Gospel Living

But an opportunity came when Herod on his birthday gave a banquet for his nobles and military commanders and the leading men of Galilee. 22  For when Herodias’s daughter came in and danced, she pleased Herod and his guests. And the king said to the girl, “Ask me for whatever you wish, and I will give it to you.” … 24  And she went out and said to her mother, “For what should I ask?” And she said, “The head of John the Baptist.” … 27  And immediately the king sent an executioner with orders to bring John’s head. He went and beheaded him in the prison 28  and brought his head on a platter and gave it to the girl, and the girl gave it to her mother. We’ve been seeing the depth of sin in the Herod’s household, including the unlawful marriage between Herod Antipas and Herodias.  John the Baptist highlighted this sin and called them to repentance.  Herod knew it was the word of a true prophet (v. 20) but never repented; Herodias hated John and sought his lif...

And why are you anxious about clothing? (Mt 6:28) I've never been a believer that men must wear a three-piece suit to church, or that women are more holy if they sport ankle-length skirts (subdued in color, of course).  These things come from a past Christian sub-culture, one that wanted to honor God by seeing Sunday morning as a special occasion.  While I appreciate the sentiment, I've also seen how false it is in fundamentalist circles, especially among some women who want to compete for the snazziest-dresser award. Yet, I also cannot agree with a culture of so-called grace that seems to require folks to dress- down for church.  This too is a demonstration of pride—that fresh out-of-bed look, flip-flops, cut-off shorts, and Starbucks in hand dares people to notice how much this guy doesn't care what the highfalutin Pharisees think.  Right. I suppose it should not be surprising that this new Christian sub-culture of "you're not supposed to care what...