Sample Lesson

Lesson 12

Jesus Teaches about Greatness - Luke 22:24-30

Tips for Leading this Lesson


1. Encourage the learners to strive to be truly great by the grace and strength of God. Don't make the mistake of giving them the idea that greatness is something to be avoided.
   
   
2. One way of encouraging the learners is to point out that, by Jesus' definition, any Christian can be truly great through the power of the Holy Spirit. It doesn't take money, human authority or position!


Lesson Outline

Introduction:


1. The subject of greatness seems to have been on the minds of Jesus' disciples often
   
   
   1. They argued among themselves about who was greatest while traveling with Jesus - Luke 9:46-48 cf. Matthew 18:1-4; Mark 9:33-37
      
      
   2. They sought to gain the highest positions for themselves - Mark 10:35-45; Matthew 20:20-28
      
      
   3. And now, while Jesus is eating His last supper with the disciples before He dies, they are arguing again about who is greatest - Luke 22:44
   
   
2. One reason this subject preoccupied the disciples is because . . .
   
   
   1. They believed Jesus is God's Anointed One (Messiah) who would reign over the kingdom of God from David's throne in Jerusalem, and . . .
      
      
   2. They wanted to have positions of honor in His kingdom, and . . .
      
      
   3. They assumed that the greater they were in this life, the higher the position they would hold in the kingdom of God
   
   
3. It is easy and natural for us to react indignantly toward the disciples for their seemingly self-serving motives, just as they reacted among themselves at times - Mark 10:41
   
   
4. However, before we do so, we would be wise to notice that Jesus never chides the disciples nor corrects them for their desire to be great!
   
   
5. In fact, what He does say to them evidences that He supports them in their longing to be great, both now and in His kingdom
   
   
   1. For, rather than telling them to abandon their desire for greatness, . . .
      
      
   2. Jesus uses every occasion to correct the disciples' understanding of what greatness really is
   
   
6. In other words, . . .
   
   
   1. Jesus encourages the disciples (and us) toward greatness
      
      
   2. However, He wants us to be pursuing true greatness!
   
   
7. With this in mind, lets learn about greatness from the Greatest, as He teaches us in Luke 22:25-30



1. The World's Idea of Greatness 22:25
   
   Jesus identifies 2 major concepts of greatness common in the world's understanding of the term
   
   
   1. Exercising authority over others - 25a
      
      
      1. Throughout history men have gone to great lengths in order to obtain positions of authority and rule over people
         
         
         1. Spending great sums of money (as in presidential and congressional campaigns today!)
            
            
         2. Often slandering their opponents
            
            
         3. Sometimes committing crimes (Watergate)
            
            
         4. Sometimes murdering (political assassinations)
            
            
         5. Sometimes fighting wars and causing thousands to die (Napoleon, Alexander the Great, Hitler)
         
         
      2. They do all these things, and more, just to have the authority to run other people's lives!
         
         
      3. In such people's minds, . . .
         
         
         1. The more people under their authority, and . . .
            
            
         2. The larger the territory over which they rule, and . . .
            
            
         3. The more dominating they are in their exercise of authority, . . .
            
            
         4. The greater they are
      
      
   2. Having titles of honor - 25b
      
      
      1. The example Jesus used, "Benefactor," is known to have been a title taken by both Roman and Egyptian rulers, most notably Ptolemy III (246-222 b.c.) and Ptolemy VIII (145-116 b.c.)
         
         
      2. Other titles taken by rulers include . . .
         
         
         1. One worthy of adoration (Tiberius)
            
            
         2. Savior/Deliverer (Ptolemy I)
            
            
         3. Appearance of a god (Antiochus)
            
            
         4. God (Augustus)
         
         
      3. In their minds, to have such titles (deservingly or not, it made little difference) was an indication that they had attained greatness
      
      Jesus' point is that the world's view of greatness in this life is determined by such factors as power, position, titles and accolades
   
   
   
2. The Identification of Greatness for Jesus' Disciples 22:26-27
   
   
   1. Greatness for Jesus' followers is not according to the world's standard - 26a
      
      
      1. "But it is not this way with you" = but for you not so (literal translation)
         
         
      2. Jesus is emphasizing that, as His followers, we have a completely different definition and measure of greatness than the world's
         
         
      3. To be a follower of Jesus involves a total rejection of the world's idea of greatness
      
      
   2. Greatness for Jesus' followers means honoring others - 26b
      
      
      1. In Middle Eastern cultures the younger person always gave honor and deferred to those who were older - Leviticus 19:32
         
         
         1. The younger did not speak until those who were older had finished speaking, in deference to their greater experience and wisdom - Job 32:4-6 cf. 12:12
            
            
         2. The younger rose from their seats when an older man entered the room
            
            
         3. The younger would not sit in the seats belonging to older men
            
            
         4. The older men were assigned the higher places of honor at feasts and festivals
         
         
      2. To "become like the youngest" means that we will treat others like younger people treat their elders in Middle Eastern cultures
         
         
         1. Giving honor to others instead of taking it for oneself
            
            
         2. Deferring to others rather than grasping for position and privilege
      
      
   3. Greatness for Jesus' followers means serving others - 26c
      
      
      1. The word "servant" has as its most basic idea, one who waits on tables
         
         
      2. It is hard to even picture an American president or the royal family of England waiting on common citizens as we eat!
         
         
      3. However, Jesus' point is that the leader who desires to be truly great will do just this type of thing--seeking to serve others rather than be served
         
         
      4. And so will we!
         
         
      5. To become "like the servant" means we will treat others as though we were their waiters
         
         
         1. Focusing on their needs and wants rather than our own
            
            
         2. Seeking to meet their needs and wants rather than our own
      
      
   4. Greatness for Jesus' followers means becoming like Him - 27
      
      
      1. The world considers the great person to be . . .
         
         
         1. Not the one who serves, but . . .
            
            
         2. Rather, the one who is served
         
         
      2. Yet Jesus is like the one who serves--among His own disciples!
         
         
         1. That was His purpose in coming to earth - Matthew 20:28
            
            
         2. And it is what He has done this very night during His last supper with His disciples before His death - John 13:1-17
   
   
   
3. The Outcome of Greatness for Jesus' Disciples 22:28-30
   
   Remember that Jesus' disciples had assumed that the "greater" they were in this life, the higher the position they would hold in the kingdom of God
   
   In these verses (28-30) Jesus agrees with that assumption, now that He has defined what true greatness really is in this life!
   
   
   1. Patterned by Jesus' experience - 28-29
      
      
      1. His earthly ministry was characterized by trials - 28 ("in My trials")
         
         
      2. However, even as He faces His greatest trial the next day, Jesus can look past it in anticipation of the kingdom that God the Father has granted to Him - 29a
         
         
      3. In other words, Jesus' willingness to serve others in His earthly life and ministry would have as its outcome His ruling over the kingdom of God
         
         
      4. The principle: true greatness now, as demonstrated in serving others, is rewarded with honor and position and authority later
      
      
   2. Patterned by Jesus' practice - 28-30
      
      
      1. In spite of their previous wrong understanding of greatness, the disciples still had stayed with Jesus through the difficulties of His ministry - 28
         
         
         1. Like when many others of His followers left Him - John 6:66-69
            
            
         2. Like when He was accused of being empowered by satan - Luke 11:15
            
            
         3. Like when the religious leaders were antagonistic and plotting against Him - Luke 11:53-54; 20:19-20
            
            
         4. Like when Herod wanted to kill Him - Luke 13:31
         
         
      2. As a result of their faithful service to Him, they would enjoy . . .
         
         
         1. Positions of honor at the table of the King in His kingdom - 29b-30
            
            
         2. Positions of authority in His kingdom - 30b
         
         
      3. The principle: true greatness now, as demonstrated by faithful service to others, is rewarded with honor and position and authority later
      
      The point
      
      
      1. While the world wants everything it associates with greatness right now . . .
         
         
         1. Authority
            
            
         2. Position
            
            
         3. Titles of honor
         
         
      2. Jesus wants us to follow Him by . . .
         
         
         1. Eagerly serving Him through serving others rather than seeking to be served now
            
            
         2. Joyfully honoring Him and honoring others rather than seeking to be honored now
            
            
         3. Patiently waiting for our rewards later

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