Mark 6:20 – 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. (NIV)

Being a Scottish preacher in American churches can be quite novel at times. For some reason, folks like to listen to my Scots accent because they find it to be quite lyrical. I used to think that this was a great thing and relished each time I was asked to preach in a different pulpit. Over the years, however, I realized that my accent could sometimes get in the way of the gospel message. People in the pews liked to listen to how I preached but didn't absorb the sermon. Sometimes at the church door after the worship service, someone would say, "I loved your Scottish accent, but I didn't understand what you said."

King Herod may have felt much the same with John the Baptist. The cruel king had imprisoned John for preaching against his marriage. Herod's wife was greatly offended, so Herod had the fiery preacher arrested and thrown into a jail below his palace.

Herod, however, did not neglect John. He liked to listen to the preacher, although he didn't fully understand what John talked about. Perhaps the prophet preached on the kingdom of God, which Herod would think rivalled his own sovereignty. Or maybe John talked about repentance for being sinful, which Herod totally ignored. Whatever the case, Herod appears to have missed his opportunity to be reconciled to God. He liked listening to John, but he may have never truly heard a word which could have changed his life forever.

Some folks are like that, too. They know about Jesus and have perhaps listened to some of His teaching. Unfortunately, instead of fully embracing Him as their Saviour and Lord, they just label Him as another historical holy man whose sermons were quaint and applicable to the past, but not relevant in today's world. In other words, they listen, but do not hear, which is why Jesus told His listeners, "He who has ears to hear, let him hear." (Mark 4:9 NIV)

Point to ponder: Do I like just listening to what Jesus has to say, or do I hear how His words challenge me to change my ways?

Prayer: Lord Jesus, help us to be truly open to Your gospel message and holy teachings. Challenge our lives so that we may change our ways by applying Your Word in our daily lives. In Your holy name, we humbly pray. Amen.

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About the author:

John Stuart <traqair@aol.com>
Knoxville, Tennessee, USA
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