Matthew 14:10

THE CAUSES OF HEROD’S SIN

‘And he sent, and beheaded John in the prison.’

Matthew 14:10

When the executioner came into the prison to behead John he came as an angel of light. John was bound in an awful dungeon, without light and without air, and when the executioner came to tell John his order he was welcomed. Why did Herod do this fearful thing? He was not without religious instincts. He feared John. Nay, he did more, he went to hear him preach. He went to hear sermons, and ‘did many things’ because of them. They entered into his heart and mind. Where, then, was the flaw?

I. He heard John, but saw not the Saviour.—Now see why it was that this listening to sermons did this man no good, for it did him absolutely no good—it hardened. He went down and listened to John, but he never saw the Saviour. He was interested in the preacher; he was one of those characters who would always be interested with preaching, but he never saw the Saviour. What is the end of all preaching? Only this—to bring men to the knowledge of the Lord Jesus.

II. He never gave his heart to God.—Another reason why he so entirely failed was that though he ‘did many things,’ the one thing needful he never did. He never gave his heart to God. Many things may be desirable, many things may be beautiful, many things may be ecclesiastical, but there is one thing needful for us all, for you and me alike—we must give our heart to our Saviour.

III. He would not give up his pet sin.—And another point why he failed was this—he would not give up his pet sin, which was lust. The woman was an odious creature, hideous and odious morally. What did that matter? Her daughter could dance; she danced his soul into hell. The blood of the best man that ever lived was upon that man’s hands. And he lived to mock his Saviour. But to the man who had silenced the voice of John, the Saviour never uttered a word.

You come to hear sermons; not only hear them, not only put them into practice, but give your heart to your Saviour.

The Rev. A. H. Stanton.