The focus of this sermon was on the connection between the two accounts in these verses: Jesus sending the disciples out as representatives, and Herod beheading John the Baptist. The connection is found in that Mark is reminding us that John is the fulfillment of the Elijah figure to come and in that reminder sending us back to Malachi chapter four where we also see that Jesus’ sending of his disciples was a fulfillment of that prophecy as well.
The point was that Jesus’ action of sending his disciples out as a fulfillment of Malachi chapter four implies a new division between the “righteous” and the “wicked” of humanity. The “righteous” are no longer defined as faithful law keepers but are instead defined as accepting Jesus through his disciples teaching. The wicked are no longer defined as law breakers but instead as rejecting Jesus by rejecting the disciples teaching.
In light of this “new division”…
- How do you think about your own salvation experience?
- What are the implications for our church body?
- How does one know if he or she is part of the wicked or part of the righteous?