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King Herod thinks John was resurrected

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[Matthew 14:2]

and he said to his attendants, "This is John the Baptist; he has risen from the dead! That is why miraculous powers are at work in him."

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God foretold through the prophet Malachi that there would be one who would prepare the way before the only-begotten Jesus came to earth.

“See, I will send my messenger, who will prepare the way before me. Then suddenly the Lord you are seeking will come to his temple; the messenger of the covenant, whom you desire, will come,” says the LORD Almighty.(Malachi 3:1)

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Through the prophet Isaiah, He also accurately predicted what would happen to those who came before Jesus.

“A voice of one calling: "In the desert prepare the way for the LORD ; make straight in the wilderness a highway for our God.”(Isaiah 40:3)

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This is John the Baptist; John was sent to earth six months before Jesus. He prepared the way for Jesus to come in the wilderness. Jesus himself proved this by visiting John and being baptized.

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John courageously pointed to the error of Herod, who was then king, and Herodias, who was queen. Herodias, Herod's wife at the time, was originally married to King Herod's young brother. She was a woman who renounced her husband because of her desire to be a queen and had a corrupt marriage with King Herod.

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John said of King Herod's sin: “It is wrong for you to have Herodias as your wife.” Herod wanted to kill John right away. However, because people respected John as a prophet, they were afraid and sent to prison.

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When John was in prison, it was King Herod's birthday that a great feast was held in the palace. On the spot a girl danced congratulations before the king. This child was born between Herodias and her ex-husband.

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Herod felt good about the girl who danced on his birthday. So he made a vow to the child in a loud voice before all his servants. “Tell me whatever you ask.”

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The girl asked for what the king did not think. “Put John's head on the tray.”

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This girl asked for this because her mother, Herodias, gave her instructions. Herodias made this terrible plan to kill John the Baptist who pointed to his unclean marriage.

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King Herod told all the officials to do the girl's request because of an oath. John's head in prison was put in a tray and delivered to the girl. The girl brought it to her mother.

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John died that day in exchange for a girl's dance. Upon hearing that John was dead, his disciples took John's body and buried it. John fulfilled all of his mission and completed his life on earth by the evil King Herod.

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King Herod, who killed John, heard the news of Jesus. It was that Jesus performed greater miracles and powers than John. Herod thought that John, whom he had killed, was resurrected.

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Herod confesses to his servants by his mouth: “This is John the Baptist. He must have died and risen again. That's why it's a miracle.” Herod said and proved that with his mouth God did God's work through John and Jesus

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John's death is sad for those living in this world. But John fulfilled his task of preparing the way of Jesus. He was killed by the hands of wicked people on earth, but Jesus as God, testified that John had prepared his way and was blessed to be called the greatest man in the world.

『This is the one about whom it is written: " 'I will send my messenger ahead of you, who will prepare your way before you.' I tell you, among those born of women there is no one greater than John; yet the one who is least in the kingdom of God is greater than he."』 (Luke 7:27~28)

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Satan used Herod and Herodias to kill John to interfere with God's plan, but God accomplished His plan without any disruption. John's death made Jesus, the Son of God, more visible in the world.

As children of God, we have already received eternal heaven. We must be bold and courageous in all the difficulties we face as we live as children of God. Because God always triumphs and believes that God's will is always accomplished.

(This is the sample conclusion provided by CTM. Please feel free to change the conclusion to best suit the listeners of your sermon.)