The Ambitious Assistants St Mark’s 7.4.19 Luke 22:7-38
Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rFZvcdTpkMA
Introduction
The centre point of today’s reading is the declaration of Jesus, “I am among you as the one who serves” (v.27). He serves us today as he served in his days on earth, by teaching us about the heavenly Father, by healing the sick, breaking off demonic powers and bringing us to repentance in the light of the gospel (Mark 1:15). Today’s reading about “the ambitious assistants” is tremendously difficult for us to receive into our hearts, because unlike our first impression that we are not like the dim witted disciples gathered at the Last Supper who after being with Jesus for so long still didn’t understand him, we too who gather at the Lord’s Supper each Sunday by Sunday do not understand his way of extreme lowliness. I am sure we’d all agree that a forceful spirit is in the world today, especially in politics, but we seem blind to where it has pressed in on us through our own strong opinions. Embarrassingly, I was leading a Bible study this week and someone said something quite dogmatically I was logically sure couldn’t be true. Instead of humbly listening to them in the Spirit of Christ something rose up in my heart and I started to tear down their confidence, until I could sense the Lord rebuking me and calling me to repentance, which I did. Like the death and resurrection of Christ this experience was both dreadful and wonderful. As the Lord has been speaking to me so he would speak to us all through today’s story.
vv. 7-13 Preparation for the Passover
The introduction, this was “the day…on which the Passover lamb had to be sacrificed” (v.7 cf. Ex 12:6, 21; Deut 16:1-7) makes the impending death of Jesus the key to all that will follow. When Peter and John act like humble table servants going ahead of the others by setting out things for dinner and cooking the Passover meal it appears that they already grasp the way of the cross. But as we will see they have zero understanding of sacrificial service.
vv. 14-20 Institution of the Lord’s Supper
When Luke tells us Jesus “reclined at table, and the apostles with him” (v.14) he communicates that the sort of intimate table fellowship they are enjoying with the Lord is the substance of discipleship (Luke 6:17; 7:11; 8:1, 22; 9:10 cf. Acts 1:21). If this nearness of Christ isn’t a heart experience, we must seriously question whether we really know Christ as our personal Saviour.
The Last Supper was Jesus’ last earthly opportunity (v.16) to teach what it means to belong to the kingdom of God so what he has to say is of great importance. Sharing table fellowship with Jesus (Isa 2:2-4; 25:6-9; 32:12; 55:1-2; 65:13) and hearing his words is a call to allow him to shape our whole disposition to life. His words, “I have earnestly desired to eat this Passover with you before I suffer.” (v.15) express deep feeling. Nothing has changed, Jesus’ has a heartfelt longing to have communion with us through his Supper today and it should draw out of us the same yearning to be closer to him.
Jesus breaks Jewish custom in the Passover by sharing both the bread and the wine with the whole company then by making it all about himself. But his repeated “my body…given for you…my blood…poured out for you” (vv.19) makes it all about himself in his service for us!
The giving of the bread stands for the distribution of Christ’s life and the cup “poured out” speaks of atoning sacrifice (Ex 24:8) by which lost sinners can dynamically enter the kingdom of God.
The command “Do this in remembrance of me.” has a precise meaning in the Bible. When God “remembers” he acts in power to deliver his people (Gen 8:1; Ex 2:24) and the remembrance commanded of us in the Lord’s Supper unites us by faith with the saving acts of God in Christ (cf. Ex 13:8; 14; Deut 5:3; 6:20 ff; 16:3). By God’s word and promise and in the Spirit we are taken up into the power of the death and resurrection of Jesus transforming us into the likeness of Christ.
vv. 21-23 A Betrayer
That Judas the betrayer is at table with the Lord shouts out that sharing table fellowship with Jesus is no guarantee of being saved. Merely coming up to communion each week can never soften our hardened hearts, we need to beware lest we take the true grace of God in vain (2 Cor 6:1; 1 Pet 5:12). Christ, Paul says, only dwells in our hearts by faith (Eph 3:176). Have you given your heart to the Lord? Have you received his forgiveness? Or have we been too independent to allow him to serve us in this way? perhaps we are still like Jesus’ “Ambitious Assistants”.
vv. 24-27 A New Vision of Greatness
In having seen Jesus dine with sinners (Luke 5:30; 15:2) and enjoy the company of low status people like women, gentiles, Samaritans, and tax collectors, the apostles should have by now let go of all ambitious to high status. Such dispositions however run deep in the unconscious. [JY saw new doctor, turned out to be a Christian, after seeing him I realised he had this fixation on status. So next time I saw him I told him so, and prayed with him to turn to Christ.]
That the disciples were arguing over who should be looked on as the greatest shows that they totally failed to understand the true character of Christ’s kingdom in which they shared by grace alone. In wanting to be “called benefactors” they wanted to be important people like the receiving recognition and honoured. I know people who have received Australia Day honours, but I can tell you that this is no sign that they are more honoured by the Lord than the rest of us. It is impossible to have more honour than that given to you by the death of Jesus (Gal 6:14).
They apostles just didn’t get it, that to be close to Jesus, to be like Jesus, they had to take on the position of menial tables servants at the bottom rung of society. They didn’t understand that the Lordship of Jesus (Mark 10:45; Phil 2:7) is always expressed in sacrificial service. Do we understand such lowliness of life? Many of us do not. A number of facilitators at the property consultation in the hall last week reported anger amongst participants when their opinions were not heard. This is a “me first” attitude which directly contradicts Jesus teaching in today’s Gospel and the nature of the Lord’s Supper which we celebrate here weekly. Does it ever seem to you that you are spiritually stuck? Do you ever discern that as a group St Mark’s has plateaued in its devotion to Christ? I long ago learned that when it comes to the things of the kingdom of God, not politics, sport etc, I must submit all my lofty opinions to the Lord for death and resurrection (2 Cor 10:5). Submission to Christ like this is hardly a mark of our church.
If an agitation rises up in your heart when you feel like you are not being heard that agitation is grieving the Spirit of Christ (Eph 4:26-27, 30). When I was awake at 3.30 the other morning praying I could sense considerable anguish in the Spirit, anguish because he wants to bring the kingdom of God (teaching, healing, delivering, repenting) with power in our midst (“I am among you as one who serves”) and we are resisting him. “Human anger [irritation, frustration, intemperance] does not produce the righteousness God desires.” (James 1:20). I remember a devout brother in another church going spreading the word that I had “the spirit of antichrist”, there was something to what he was saying, but because he said it with angry personal ambition, he was an instrument of the devil. Praise God he has since repented in full and we are friends in Christ. Those confident of standing should pay heed, lest they fall (cf. 1 Cor 3:1-3; 10:12).
vv. 28-30 Appointed a kingdom
Despite all their childish ignorance Jesus graciously promises the apostles, and us, that if we remain faithful to him through trial, we will share his kingdom rule. In the light of the reality that with Christ we will reign on earth (1 Cor 6:2; Rev 5:9-10) isn’t getting our point across to others utterly trivial. Ask the Lord for a vision of the greatness of the kingdom into which you have been called, and you will receive power to let go of your self-important personal opinions.
vv. 31-34 Jesus Foretells Peter’s Denial
If we look at ourselves and those around us by natural sight there’s no chance we can change, and the older we are the less likely. But if in our story the person most like us, the opinionated over confident Peter could turn from being a Jesus denier to a leader of his people because Jesus prayed for him then there’s hope for us all because today in heaven, Jesus is interceding for us (Rom 8:34; Heb 7:25). This is something to give thanks for, daily.
vv. 35-38 Counted as Lawless
Jesus will go on to be crucified as an outcast and sinner, like those with whom he has identified throughout this Gospel. But the disciples misunderstand him right to the end (v.38).
Conclusion
Today, with God’s help, we can to exchange concern to be heard for the concern that the Lord be listened to. In the name of Jesus, I appeal to you to listen to what the Spirit is saying to our church (2 Cor 6:1; Rev 2:7 etc.). The greatness of God’s kingdom is seen in the lowliness of its crucified King and through those who hunger and thirst for this in their own lives with all their hearts. More powerfully than any other ambition what needs to rise up in our hearts is to be like Jesus, whatever the cost to our own status, esteem and honour. When this happens we will see those marginalised and oppressed by the evil systems of this world come, by whatever means (1 Cor 9:22), into the saving fellowship of Christ’s body and blood. By God’s grace the “remembrance” into which we are all invited puts our hearts us into living contact with the power of the Lord so that in him no measure of lowly service is impossible. This must be our prayer. “love does not insist on its own way” (1 Cor 13:5)