Mark 6:18-28

Mark 6:18-28 For John had said unto Herod, It is not lawful for thee to have thy brother's wife. Therefore Herodias had a quarrel against him, and would have killed him; but she could not: For Herod feared John, knowing that he was a just man and an holy, and observed him; and when he heard him, he did many things, and heard him gladly. And ... Herod on his birthday made a supper to his lords, high captains, and chief estates of Galilee; And when the daughter of the said Herodias came in, and danced, and pleased Herod and them that sat with him, the king said unto the damsel, Ask of me whatsoever thou wilt, and I will give it thee. And he sware unto her, Whatsoever thou shalt ask of me, I will give it thee, unto the half of my kingdom. And she went forth, and said unto her mother, What shall I ask? And she said, The head of John the Baptist. And she came in straightway with haste unto the king, and asked, saying, I will that thou give me by and by in a charger the head of John the Baptist. And the king was exceeding sorry; yet for his oath's sake, and for their sakes which sat with him, he would not reject her. And immediately the king sent an executioner, and commanded his head to be brought: and he went and beheaded him in the prison, And brought his head in a charger, and gave it to the damsel: and the damsel gave it to her mother. It seems like the life of John the Baptist was cut short. But actually John did the work that God had for him to do, and then he went home to be with the God Whom he served. John was the bold preacher who told everyone to repent and to prepare for the coming Messiah. And when the Messiah was come, John's ministry was finished. Oh, he continued to preach and attracted disciples who followed him, but Jesus quickly became the focus of everyone. And that was the way that God planned it to be. And John was OK with that. He said in John 3:30 He must increase, but I must decrease. We all have our time here on earth, but the focus should be on Jesus Christ, the Son of God. Jesus was first in John's life. Is Jesus first in your life?