St Matthew, Chapter 14, verses: 13 - 14, The Needs of the people: Christ's compassion.

Our paragraph topic is:  (Hunger of the crowd) Part 1.  

And so it was.  John the Baptist was murdered by Herod, Herodias and her daughter, agents of evil.  They had planned their plot with the advice of evil and carried it out.  John had warned the people of the evil of Herod.  John had spoken to them about his lies and deceit.  And John was imprisoned for speaking out against evil.  For evil wanted to silence John the Baptist.  Evil wanted to put John to death.  Evil wanted to stop John from winning souls to Christ.  John baptised the people.  John preached to the people of repentance.  John won souls for Christ and turned people against the evil that existed in the kingdom.  And evil wanted him dead.  And so it was.  John was murdered and sent home to his father.  His mission accomplished on this earth to prepare the way for Christ.

And the disciples of John came and removed his headless body from the prison and gave him a proper burial.  For Herod and Herodias were gloating over the head of John the Baptist.  They were rejoicing to his lifeless head how they had triumphed over him.  And evil watched on the sidelines as they became embolden in their merriment of their power.  For the people did not revolt.  The people did not cry out in shame over the death of John.  But the word spread how Herod was against his death and how he swore an oath to Herodias' daughter to give her anything that she asked for her reward to dance at his birthday party before the people.  Their plan was crafty.  Their plan was deceitful.  Their plot was carried out flawlessly.  And they rejoiced over the death of John the Baptist.

And the word spread of the death of John the Baptist.  The people were lost.  The people were in need and without a guide.  The people were in chaos.  For John was their leader.  John was their prophet.  John was their sign, pointing to the Messiah.  They were in need.   When Jesus heard this, he withdrew by boat to a desert place apart; but the crowds heard of it and followed him on foot from the towns.  And when he landed, he saw a large crowd, and out of compassion for them he cured their sick. 

Jesus traveled by boat and the crowds traveled by foot.  And they were in need.  A great loss had taken place here on earth and a new beginning was unfolding.  And the people were in chaos.  They new not where to go.  They knew not what to do.  They knew not any more of John the Baptist so they turned to Christ for their answers.  And the word spread of the loss of John the Baptist.  And the word spread of the whereabouts of Christ.  The people were in need and when Christ landed and saw the crowds he was moved with compassion because of their need for direction, their need to believe, their need for hope, their need for guidance.  And he gave them their direction.  He gave them their hope.  He gave them their belief.  He showed them that God was still with them and he cured their sick.

The time is coming and is almost here.  Chaos is coming.  Unbelief is coming.  Doubt is coming.  Fear is here.  And the people are lost and without direction.  With the uncertainty in the world today, people are feeling uncertain.  People are loosing faith.  People are loosing hope for themselves and their God.  For the evil one is bringing about uncertainty that the people will know doubt.  The evil one is bringing about uncertainty that the people will loose their belief.  The evil one is bring about uncertainty that the people will loose their hope and open the door to fear. 

There is no fear in Christ.  There is no doubt in Christ.  There is no uncertainty in Christ.  For all things are in Christ.  There is no impossibility in Christ for all things are in Him.  Those who know will stand tall in this time of uncertainty.  Those who are rooted will not be moved by uncertainty.  Those who believe will see the truth come forth in spite of the fear and doubt in the world.  And those who practice perfect patience in the Lord will see the certainty of his love.  Christ is Lord of all and he sits at the right hand of God our Father in heaven.

St Matthew, Capter 14, verses: 9 - 12, Herod's murder plot: The Act of Murder committed.

Our paragraph topic is:  (Herod murdered John) Part 3.  

Herod was a murderer.  He was a liar.  He was possessed of evil.  John the Baptist spoke to the people of the many evil acts committed by Herod.  John made the people aware of the evil that was in the heart of Herod.  John spoke to the people of Herod's evil with Herodias, his wife, and Herodias wanted to have him killed because he spoke against her, the queen.  Many a lesser person would have been killed on the spot.  But John was a prophet.  John was loved by the people.  John was the messenger of God.  He baptized the people and prepared the way for Christ. 

Herod heard about the John's popularity.  Herod heard about the message that John preached to the people.  And Herod heard that John spoke of him to the people.  John had not committed any crime so Herod had no reason to exact justice against him.  But Herod and Herodias were agents of evil.  John was baptizing souls for Christ.  He preached repentance to the people that they may be saved.  And people came from the neighboring countrysides and many far and distant districts. They wanted to be baptized.  They wanted to repent of their sins.  But evil did not like John.  Evil wanted John dead.  And evil worked through Herod and Herodias to have John murdered.

They plotted and planned and created a scheme to murder John the Baptist.    Evil and Herod and Herodias came together and hatched a plan to have him killed.  On Herod's birthday an oath was given to Herodias' daughter to have her dance for Herod.  Anything she asked for would be her reward to dance for Herod and his guests.  So the plot was planned and the dance was given and the request was made, "Give me the head of John the Baptist on a platter."  was her request.  And this was the plan.  But Herod had to appear grieved before the people as if he was against the plan.  If he did not show that he was grieved the people would not believe that he did not want to have John beheaded.  So he had to feign grief before the public so all would see that he was tricked into the act by Herodias' daughter.  But in actuality it was the plan of evil to get rid of John the Baptist and it was carried out by Herod, Herodias and her daughter.  

And grieved as he was, the king, because of his oath and his guests, commanded it to be given.  He sent and had John beheaded in the prison.  And his head was brought on a dish and given to the girl, who carried it to her mother.

And so it happened.  John the Baptist was murdered by Herod and his wife and evil.  They completed the plot.  They carried out the plan.  They committed the act.  The evildoers acted as agents for evil.  They committed the act.  They carried out the plan.  They became evil.  And so it was to be the same with Christ.  Evil plotted and evil planned.  They wanted to kill Christ.  So they planned with the evildoers and crucified Christ on a cross.  Do not become an agent for evil.  Evil wants you.  It seeks you.  It plans for your enlistment.  Christ calls you from evil.  Christ saves you from becoming an evildoer.  Christ gives you new life in himself.  And the Holy Spirit will teach all to you that you may know the truth of who you are.  Be not an agent of evil.  Become an agent for Christ and he will give you your reward.

St Matthew, Capter 14, verses: 6 - 8, Herod's murder plot: The promise with an Oath.

Our paragraph topic is:  (Herod murdered John) Part 2.      

Herod was a deceitful King.  He was a liar and a murderer.  He was filled with his own passion and guided by his wife Herodias.  For Herod loved Herodias.  He desired her.  He lusted  that he would do anything for her.  John spoke against Herod and Herodias and they did not like it.  How dare he speak against the king.  How dare he speak against the king's wife.  Any lesser man would have been put to death immediately.  But John was a prophet.  John was the messenger of the Messiah.  John proclaimed the coming of the savior and the people revered him.  But Herodias was filled with hatred and passion against John and she would have his head for speaking against her.

To appease Herodias, Herod had John arrested and imprisoned.  Herod would have liked to put him to death but the people would have revolted against him for such actions and that would have involved the Romans coming in to calm the crowds.  So Herod was perplexed as to what to do about John the Baptist.  He wondered, he planned, he schemed, and he plotted.  And finally he came up with a plan.  The demons were with him.  The demons helped him to plan.  The demons that possessed Herod had him do their actions to murder John the Baptist.  This was their plan. 

On Herod's birthday, the daughter of Herodias danced before them, and pleased Herod.  Whereupon he promised with an oath to give her whatever she might ask of him.   Then she, at her mother's prompting, said, "Give me here on a dish the head of John the Baptist.

And so the plot enacted.  John was to  beheaded because of an oath by the King to give anything to his wife's daughter.  This was the plan.  This was the plot.  This was the scheme of the demons to get rid of John the Baptist.  The demons were loosing disciples because of John the Baptist.  They were being cast out.  They were loosing souls to John the Baptist who was baptising souls to Christ.  But the demons had a plan.  The demons had a plot.  And the demons had agents to work for them.  The demons had Herod and Herodias to do their will in killing John the Baptist.

Be not an agent for the devil.  Become an agent for Christ.  There is no middle ground.  You are either one or the other.  You are either working with Christ or you are working against Christ.  And the demons are recruiting daily.  They are plotting.  They are planning.  They are running every kind of scheme to steal the souls of men, women, girls and boys, children and all mankind.  For they work for the evil one who's goal is to capture as many souls as he can and destroy them in hell. 

Christ said beware the one who can kill the body and destroy the soul in hell.  He it is whom you should fear.  There are agents in this world for the evil one.  Do not become one of them.  Repent and be born again in Christ.  For he will cleans you of the evil that would possess you.  He will sanctify you that you may be made anew.  He will justify you that you will be made holy before the father.  He will protect you that you may not fall again to the tricks and traps of the evil one.  His word is truth.  His word is life.  His word is love.  Become one in Christ and he will become one  you.