Following Jesus, living out the Kingdom of Heaven brings blessing, peace, purpose, joy, and progress into our lives. But it also comes with trouble, suffering, and pain. In this text we have two examples of the dark side of God’s will. Jesus suffers the pain of personal rejection by his hometown and his family, and John the Baptist is beheaded by Herod Antipas, a ruler who cares more about saving face than true justice. We have these two examples to remind us that when we suffer pain that is personal and pointless, we need to be prepared.
Scripture: Matt. 13:53-14:12; Heb. 4:14-16; Ps. 73:1-17; 2 Cor. 1:8-9
