Friday 24 August 2012
- Bible Book:
- Luke
"For who is greater, the one who is at the table or the one who serves? Is it not the one at the table? But I am among you as one who serves." (v. 27)
Background
Here, Jesus and the disciples are approaching a turning point inhistory, with the events of the Passion, including Good Friday andEaster Sunday - a weekend that would change the world forever, aweekend that we'd still be building a faith around 2,000 yearslater.
You would think that, at this point, the disciples would unitethemselves behind Jesus, do all they could to be united as a groupbehind Jesus. But no! The passage starts by telling us, "a disputealso arose among them as to which of them was considered to be thegreatest" (v. 24).
One of the most amazing things about Jesus is that it's notabout status, or who is greater. In fact, he says, "I am among youas one who serves" (v. 27). What a lesson for us in ourdiscipleship! This is Jesus, Son of God, and Saviour of the Worldsaying that he is 'among you to serve'.
The story of Jesus washing the disciples' feet (
Discipleship is about living a life of service. As Tom Wright(the research professor of New Testament and Early Christianity atUniversity of St Andrews and former Bishop of Durham) writes, "Thisstanding on its head of the world's idea of greatness is centralnot only to all Christian work and ministry; it is the key to whatJesus was all about."
To ponder:
- Jesus calls us to be servants. How does your Christian walkreflect the life of service that Jesus calls us to?
- What more could you do to serve your church, your community andyour world?