Luke 22:24 - 30

 Luke 22:24 - 30

As always, context is so vital to this passage. Jesus moves from the Lord's Supper and it's a picture of death and sacrifice to this teaching on the role of service in His kingdom. In our imagination we might need to see the twelve trying to get a better position to take the cup. This was not a spontaneous new disagreement. This was an argument that has been building for some time. The disciples may not have known this significance and implications of The Last Supper but they knew it was important. Anticipating an earthly kingdom any day now, each was going to position himself in the best possible position for power and political promotion and prominence. We project into the Last Supper the quiet reverential worship, which we strive for during our communion services. Most likely it was a room filled with big goals, egos, and plans.

Jesus warns against us trying to be “benefactors”. This was a formal title claimed by pagan kings, not just a role. Like political leaders today those benefactors would aspire for power, wealth, and greatness, all the while making claims that it was for the benefit of their people or subjects. The picture we need is that of power mad, self-serving, self-invested, self-aggrandizing politicians who all the while are trying to convince their audience that they are doing it for the people. This happens in the Kingdom,  the church, and it is in the Kingdom that it is the most disgusting and disturbing.

Jesus doesn't deny that in the Kingdom or the church there are distinct roles of leadership or authority. He is not advocating spiritual or ecclesiastical anarchy. Rather understand the “servant/leader inversion principle”. Leadership exist for the purpose of serving and the more humble the person served, the more humble the service, and the more humble the server’s motivations the more like Christ they are. Humble service is not a photo op; that is being a benefactor. Humble service has three parts: The Humble person served, the humble service rendered, and the humble attitude as motivation. The absence of any of these turns us into political minded benefactors.  The Lord knows we have too many of these in the church already.

“Lord, grant me to serve like Jesus served, especially in my attitude. AMEN”