WEBVTT

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In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.

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You maybe seated.

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There are some Kings stirring up trouble in the readings today, but no

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one is stirring up more trouble than that

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one king in the gospel, perhaps that's because he's fully free.

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All the other kings we hear of today.

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Have the appearance of power folks cower their presence, but it's only

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a facade.

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Yes, they can take people's life.

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No repercussions.

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But they have this facade of power and to keep it they have to constantly take pols.

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See which way the cultural winds are blowing make themselves like

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reeds in the wind so that they blend in with the crowd. They dress

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up in the most in style soft clothing. Drink

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the finest wines by the bowl full.

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Of course, these kings are really slaves driven by inordinate,

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passions.

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Success, popularity, power they're really trapped subject, to the

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whims plots and schemes of those all around them.

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But there's one King who really is stirring up trouble in the gospel today and

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he is no reed bending in the wind, he's not bent by whims of fancy

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whether 

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beards are in or not, whether his shirt should be untucked or tucked

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in.

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He knows who he is.

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He knows where he came from and where he's going.

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He does not operate by raw political power.

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He acts by authority, given him from above.

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He took only one opinion poll that I know of who do men say that I am.

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And the answer to that pole didn't change him a bit.

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He only used it to teach.

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Of course, this king is King Jesus and he's the troublemaker in

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both these readings. He's the one who with the Father, and the Spirit

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plucked Amos out of Agriculture, and planted him

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in the Lord's Vineyard. He is the one with the Father and the Spirit

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saw to it that Zechariah and Elizabeth

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delighted in a most unexpected son. He's the one who made John the

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Baptizer leap for joy in the womb next door.

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And when John was imprisoned, who joyfully called our attention to how

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free and blessed John was even while behind bars in that dungeon.

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This is the one who saw to it

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that John like Amos was not a reed

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shaken

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by the wind just like their king. Neither John or Amos were dissuaded

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from speaking the truth in love because it was out of season or

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cancelled by loudmouth

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bullies.

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Father and Spirit along with this King, boasted in Amos and all

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the faithful proclaimers of the Lord just as Jesus on earth boasted about

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John's fearless faithful, loving ways.

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They are like their King, fearless, bold, faithful, all for the purpose

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of above, all of showing Mercy.

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So there's our our, our John calling Herod to repent.

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Why? Why does he bother to do such a thing because he actually loves Herod,

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He wants him to repent. He's not seeking to destroy him or the score

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points on Facebook or Twitter against him but to save him.

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To free Herod. To really live in forgiveness and faithfulness and love

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toward his brother

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even that brother named Philip.

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But instead,

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poor weak Herod like poor Jeroboam lives under the delusion that he's

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mighty controlling his own destiny.

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That he's willing to use people, even a daughter to shamefully, entertain

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the high and mighty.

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But all of this comes with a cost, he ends up getting used himself, a

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pawn of a hell-bent world.

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Interesting, isn't it King Jesus uses no one but instead stands tall

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fearless, faithful, even when kings and the elite mock insult and condemn

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him.

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He willingly lays down his life for these phonies for Amos and John

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and Herodias and that shamed daughter.

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And for all of us, sinners who have loved ourselves much more than

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anyone else or our God.

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Dearly beloved in the Lord.

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Don't miss the freedom you've received from your King

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when he anointed you for service in his kingdom and life. All your

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sins gone, all the shame of the world mocking you and trying to turn

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you from

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Jesus cleanse the way all of it by his blood. All the unfailing

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mercy and compassion, and truth, and love of God, incarnate. All of it

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poured out on you dear one.

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And now into you with his eternally living body and blood, which

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overcomes this evil one.

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All his kingdom is yours. His reign, he shares with you. His

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eternal and joyful community with the Father and the Spirit and with

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the whole body of the Church of all ages.

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He gives you now and forever.

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All of us

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have been plucked out of obscurity into the honored status as brothers

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and sisters of this world's troublemaking King. The one who turns the

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whole cosmos upside down so that he can carry you in his life and

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freedom and joy.

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We get to go in the way of his freedom. His free

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mercy. His abundant grace. His loving proclamation of the full word of

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God, calling all sinners

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to join us in repenting, the full freedom, and forgiveness, and

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holiness all of our days.

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John has not yet risen from the dead

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contrary to the rumors.

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He will. And oh his head, will snap right back in place. But King

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Jesus who died even for Herod and Pilate and Herodias and that shamed

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girl and you and me did rise.

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Why?

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His resurrection as one pastor

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put it so

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well, is the rejection of all rejection.

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Your Jesus will not let anyone or anything

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stop him

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from having mercy on you and on all. He's free and in him alone

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so are you.

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Thanks be to God in Jesus name.

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Amen.

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The peace of God, which passes all our understanding guard your hearts

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and minds in Christ Jesus to life everlasting.