2 Samuel 17:1-29, John 19:23-42, Psalms 119:129-152, Proverbs 16:12-13
Today is the 31st day of May, which makes it the last day of May. Welcome to the Daily Audio Bible. I am Brian and it is great to meet with you here today on the last day of May, and the last day of our typical work week. So, let’s dive in and enjoy with the word of God has to say to us on this final day of the 5th month of the year. We’ve been working our way through second Samuel, which is what we’ll continue to do today. We’ve been reading from the New International Version this week. Second Samuel chapter 17.
Commentary:
Okay. So, in our reading from second Samuel, we continued this pretty difficult story of the unrest that is in King David’s family that all began with his taking of Bathsheba. So, Absalom had a couple of experienced seers or advisors to aid in the implementation of a new government and the subsequent destruction of those loyal to David but one of those advisors, Hushai, was secretly loyal to David. And, so, we watched that all play out today and we’ll continue with the story tomorrow
But in John’s Gospel we face the crucifixion of Jesus. So, according to John, there was like four man execution crew who held Jesus body down and nailed it to a cross and then divided his clothes and Jesus was suspended then between heaven and earth, nailed to this cross for everyone to see. And according to John’s account, Jesus mother was there. And, I mean, how do you imagine the agony she must’ve been enduring? How do you put yourself in that position? Mary had given birth to Jesus and now she was helplessly watching him die but she wouldn’t abandon him. And even in his agony Jesus didn’t abandon her. Even though he was literally dying in front of them He loved his mother and He commissioned John to care for and protect her and John took her into his own home, according to the gospel of John. And then we read, for the last time this year, like, for the last time as we’re moving forward in the Bible, that Jesus spoke his final words, “it is finished”, and then He lowered His head and died, and His human heart stopped beating. He was dead. And because Sabbath would begin at sundown. Right, so, Jesus is crucified in the morning and this is going on into the afternoon, but Sabbath begins, like the new day in Judaism in the Hebrew culture, the next day actually begins at sundown. So, the religious leaders didn’t want anyone hanging on a cross through the Sabbath day. Jesus had already laid his head down in in death, but the two other criminals were still alive being executed alongside Jesus. And, so, to prevent them from being hanging there through the Sabbath day the Romans came and broke their legs as they were on the cross. I mean, this is like so inhumane…this picture is as inhumane is as it gets. It’s as brutal as you can imagine. So, these two men are still alive, they are crucified, they are dying, but they’re not dying fast enough. And, so, the Roman soldiers come while they’re hanging on the cross and break their legs and they did this because their legs were supporting their bodies and when the legs are broken than they can no longer…then they’re just hanging there by their arms and they would…they would die soon my asphyxiation. Jesus was already dead. Just to make sure they stabbed him with a spear and blood and water poured from the wound. So then, in a rush to lay Jesus to rest before Sabbath, it’s Joseph of Arimathea who approaches Pilate and asked to take possession of the corpse of Jesus and then Nicodemus accompanies Joseph to the cross. And Nicodemus…and again…this is according to the gospel of John…is the one that had come to Jesus and visit with him…went and visited with him at night. It was in the conversation with Nicodemus that Jesus spoke what we now know as John 3:16. So, Nicodemus comes to Joseph with 75 pounds of spices and ointments and they wrap the spices and ointments in these linen strips and they just do what they can to care for Jesus lifeless body. And because there wasn’t a bunch of time and no work could be done on the Sabbath then Jesus was placed nearby in a newly hewn tomb near the spot where he died. They would have to wait until after the Sabbath day was over to figure out where they were gonna permanently entomb Jesus but as understand it Jesus didn’t need those arrangements made. So, this is how we end our reading from the Gospel of John for this, the fifth month of the year. And, so, it would be good to take some time today to allow your imagination to carry you through all of the different stories, all of my miles that we have walked with Jesus since we began this year. So, just imagine His kindness, imagine His smile, imagine Him playing with the children who came to Him to be blessed. Just imagine what light in a world of darkness looks like and then come back to this cross where we see just how far darkness is willing to go and what darkness is capable of and understand that if we let it run in our lives it’s gonna take us to some…it’s gonna take us to some very dark places because it’s darkness and darkness…I mean…we are seeing in the gospel of John what it is capable of, how twisted it is, and how it can twist people. Jesus death was unjust, it was brutal and horrific, but the horror of it became the flashpoint that shifted the entire world. His death is why we’re here right now, it’s why there’s hope. So, take time as we end the month of May to contemplate what it cost Jesus that you might live.
Prayer:
Jesus that that’s where we find ourselves, and we continually repeat the same words over and over. What are we supposed to say in the face of that? Thank You. Like, thanks. Appreciate ya. Appreciate You. Appreciate You. We certainly appreciate what You’ve done for…I mean…there’s not the right words. The gratefulness we ought to feel, the humbling weighty gratefulness that we ought to feel isn’t something really that we can articulate with words, it’s something that we have to live out in a transformed life. So, Holy Spirit, we once again ask that You bring the cross starkly before our eyes and our hearts and our minds that we might be shaken awake yet once again to the utter hopelessness of the darkness that we toy with all of the time and to the example of what light in a world of darkness looks like and understand what we are called to do when we are called to take up our cross day by day and follow You. Come, Holy Spirit, we pray. In the name of Jesus’ we ask. Amen.
Song:
All I can Do (Thank You) - Mikeschair
I could write a love song
Tell You what I think You wanna
hear
But it wouldn’t be good enough,
no
Yea I could try so hard
To give it everything I’ve got
But I’m not ever gonna measure up
All I can do is thank You
For this life I never deserved
Wanna thank You for the grace
I know I don’t have to earn
You love me, You love me
Your mercy is proof
All I can do is say thank You
All I can do is say thank You
It would have been easy
But I’m glad You never walked
away
Cause Your love runs deep for me
And I see this beautiful world
And it brings tears in my eyes
And I think it’s beautiful to be
free
All I can do is thank You
For this life I never deserved
Wanna thank You for the grace
I know I don’t have to earn
You love me, You love me
Your mercy is proof
All I can do is say thank You
All I can do is say thank You
For hope, for love, for all the
ways You move
(You)
For everything You do
(You)
What else can I say but thank You
Thank You
I could write a love song
Tell You what I think You wanna
hear
But it wouldn’t be good enough
All I can do is thank You
For this life I never deserved
Wanna thank You for the grace
I know I don’t have to earn
You love me, You love me
Your mercy is proof
All I can do is say thank You
All I can do is say thank You
All I can do, all I can do, all I
can do
Is say thank You
All I can do, all I can do, all I
can do
Is say thank You