ESOCS Devotional 24 October 2024 – Who is the Greatest?
MEMORY VERSE: “In that day this song will be sung in the land of Judah: “We have a strong city; God will appoint salvation for walls and bulwarks.”Isaiah 26:1
TEXT:LUKE 22:24-34
Now there was also a dispute among them, as to which of them should be considered the greatest. 25 And He said to them, “The kings of the Gentiles exercise lordship over them, and those who exercise authority over them are called ‘benefactors.’ 26 But not so among you; on the contrary, he who is greatest among you, let him be as the younger, and he who governs as he who serves. 27 For who is greater, he who sits at the table, or he who serves? Is it not he who sits at the table? Yet I am among you as the One who serves.
28 “But you are those who have continued with Me in My trials. 29 And I bestow upon you a kingdom, just as My Father bestowed one upon Me, 30 that you may eat and drink at My table in My kingdom, and sit on thrones judging the twelve tribes of Israel.”
31 And the Lord said, “Simon, Simon! Indeed, Satan has asked for you, that he may sift you as wheat. 32 But I have prayed for you, that your faith should not fail; and when you have returned to Me, strengthen your brethren.”
33 But he said to Him, “Lord, I am ready to go with You, both to prison and to death.”
34 Then He said, “I tell you, Peter, the rooster shall not crow this day before you will deny three times that you know Me.”
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Before the Last Supper, the Lord Jesus in the Upper Room had spent up to an hour on His knees with a bowl of water and a towel quietly washing the feet of His disciples. It wasn’t long after this happened that these same men began arguing, which of them was the greatest. I hardly think that John the beloved shouted out, “I am the greatest! I am greater than the rest of you because Jesus and I have a special relationship. I rested my head on His chest after the meal! We are bosom friends!” Or that Peter chimed in, “No, I am the greatest, because when I said in Caesarea Philippi that He was the Christ, the Son of the living God, then Jesus told me that I was a blessed man and that Jehovah had taught me that fact.” I doubt very much that it was like that. I guess that they were thinking of a new situation that seemed to be arising; Jesus was going away to prepare a place for them. Who would be the natural leader then? It was more likely that some of the less significant apostles raised the issue and one of those men spoke out and said that he thought John should be the leader after Jesus, John is the greatest, and others responded saying it should be Peter because he was the greatest.
While all this was going on, God the Son was looking at them and listening. Had He failed completely in teaching the nature of true leadership? He was the only truly great man in the room, the Preacher of the Sermon on the Mount, the One who raised the dead, and the One whom winds and waves obeyed. He had just been washing their feet, the omnipotent, humble Jesus. They had just been eating bread with Him, which He said signified His body, which was to be broken for them, and sharing in His cup, which He said was His blood He was going to shed to save them. And if ever they showed that they needed saving, it was then in the Upper Room in this display of naked ambition, and envy. Just like the same stupid emotions can crash into our lives in a second, just after we’ve been at a communion service and were on our way home in the car and something triggered off resentment and jealousy.
This scene in Luke 22 is quite a horrible scenario, like a bitter family argument ruining Christmas Day. Were they actually thinking that they were worthy of having their feet washed by Christ and so they must be great? Did they think that they were worthy enough for the Son of God to die for them? You remember that all this happened before the Spirit was poured out on them at Pentecost. Christ responds, the greatest must be the least who is ready to serve everyone. Think about it.
- The best quality to have is humility. It leads to other godly characters and disposition.
- Lord Jesus, I want to be like you in humility and other attributes you possess.
Further Reading: Proverbs 29:11-end; Ecclesiastes 5:1-12; 2 Corinthians 8:1-15
ESOCS Devotional 24 October 2024
