Finishing the Mission as Servants

[00:00:03] Speaker A: Welcome to the Erickson Covenant Podcast. We are so glad that you've joined us today. We confess that we don't have all the answers, but as a community, we seek to find and follow Jesus and to discover daily the life he has always wanted for us. We hope this message will be encouraging and will inspire you to take the next steps on your spiritual journey. If we can help you in any way, please connect with us. The easiest way is through our website at Erickson Covenant Ca. Let's get started. [00:00:38] Speaker B: Good afternoon, Erickson Covenant. I was so used to always saying good morning when I speak with you guys. So I'm just really thankful for every one of you that's here today. A bit of a twist and for those who are watching online now or later, thank you. I have a question for all of you. If you were told that you had a limited time left to live, 24 hours, for instance, what would you do? Some of you may have faced potential or probable death sentence, maybe not a 24 hour one, or you know, someone who has. Others of you are wandering through life, picking flowers and living each day like tomorrow is guaranteed, even though we know that's not true. So Phil Camden was an Australian pastor who received a devastating diagnosis. And the doctors told him he might have only two years left to live, which granted is quite a bit longer than 24 hours. But within a short period of time he had to give up his pastoral position. He couldn't do it anymore. He couldn't serve in the same way he had before, but he could still serve. He began reaching out to others that faced the same diagnosis that he had. Visiting with them, listening to them, praying with them, and sharing the hope that he had in Christ. So he had more than 24 hours, but that's still how he answered that question. How would you answer that question? Let's open in prayer. Father God, as we consider our priorities in the face of the end, I pray that you will challenge us with the example of Jesus. Please bless our time together today and open our hearts to receive your word in Jesus name. Amen. So today we're back in Luke, looking at the closing hours of Jesus earthly life and how he chose to live knowing it was almost the end. No one gets to the end of their life without at least a little history. And Jesus of course was not an exception to that. But his history as part of the triune God goes much further back than the 33 some years that he spent living on earth as a baby and as a small child, as a teenager and as A grown man living in Galilee. His backstory is woven throughout the entire Bible. We just heard Exodus 12 read to us, and this is the final piece in which Moses and Aaron are the final plague that they are proclaiming to lead the people out of Egypt. And it's kind of the grand finale of the whole thing. You heard the Command in verse 14. This is a day you are to commemorate for generations to come. You shall celebrate it as a festival to the Lord, a lasting ordinance. So the Passover had been intended to turn the Jewish people their hearts towards God, to show that they had accepted the blood of the sacrificial lamb. This marked that they belonged to God and they were passed over when the angel of death came in judgment. So in all those years, did Israel continue to celebrate the Passover as that lasting ordinance? Mostly not. They put in some effort from time to time. Occasionally there was leadership that drew the nation back to God. The Bible mentions a few times, like during King Hezekiah's reign and King Josiah's reign, as well as under the post exile leadership of Ezra and Nehemiah. And by the time Jesus was born some 1400 years later, the Jewish people were deeply religious and they celebrated Passover as one of the three main festivals of the year. Whoever could do so would travel to Jerusalem and would come to present their perfect lamb at the temple so that the priests there could kill it. We know from our master class through Luke that the hearts of many of the priests and the Levites were far from God. They had learned to honor God, excuse me, with their mouth, but their hearts were far from him. Luke 2 tells us that Mary and Joseph traveled to Jerusalem every year for the Passover. And when Jesus was 12, his parents started home without him before discovering he'd been left behind in Jerusalem. It took them three panic filled days to realize he was in the temple, asking questions of the teachers there. You could dig back through our sermon archives to find that if you're interested. The point I'm trying to make is that the Passover was a well established custom in Jesus Day and one in which he had participated many times throughout his life. We don't know if it was actually every single year that he had done that, but we gather that it was at least most of them, if not everyone. But this Passover in Luke 22 is different. We've been journeying through the book of Luke for four long years now with numerous side quests. We've been traveling toward this particular Passover with Jesus and his disciples since they started for Jerusalem in Luke chapter nine, which in our case was a couple of years ago. The story is nearing its climax and as apprentices of Jesus in this masterclass we're enrolled in, lets observe what happens next. [00:06:55] Speaker C: Now the feast of Unleavened Bread drew near, which is called the Passover. And the chief priests and the scribes were seeking how to put him to death, for they feared the people. Then Satan entered into Judas, called Iscariot, who was of the number of the 12. He went away and conferred with the chief priests and officers how he might betray him to them. And they were glad and agreed to give him money. So he consented and sought an opportunity to betray him to them in the absence of a crowd. Then came the day of unleavened bread, on which the Passover lamb had to be sacrificed. So Jesus sent Peter and John saying, go and prepare the Passover for us that we may eat it. They said to him, where will you have us prepare it? He said to them, behold, when you have entered the city, a man carrying a jar of water will meet you. Follow him into the house that he enters and tell the master of the house, the teacher says to you, where is the guest room where I may eat the Passover with my disciples? And he will show you a large upper room furnished, prepare it there. And they went and found it just as he had told them, and they prepared the Passover. [00:08:26] Speaker B: We have two seemingly unrelated things happening in that short minute and a half clip. We see Judas conferring with the chief priests and teachers of the law, accepting money in return for finding a time and a place to hand Jesus over without a crowd present. And we'll get back to Judas in a bit. Secondly, we see Peter and John. We see Jesus sending them to prepare the Passover meal. What a contrast. Some are plotting against Jesus while he is focused on giving himself for them. Jesus knows these are his final hours. He's been dropping more and more pointed hints to the disciples about his upcoming rejection, suffering, death and resurrection. This Passover feast is taking place in the shadow of what is to come. But Jesus sticks to the script one thing at a time. First, the Passover meal. One last supper with his closest friends, including, yes, the one who has already chosen to betray him. Then he will deal with what comes next. Let's watch. [00:09:46] Speaker C: And when the hour came, he reclined at table and the apostles with him. And he said to them, I have earnestly desired to eat this Passover with you before I suffer, for I tell you I will not eat it until it is fulfilled in the kingdom of God. And he took a cup, and when he had given thanks, he said, take this and divide it among yourselves. For I tell you that from now on I will not drink of the fruit of the vine until the kingdom of God comes. And he took bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it and gave it to them, saying, this is my body which is given for you. Do this in remembrance of me. And likewise the cup after they had eaten, saying, this cup that is poured out for you is the new covenant in my blood. [00:11:13] Speaker B: We see here an intimate gathering of friends sharing a meal. But more than that, we see the heart of Jesus. He knows what is coming and he carries on. Steadily. He chooses to take the next step. He chooses to spend this time with his closest friends by celebrating a meal that has been pointing straight at him since its inception some 1400 years earlier. The symbolism is inescapable because it's gone from symbolic to here and now, flesh and blood. It's real. Lambs had literally been sacrificed on so many occasions over the history of the Israelite people. Now Jesus tears off that veil to expose the the end of that practice. It's exposed at the heart. Remember when Jesus went to John for baptism and John said, look, the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world. And we are about to see all the facets of this sacrifice come together for their salvation and for ours. Jesus sets aside the old covenant of the Passover by claiming a new covenant is being written with his blood, not the blood of a four legged lamb. But first he said, I have eagerly desired to eat this Passover with you before I suffer. Have the disciples actually finally clued in yet that they are this close to the end of their apprenticeship with Jesus? Do they realize that their master class is nearing its graduation ceremony and it's about to take place? Or do they brush off his words as more doomsday talk like he's been doing for quite a while now and getting judgy? Jesus is actively choosing to give his life. The antagonism of the religious leaders, the defection of Judas, they're not merely things that are happening to him. The end result is not inevitable. Jesus had made his choice long before to honor the plan he had made with his father. He willingly chose to go through with it. He chose to give his life. It was not taken from him without his permission. The one who gives himself for us will teach his disciples to give themselves for others. The master class might be coming to a close. The apprentices will graduate to master status and. And they will soon be off teaching what they've absorbed in these three years. But they are still learning. We always keep learning all through our lives. That might be how we know we're still alive. Many stories about Jesus life get taught only when we come across them in the Gospels. Stories like the feeding of the 5000 or the calming of the sea. They come to light when we come up to them, like we did in the masterclass of Luke when we're going through a gospel systematically. But this passage in Luke is different. We refer to it or its mirror passages in Matthew and Mark, or the explanations in Acts and First Corinthians. Once a month during our communion celebration, which we will be participating in together in just a few minutes. You know, we usually share the bread in the cup early in the service while the children are still present. Today, with Pastor Tom's blessing, we're inserting communion not only into the middle of the service, but right in the middle of the sermon, right along with Jesus teaching on this, the Last Supper. This is my body given for you. Give me a sec here. This is my body given for you. Jesus said, this cup is the new covenant of my blood which is poured out for you. We participate in this new covenant. Jesus offered bread and wine as signs of a body, his body broken for you, and of blood, his blood poured out for you. This is no longer the traditional Passover feast as they had known it all those years. His words make a claim that we cannot misunderstand. The new covenant is a fulfillment of the old one in Exodus. So right now, before we carry on with the rest of today's text, let's pause and share the communion meal together, remembering this historic moment when Jesus passed bread and wine to his disciples. In a memorable closing of the chapter of the old covenant, Jesus body was about to be broken just as he broke the bread. His blood was about to be spilled just as he passed the cup representing the new covenant. Take a moment. [00:16:38] Speaker A: It is now our sacred privilege to celebrate the sacrament of the Lord's Supper. All who humbly put their trust in Christ and desire his help that they may lead a holy life. All who are truly sorry for their sins and would be delivered from them. All who walk in love with their neighbors and intend to live a new life following the commandments of God, walking from now on in his holy ways are invited to draw near with faith and to receive this holy sacrament. As we come to the sacred table today, will you rise for our confession. Most merciful God, we Confess that we have sinned against you in thought, word and deed. By what we have done and by what we have left undone, we have not loved you with our whole heart. We have not loved our neighbors as ourselves. We are truly sorry and we humbly repent. For the sake of your Son, Jesus Christ, have mercy on us and forgive us that we may delight in your will and walk in your ways to the glory of your name. Amen. [00:17:58] Speaker D: Receive these words of assurance. If we confess our sins, God is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness. May Almighty God have mercy on us. Forgive us all our sins through our Lord Jesus Christ. Strengthen us in all goodness and by the power of the Holy Spirit, keep us in eternal life. Amen. Now let's confess our faith together in the words of the Apostles Creed. I believe in God, the Father Almighty, creator of heaven and earth. I believe in Jesus Christ, God's only Son, our Lord, who was conceived by the Holy Spirit, born of the Virgin Mary, suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died and was buried. He descended to the dead. On the third day he rose again. He ascended into heaven, is seated at the right hand of the Father, and will come again to judge the living and the dead. I believe in the Holy Spirit, the Holy Christian Church, the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body and the life everlasting. Amen. And together we'll continue in the Lord's Prayer also on the screen. Our Father who is in heaven, hallowed be your name. Your kingdom come, your will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread, and forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For yours is the kingdom, the power, and the glory, forever and ever. Amen. [00:19:59] Speaker A: Hear the words of our Lord Jesus Christ as they are delivered by the Apostle Paul. For I pass on to you what I received from the Lord himself on the night that he was betrayed. The Lord Jesus took some bread and gave thanks to God for it. Then he broke it in pieces and said, this is my body which is given for you. Do this in remembrance of me. In the same way he took the cup of wine after supper, saying, this cup is the new covenant between God and his people, an agreement confirmed with my blood. Do this in remembrance of me as often as you drink it. For every time you eat this bread and drink this cup, you are announcing the Lord's death until he comes again. [00:20:55] Speaker D: Let's pray together. Lord Jesus, we are grateful here, in the middle of hearing the story of this last supper, that we're able to participate together in this meal that you have given to us. A meal not only to remember, but also to receive and to participate in the grace that you have given to us. And so we come to this table today, grateful. We come humble, come confessing you as our Lord and our Savior, ready to receive all that you have for us here. And in the continuation of this message, thank you for your goodness to us, your grace poured out, your body and your blood given, so that we can be reconciled to your Father, can be made new by your spirit, can be with you forever. And so we come. Thank you, Jesus, for your invitation. In your name we pray. Amen. [00:21:54] Speaker C: But behold, the hand of him who betrays me is with me on the table. For the Son of man goes as it has been determined, but woe to that man by whom he is betrayed. And they began to question one another, which of them it could be who was going to do this. 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 12 tribes of Israel. Simon, Simon, behold. Satan demanded to have you that he might sift you like wheat. But I have prayed for you that your faith may not fail. And when you have turned again, strengthen your brothers. Peter said to him, lord, I am ready to go with you both to prison and to death. Jesus said, I tell you, Peter, the rooster will not crow this day until you deny three times that you know me. And he said to them, when I sent you out with no money bag or knapsack or sandals, did you lack anything? They said, nothing. He said to them, but now let the one who has a money bag take it. And likewise a knapsack. And the let the one who has no sword sell his cloak and buy one. For I tell you that this Scripture must be fulfilled in me. And he was numbered with the transgressors. For what is written about me has its fulfillment. And they said, look Lord, here are two swords. And he said to them, it is enough. [00:25:03] Speaker B: But the hand of him who is going to betray me is with mine at the table. As if it weren't enough for Jesus to die. The betrayer, Judas. We saw him make a deal with the temple leaders earlier. Remember? He's right there pretending everything is fine and normal. He's seated right there amid the other disciples. They all took the bread. They all took the cup. Judas did too. If he hadn't, the others would have noticed and the whole conversation following would not have happened. But they were clueless. They began to question among themselves which of them it might be who could do this. Jesus knew. And you know what's important. Jesus gave himself even when he knew he'd be betrayed. Even when he knew he'd be rejected not only by Judas, but by so many more of us all through history. Jesus knew. And he gave himself anyway. He gave himself for you and for me. Why did Judas do what he did? I think we've all asked this question, haven't we? How could a man who'd been chosen among the 12, who'd walked with Jesus for three years, who'd witnessed the miracles, who'd listened to to the inspiring teachings about the kingdom of God, who'd experienced both the terror and the relief at the calming of the storm, how could this man just decide it wasn't worthwhile? How could he give up on Jesus? Not only did he give up, he sought out Jesus enemies and accepted money to deliver Jesus to them. In a quiet place, Judas switched allegiance on purpose. Though there's no mention. Though there is a mention in John 12 that Judas held the money bags and helped himself occasionally, as so he'd already established a personal pattern that he wasn't. That proved he wasn't fully on Jesus side. We don't know what went on inside his head. Quite possibly he'd become disillusioned. Maybe he thought he joined the winning team and the Messiah's army that was going to overthrow Rome and bring political freedom to Israel. But all this talk about suffering and hardship and dying, that was not what he'd signed up for. Or maybe he was trying to force Jesus hand. Maybe he was tired of all the endless walking and healing and talking and figured it was time for Jesus to step into the forefront and get on with it now, take his place as a messianic leader. We don't know because the Bible doesn't tell us. But we do know that Judas had a choice. He had many choices as we do. But right up until this chapter he could have chosen to trust that Jesus knew what he was doing and that it would all work out in the end. He did not perhaps have the the blessing of Romans 8:28. That tells us that very, very clearly. But the, the principles were still there prior to the writing of that letter. Satan didn't enter an unwilling person to fulfill a prophecy. Judas was right there, loving money, loving power, loving pleasure, and quite willing to switch sides for what seemed to ensure the future that he wanted for himself. He chose to go to the priests. They didn't come to him. He chose to hand Jesus over to them at the next convenient crowd free moment. And then, and then he quietly joined his fellow Jesus followers at the Passover with Jesus as though he hadn't done anything. He was waiting for his moment. The money was in his pockets. Matthew tells us that he was given 30 pieces of silver. Google tells us that's about a pound. So he sat there with this in his pockets participating in the feast, knowing he'd already gone down this road. He was committed to his choice. He could have still chosen not to carry through. But next week we'll discover that he did in fact earn those 30 silver coins. But let's go back to the table. We have Jesus and we have 12 men. Jesus has just announced that one of them will betray him. The disciples are busy looking around at each other and trying to figure out which one of them Jesus meant. Well, I'll tell you one thing Judas certainly wasn't saying guys, that would be me. Sorry about that, but I'm the bad guy. Yep. Nope, that was not what he said. But right there, right then these guys devolve into bickering about who is the greatest among them. Maybe they couldn't immediately put their finger on who was the worst, but they could all try to shout the loudest that they were the best. So we've got Andrew. Hey, I brought people to Jesus. I'm pretty good. James. I have been places with Peter and Jesus and Peter and John. The rest of you would not believe I. But I can't talk about it yet. Sorry Matthew. I gave up a lucrative business to follow Jesus and I gave away loads of money. I'm as important as any of any of you and probably better than most. John, I'm the disciple Jesus loves. And so it went right on down to Peter. Jesus said he was giving me the Keys to the kingdom of heaven. I'm obviously the greatest. They're still at the Passover table. The remnants of the bread and the cup are still there in front of them. Probably. There is also some leftover lamb and bitter herbs. They've eaten and drunk their fill. Jesus has just transitioned them from the Old Covenant to the New covenant with this new teaching about the Passover, that it's all about his body and his blood and they have missed the transition completely. Okay, that's all great, but which one of us is the top dog here? Nice, nice. You had this story, Jesus. We look at them from 2000 some years later on and we say, guys, do you not see what just happened here? How could you turn this sacred moment into something that's all about yourselves? But are we perhaps a little bit like these guys? How do we define greatness? Position, Paycheck, Fame, Authority? Tell somebody to do something and they go do it. Yes, that's what Jesus said in verse 25 and 26. The kings of the Gentiles lord it over them. But not so with with you. But not so with you. Is Jesus giving a masterclass about leadership style? Partly he is saying that his kingdom is different right at the base, at the core, at the heart of it. The definition of greatness has been dumped upside down on its head. It isn't about which person has seen the most, done the most, been honoured the most. But you are not to be like that, he said. 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? Well duh, we already heard them bickering. We also know our own hearts in our own time, obviously. Obviously the one who is being served is greater than the servant. Jesus says, but I am among you as the one who serves. So imagine our 12 friends. Instead of looking down their noses at each other to determine hierarchy. A little bit of snooty going on there. They're now looking down at the flatbread crumbs on their tablecloth. Luke does not record Jesus washing the disciples feet, but John does. He inserts this story right between the consumption of the meal and the announcement that one of them will betray Jesus right in the middle of it all. This upper room, rented or borrowed by Peter and John, had not come with a servant. There was no one there to wash feet, which any host would have had their bottommost slave do. So Jesus wrapped a towel around his waist and washed their feet himself, including Judas's, I might add. People walked everywhere wearing sandals, so their feet were covered in dust and whatever else might be on those dirt roads that donkeys also walked on, Jesus was quite literally has quite literally served them like a menial slave, the bottom rung of society. And now he says to them, I am among you as one who serves. If they hadn't noted his servant heart before this, in those three years, it was awfully hard to miss it. Right then John gives us these words of Jesus, now that I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also should wash one another's feet. I have set you an example that you should do as I have done for you. Very truly. I tell you, no servant is greater than his Master, nor is a messenger greater than the one who sent him. Now that you know these things, you will be blessed if you do them. Luke, on the other hand, he keeps it simple. I am among you as one who serves. Jesus washed their feet. He served them the bread. He served them the cup. He distributed the elements to his disciples himself. The act of a servant. And today we've taken time to remember that Last Supper and the transition that it serves between the passover of ancient Israel and the communion table of today. There's more to this passage. We saw it in the video. There's Jesus calling out people Peter about failing faith, not Judas note but Peter. Peter argues back as Peter does, but Jesus doesn't retract his cautionary tale. There's Jesus reminders that when he sent them out last time, they hadn't needed anything extra. But next time, next time will be different. Their previous trip was just a short excursion for apprentices. Next time they'll be masters teaching others. Everything is hinging on this moment in time. Jesus. Earthly life is nearing its conclusion and he knows it. He's been teaching the 12 and the multitudes for three years. And there's really not much else he can cram into their thick skulls in the little bit of time he has left. So his final words in this section are very simple. It is enough. That's enough. That's all there is. The pivotal moment has arrived and all of history has been rewritten and reassessed. At the beginning of this sermon, I asked you how you would respond if you were given 24 hours to live. What would you prioritize? Well, this was Jesus answer. His final act of freedom is to demonstrate servanthood. This isn't an act of weakness. It doesn't change what's coming. He knows Judas is right. Then, in the very act of betraying him, he knows there will be suffering and death and resurrection. He knows the disciples, who all think they're the greatest thing since sliced bread, are going to abandon him in his darkest hour. He chose to serve. And he chose to remind them that serving isn't easy. It often isn't appreciated, and it comes up against resistance and even hardship. They'll see that in the next 24 hours as Jesus is arrested, humiliated, and then crucified. And we here will see that over the next few weeks as we wrap up our masterclass in Luke. But for today, we see Jesus choosing to serve just before the end comes. And he invites us to serve with him. Not to preside with him in visible power, but to serve others in humility. Yes, he promised them a place in his kingdom, but it wasn't the esteemed position they most likely had anticipated from the beginning that Judas probably anticipated. Judas had likely anticipated being a place of power, and he was eager to stand there. But instead of serving, he chose to betray for his own personal enrichment. Today. Today we've come to the table. We have been served. And now we can serve. We choose. We desire to serve others because we've encountered the God who serves us. Look at the table. See what Jesus did for you. He gave his body for you. His blood was poured out for you. Look at Jesus. What kind of king is he? Not the kind who makes slaves do his dirty work. Instead, he came among us as one who serves. He doesn't ask us to do anything he isn't willing to do himself. He anything he hasn't done. And now I invite you to look at one another. How can we serve each other? Because to follow our Master requires us to set aside our dreams of individual grandeur and embrace a life of serving each other. We don't serve to earn God's love. We already have that. We serve to love others. We serve to obey. We serve to imitate Jesus. And in so doing, we are fulfilling our roles as apprentices of Christ. Jesus gave the ultimate gift himself. And if you have never accepted the salvation that he offers, today would be a great day to do so. We receive this gift he has given. Jesus shows us that the unlikely path to greatness is servanthood. We become servants. Where? In our homes? In our church? In our community? This week, I'd like to challenge you to look for places to serve in the name of Jesus. Our master class here is nearly complete. We've learned so much as Jesus apprentices along with his disciples and the people of his day. But apprentices are hands on learners and practicers. They and we learn by doing, not merely by reading textbooks. Serve wherever you can. Serve in your home, serve in our church. There are always needs for volunteers in various areas. Serve in our community and showcase Jesus to those who don't yet know Him. Serve as though it's your last day on earth. That's what Jesus did. Let's pray. Father God, we thank you that serving is not too hard for any of us to do. You haven't asked us to impossible things, but to practical things. So we ask you today to show us where we can serve you by serving others. Give us the strength and purpose to step out of our comfort zone and do it. Thank you for revealing your servant heart to us. May we seek to be more like you in all areas. But today in this one, may we serve you by serving others in Jesus name. Amen. [00:42:07] Speaker A: Thanks for listening in today. We hope you feel encouraged and challenged. If you know someone would benefit from what you have heard today, please share this podcast. For more information or if you have questions, you can connect with us through our website, Erickson Covenant ca. You can also find us on Facebook by searching for Erickson Covenant Church.