Dr. Mike Murphy
June 22, 2024
Each movement carried with it a purpose. Grace and beauty were entwined as he watched. With each twist of her hand, each movement of her foot, each nod of her head, and each sway of her hips, he knew she was drawing him in deeper. The light flickered off her jewelry with every twirl. And as he caught the occasional glimpse that she gave him, he saw that same sparkle in the beauty of her eyes. All the power he held was useless, he was nothing more than a pawn to be manipulated by the touch of her hand.
He would give all he had if he could just stop time, freeze it in this moment. If he could trap himself in this moment forever. A lifetime of staring at the beauty that stood moving before him. A lifetime of looking in the eyes of the one that now mesmerized him. He would give all if the desire before him could be his. A lifetime of the thoughts of her that filled his mind, could be the reality that made up his days and his nights. But as he gazed at the lustful cravings that moved in front of him, little did he know that all would soon be required of him. All would soon have to be given, a lifetime would soon be lost.
As her movement ended, so did the silence of the crowd that surrounded him. Their applause erupted, snapping him back into the reality of the moment. A reality that he was not prepared for. As he looked upon the faces of the most prestigious of the kingdom, who had come to honor him on his birthday, he turned again to the young girl who had danced for him. As he looked into the eyes of the young girl, a face he had looked on for her whole life, he found himself speaking before thinking. “ Ask me for whatever you want and I will give it to you.” He even went on to make her an even greater promise, one his deepest desires wished she would accept. “Up to half my kingdom I will give to you.”
He knew the boldness of this statement. The young girl of his desires was his step-daughter, and in making the statement he had offered her to take the place of her mother. After all, he was the king, and was used to getting whatever he desired.
He watched as the young girl exited the ballroom, and consulted with her mother. Knowing the mind of her mother well, he knew in the depths of his heart that her reply would not be his desire. As the young girl returned, she made her wishes known to the entire room. “I want the head of the prophet on a platter, right now!” “The head of this man who has spoken out against my mother!” Even the depths of his heart did not prepare him for this request. But he was caught. He had made the promise in front of many witnesses. Witnesses that his kingdom relied on. Witnesses that his life depended on. He was now forced to grant this young girl her request. A request that was far greater than the desire the dance had brought him.
We all know the story of John the Baptist, and his beheading at the hands of Herod Antipas, Herodias, and Salome. John had angered Herodias by speaking the truth in God’s Word about her. The Book of Mark tells us, “For John had been saying to Herod, “It is not lawful for you to have your brother’s wife.”(Mark 6:18). Herod Antipas had been married to an Arabian princess, named Phasaelis. But fell in love with the wife(Herodias) of his brother, who also happened to be his niece. Both Herod Antipas and Herodias left their spouses so they could marry. It was for this reason, and many other adulterous and incestous situations in the family of Herod, that John so boldly spoke out against.
Herodias was furious that John would dare speak out against anything that she had done, and wanted John put to death for speaking out. But she did not have the authority, but did convince Herod to have him imprisoned. Because John was a righteous man, and beloved by many of the people, Herod was fearful of John and keep him safe. The Bible also tells us that Herod was “perplexed” by what John had to say. The Greek word used here is “aporeo”, and it means “ to be without resources, to cause doubt”. When Herod heard John speak, he recognized that none of the supporters he had in the Sanhedrin, the High Priest, or any of his training, had prepared him for the truth in John’s words. It troubled Herod, and forced him to face the truth of his own life. But eventually, Herod’s own desires and his own arrogance, got the best of him, leading him to turn from God’s Words in favor of human justification.
John had been a prophet like no other. Most do not realize it, but John was the last of the Old Testament prophets. John's message bridged the Old Testament to the New Testament. Although John’s message spoke of the wrath of God, it pointed all toward the Cross. John also pointed all toward a need for baptism, repentance, and the forgiveness of sin(Matthew 3:1-3, Mark 1:3). Jesus said of John, “Truly I say to you, among those born of women there has not arisen anyone greater than John the Baptist!” Only through the blood of Christ, that would soon come, could anyone ever be greater than John.
John trusted the truth in God’s Word, and proclaimed that truth at all cost. That truth drove John, and that was a truth that John lived by and stood on. Simply put, John would not dance for Herod! Unlike the religious leaders and politicians of the day, John did not hear the music of the world, and did not find himself caught up in the dance.
As I look at the world around me today, I see how little everything has actually changed. I watch as the politicians of our day, and some of the leaders of the Church, find themselves swaying to the music, and doing the dance the world has called them to. I see a Church that has allowed the world to seductively cloth it for the dance it calls us to perform. A Church that does not hear the laughs of those who watch it foolishly dancing, those who see it dancing by itself. A Church that had a dance partner, but refused to allow the Lord to lead. A Church who found itself dancing to a different beat than the one the Lord was dancing to, and who stepped on the feet of its’ Partner with every failed step. A Church who now finds it easier to dance seductively for the audience, than to dance in sync with the Partner who brought it to the dance.
I also watch today as this dance is performed around many of our pulpits. I watch as many of our pastors sing a song the Lord does not know, and His Word has never heard. They sing this song without Words, humming a tune the world has taught them. A song with a beat that seductively entraps them, and whose words eternally condemn them. I watch as these pastors show the audience the costumes they have chosen for the dance. Costumes without modesty, costumes that are made for one gender, but placed on the other gender. And I watch as these pastors call all who hear them to the dance floor. Without purpose in mind, leading them there for nothing more than to entertain a world who watches them. A world that laughs under its’ breath as it applauds the awkward moves they foolishly make.
I plead with the Church. What have you done with the voice of the one who cries in the wilderness? Have you lost the truth he spoke to you? And have you forgotten the One he pointed you toward? Have you forgotten the One you are married to, the One who you promised to share each of your dances with? Have you forgotten the touch of the Hands that hold you, that guide you gracefully around the dance floor? Have could you have forgotten those Hands, and the pleasure it once gave you as you touched the scars on those hands? Scars that reminded you of all He was willing to give for you!
It is time the Church remembered those scars, and realized that only His Hands can save us. We need to grasp hold of those Hands with all we have, because those Hands will never let us go. Those Hands will pull us out of the shifting sands we now found ourselves in, and will lift us to solid ground. Those Hands will shake our focus from the dance this world wishes to entice us into, and raise our hands in praise to the One we are called and promised to.
In those Hands our future lies, and in His Voice we are still called today. If we listen closely, we can hear a familiar sound in the background. Behind the beating music this world desires to have us dance to, lies a soothing Voice drawing us away from the embarrassment of the dance we are now performing. A Voice that calls us to a different song, to a different dance. A Voice that reminds us of a song that is so longed to be heard. A Voice that calls us to sing those Words today, knowing that tomorrow will be too late.
We watch today as the sun going down on this Age, and we see the flowers being made readied to place on the grave of this generation. The Voice that calls us is warning us of the tears of this world that will soon fill the ground around that grave. The tears of those who did not hear the words that Voice is calling us to sing. Words never sung, because they were lyrics we were afraid for the world to hear. But lyrics that Voice longs to hear us sing again. Words that do not know the sound of regret. Words that teach us an eternal dance this world can never know. Words that sing of a dance we will forever cherish. A dance we will forever rejoice in performing. A dance that will renew us. A dance that will be joyful to us. A dance we will perform one day for the One True King!
I so pray the Church will listen closely to those sounds in the background, and will again remember the words of the faint song we hear Him singing. That the words of this faint song will lead us away from the spectacle of the dance we are now shamelessly performing, and back into the arms of One who still loves us, and has never forgotten us. I pray the Church will again dance to the joy of the tune we hear Him humming. I pray we will again find ourselves in the arms of our Partner, flowing in perfect rhythm to the joy of the song He taught us. I so pray we find ourselves in those arms, showing this world the grace and elegance that can only be seen when we dance in the arms of our Savior!
Praying each of you will hear that Voice, sing those Words, and will dance for Jesus!
