is mistreated and mocked.
As I consider Herod’s reaction to Jesus, I’m saddened to see myself in his response. Am I simply curious about Jesus or am I sincerely seeking Him? Is my interest simply in what He can DO for me? Do I want to “see” His work in my life without making a genuine commitment or sacrifice? Do I look to Him only in times of confusion and perplexity but fail to pursue a deep relationship with Him? When confronted with Jesus, like Herod was, am I willing to be uncomfortable and forfeit my own will and desires? Or do I look for the seemingly safe “middle ground”, mistakenly telling myself I can follow Christ without giving up my favorite sin? Do my actions make a mockery of Jesus when I neglect Him altogether? Has the beauty of the gospel truly changed me, or does it just make an occasional difference in my outward behavior? Intermittent, marginal curiosity in Christ and His Kingdom is worthless if my heart is not completely aligned with my Savior.
We do not segment our lives, giving some time to God, some to our business or schooling, while keeping parts to ourselves. The idea is to live all of our lives in the presence of God, under the authority of God, and for the honor and glory of God. That is what the Christian life is all about. RC Sproul
The reason the world is not seeing Jesus is that Christian people are not filled with Jesus. They are satisfied with attending meetings weekly, reading the Bible occasionally, and praying sometimes. It is an awful thing for me to see people who profess to be Christians lifeless, powerless, and in a place where their lives are so parallel to unbelievers’ lives that it is difficult to tell which place they are in, whether in the flesh or in the Spirit. S Wigglesworth
Sixty-six books in a year 