Cleanse Me
Matthew 14:1 At that
time Herod the tetrarch heard the reports about Jesus, 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.”
THE name “Herod” appears in the Bible at different stages of
Jesus’ and the Apostles’ ministry. In Matthew 2 Herod the Great orders the
execution of boys. Today’s scripture refers to his son, Herod Antipas. And the
Herod who has the Apostle James put to the sword and imprisons Peter in Acts 12
is his grandson, Herod Agrippa 1.
These kinds of
facts help us see that Jesus’ life was a real life. He dealt with men history
recognizes. It is good to know the Son of God was far greater than a line of
powerful kings in Judah. Let’s pause a minute to see why Herod Antipas is
confused about Jesus.
Herod’s confusion
comes out of a heart filled with grief, shame and sin. He had murdered John for
the sake of his physical pleasure. Pleasure was his god. When Jesus came onto
the scene, Herod heard of the scene. He seemed to hope with his depraved soul
that John had risen from the grave. As most guilty men do, he desired a second
chance to talk to the prophet who spoke to him as no other man had ever dared
speak to him. Herod wanted another opportunity to find a way to live with his pleasure
while finding a way to appease and please the prophet John.
It’s easy to see
why Herod was confused. Guilt, shame and sin found in physical lust and
pleasure have kept people from seeing Jesus for centuries.
LIFE Link: Lord, cleanse my heart, so I will clearly see
you. Amen.
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