day 32: Herod antipas

Day 32: Herod Antipas

Scripture Reading: Luke 23-4-12

There is a quiet tragedy in the way Herod Antipas encounters Jesus. He had heard about Him, perhaps even thought about Him from time to time, and when the moment finally came, when he stood face to face with Christ, he treated it lightly. He was curious, even excited, but not repentant. He wanted to see something, not to be changed by Someone. And so Jesus says nothing. That silence is not emptiness; it is weight with meaning. It reveals a heart that has grown resistant to truth. It reminds us that it is possible to be near to Jesus, to hear about Him often, and yet remain untouched at the deepest level of our lives. Familiarity can quietly replace reverence, and curiosity can take the place of surrender.

Yet even in this moment, Jesus is not lost or defeated. He stands in silence not because He lacks authority, but because He is fully committed to the path before Him; the cross. He does not perform for Herod, because His mission is not to entertain, but to redeem. His silence becomes part of His obedience, part of His love. And perhaps that is where this passage meets us today. We may not mock Jesus as Herod did, but we can, in more subtle ways, keep Him at a distance, interested, but not yielded; listening, but not responding. Still, Christ remains patient and faithful, moving steadily toward us with grace.

So when Jesus comes to us not in spectacle, but in the quiet truth of His Word and presence, the invitation is simple and profound: not to observe Him, but to open our hearts to Him. Because the One who stood silent before Herod is the same One who speaks life to those who are willing to truly listen. Have a blessed day!

Prayer:

Heavenly Father, though many in this world fail to acknowledge your Son as the Christ, empower me to worship him and glorify him along with you and the Holy Spirit. May my every thought, word, and deed honor him as the eternal begotten Son, now and forever.

Grace and Peace,

Rev. Won Kim

Lead Pastor of RockSpring Church