Luke 22:24-30 The Greatest and The Least
Format for Your Devotions
Instructions: Do not read my example devotion until you have completed your own devotional time in the scriptures. Reading my thoughts first may limit your own understanding. Let the Holy Spirit speak to you alone before looking to see what anyone else has to say, whether it is me, a Bible commentary, or a friend. Let God speak to you before you let another person speak to you. I have provided a format, but modify it to fit your needs. For example, I usually combine my application and prayer together talking to God about the application to my own life. You can go through this devotion process mentally, speaking out loud, or in writing as you wish. Don’t worry if you are not following this process exactly. Sometimes, I add extra information and sometimes I emphasize one part more than others. However, you should always think about what you learn about God from this passage.
Step 1: Pray–Ask for the Holy Spirit’s guidance first of all and that God may reveal the lessons that He wants you to have that day. Request that God protect you from Satan’s distractions (and the devil will try to distract you whether it is pinching the baby or putting you to sleep). Ask to see God more clearly as you read and think about the passage.
Step 2: Read the passage–Read to get an overview of the information first. Then start looking at specific parts after the first reading. You may read a larger or smaller section than I have here because you do not have to follow my organization at all.
Step 3: Understand the passage–You can summarize, ask and answer your own questions about the passage, visualize the story, analyze the characters, and relate this passage to other scriptures and personal experiences.
Step 4: What does this reveal about God?–What do you learn about the Father, Son, and/or Holy Spirit from this passage?
Step 5: Apply this to your own life.
Step 6: Prayer
My Example Devotion: December 3, 2018 Luke 22:24-30
Note: In the devotion examples, I leave my questions and thought processes in the text because I am trying to demonstrate that a devotional time is a dialogue with God about what you are reading from His word. As such, any questions or ideas that you have should be explored by talking it out with God. These example devotions are not my attempts to teach you what the meaning of a particular scripture is. They are an attempt to teach you the process of devotions, which is a combination of prayer and Bible study where you explore ideas with God as you read His word.
A dispute also arose among them, as to which of them was to be regarded as the greatest. 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, and the leader as one who serves. For 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. “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.
(Understanding the Text / Revelation of God) The disciples are to be our judges in heaven according to this. (And by heaven, I actually mean the new earth.) (And by judges, I mean the kind that God set up in ancient Israel.) God has shown us His ideal government where He is the leader, and we do not have kings or presidents. Instead, we have judges who speak for God and decide issues of conflict. This tells me that Jesus was not just training the disciples to evangelize. He was training them to be leaders of the new earth. In setting up the new church and trying to organize the expanding movement, they were learning how to deal with people and organize them and how to listen to the Spirit and follow His lead. None of the apostles were known for their staying and pastoring the church in just one place like James was in Jerusalem. They were sent out to the world. Jesus had been training them for a different job.
(Understanding the Text) The disciples sensed that something important was about to happen. They assumed, based on the triumphal entry and other signs that week, that this event would be Jesus taking power on earth. Thus, they were trying to get the pecking order straight for when this happened. They were fighting over who would be their leader and Jesus’ right hand man. We always assume that the disciples just took Peter’s leadership for granted, but the reality was that Jesus never indicated that any disciple would be higher than another. He did give Peter his nickname and say that He would build His church upon the rock, and Jesus did consistently use Peter and John for special tasks, but He may have done that with the other disciples and the Biblical stories just do not tell us. Mark was written from Peter’s viewpoint and the gospel of John from John’s own experiences. I believe that Matthew would have been one of the ones who actually did not try to jockey for greatness because of his past as a tax collector. Thus, he minimized his own achievements. Luke would not have personally known many of the disciples since he came on the scene after the dispersion of believers from Jerusalem when Peter and John were really the only two still hanging around Judea. Thus, the others may have had equally prestigious tasks that gave them cause to think that they were favored.
Jesus actually confirmed that they were to be judges in his kingdom, which would be prestigious leadership positions based on their ancient history, but Jesus explained that being a leader meant being a servant. I don’t understand the phrase about calling themselves benefactors. Jesus said that they would have their own kingdoms and thrones and be judges for the people, but I doubt that their thrones will be chairs made of gold. I am not sure what they will be. I assume their kingdoms will be areas of the earth that they will be responsible for taking care of. I wonder if the disciples were chosen for their caring natures that made them feel the need to shepherd people?
Eating and drinking together in the kingdom seems to be a theme that I see over and over in the Bible. It does not resonate with me naturally, so I’m not sure what the significance is. I will have to study it more later.
(Application) My application for myself is I need to lead by serving. I must remain humble and ready to help. I know I will only mess things up if I am the central figure. I need to stop worrying about whether I am enough to keep people returning for more, and let Jesus take care of that aspect. I just need to keep serving Jesus in whatever capacity He asks me to.
(Prayer) This is going to be a busy stressful week and I am already feeling the pressure this morning. It is distracting me. I pray to get everything done and reflect Your glory while doing it.