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This Week's Sermon THE SIXTH SUNDAY AFTER PENTECOST 12 July 2009 "No Confession of Silence" Mark 6:14-29 LSB Series B Pastor Philip G. Meyer Soli Deo Gloria!

If anyone had the idea that being a sincere Christian would be easy in this world, today's Old Testament reading and the Holy Gospel should dispel all such notions. The Collect of the Day asks God to give us the courage "to follow Your Son faithfully even into suffering and death." The Introit asks God to "preserve" our lives in the trouble that being a Christian includes. The Verse quotes our Lord's words from the Sermon on the Mount: "Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness' sake." Perhaps the most graphic reminder of how dangerous it is to confess the truth is the painting by Caravaggio on today's bulletin cover. Today the Church commemorates the martyrdom of John the Baptizer. His death seems Kafkaesque, if you will, because he often chose themes of alienation and persecution.

"Your head on a platter" is an expression we know well in English. It usually means someone is in deep, deep trouble. An employee who screws up big time may find his head on the metaphorical platter, in other words, he is going to be fired. The internet has instructions for "How to Make the Head on a Platter Trick." It's meant to make Halloween more exciting, says the website. It cautions that one should not use this to scare young children who might be traumatized by seeing this trick. It sounds like something from one of the funniest home videos programs.

The other day columnist Bruce Kaufmann's piece in our local paper was about King Henry VIII of England and his multiple marriages. Many know that Henry had his second wife, Anne Boleyn, beheaded [actually, he had two of his wives put to death], but what I did not know was that he also had his chief government minister, Thomas Cromwell, beheaded. Cromwell's "sin"? Cromwell had negotiated a marriage with Anne of Cleves of Germany. However, when Henry saw Anne in person he was physically repulsed. The marriage was annulled, causing Henry great financial cost, but Thomas Cromwell paid the price-his head on a platter, so to speak. Actually, Henry had Cromwell beheaded, his head boiled and put on a spike on London Bridge.

But there was nothing funny about what happened to John. Confessing the truth can bring that kind of reaction from people who become angry at the truth. For John there was "No Confession of Silence" when it came to King Herod's sin. While Herod had a certain fear of John because of the people, Herodias had no such fear but held a grudge and wanted the voice of conscience silenced for good.

John had rightly condemned Herod for taking his brother's wife. John was fearless. He didn't care who was on the receiving end of the condemnation of God's Law. He said it anyway. He had done that out in the wilderness when all the people were coming out to hear him. To call the King to repentance publicly was what most would consider risky behavior. That kind of thing can get one killed.

When a Christian speaks such words to others, he can expect similar reaction. When we pastors condemn certain sins, like couples living together without marriage or homosexuality, or tell people that their sins are killing them, we can be sure that someone will take exception to that and want our heads on a platter. Yet, keeping quiet about such things is not good for the sinner. This is what God said to the prophet Ezekiel:

""Son of man, I have made you a watchman for the house of Israel. Whenever you hear a word from my mouth, you shall give them warning from me. If I say to the wicked, 'You shall surely die,' and you give him no warning, nor speak to warn the wicked from his wicked way, in order to save his life, that wicked person shall die for his iniquity, but his blood I will require at your hand. But if you warn the wicked, and he does not turn from his wickedness, or from his wicked way, he shall die for his iniquity, but you will have delivered your soul. Again, if a righteous person turns from his righteousness and commits injustice, and I lay a stumbling block before him, he shall die. Because you have not warned him, he shall die for his sin, and his righteous deeds that he has done shall not be remembered, but his blood I will require at your hand. But if you warn the righteous person not to sin, and he does not sin, he shall surely live, because he took warning, and you will have delivered your soul."" (Ezekiel 3:17-21, ESV)

Only by warning the sinner can the sinner repent. Silence does not bring about his repentance, but only his eternal condemnation. Amos was told the same thing. Amaziah complained that his words were too hard, too harsh, and he advised Amos to flee from Judah and not come back. But Amos was compelled God to speak what God had given him to speak.

While you have not been entrusted with the Office of the Public Ministry, that is, preaching publicly, you do bear responsibility for your brothers and sisters in Christ to warn them of the consequences of their sins. You cannot confess the truth by remaining silent. The truth needs to be spoken and most often, people will not want to hear it because they do not want to repent. When you say to a family member that he or she is not doing what is right, you will disturb the "peace," but it is not really peace for them if they die in an unrepentant state. Then God will hold you accountable for failing to warn them!

Sometimes such persons take revenge against the one who confesses the truth against them. Herodias was such a person. So was Henry VIII. So it has been throughout the ages. Holding the Christian faith will not get you killed, but confessing it might. Jesus warns us that speaking the truth might even get your own family members to take it out on you, betraying you to others. Having and confessing are two different things, yet you are expected to do both, not just have the faith. One of our Lutheran Confessors said to Charles V at the presentation of the Augsburg Confession that he would hold firmly to his confession of faith "even if it means my head."

For the Christian there can be "No Confession of Silence" because such silence means the eternal death of the sinner. John was fearless in delivering God's message of repentance, and for that he paid with his life. How ironic that Herod feared John but John feared no human being. He feared only God. Finally, that is what you and I must have, the fear of God above the fear of man. Did not our Lord Jesus say?

""So have no fear of them, for nothing is covered that will not be revealed, or hidden that will not be known. What I tell you in the dark, say in the light, and what you hear whispered, proclaim on the housetops. And do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Rather fear him who can destroy both soul and body in hell." (Matthew 10:26-28, ESV)

Because our Lord Jesus Christ has conquered Satan and all his allies, you do not have to fear what man can do to you for confessing the truth. God himself will deliver you, even through your death, if necessary. I can envision a time when confessing the truth may well land Christians in jail. Already in Canada some pastors have been charged and jailed for condemning homosexuality. Judgment against certain sins is not permitted. At this point in our nation, one receives condemnation but not yet imprisonment. That may change!

You are called upon to confess boldly the truth of God's Word, but how shall you do this because you know that your flesh is weak? You shrink from that which is unpleasant and brings unpleasantness, yet that is not what God has called you to do for the sake of your neighbor, this person for whom Christ also died. You must confess the faith boldly to him, yet in love. You are to "speak the truth in love," as the Apostle Paul writes [Ephesians 4.15]. Where is your power to do this? Our Collect for the Day tells us:

Courage comes from our Lord Jesus Christ who never shrank from suffering and death for you. It is not from an "holier-than-you" position, but as one sinner to another dying sinner. You point out what is killing him spiritually so that you can share the medicine of immortality with him. Christ gives you his courage and his strength as you listen to his Word. He gives you his very body and blood in the holy supper to strengthen you and steel your resolve. In this Sacrament he also forgives all your failures to confess boldly his truth to others. He will open your mouth to confess his truth to those who need to hear it. There can be "No Confession of Silence," but only the confession of the truth, because it is only by the truth of God that sinners can repent and live. You have been redeemed by Christ. You are safe in him for all eternity. Do not fear a man-or woman-who die! Christ is yours and you are his!