3.22.26 Don't be like herod (Pastor Dan Neimetz)

Luke 23:1-25

OPENING THOUGHT
This past Sunday, Pastor Dan walked us through a moment in Scripture that is easy to overlook—but incredibly revealing.
It’s possible to be around Jesus… and still miss Him.
Not because He isn’t clear.
Not because there isn’t enough evidence.
But because the heart refuses to respond.
What We Saw in the Text
In Luke 23, Jesus is brought before Herod.
This is a moment Herod had been waiting for. He had heard about Jesus. He was curious. Interested. Intrigued.
And now—finally—Jesus is standing right in front of him.
But instead of responding with humility, Herod treats the moment casually. He wants a show. A sign. Something impressive.
And when Jesus doesn’t perform for him… Herod mocks Him.
That’s the tragedy of the moment.
The opportunity of a lifetime…
wasted.
What Pastor Dan Helped Us See
Pastor Dan did a really good job pressing into something we all need to hear:
Being near Jesus is not the same as responding to Him.
Herod wasn’t hostile at first—he was curious. But curiosity has limits.
He wanted to observe Jesus… not submit to Him.
To be intrigued… not transformed.
And that’s where things begin to go wrong.
Because curiosity, if it never leads to repentance, eventually hardens into something else.
Where This Hits Us
If we’re not careful, we can look at Herod and miss the mirror.
Because this is not just about Herod.
This is about us.
We can:

• Hear truth regularly
• Sit in church consistently
• Know Scripture intellectually

And still remain unchanged.
That’s the warning.
Proximity to truth does not equal transformation.
At some point, every one of us has to move beyond:

• Curiosity → to surrender
• Admiration → to obedience
• Exposure → to engagement

Jesus is not looking for people who are interested in Him.
He is calling people who will follow Him.

sermon audio