Luke 22:14-34

14 When the time came, Jesus and the apostles sat down together at the table.[a] 15 Jesus said, "I have been very eager to eat this Passover meal with you before my suffering begins. 16 For I tell you now that I won‘t eat this meal again until its meaning is fulfilled in the Kingdom of God." 17 Then he took a cup of wine and gave thanks to God for it. Then he said, "Take this and share it among yourselves. 18 For I will not drink wine again until the Kingdom of God has come." 19 He took some bread and gave thanks to God for it. Then he broke it in pieces and gave it to the disciples, saying, "This is my body, which is given for you. Do this to remember me." 20 After supper he took another cup of wine and said, "This cup is the new covenant between God and his people—an agreement confirmed with my blood, which is poured out as a sacrifice for you.[b] 21 "But here at this table, sitting among us as a friend, is the man who will betray me. 22 For it has been determined that the Son of Man© must die. But what sorrow awaits the one who betrays him." 23 The disciples began to ask each other which of them would ever do such a thing. 24 Then they began to argue among themselves about who would be the greatest among them. 25 Jesus told them, "In this world the kings and great men lord it over their people, yet they are called ‘friends of the people.’ 26 But among you it will be different. Those who are the greatest among you should take the lowest rank, and the leader should be like a servant. 27Who is more important, the one who sits at the table or the one who serves? The one who sits at the table, of course. But not here! For I am among you as one who serves. 28 "You have stayed with me in my time of trial. 29 And just as my Father has granted me a Kingdom, I now grant you the right 30 to eat and drink at my table in my Kingdom. And you will sit on thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel. Jesus Predicts Peter‘s Denial 31 "Simon, Simon, Satan has asked to sift each of you like wheat. 32 But I have pleaded in prayer for you, Simon, that your faith should not fail. So when you have repented and turned to me again, strengthen your brothers." 33 Peter said, "Lord, I am ready to go to prison with you, and even to die with you." 34 But Jesus said, "Peter, let me tell you something. Before the rooster crows tomorrow morning, you will deny three times that you even know me."

Devotion (by Jana Goebel):
As always, when it comes to the Bible and especially to the words of Jesus, there is something to learn in every verse. But today for me it is verses 24-27 that stand out the most. Lately, I have been asking myself what it means to follow Jesus. What will I look like if I do everything I can to be like Jesus? For me a big part of the answer is in these three little verses. Jesus says we are to put others before ourselves- to make ourselves lower than them. He has given us an example in the way that he served others. Think about it. If God himself was humble enough to serve others, how can I think that I somehow shouldn‘t serve? That‘s my challenge. To constantly remind myself that I need to serve all those around me if I want to look like Jesus. Serving could be as simple as letting a car in front of me in a traffic jam, holding the door for someone at the grocery store, or cleaning out my husband‘s car for him.

PRAYER:
Father, thank you for always giving me the perfect example of how I can be more like Jesus. Lord, help me this week to see ways that I can put others first and serve them. In Jesus’ name, Amen.