Words of Welcome

Mark 6:14-29 Have you ever made a wager you’ve come to regret? Even if you’re not a gambler, and I’m not, maybe you’ve made decisions you later regret. If I put the question that way, I confess that I’ve made plenty of decisions I’ve come to regret. Fortunately, I’ve survived them! At least, so far! This morning we meet up with Herod Antipas, son of the infamous King Herod the Great, and the self-styled King of Galilee. While he had royal titles,  he was a vassal of the Roman Empire, which meant that whatever power he had, came from Rome. Rome put him in charge of Galilee, which is where Jesus lived and John the Baptist frequented. According to Mark’s Gospel, Herod Antipas made a wager that involved the death of John the Baptist that he came to regret, but more about that in a moment. The reason John’s death appears in the story is that it involves Jesus’ growing popularity in Herod’s territory. Herod was concerned that Jesus might be John, who had been Herod’s nemesis, risen...

Mark 6:14-29 It’s your birthday and you’re really hoping to get a special present.  It could be a new bike, a red wagon, a doll, a new Ford Fiesta.  You’ve left lots of hints, and you’re hoping that you’ll get your heart’s desire.  So, did you get what you wanted?   Or did you get something else?  And if you got what you wanted, is it what you hoped for?  Herod Antipas was the king in Galilee, which is where Jesus hailed from.  When his birthday approached, he decided to throw himself a party.  You can do that if you’re the king.  As Mel Brooks put it in History of the World, Part 1 :  “It’s good to be the king!”  So, Herod sent out to the invitations to all the movers and shakers from the neighborhood and invited them to a big banquet.  His wife, Herodias, who was also married to his brother, offered up her daughter whom tradition names Salome – as the entertainment.   You may know Salome’s name, be...