Prelude
Call to Worship Psalm 29:1
Hymn JBC # 125 All Creatures of our God and King
The Lord’s Prayer
Hymn JBC #515 When peace, like a river, attendeth my way
Confession of Faith
Offering
Scripture Acts 12:20~24
Prayer
Sermon “The word of God continues to spread and flourish”
Prayer
Hymn JBC# 255 Face to face with Christ, my Savior
Baptismal Service
Doxology JBC # 673
Benediction
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Today's Bible passage describes the tragic end of the life of a man, a king, who held a position which is at the pinnacle of human society.
Let me read verse 23 of today's passage again.
23 Immediately, because Herod did not give praise to God, an angel of the Lord struck him down, and he was eaten by worms and died.
“He was eaten by worms and died” is a horrifying expression. It must have been a tragic death that is difficult to describe and beyond our imagination.
The reason for Herod's that tragic end was that he did not give glory to God.
Herod was the grandson of Herod the Great, who was king of Judea at the time of Jesus Christ's birth, and in today's passage we read that he was very angry with the people of Tyre and Sidon.
We do not know what trouble had arisen between Herod and the people of Tyre and Sidon. In any case, Herod was extremely angry with them.
The people all went to see the king and asked for reconciliation with the king through a man named Blastus, who was one of Herod's attendants (an official serving the king).
The reason the people of Tyre and Sidon tried to make peace with King Herod was not because they had a genuine desire to improve or repair their relationship with the king.
The reason the inhabitants were trying to curry favor with King Herod was because their country received food rations from the king's country.
If the king remained angry with them, they would run out of food (there would be a shortage). So, they decided to do whatever it took to get the king to change his mind.
Here, we can see a human relationship that is profoundly lonely in terms of human connection.
Because, to the people, the king was just someone who gives them food. Therefore, they obey what the king says, but they do not respect or trust him.
We too live in society, holding various positions and navigating diverse human relationships, or power relationships that arise from differences in position.
For example at work, there are most likely people who are in a higher position than you, so you have to listen to what they say even if you don't want to.
In such times, how should Christians live? Should we, like the people of Tyre and Sidon who tried to curry favor with the king to avoid displeasing him, outwardly maintain normal relations while inwardly despising the person?
Another passage in the Bible, Romans 13:1, states:
Let everyone be subject to the governing authorities, for there is no authority except that which God has established. The authorities that exist have been established by God.
This is a difficult verse to understand and accept. If the authority over you is worthy of respect and possesses excellent character, obeying this word is not so difficult.
But what if that isn't the case? What if the authority figure above you is someone unworthy of respect, morally inferior, someone you despise?
In this regard, the way David lived his life and his attitude of faith in the Old Testament suggest something important.
David was envied by King Saul, whom he served, and eventually Saul sought to take his (David’s) life. Though David had done nothing wrong, even he wanted to respect and serve Saul, Saul was jealous of David's abilities and popularity.
David fled from Saul. Then David had a few opportunities to take King Saul's life—that is, to ensure that Saul would no longer be able to take his own life.
But David did not take Saul's life, even though he had the chance. The men who were with David said, “Let us kill Saul.”
David said at that time, “The Lord will never permit me to lay a hand on the Lord's anointed one (the Lord's chosen one).” (1 Samuel 24:6)
David recognized that Saul was the king appointed by the Lord God. Yet this king was the one who sought to take his life for unjust reasons. David must have suffered greatly and been deeply troubled by this.
David did not do nothing in this situation. He fled from Saul to save his own life. He also appealed to Saul, saying, “I am innocent before you.”
However, David entrusted everything to God, believing that God was between him and Saul, that God was above him and Saul, and that God knew everything.
We believe that God is above us all, that He is our true Lord and sovereign over all.
Standing on that faith, we desire to maintain an attitude of obedience toward the authorities over us—with respect, honor, and prayer—while also possessing the courage to speak up and protect ourselves when necessary (as David did).
In verse 21 it says, “On the appointed day Herod, wearing his royal robes, sat on his throne and delivered a public address to the people.”
The fact that Herod wore royal clothing shows that he was also just a human being. The royal clothing symbolizes that he is a king. If he were to take off his royal clothing, he would be just another human being.
Garments signifying his authority as king would have had the power to intimidate others and make them listen to what he said.
Herod likely sought to maintain his authority as king by adorning himself in increasingly luxurious royal garments.
Like that, we all have the desire to look better and feel more confident by improving or making up our appearance.
But Jesus pointed to a wildflower blooming in the field and said:
not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. (Matthew 6:29)
Solomon was the son of David, and he inherited the kingship from his father and was given great wealth.
King Solomon's royal clothing must have been the most splendid, but Jesus said that even Solomon in his finest clothing was less beautiful than a single flower naturally blooming in the field.
A single flower blooming in the field, simply blossoming naturally in God's grace— its beauty far surpasses the finest garments worn by any person who has reached the pinnacle of human wealth and honor.
This is truly God’s perspective, the love of God. We are protected and sustained by His love.
When we realize that we are living in the love of the true God, we will no longer feel the need to adorn ourselves beyond what is necessary. God will make us shine. Let us trust in that God.
In today's passage, when the people gathered around Herod and heard his speech, they continued to shout, “This is the voice of a god, not of a man.” (verse 22).
It was a most unfortunate cry, both for Herod and for the people themselves. For there, the very sin of idolatry was being committed—making something that is not God into a god.
The people shouting likely would not think Herod's voice was the voice of a god. They may have been shouting like that merely to flatter Herod.
However, it is possible that gradually, those who were crying out came to regard Herod as a real god,
because within us there is a desire to worship something visible and sure as a definite god, a longing for a strong, visible being.
To worship a person who is not God as if they were God (boasting as if you are God) is a most serious sin before God, one He detests. The magnitude of this sin is revealed in the manner of Herod's death in today's passage.
However, today's passage, which so starkly describes the sin of humans who rely on idols, ends with the following sentence:
But the word of God continued to spread and flourish. (verse 24)
The idolatry of the people who worshiped Herod as a god and his tragic end are in stark contrast to the words, “the word of God continued to spread and flourish.”
No matter how much people may sin, the powerful word of God, the true word of God, never fails but grows stronger. The word of God never weakens.
The words of Jesus Christ never die. We are kept alive by the eternal word of God.
Let us believe in such grace, the powerful word of God, and live according to His word.
No matter how bad the situation in our human world may be (or may seem), God's word continues to spread. God’s words will flourish.
Let us believe in the One who, despite our sins, has forgiven our sins through His Son, Jesus Christ, and invites us into His eternal life.
Let us hope for, believe and pray that the eternal word of God, the Gospel of Jesus Christ, will continue to spread.
May God's word, which surpasses our thoughts, give us life, comfort, and strength, and may that very Word spread far and wide. Let us live our lives placing our hope in God's word.
