2 Samuel 11.1-15
Psalm 14
Ephesians 3.14-21
John 6.1-21
When we think of our heroes we seem to have too much trust in them (or get too excited) and then they disappoint us. For example, in sport, Stirling Moss was caught speeding; in politics JFK. Taking it further: we eventually discover that Dad doesn't know everything and isn't everywhere, or that Mum doesn't always know what's hurting us so much.
The psalmist fails very badly in the 2 Samuel passage. He succumbs to the temptations of a very beautiful woman and then tries to cover it up by getting her husband to sleep with her. To make matters worse, when this doesn't work he gets her husband killed - a man who was a very loyal servant to David.
How David's conscience caught up with him is reserved for next week's reading. Our heroes - we think they have every skill. For ourselves, getting too proud of ourselves is the basis of weakness.
In the gospel reading Jesus feeds a huge crowd from a handful of food and the crowd got far too excited. They were going to make him king and he had to withdraw by himself. We know it was a large crowd too!
Mark's gospel contrasts the banquet that Jesus provided with Herod's banquet where John the baptist was killed. Both show types of kingship. The following table shows the contrasts between the two events.
| Jesus | Herod | |
|---|---|---|
| Motivation | Guest's spiritual and physical welfare | Impressing guests |
| Guests | Weak, poor | Wealthy, influential |
| Where? | Seated on grass | Comfortably in a palace |
| Outcome | Healing | Head of John the baptist |
Jesus gives his own life, he doesn't take others. Foolish and wicked people killed him and God raised him from the dead for us. We have a king completely worthy of our worship and love - who we can't get too excited about!
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