Leave us a five-star review on your favorite podcast platform. I get it. It's annoying. Everybody

asks, but I'm going to tell you why. When you give us a positive review, what that does is it

triggers the algorithm so that our podcast shows up on more people's news feeds. You and I both know

that this ministry is willing to talk about things that most ministries aren't. We need

this content for the glory of God to reach more people's ears. As Pastor Joel said, our passage

this morning will be in the gospel according to Matthew chapter 14. So if you'll either get your

Bibles out or you can look in your notes and if you'll stand together with me for the reading of God's word, please.

Again, that's Matthew Chapter 14.

We're going to be reading verses 1 through 12.

This is God's word.

At that time, Herod the Tetrarch heard about the fame of Jesus, and he said to his servants,

this is John the Baptist.

He has been raised from the dead.

That is why these miraculous powers are at work in him.

For Herod had seized John and bound him and put him in prison for the sake of Herodius,

his brother Philip's wife, because John had been saying to him, it is not lawful for you to have her.

And though he wanted to put him to death, he feared the people because they held him to be a

prophet. But when Herod's birthday came, the daughter of Herodius danced before the company and pleased Herod,

so that he promised with an oath to give her whatever she might ask.

Prompted by her mother, she said, give me the head of John the Baptist here on a platter.

And the king was sorry because of his oaths and his guests,

but because of his oaths and his guests, he commanded it to be given. He sent and had John

...