Luke 22:14–38

Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. Amen.

¹⁴And when the hour came, he reclined at table, and the apostles with him. ¹⁵And he said to them, "I have earnestly desired to eat this Passover with you before I suffer. ¹⁶For I tell you I will not eat it until it is fulfilled in the kingdom of God." ¹⁷And he took a cup, and when he had given thanks he said, "Take this, and divide it among yourselves. ¹⁸For I tell you that from now on I will not drink of the fruit of the vine until the kingdom of God comes." ¹⁹And he took bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it and gave it to them, saying, "This is my body, which is given for you. Do this in remembrance of me." ²⁰And likewise the cup after they had eaten, saying, "This cup that is poured out for you is the new covenant in my blood. ²¹But behold, the hand of him who betrays me is with me on the table. ²²For the Son of Man goes as it has been determined, but woe to that man by whom he is betrayed!" ²³And they began to question one another, which of them it could be who was going to do this. ²⁴A dispute also arose among them, as to which of them was to be regarded as the greatest. ²⁵And he said to them, "The kings of the Gentiles exercise lordship over them, and those in authority over them are called benefactors. ²⁶But not so with you. Rather, let the greatest among you become as the youngest, and the leader as one who serves. ²⁷For who is the 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. ²⁸"You are those who have stayed with me in my trials, ²⁹and I assign to you, as my Father assigned to me, a kingdom, ³⁰that you may eat and drink at my table in my kingdom and sit on thrones judging the twelve tribes of Israel. ³¹"Simon, Simon, behold, Satan demanded to have you, that he might sift you like wheat, ³²but I have prayed for you that your faith may not fail. And when you have turned again, strengthen your brothers." ³³Peter said to him, "Lord, I am ready to go with you both to prison and to death." ³⁴Jesus said, "I tell you, Peter, the rooster will not crow this day, until you deny three times that you know me." ³⁵And he said to them, "When I sent you out with no moneybag or knapsack or sandals, did you lack anything?" They said, "Nothing." ³⁶He said to them, "But now let the one who has a moneybag take it, and likewise a knapsack. And let the one who has no sword sell his cloak and buy one. ³⁷For I tell you that this Scripture must be fulfilled in me: 'And he was numbered with the transgressors.' For what is written about me has its fulfillment." ³⁸And they said, "Look, Lord, here are two swords." And he said to them, "It is enough."

The artist Rembrandt tried to paint the story of Abraham sacrificing Isaac. Twice. Twice he tried to help others see what faith looks like in that moment.

The first time, Rembrandt made a grand painting. This was early in his life. Rembrandt was famous. He had recently moved to Amsterdam. His halls were filled with students and his studio was filled with clients. His painting was over six feet tall and four feet wide. His vision was grand. As you look at the painting, you are struck by the faith of Abraham. Isaac is stretched out on the ground, his chest bared toward heaven, his back arched as his father's hand covers his face, pushing his head back to bare his throat. Rembrandt has painted a hero of faith, larger than life. Abraham's faith and Rembrandt's glory are blended into one.

Twenty years later, however, Rembrandt returned to this story a different man. He came as an artist who was broke and as a man who was broken. His wife had died, along with three of his four children. His family life was in ruins and, in less than a year, he would declare bankruptcy. Broke and broken, his picture of faith was much different. This time, the picture was small. An etching, about six inches by five inches. And, as you look at the etching, Abraham's boldness in following God is hidden. All you see is his love for the child. Isaac is kneeling alongside Abraham, his head on his father's knee. And Abraham covers Isaac's eyes, hiding him from his death, as if this were his father's last and greatest blessing. Rembrandt no longer paints a hero of faith, larger than life. Instead, he draws a small picture: a servant of Yahweh whose service is humble and hidden in love for his son.

This shows two ways of seeing faith, then: (1) faith mixed with glory, bold and larger than life, or (2) faith, small and weak, humble and hidden in love for the least. This contrast captures what is going on in our text this evening.

Tonight, we are in the Upper Room. Jesus celebrates the Passover with His disciples and then He bids them farewell. In this one small moment between Jesus and His disciples, we see two visions of faith: (1) faith mixed with glory, bold and larger than life, and (2) faith, small and humble, hidden in love for the least.

The disciples reveal faith mixed with glory, bold and larger than life. Luke tells us that "a dispute arose among them, as to which of them was to be regarded as the greatest" (v. 24). While Jesus is predicting His death, they are arguing about greatness. Having spent three years with Jesus, listening to His teachings and seeing Him cast out demons and rule over creation, the disciples now turn their eyes toward one another to see whose life is filled with glory. "Who is the greatest?" they ask. As Jesus moves toward death, His disciples grasp for life. As Jesus welcomes dishonor, His disciples fight over honor. As Jesus speaks about suffering, His disciples argue about glory. They try to rise above the world and rule. Now, Luke doesn't give us the specifics of their argument. We don't know what they said . . . but then again, do we really need the words? We know what it sounds like, don't we? Arguments over greatness. Such arguments tend to be common among God's people, then and now.

Whether you look at the Church at large or at an individual congregation such as our own, it is not hard to come across division and strife. God's people are frequently broken up in arguments about gifts and greatness. It happened in Corinth. Here you had a church blessed with a multitude of gifts: faith and healing and miraculous powers that could make you stand up on your feet and sing. And in such a place, was there peace? No. God's people were too busy arguing about all of the gifts, trying to see which was the greatest. God's church became divided, as people fought over God's blessings. Some followed Paul, others Apollos, others Peter. The very pastors that God had given them became tools that Satan used to divide them. Satan wants to turn us against one another, and he uses God's gifts to do it. He tries to turn our gifts into things that cause us to fight. Our confessions of faith, our offerings to God, our service in the Church, our witness to the world become ways in which we divide ourselves into groups. Into those who are really committed and those who are not. He gives us visions of faith, mixed with glory. Bold and larger than life. Slowly, our gifts begin to separate us as Satan uses the good things of God to divide.

And the tragedy of all this is not the wasted time, not the wasted gifts, not the hurt feelings, and not the words said in anger. The real tragedy of all of this is that we end up missing the very thing that God wants us to see: His presence in this place, His work of loving service. We find ourselves busy with all the trappings of disagreement, when right in our midst God is doing the one thing that brings about agreement, the one thing that can make all of us stand on our feet and sing, the one work that is greater than any that anyone here has ever known: the humble work of His saving service.

In Jesus, we have the true picture of greatness. Notice how Jesus responds to His disciples' argument. Once before, His disciples had argued about greatness. When that happened, Jesus took a child and placed that child in their midst (Luke 9:46–48). Children, remember, had little to no social status at that time. Yet Jesus interrupted His disciples' grand and glorious visions by asking them to look at a child. That child, easily overlooked and easily forgotten, was, to Jesus, a little picture of faith. Like Rembrandt's Abraham, holding his son, Jesus held a child and revealed the hidden nature of God's glory. God's glory is a life of embracing, receiving, serving the one who is least in the Kingdom.

Now, however, Jesus does more. Rather than place a child in their midst, Jesus claims His disciples as children. When His disciples argue over greatness, Jesus reveals faith in humble service. He asks His disciples a question: "Who is the greater, one who reclines at table or one who serves?" (22:27). The disciples would have agreed that Jesus was greatest among them, that He was the one who should recline at table, but Jesus calls their attention to His action. He is the one who serves. Not only has He served them at table, but He is going to serve them as He suffers betrayal and dies on the cross. The Creator comes to die for His creatures. Here, hidden in this service, is the greatness of God.

Jesus radically identifies with that which is least in this world, becoming the Crucified One, rejected by the world, by religious leaders, by His disciples, even by His heavenly Father, and yet in that rejection, He fiercely and faithfully holds on to every last sinner, every last fallen child of God. In His dying, Jesus silences all arguments by revealing the radical mercy of God. Through His death, the least are brought into the kingdom of God. As we struggle for glory and seek to make a name for ourselves, Jesus freely gives us the only name that truly matters. You are a child of God, forgiven of sin, and hidden in the embrace of God. God the Father extends His hand over you and gives you His greatest blessing. He hides you from eternal death by the death of Jesus, His Son. God now calls you His son, His daughter.

As children of God, we don't know the future. We don't know the struggles that it might bring. But Jesus wants you to know the comfort of His service for you for all time. Although one will betray Him, another deny Him, Satan divide them, and the world fight against them; although we, too, have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God; although all of this is true, there is one who comes among us and brings us the true glory of God. Jesus reveals God's glory in suffering service. He comes to fulfill all that God has planned. He goes to the cross and offers His life that He might come this evening and offer forgiveness to you. You are children of God. In Jesus, God has brought you into a Kingdom that death, the devil, and all of our petty arguments can never destroy. This world of arguments about greatness has become a place of great service in Him. Amen.