Lessons From the Road to Calvaryનમૂનો

A criticism that you may hear of the Bible is that the Bible is just a list of rules: do not do this, do not do that, do not have any fun, etc. While God does give us rules for life, it is to protect us from things that will harm us. But the Bible does not just tell us what not to do; it gives us good things to do instead.

Jesus lived this out perfectly. He did not just preach that we should serve one another in humility. He exemplified it by taking a towel and washing the feet of the disciples. He did not just command us to love one another; He demonstrated the greatest love by laying down His life on the cross.

On His final night before He died, Jesus ate the Last Supper with His disciples. He then washed their feet and gave them a new commandment to love each other as He had loved them. You would think that the disciples would have learned from that, loved each other, and never had any more problems. Oh, if only it were that simple.

In Luke’s account of the upper room, the very next thing the disciples began to do was to argue once again about who would be the greatest. This must have been so frustrating for the Savior, but we do not see this response from Him. Jesus lovingly corrected them and gave them this challenge.

But ye shall not be so: but he that is greatest among you, let him be as the younger; and he that is chief, as he that doth serve. For whether is greater, he that sitteth at meat, or he that serveth? is not he that sitteth at meat? but I am among you as he that serveth. (Luke 22:26–27)

Remember, these were “saved” men who had been taught by Jesus for three years, and they were still thinking like the lost. That is something that should really warn us and remind us to ask the Lord to help us think biblically and spiritually.

Lesson: First comes the cross, then comes the crown. Faithful service today prepares us for the rewards that we will receive in the future.