SO LITTLE TIME
Luke 22:19-38– July 03, 2022
Luke 22:19-20. When the bread was lifted up at Passover, the disciples expected to hear what they had heard or said themselves as the head of the meal: “This is the bread of affliction which our fathers ate in the land of Egypt. Let everyone who hungers come and eat; let everyone who is needy come and eat the Passover meal.” Everything eaten at the Passover meal had symbolic meaning. Bitter herbs as part of the meal reminded them of the bitterness of slavery; there was salt water to remind them of the many tears while under Egypt’s oppression. The main course of the meal was a lamb. While it had no symbolism for their time as slaves in Egypt except as a sacrifice that allowed God’s judgment to Passover the home that believed and had marked the doorframe with the blood of the lamb. What Jesus said had to be a shock to them, a new covenant. But it was the new covenant prophesied by the prophet Jeremiah in 31:31-34.
In this new covenant Jesus asks us to commemorate His death, as we partake of the bread and wine in remembrance of what He did by dying for our sins. This new covenant of Jesus was ratified by His death on the cross, His resurrection, and the outpouring of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost in Acts 2:1-13.
Luke 22:21-23. Decreed – Isaiah 53:5. Woe – a term of great denunciation or grief. Matthew 23:24c, Jesus adds beyond woe to that man who betrays him!, It would be better for him if he had not been born.
Luke 22:24-27. Greatness1 – They had this argument before, see Mark 9:33-34. Notice here Here they were not so much arguing but disputing with one another!
V25 – the world defines greatness (as a rule) in being over others. Most of you are likely aware of the saying, Absolute power corrupts absolutely, but all it really takes is limited power for us to become corrupted. That is because the source of corruption is in our hearts. Benefactors, they would bestow gifts and favors on people in order to earn or buy their loyalty.
What about us? We like to do good things for people. Why? Because we like the response we get from people when we help them. Most people think we are doing it because we’re good, but the reality is (or at least part of the reality) is that it makes us feel good. Often the real purpose is to make us feel good
Then in v26, we as Christians are not to be like that. So how are we to be? Look at the rest of v26, Instead, the greatest among you should be like the youngest, and the one who rules like the one who serves.
What does that mean to be like the youngest? Job 32:4-6 provides a bit of answer.
Be like the youngest, hold your tongue! Give others the chance to speak, don’t be like the one who knows he has all the answers. Wait and let others talk. Listen and see what you can indeed learn from others.
Jesus wants us to be different, holding our tongue, listening to others, not seeing ourselves as better or greater than others but a servant to them. Look at the end of v26 and more so in v27. He serves and served us, all of us and he deserves to be served by us, especially by those of us who call ourselves Christians. Servanthood Leadership and Marine Lt. Colonel reading a book of this title. How to make sense of all of this? John 13:12-15. Philippians 2:5-7
And then we come to these three verses – out of nowhere seemingly. But in reality, these verses come from Jesus’ knowledge of what these men will become. Just as He know what kind of person you are and what kind of person you will become.
Luke 22:28-30. Greatness2 – How do we become more like Him, a servant to those around us? By keeping our eyes on Him and not on ourselves as we so often do in our ME ME ME culture.
Luke 22:31-34. Faith/Fall/Restoration – Peter will fail, but he will be restored and then he will strengthen his brothers. It is often like this, it takes someone who has fallen and been raised up to understand us when we fall and need help getting back up. Mark 11:25, 25 And when you stand praying, if you hold anything against anyone, forgive them, so that your Father in heaven may forgive you your sins.
Luke 22:35-38. Jesus was NOT saying 2 swords was enough, He was saying He had had enough of them not listening. He had told them what they must do to prepare for when He would no longer be with them and then went to Isaiah 53:12 to explain why He would no longer be with them.
Bottom Line: We know what Jesus did as a servant for us. What are we going to do acting as servants, not for our own glory or bragging rights, but to please Him to serve Him?