Stand & Read - Luke 22:24-30
“And there arose also a dispute among them as to which one of them was regarded to be greatest. [25] And He said to them, "The kings of the Gentiles lord it over them; and those who have authority over them are called ’Benefactors.’ [26] "But not so with you, but let him who is the greatest among you become as the youngest, and the leader as the servant. [27] "For who is greater, the one who reclines at the table, or the one who serves? Is it not the one who reclines at the table? But I am among you as the one who serves. [28] "And you are those who have stood by Me in My trials; [29] and just as My Father has granted Me a kingdom, I grant you [30] that you may eat and drink at My table in My kingdom, and you will sit on thrones judging the twelve tribes of Israel.”
“We’re #1”
PRAYER…
INTRODUCTION:
I think that we would all agree…
There is nothing like the experience of being able to say that you are #1…
-Every kid on every team longs to be able to boast that their team is #1…
-Every sports fan longs to be able to boast of their favorite sports team that they are #1…
-Each and every person in this world wants to be a part of something that they may be able to boast of how they are the best…or at least, a part of the best…
ILLUSTRATION:
I know for me…and in my town…
The Caribou Vikings were always vying for the #1 spot in the State for Varsity Basket Ball.
-And they often won!!
Then they would parade through town on their way back in and the whole town would celebrate!!!
-It was awesome to say that you were #1!!!
Well…that heart abides in each of us too…we want to be THE BEST!
-We want to be number 1 and we want to be known as such!!!
But…we come to understand that things are different within the Kingdom of God! As we will come to realize.
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Well…the disciples fell prey to the temptation to be counted among THE BEST of the BEST…
-They fell into the category of those who wanted to be #1…
-After all, who doesn’t want to be number one!!! ???
But, for the disciples…this aspiration grew to something bigger than just hopes…
IN FACT…the Bible says that there was a dispute that fell out among the brethren…
These disciples were in a quarrel about who was the best disciple!!!
-Can you believe it!
What is worse, is that these guys begin to fight…just after Jesus instituted the Lord’s Supper!!!
I mean…it is one thing to get in a quarrel…but then to fight after the Lord had just instituted one of the Ordinances of the Church is quite another!!!
-But…isn’t that how it works sometimes…
-Oh…how we have to watch ourselves…our hearts…and our motives.
It’s funny…they went from wondering who would be the bum that would deny Jesus to arguing who would be the best…
-From the flunkie…
-To the favorite…
*How quickly we go from one thing to the next…
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I can’t help but think how quickly we fight!
Yes…even us brothers and sisters…we fight and quarrel…(tsk, tsk)
-And sadly, even amidst the greatness of God…
-Even during great services and times with the Lord…
*Which reveals to me just how out of focus we can be…
Psalm 133:1, “Behold, how good and how pleasant it is for brothers to dwell together in unity!”
Friends…God has intended for us to dwell in peace and unity with one another…
-Not to be sharks who swarm at the first taste of blood to get ours…
Nonetheless…this is the kind of situation that the disciples often got into…
ILLUSTRATION:
They wanted to define a “Pecking Order” within their group…
Chickens find a pecking order…
-Ten Chickens…pecking order till there is the last being pecked, but with no one to peck!
And Jesus is against that…and always will be!
-For there is none better than the other…
-None more important than the other…
If you recall…we have been likened unto a BODY, not a corporate Banking Office with a CEO and Vice Presidents!
-For who can do without any body part…each is important and serves his purpose!
They were often caught in these types of arguments…
Luke 9 and Mark 9 record these same conflicts with these same guys…
ILLUSTRATION:
Mention the Pope and his death…in comparison with greatness…
But yet, he is not the greatest…
-Out of focus…
Without a doubt…there is a pecking order going on right now with those who will take over now…
-Who is the greatest????
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But thankfully…and as always…Jesus steps in here and brings balance to this “feeding frenzy”…
The first thing that Jesus does…is that…
POINT ONE: Jesus REDEFINES the meaning of true greatness…
Luke 22:25-26, “And He said to them, ‘The kings of the Gentiles lord it over them; and those who have authority over them are called ’Benefactors.’ [26] But not so with you, but let him who is the greatest among you become as the youngest, and the leader as the servant.’”
Now…Jesus tells them of how this world does work…and yes, it may perform in this way…and in this fashion.
HOWEVER, this IS NOT how it is in this Kingdom.
-Jesus reverses the values of this world…
*He refutes this worldly mentality…
THEN…Jesus establishes (or should I say, RE-established) for them they way that it works within the Kingdom of God…
Jesus tells them that TRUE greatness is measured in terms of service WITHOUT thought of reward or repayment…
-This is what greatness is about…
-Now…this may sound strange…but…
*Remember…we are not of this world!!!
*We are of a different Kingdom and therefore, a different mentality.
For example…
I am reminded that we are to store up for ourselves treasures in heaven…
Matthew 6:19-20, “Do not lay up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. [20] But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys, and where thieves do not break in or steal…”
If we do otherwise…then, we have already gotten our reward HERE, then there is none to relish on the other side of Glory!!!
-Therefore…if you want to be great, be the least among men…
-Serve…
-Give…
-Ask for nothing in reward…
*It makes no sense…(in this world)
*Definitely not when you see it with worldly eyes…
*But when you do see it from a Godly stand point…you will understand!!!
-The wisdom of this world is foolishness to God…
-The foolishness of this world is wisdom to God…
So, as Jesus would REDEFINE greatness…it means that…
-We are the servant of all…
-The least of all of these…
-Because…
*…when the world says keep it…Jesus says give it all!
*…when our appetite says I want it my way…Jesus says do what the other wants!
*…when it seems that I want people to look at me…Jesus says to put the emphasis on another!
Because God will exalt the humble…but resist the proud.
James 4:6, “But He gives a greater grace. Therefore it says, ‘God is opposed to the proud, but GIVES GRACE TO THE HUMBLE.’”
ILLUSTRATION:
Hudson Taylor was scheduled to speak at a Large Presbyterian church in Melbourne, Australia. The moderator of the service introduced the missionary in eloquent and glowing terms. He told the large congregation all that Taylor had accomplished in China, and then presented him as "our illustrious guest." Taylor stood quietly for a moment, and then opened his message by saying, "Dear friends, I am the little servant of an illustrious Master."
It is like how I have heard it stated once…
-We live life upside-down.
-Just the opposite of how the world would say it is done…is how Jesus says to do it.
*And, it is no coincidence, is it?
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Next…
POINT TWO: Jesus REINFORCES the meaning of true greatness…
Luke 22:27, “For who is greater, the one who reclines at the table, or the one who serves? Is it not the one who reclines at the table? But I am among you as the one who serves.”
Jesus REINFORCES this point that He is making by pointing out HIS OWN actions…
There is no better example that any of us could have, than that of our Lord and Savior…our Master and our example…
Jesus Christ Himself…!
He says…”Hey…even I have come to serve.”
Now…you will remember that they just got done with the Lord’s Supper, and sitting around the table…
And He tells them that the one we (in the world) recognize as IMPORTANT is the one who is sitting at the table being served…
And yet…Jesus is the one serving them!
-No doubt, we know that Jesus is the greatest, and still He Is Serving, and not being served…
*You can always tell who thinks they are great, because they will want to be served…
*You can always tell who is great by looking at those who are serving…
Consider this one Scripture at this point…Luke 14:1-11
Luke 14:8-10, “When you are invited by someone to a wedding feast, do not take the place of honor, lest someone more distinguished than you may have been invited by him, [9] and he who invited you both shall come and say to you, ’Give place to this man,’ and then in disgrace you proceed to occupy the last place. [10] But when you are invited, go and recline at the last place, so that when the one who has invited you comes, he may say to you, ’Friend, move up higher’; then you will have honor in the sight of all who are at the table with you.”
Luke 14:11, “For everyone who exalts himself shall be humbled, and he who humbles himself shall be exalted.”
You see…the point is that we don’t PRESUME to be something that we are not…
-Now…we should have a self-esteem, I don’t argue that, or say that this means we should destroy it…
-But, our self-esteem should not rest in a place at a table anyhow…it rests in Christ!!!
*And, with this issue here…DON’T PROMOTE YOURSELF!
*Let others do that!
-Because you don’t become great because you convince people that you are…
-You are great because of WHO you are…and of WHO’S you are!!!
ILLUSTRATION:
And, I think that this quote puts it into perspective for us…
"They that know God will be humble," John Flavel has said, "and they that know themselves cannot be proud."
Therefore…we hear Jesus telling us, what I Am…you will be!
-You will Be and Do…what I Am and Do!!!
-And, we never find Jesus promoting Himself…
-He walked humbly, but with the confidence of who He is, and what He was sent to do.
Do you want to be great in God’s Kingdom???
Let me ask you…
Do you serve???
Do you give???
Do you sacrifice your own pride to build another’s up???
*That is your test of YOUR Greatness…
Jesus REINFORCED His lesson here by saying, “Look at me! See how I don’t puff myself up, or promote me.”
-“Then, remember, no servant is greater than His master…so don’t act as though you are.”
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Now…Jesus REDEFINES what greatness is all about, and He REINFORCES it by teaching from His own life…
He closes like this…
POINT THREE: Jesus REFOCUSES the meaning of true greatness…
Luke 22:28-30, “And you are those who have stood by Me in My trials; [29] and just as My Father has granted Me a kingdom, I grant you [30] that you may eat and drink at My table in My kingdom, and you will sit on thrones judging the twelve tribes of Israel.”
Now, Jesus helps the disciples to get their eyes on the REAL FOCUS again…
Greatness is NOT what it is all about anyhow…
Because if we are great and if everyone is looking to us, then the on-lookers will miss who really should be emphasized…JESUS CHRIST!
The CENTER of ATTENTION is the focus of Jesus, and the Kingdom of God, yet to come!
Case in point:
#1 - Friends…there is a great gift in the person of Jesus who was right there in front of them…and yet, they chose to focus on being the best, when THE BEST was right there with them!!!
#2 - Then…there is a great gift in the Body of Christ…the Church.
The Church is a great gift, and yet, when we bicker and struggle with this kind of issue…we divide and destroy the Body, because there is a Pecking Order to be the best of the Body…
-Sadly people are vying to hold a position that is reserved ONLY for Jesus Christ!!!
#3 - Not to mention, that there is authority given to certain people to be used within the Body of Christ…
-And something that must be recognized about that authority and gift to be in a position over a group is this…
*IT IS GOD GIVEN!!!
-You can talk and reason all you want…but what God has said would be in a person…WILL BE!
-It does not matter what you think…whether they should be that or not…if God places them there…they are there!!!
*IT IS GIVEN TO ALL!!!
-While we cannot ALL hold a GREAT position within the church…
-There will be a day for each of us, that we will be able to enjoy places of honor in the Heavenly Kingdom to come…
*But this need not be our focus or our drive…
*Christ is to be our focus and drive!!!
-If we all held a Power Position in the Church…who would follow?
-If all were supervisors and crew cheifs…who would do the work?
-Who would accomplish what Christ needs accomplished???
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We are ALL ONE BODY…working and being fitted together for the purposes of GOD!!!
-It is not for OURSELVES…
-It is not to make US feel better or to prove ourselves to be great…
-We must remember that we here for the propitiation of the Gospel, and God’s Kingdom…
-We are here to have fellowship and communion with God…for His fulfillment…
*This is NOT our own Kingdom!!!
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IN CLOSING:
I have a couple “mottos” for you to live by concerning this issue…
First…”Chose To Lose”
Our attitudes cannot be that of “I” and “Me”…
Think of Jesus in the Garden of Gethsemane…
-He prayed a very important prayer…”Father, not my will, by Thine be done”
-And Jesus is our example…and what better thing could we desire, but that we would have God’s will transpire within our lives…not our desires???
The attitude of “I” says…
-I want it my way…
-I like it like this…
-I better get it like this…
-I will quit if they do this or that…
Luke 14:25-27, “Now great multitudes were going along with Him; and He turned and said to them, [26] "If anyone comes to Me, and does not hate his own father and mother and wife and children and brothers and sisters, yes, and even his own life, he cannot be My disciple. [27] "Whoever does not carry his own cross and come after Me cannot be My disciple.”
Luke tells us to DIE to ourselves…
Philippians 2:3, “Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves.”
Next…”No Pride”
Pride is the opposite of humility…
Pride repels God…
And humility is just what we need to have in order to NOT press to be the best…
-That requires humility!
ILLUSTRATION:
It takes many spokes in a wheel for the tire to be attached to the hub. Everyone of these spokes is crucial for the strength of the wheel.
Since Christ is the hub of the Christian faith, all the spokes flow from Him to the tire or the world. If a spoke is missing, it creates a weakness in the wheel.
-This illustration shows us that everyone is valuable to the structure of the Church. No one should think that they are more important than someone else.
-We need to remember that we are in our position BECAUSE OF Christ.
II Corinthians 3:5, “Not that we are competent in ourselves to claim anything for ourselves, but our competence comes from God.”
ILLUSTRATION:
Spurgeon makes this statement about pride: "...pride is a breach of consecration. As soon as I begin to get proud of what I do, or what I am, what am I proud of? Why there is that pride, the act of taking away from God, His glory...Mark this, Christian, God will never give thee (you) strength to glorify thyself (yourself)…"
Again, our greatest example comes from our Servant Leader…Jesus Christ Himself…
-After He washed the disciples feet in John 13, He asked them, “Do you understand what I have done?”
-What He had done, is that He taught them how they should lead the Church, and build it…by serving one another in humility and lowliness.
This is the pattern to true greatness!!! Jesus confirms this by saying…
Matthew 23:11-12, “The greatest among you will be your servant. For whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and whoever humbles himself will be exalted…”
Lastly…”I will not quit!"
This motto needs to become our mind set in the Church.
Paul modeled this mind set for us in Philippians 3:13 & 14, Brothers, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, 14 I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.”
Also, in II Timothy 4:7, “I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith…”
ILLUSTRATION:
A recent statistic encourages me. I must have this motto!
40% of those in full time ministry today, will not be there in 3 to 5 years.
-I believe many quit when they experience a loss…
-Especially, the loss of their pride…
*It hurts and it kills, unless we are fulfilled with Jesus and in Him!
We cannot quit…we must remain…
-Jesus NEVER said, “I am sick of this…I quit! Beam Me Up!!!”
Paul wrote…”I have fought the fight and I have kept the faith.”
-Paul remained faithful and humble, and was glad for it…
We cannot only be concerned with starting out well…but also finishing well!!!
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Friends…as we consider being number 1 in God’s Kingdom…
We have to count in that feat…being the least of all and being the servant to all…
Do you want to be great?
Do you desire to be the best of the best???
Do you want to be #1!?
Be the servant of all servants.
Follow the example of our Master…our example…Jesus Christ!!!
Being #1 is not only irrelevant…but it is also impossible!!!
-Jesus is already #1!!!
-We certainly do not want to contend against Him for that position!
