Upside-Down Christmas: Luke 22

Luke 22

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When the disciples were told that one of them would betray Jesus, Judas had already taken the money in exchange for handing over him to the authorities. Of course, Judas was one of Jesus’ disciples who had been with him for the life of his ministry. And he was there around the table.

But the other disciples didn’t know. They were wondering if Jesus wasn’t making some prophesy about them—about one of them. They were nervous that it was them.

And you can imagine that this is how it started. Maybe one of them said, Well, it wouldn’t be me! I’m too loyal for that. Actually Peter would say to Jesus, Lord, I am ready to go with you both to prison and to death.” (Luke 22:33) They were trying to justify themselves.

Welcome back to our Upside-Down Christmas podcast. We’ve been working our way through the gospel of Luke, and we’re nearly to the end. And what we’re doing is looking at the way that Jesus turns the world upside down through his life and ministry, and with his teachings as well. Today’s teaching from Luke 22 is pretty poignant.

Now, as we said, it seems like the disciples were trying to justify themselves, to convince themselves and the others at the table that there was no way it was going to be them that betrayed Jesus. Here’s how Luke describes it: A dispute also arose among them, as to which of them was to be regarded as the greatest. (v.24) More than just justifying themselves, they’d created a full-blown competition for “best disciple.”

And you have ask, what did they imagine were the best qualities of a disciple? The smartest? The most charismatic? The one with the greatest authority? Or maybe it was who had performed the greatest miracle? Surely they were imagining which of the other disciples ought to be serving them.

And of course, this is the part where Jesus turns things on their head.

And he said to them, “The kings of the Gentiles exercise lordship over them, and those in authority over them are called benefactors. But not so with you. Rather, let the greatest among you become as the youngest, ad the leader as one who serves.” (Luke 22:25-26

Jesus says that the greatest must act like the least, and that their positions of privilege and high rank are not meant for them to enrich themselves. Instead, they are given these positions so that they might serve others “underneath them.” And of course the model for this is Jesus himself.

“For who is greater, one who reclines at table or one who serves? Is it not the one who reclines at table? But I am among you as the one who serves.” (v. 27)

Jesus is saying that they’re to model their lives not on the conventional ways of doing leadership, but on his unique way of doing leadership. If they are to be his disciples, they have to exercise their authority and power in the ways that he does, not like the normal way of doing it.

The apostle Paul picks up on this theme in his letter to the Philippians, a magisterial passage about Jesus’ leadership. Do nothing from rivalry or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves. Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others. Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped [for his own advantage], but made himself nothing, taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.” (Philippians 2:3-8)

Jesus, though he was the Son of the living God, denied himself in service to those beneath him. It was his right to sit at the table and be served by them. But because of their need and because of his love for them he made them to sit down and he washed their feet and served them.

There are many of us—especially men—that want power and prestige, who want to rule it over others. It’s almost a natural instinct. But instead, Jesus says that if we are given the position of leader, our focus should be to make ourselves lower than those we serve, doing for them the things you would expect them to do for us. It’s upside down. It runs agains the grain of what we would expect. It feels unnatural.

But it is the way of Jesus. And what’s amazing is that, when we willingly humble ourselves as he is showing us, he will, in the end, highly exalt us. That’s what happened to him, Paul says. “Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.” (Philippians 2:9-11)

Jesus says the same fate is in store for the disciples sitting around the table with him. “You are those who have stayed with me in my trials, and I assign to you, as my Father assigned to me, a kingdom, that you may eat and drink at my table in my kingdom and sit on thrones judging the twelve tribes of Israel.” (Luke 22:29-30)

Let’s pray. Lord, we prefer to lead as others lead so that we can feel the heady intoxication of being the important person, the one in charge, the one who matters. Forgive us these natural and wicked impulses which lead us astray. Teach us to walk instead in your ways, in the ways of the true leader, the true king, the only one truly deserving of the high places of honor. Grant that we would be humble and serve those whom we lead, counting others as more important than ourselves. We love you and bless your name. Amen.

Family Devotional:

Read Luke 22:24-30 together.

What does it mean to be a leader?

How did Jesus show He was great?

Let’s talk about what we just read. Jesus are having a very famous meal called The Last Supper. We acknowledge this meal by having communion at church.

Later in the supper, the disciples were arguing about who was the most important, like grown-ups sometimes argue about who's the best. Jesus interrupts and tells them that's not how His kingdom works. He said, "The greatest among you should be like the youngest, and the one who leads like the one who serves.” In the book of John when this discussion comes up, Jesus shows them what he means by being a servant. He would soon wash their feet and then give His life for them.

Jesus shows his disciples and us that in God's family, serving and loving are what make you great, not being in charge or having power. The "big" people should serve the "small" people, and leaders should serve everyone. We are to be humble and serve each other, just like Jesus served us.

What's one small way you can serve someone this week?