City Life Starter

Written by Calah Jackson

The Word

²⁴ Now there was also a dispute among them, as to which of them should be considered the greatest. ²⁵ And He said to them, “The kings of the Gentiles exercise lordship over them, and those who exercise authority over them are called ‘benefactors.’ ²⁶ But not so among you; on the contrary, he who is greatest among you, let him be as the younger, and he who governs as he who serves. ²⁷ For who is greater, he who sits at the table, or he who serves? Is it not he who sits at the table? Yet I am among you as the One who serves.

²⁸ “But you are those who have continued with Me in My trials. ²⁹ And I bestow upon you a kingdom, just as My Father bestowed one upon Me, ³⁰ that you may eat and drink at My table in My kingdom, and sit on thrones judging the twelve tribes of Israel.”

-Luke 22:24-30 (NKJV)

Reflection

We get a snapshot into a really intense moment. Jesus has just lead the group in communion and introduces some heavy ideas to the disciples. He paints a picture of a sacrifice they haven’t yet seen and a reality of a kingdom they haven’t quite glimpsed. And right on the heels of all of that… an argument breaks out.

The disciples closest to Jesus start debating about who is the greatest of them all. It would be easy to brush them off as insensitive or selfish, but this conversation gives us a window into the world they lived in.

The ancient world was built on an honor-and-shame system and not as much on individual achievements like we see in Western culture. Your value wasn’t based on your personal accomplishments but on how others ranked you.

Meals, even the way people reclined, displayed the social ladder: your seat placement, your proximity to the host, the angle of your body… all of it signaled status.

So the disciples’ argument actually fits the culture they were formed by. In this uncertain and uncomfortable moment, they reach for the one thing they understood: status; power; recognition. This is something we can all relate to if we’re honest. In the pressing and discomfort, we revert to what has shaped and formed us most and sometimes that’s the very thing God wants to interrupt. Interrupt is exactly what Jesus does in this instance as He flips it all upside down.

He gives the disciples (and us) a crash-course introduction to the thriving, beauty of the counter-culture economy of the Kingdom of God.

In their world, leaders loved titles but often exploited the very people they claimed to help. Their power came through patronage, military force, economic domination, and public flattery. Jesus makes it clear that His Kingdom rejects that entire power structure.

Someone will lead but leadership in the Kingdom does not translate to privilege. It translates to service and “the least of these.” We all love the one who serves sacrificially, but not everyone is striving to be that sacrificial servant.

And Jesus gently warns us here: don’t get too comfortable in the seats of visibility, knowledge, or influence. Don’t become so accustomed to being “the one who knows” or “the one who leads” that you forget to be the one who serves.

This is not a rebuke but an invitation. Jesus is reminding us that greatness in His Kingdom is never about rising above people but kneeling beside them.

Application

Where is Jesus inviting you to step back into servanthood?

Maybe it’s in your home and doing the unnoticed things with joy. Maybe it’s in our church by taking on roles that won’t put you in front of anyone.
Maybe it’s in your friendships and simply showing up when no one is watching.

Ask the Holy Spirit to reveal one place where you’ve grown comfortable, protective, or status-conscious and let Him re-form your posture. 

Greatness in the Kingdom is not lost when we serve; it’s found there.

Prayer

Lord, thank You for showing us a different way that lifts people instead of climbing over them. Search my heart today. Reveal where I’ve held onto status, position, or comfort. Make me a joyful servant leader like You, Lord. Amen.