Luke 22:24-30
On Serving Others
24 A dispute also arose among them as to which of them was considered to be greatest. 25 Jesus said to them, “The kings of the Gentiles lord it over them; and those who exercise authority over them call themselves Benefactors. 26 But you are not to be like that. Instead, the greatest among you should be like the youngest, and the one who rules like the one who serves. 27 For who is greater, the one who is at the table or the one who serves? Is it not the one who is at the table? But I am among you as one who serves. 28 You are those who have stood by me in my trials. 29 And I confer on you a kingdom, just as my Father conferred one on me, 30 so that you may eat and drink at my table in my kingdom and sit on thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel.
Matthew 19:30
The Last Will be First
30 But many who are first will be last, and many who are last will be first.
Serving others or serving tables is not a job or something that is easily remembered...Can you remember the last month's waiter or waitress that served you?...The position is quite ordinary...Yet, Jesus talks to His Disciples about this very subject...And the serving position is common one, and Jesus tells us of the importance of the common and the ordinary...And in life much is common and ordinary and routine...Whether sitting at the table or serving the table is there one more important?...
Is there greatness in the routine, in the common, and in the ordinary of life...And what does make for greatness?...
When reading history books, we often see that the history books follow the subjects of the extreme and dramatic of both events and people...History seems to remember the most feared, the most popular, the most evil, and the most revered...Jesus' Disciples seem to at least relate to this and a dispute arose among them (and this dispute is at His Last Supper that He would eat) as to which of them was considered to be greatest...Jesus said to them, "The kings of the Gentiles lord it over them; and those who exercise authority over them call themselves Benefactors...But you are not to be like that...Instead, the greatest among you should be like the youngest, and the one who rules like the one who serves...For who is greater, the one who is at the table or the one who serves?..Is it not the one who is at the table?..But I AM among you as One who serves...You are those who have stood by Me in My trials...And I confer on you a kingdom, just as My Father conferred one on Me, so that you may eat and drink at My table in My kingdom and sit on thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel."...
We must remember how Jesus came and lived His life...He came to help the meek, those low in spirit, and the sinner...He came to help the ordinary man and woman...He walked and taught in His nearby villages, and those who listened and followed Him were ordinary people...Jesus never left out the common, the ordinary, those in need, and the weak...He never overlooked anyone...Jesus found greatness in the ordinary...He believed and taught that the last would be first in His Kingdom...But those on earth see greatness as a power, and in being first...But Jesus tells His Disciples that greatness is derived from serving others...Just as He came to earth to serve others...His power and His importance in His way of thinking is more about His Kingdom...Power on earth meant very little to Jesus...Greatness is defined as a faithful attitude, following His teachings, and helping others...That is what makes one great on earth and in His Kingdom...