Crispads

Tuesday, February 3, 2009

Luke, Chapter 22 part 1

I have always liked the last supper for the beauty and finality it represents. In a way, it is one of the most important events in human history. Jesus shows that He was ready to hand over His ministry, the most important work He did on this earth, to His disciples. This was an incredibly important task He was giving them. If they failed, Christ would likely be a footnote to history. For a year and a half he had lived and taught with these men. Now, they were ready to go out into the world and spread His gospel.

24Also a dispute arose among them as to which of them was considered to be greatest. 25Jesus said to them, "The kings of the Gentiles lord it over them; and those who exercise authority over them call themselves Benefactors. 26But you are not to be like that. Instead, the greatest among you should be like the youngest, and the one who rules like the one who serves. – Luke 22:24-26

Though Jesus certainly understood the gravity of the situation, the disciples did not. They still believed at this point Jesus was going to overthrow the establishment and set up an earthly kingdom. In doing so, they wanted power in that kingdom like any other man. It is amazing to see the power of God here in the gospel. At the moment Jesus was turning this huge responsibility over to them the disciples were having a petty argument about which of them was greater. There is no way this would have worked on a human scale if not for the power of God driving them.

Jesus uses this argument by giving them a final, ultimate lesson in humility. He reminds them that he came to serve, not to rule. If they truly were willing to follow Him they would be willing to serve as well. We see that eleven of the Twelve were willing to do so. Only Judas was in full disagreement and that would lead to his betrayal.

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