There was an ardent music lover who accidentally met the great composer Johannes Brahms. He recognized Brahms and asked, “Master, would you please write here a small portion of a masterpiece and sign it so I can have a precious memory of this fortunate encounter?”
Brahms took the pencil and paper, scribbled the initial bars of The Blue Danube by Johann Strauss and signed: “Unfortunately not by me, Johannes Brahms.”
Humility – the key to getting into heaven…
Today, we choose our text from Luke 22:24-30. It is Thursday and Jesus is in the upper room with the apostles. He has just instituted the Lord’s Supper. The apostles then began to discuss among themselves who among them would do such a thing. But that discussion led into another discussion which these men had had before…
THE FIRST “ARGUMENT” – Luke 9:46-48:
On that occasion, an argument started among the apostles as to which of them was going to be the greatest. When Jesus established His kingdom – and they had in mind that it would be a literal kingdom with its headquarters in Jerusalem – they hoped that one or more of them would get to sit at positions of honor with Jesus. The greatest position of honor would be on His right side, but on the left would also be a position of honor.
Leading someone to Jesus is the mark of someone great (9:46-48). The sign of greatness is the willingness to hide behind the cross and let Jesus be man’s Savior. If someone receives the teachings of a disciple of Christ, then he receives Christ. Leading that someone to Christ is greatness.
THE SECOND “ARGUMENT”: Luke 22:24:
As Jesus is meditating on His crucifixion and death and mourning the loss of one of His own apostles who would betray Him, the other apostles return to that perennial question that Jesus just has not answered yet: “Which one of them is regarded to be greatest”?
It is easy for us to think we are the greatest. We often do not compare ourselves to our coworkers when we come up short. We usually compare ourselves to our coworkers in ways that set us in front. And since our minds – and life itself – works on the basis of merit, we tend to think that if we are the best, we ought to receive the most.
AN ILLUSTRATION FROM THE SECULAR WORLD: 22:25:
Jesus begins His answer, first, by pointing out that the apostles were acting like pagans, like unbelievers.
THE LIFESTYLE TO WHICH JESUS CALLS US: 22:26:
“The leader must become like the servant,” Jesus says. If you want to be a good leader. You must serve.
ANOTHER ILLUSTRATION FROM THE SECULAR WORLD: 22:27:
The master is greater than the slave.
THE LIFESTYLE TO WHICH JESUS CALLS US: 22:27b:
Jesus taught in words and actions that His disciples are to be servants. In Mark 10:45, He said, “even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many.”
Jesus also showed His heart of service by washing His disciples’ feet in John 13: “I gave you an example that you also should do as I did to you” (John 13:15).
There are rewards…
THE REWARD FOR THE APOSTLES FOR THEIR SERVICE: 22:28-30:
In verse 28, Jesus acknowledges what the apostles had done for Him: “You are those who have stood by Me in My trials.”
So here’s the reward – at least for the apostles – (Luke 22:29) “Just as My Father has granted Me a kingdom, I grant you…”
Back in verse 20, when Jesus instituted the Lord’s Supper, He stated that the fruit of the vine, the “cup” poured out for them, is the “new covenant in His blood.” That word “covenant” has a verb associated with the noun. And that verb is found here in verse 29.
Jesus says, “My Father has ‘covenanted with Me’ a kingdom, I ‘covenant’ with you that same kingdom.”
At the heart of the new covenant is the kingdom of the Messiah, the body of people that belong to Jesus Christ, taken from among the Jews and the Gentiles. That kingdom is the church of Christ.
Notice in verse 30, Jesus ‘covenanted’ a kingdom with His apostles so that they may “eat and drink at His table in His kingdom, and they will sit on thrones judging the twelve tribes of Israel.”
When we obey the Gospel of Christ and are baptized into Christ, we are washed (Eph. 5:26).
When we are washed at baptism in the blood of Christ, we are regenerated and renewed (Titus 3:5).
Having been regenerated, we are under the teachings and instruction of the twelve apostles (Matt. 19:28). The apostles “judge” the twelve tribes of Israel when you and I submit to the teachings of the apostles as we are the “Israel of God” (Gal. 6:16).
The apostles judge the “Israel of God” by guiding us and directing us through their words, their teachings, their doctrine. And the words of the apostles are equally important whether it is Matthew or Paul or Peter.
No apostle has a higher rank than any other apostle. Nor does one Christian have a higher rank than any other Christian. We are all important to the fulfillment of God’s plan to save man.
Paul Holland
