The Descent & Despair of Pride Luke 22:24-30

Introduction

Opening Illustration: The Spark of Pride: In 1871, the Great Chicago Fire roared throughout this city. It claimed the lives of 300 people, destroyed 3.3 square miles of the city. Left over 100,000 people homeless, leveled 17,000 buildings, and caused nearly $200 million dollars in damage to the city. That inerno was set ablaze by one tiny flame. One little flame that was not properly tended to, was placed in the right circumstances at the right time, and it spread, and it destroeyd

Personal: Sin spreads. Tiny sins become larger sins. And by the time the inferno of sin has passed through your life, it causes irreperable damage to you and to those around you. Today we will spend our entire sermon considering one particular sin, the sin of pride. Like a little flame, pride can be burning ever so subtly in the back of our heart, seemingly innocuous, and yet if that flame is alive, you get in just the right situation at just the right time, and that little flame of pride can destroy you.

Context: We have been studying the Gospel of Luke, verse by verse for the better part of two years, and we are coming to the very end. Very soon, Jesus will be betrayed and arrested. He will stand before trial and will be crucified. But in some of these last few moments with his disciples we’ve seen Jesus deeply ministering to them. Last week, we saw he shared the Lord’s Supper and we discussed the importance of that sacrament in a believer’s life. Today, he settles an argument that had developed among us his disciples. It was a foolish argument, no doubt, and yet it is an argument that in some way, we are all guilty of. Jesus is going to teaching on pride and humility.

Doctrine: True Christian greatness is found in an eager and humble willingness to serve like Christ

Luke 22:24–30 “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 twelve tribes of Israel.”

Meaning & Application

Let’s begin by showing how Jesus develops this idea in the text before us.

I THE ARGUMENT

First, let us consider the Argument among the Disciples.

Luke 22:24 ESV

A dispute also arose among them, as to which of them was to be regarded as the greatest.

The disciples have just exited the meal with Christ in which they celebrated the Lord’s Supper. And at the end of that meal, Christ looked to them and said that one of them would betray him. He was of course speaking of Judas Isacariot. But you can imagine the response of the twelve disciples upon hearing that one of them would betray Christ. Each turns to the other men and begins to defend himself and justify himself. And this in turn escalates from defending oneself to promoting oneself. They begin to dispute about who’s accomplishments are the greatest.

Lurking for Some Time: As we read this, it almost seems silly and immature. But what is coming out of these men, in this moment did not simply arise out of thin air. This is the nature of mankind, both and women. Ever since the fall, humanity has been plagued with sin and one of the chief ways that sin propagates in the human heart, is by comparison. These men had been walking with these little flames of pride burning in the back of their heart for some time. Comparing with one another. Ranking one another. Finding themselves in the pecking order. And what got their pride to emanate to the surface, was Jesus’ statement “One of you is going to betray me.” Their pride not only makes them go on the defensive, but it makes them then need to prove themselves.

Examples of Pride: Pride is the great disease of the soul, isn’t it?

It is the sin that conquered the Devil and caused him to want to be like God.

It certainly had a part to play in Cain’s sullen heart after his offering was rejected and Abel’s was accepted, manifesting itself in the very first murder.

It is the sin that caused Pharaoh to refuse to listen to Moses despite the plagues coming upon his nation.

It is the sin that caused King Nebachadnezzar to be thrown down from his lofty royal throne and to find himself feeding among the animals.

It was pride that caused the Pharisees in the days of Jesus to stop up their ears and refuse to accept Christ’s teachings.

Like the Devil before us, pride lurks in our heart as well. Like a tiny flame waiting for just the right moment and just the right conditions to become something more.

Seeing Pride in Others: We are excellent at discovering pride in others, but we are very bad at seeing pride in our own lives, and this itself is pride. These disciples of Jesus couldn’t see the plain and obvious pride in what they were doing.

Discovering Pride in Ourselves: Before we move on from these disciples, I want to spend just a bit of time considering the various ways this pride, shows up in our own life. There was an old writer named Bernard of Clairveax who wrote a very interesting book on Pride & Humility. In that book he lists out in descending the steps of how pride grows in our heart. I’ve taken some of what he’s written and modified and added to it myself to update it for our modern times.

Illustration - The Valley of Despair: Imagine if you will, a valley spread out before you. It is the Valley of Despair. The road that leads down to the bottom of the valley of despair is wide and easy. That road is called Pride. It is the natural way of sin-filled man to find himself walking even unaware, down that road. But there are signs along the way, that you are on that road.

Curiosity: The first sign is Curiosity. Before pride begins to manifest in a Christian’s life, the Christian is concerned primarily with their own walk with God. Their focus is on their own experience of Christ, their heart of devotion, their obedience to his law. But one day Curiosity nibbles into the heart. A curiosity of other people’s sanctification. We begin to be very interested primarily in the obedience of others to Christ, over and above our own obedience to Christ. We justify that curiosity in biblical language of care for others, but the motivation begins to grow in the heart of wanting to know more about their sin so as to feel less concerned with your own. Friend, get out while you can. Turn! Repent while there is time. You are headed into the Valley of Despair.

Jealousy: The second sign that you are walking down the road of pride is jealousy. Whereas once you loved your fellow and brother and sister and never thought about their credentials or their accomplishments. Slowly you begin to hear about others secret deeds, and their humility, and inside a sense of inferiority and jealousy begins to work its way up in you. If you see spiritual jealousy when you hear of other’s walk with Christ, or responsibilities assigned by Christ, turn and repent! You have walked further down that road!

Discontent: The third sign along that wide road called pride is discontentment. That jealousy has now manifested iteself. You have been assigned certain tasks by God, because you are a servant. He, as a Master, is fit to give each of us any role he deems proper for you. But as pride sweeps in, we long for different responsibilities. We see the assignments of others and think to ourselves “I could do that better than them. I should be doing that instead of them.” Friend, you are very well into that valley now. The shadows have come over you. The stench at the bottom of that valley where Satan himself lurks and is king should already be rising up around you. Repent! Turn! Get out!

Self-Conceit: The fourth sign is self-conceit. Now pride is beginning to well up inside of you, so that you begin to love and even seek out the praise of others. There is a desire in you to be praised, and because you are on a path of sin, and do not know how to have that desire met by God and God alone, you seek it from others. And in so doing, what you are doing, is seeking worship. The accolades you seek are nothing more than the praise of man, and you may even use your Christian spirituality to acquire it. Turn! Repent! Flee! The shadow is darkening. Pride has nearly taken over.

Confessionless: The fifth along that road down the Valley of Despair is a Confessionless Prayer Life. Confession is one of the great antidotes to pride. True confession involves opening your heart to God to let him expose the false ways inside. But when our confessions grow light or become absent from our prayer life, we have perhaps even subconsiously assumed a posture that we need not repent. We have assumed a posture that we are like Christ. Turn! Repent! Flee!

Those who walk down this path called Pride, usually have many signs along the way that they are headed for ruin. If that is you today, praise God, he is awakening you and turning you around, marching you back to where you ought to be.

Review: First, we have seen the Argument these disciples were in, and where the Road of Pride leads to.

II THE ADMONITION

Second, we see the Augmentation. What Christ calls us to instead, and how he calls us to change.

Luke 22:25–26 ESV

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.

Jockying for Prestige: Christ here is directly admonishing them for the argument they were having. He reveals the heart underneath the argument. In short, they’re thinking like those who are not followers of Christ. He compares them to “kings of the Gentiles” and “those in authority.” Secular people in those positions love the applause of others. They love to be seen by others. They love to use their power and their authority to feed their inner sense of worth. Jesus is saying to his disciples “Your conversation is revealing that you are thinking just like them.”

Christ’s Correction “Greatness”: And Jesus lays out two examples of “greatness” in God’s eyes. He highlights “children” and “servants” as the ones to follow. These two categories of individuals reveal the actual issue that is going on in the heart of these disciples.

Child: First, is a child. A small child, in a properly functioning loving home, has no lack of a sense of their identity. They are loved fully. Not for what benefit they bring to the home. Not for any accomplishments they have achieved. They are loved because they are the child of their parents. When the child screws up, they are no less loved. When the child succeeds, they are no more loved. Their love is not conditional on performance.

Servant: A good servant, who labors for a good master, is not concerned with self-promotion. They’re not wondering how good they look or how others are thinking of them. They’re mindset is how others are thinking of their master. And the reason for that is that the good servant knows its not about him. Perhaps a similar illustration might be that of a Best Man. A Best Man at a wedding is not trying to look more handsome than the groom, or to take attention away from the groom. Their job on that day is to serve the groom and fade into the background. That is a heart of knowing that your joy is wrapped up in the joy of your Master.

The Problem: These two categories of “children” and “servants” reveal where pride roots itself. When we forget our child-like status, and we forget our bond of servanthood, pride takes over. The human experience was designed by God to be an immersion into the infinite love of God. To be so divinely loved, that not a shred of self-doubt could ever emerge from within, because your identity is secure in God.

Illustration: Scuba Diver: The love of God is quite literally more important to the soul than air is to our lungs. If you imagine a scuba diver immersed under the water. The air in the pack on their back is connected by a hose and it is feeding life into their lungs. But what sin has done is it has broken that connection. The hose that fed life into our soul is disconnected. And so, we like these disciples, are like those who are frantic under the ocean trying to find air pockets anywhere we can, something that can fill that void. Some person that can feed life and love into us. But it never satisfies. Any and every solution we find is only temporary and broken at best. We never breathe the deep of love of God that satisfies the soul. How do we fix that tether, how do we return to what we were made for.

III THE ARCHETYPE

In verse 27, Jesus uses himself as the archetype, as the gold-standard of the life we are called to, the example of what we ought to do and be instead.

Luke 22:27 ESV

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.

Christ the Example: Of all the people that ever had a right to be served, it was Christ. He is the great one. God in the flesh. Divinity tabernacling among men. Jesus uses himself as the example of being “loved like a child” and “faithful servanthood.” Here is Christ, God in the flesh, the one to whom the angels bow in adoration and serve with expediency. He who, if we did not cry out in praise, the rocks themselves would burst forth in adoration, is the exemplar of human humility. “I am among you as one who serves.” How did Christ serve? Think of the humility of Christ through service.

Incarnation: The incarnation itself is one marvelous work of humility. As the transcendant God took on human flesh. He who created time and space entered into time and space.

Touched the Leper: Jesus often served the least of these in invisible ways. We think of the lepers that he reached out and touched who nobody else would touch. We think of the woman at the well who no Jew of that day would have spoken to. We think of the woman who bled for twelve years, who he showed compassion to.

No Place to Lay His Head: Jesus, though greater than every man ever born, had no place to lay his head. His life was one of an itinerant preacher. The masses would crowd around him and he gave himself in teaching and loving them.

Washed Feet: Christ washed his disciples feet. This was the epitome of lowliness in that day and age because people’s feet were covered with all the grime and filth of the streets and walking about in sandals in that day. That was a job fit only for the lowest servant. But Christ, who was King of all, washed his disciple’s feet.

Death of Christ: Of course the most magnificent deed of his service was his death. His death was an act of love, where he gave his life for us, substituting himself underneath the wrath of God. This was an act of love, that as he executed it, he was derided and mocked. Passerby’s wagged their finger at him as if he were a common criminal. Roman centurions overseeing the crucifixion gambled for his clothing at the foot of his cross. He served!

Christ is the archetype of Christian service. But what was it about Christ’s heart that allowed him to serve the way he did?

Christ’s Baptism: Recall what we have already seen. The reason pride wells up in our hearts is because through sin we have lost sight of the love of God. We’ve become detached from God and we reach out in any way we can to satisfy that inner craving for love. But this is not so with Christ. Christ alone is the archetype of humble service, because Christ alone had no sin that cut him from the father. Recall in Luke 3 at Christ’s baptism.

Luke 3:22 ESV

… “You are my beloved Son; with you I am well pleased.”

Beloved Son: Consider those words. The Father looks to the Son and calls him Beloved. The heart of Jesus Christ was the heart of a Son to the Father. A Son who knew no lack of love. Jesus had not yet done the great majority of his miracles. He had not yet become famous as a rabbi. Before any of that happened, his identity was overflowing in “belovedness.” Christ was immersed in the ocean of love which was God the Father. He had no need for the approval of man.

Well Pleased: And the Father says “with you I am well pleased.” That language hints at a good servant, doesn’t it. Jesus is not trying to earn anything in the Father’s eyes. He is not operating out of a lack of some desire in his heart. The life of Christ, the Archetype, is a life operating out of fulness of identity, confidence in the love of the Father, and a desire to truly please the Father.

Beholding Christ: Friends, Christ the archetype and the guide who will bring you back to the love of the Father, in order that you might be loved like a child and serve like a faithful servant.

Isaiah 53:6 ESV

All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned—every one—to his own way; and the Lord has laid on him the iniquity of us all.

This is what Christ offer us. Nothing less than the full immersion in the love of God. It requires nothing of us. I heard one pastor recently say it like this. He said that many people come to him and say “I struggle because I just don’t love God enough.” And he’ll look at them and say “It’s not that you don’t love God enough, its that you don’t understand, in and through Christ, how much God loves you.” It is our understanding of God’s extraordinary love that is deficient. We have sinned and are cut off from God and his love, but when we believe in Christ, not only are our sins fully forgiven, but we are reconnected to the love of God, and God sees us as his children. Jesus clothes us in his righteousness.

In Christ, God’s love for you is not dependent on whether your love for him is strong or weak on any given day. His love is infinite and perfect.

In Christ, God’s love for you is not dependent on how obedient or disobedient you have been on any given day. His love is infinite and perfect.

In Christ, God’s love for you is not dependent on great or shallow your acts of service are towards others on any given day. His love is infinite and perfect.

Today’s message is on the folly of pride. But what we have seen is that pride is nothing more than a manifestation of not knowing who you are in Christ. The greatest need in our life is to behold Christ in all of his glory, to see the love of God for you, and out of that will flow rivers of living water.

III ADORNING OURSELVES IN HUMILITY

Fourth and finally, the affirmation. Jesus says something quite peculiar. He says,

Luke 22:28–30 ESV

“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 twelve tribes of Israel.

People Abandoned Christ: Throughout the ministry of Jesus, the crowds would often come and go. Jesus would preach on love and the crowds would swell to thousands of people. He would perform a miracle and the crowds would swell to thousands of people. And then he would preach against the religious establishment and their hypocrisy, and many of those crowds would leave saying “His teaching is too difficult.” He would preach on the necesssity of repentance for the forgiveness of sins, and many of the crowds would leave. He would preach that Jesus alone is the “the way, the truth, and the life” and all other paths to spirituality are false and must be repented of, and the crowds would dwindle away because he was so exclusive.

The Disciples Stayed: But here in verse 28 Christ encourage and affirms his disciples. “But you… You are have stayed with me in my trials.” What is Christ doing here. He is showing how these 11 disciples have demonstrated “greatness” in their own way by being children and servants. Remember, they have gotten this wrong far more often than they have gotten it right. And that’s why this little verse is so precious to us, who like the disciples get this wrong. Who stays with a person when it gets really difficult. Children stay with their parents when it gets really difficult. Servants stay with their masters when its gets really difficult. Jesus is saying, despite your flaws and mistakes, you have demonstrated Kingdom Greatness, and it hasn’t gone unnotice.

Stay By Christ: Church, your commissioning from Jesus is to stay right by his side. Some days you may be praised for your faith in Christ, and on those days you humbly give all glory back to God. Some days you may be mocked, persecuted, misunderstood, called all kinds of names, not given a fair chance to defend yourself, go back home and cling to Christ who walks by your side. And that holding onto Christ, even with weak or diminished strength, is in fact the evidence that you are His. And it is that abiding in Christ, which will expunge the flickering flames of pride that lurk in our heart.

Adorned with Humility: We saw the steps that lead down that wide road into the valley of pride, where death lurks. But what of the narrow path that Christ leads us on. Are there steps that we can see. Yes, there are.

Humility is constantly on watch against sin in one's own life. Humility is deeply aware of our own flawed nature, and is regularly self-examining so as to pursue godliness.

Humility cherishes God's will above their own. Even when that leads them down corridors they would not choose. God be praised!

Humility delights in submitting to superiors in obedience. To have others with a real authority over you, a beautiful sign of humility.

Humility holds fast to Christ when things are hard for the sake of obedience. Yes, humility delights in obedience to God, trusting in Christ way.

Humility is very quick to confess. Because the humble heart knows its own condition is worse that anyone else's, it has no problem confessing openly its depravity.

Those first five, are the first steps up this mountain. Those are the foothills that Christ wants to lead us on. Let me now provide you with three more. Two further steps.

Humility truly believes that we are unworthy of any of God’s gifts or blessings in this life, due to our own sin, and that by our own strength we are useless for any good work. Friends, I have walked long enough with Christ that I can tell you this signpost along the path of humility is reached by very few.

Humility truly believes that we are less than others. Like Paul, humility says “I am the chief of sinners” and means it. Humility in this sense, when it sees the vices and brokenness in others, is deeply aware that what they are seeing is only a shadow of the much deeper heart issues on that same category that live in our own heart. The old timers used to say that this aspect of humility was ever reached by very few.

Closing

This is the way of Christ, and what a beautiful way it is. Pride flickers in our hearts, and if left unabated will be our demise. But when Christ takes a hold of a heart, he forms a humility in a soul that is unique, that is powerful, that is Christ-like.