Following the Servant-King

Luke 22, verses 24 to 38.

Luke 22:24–38

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.

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 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.

This is God's holy and authoritative word.

When someone is on his or her deathbed,

there's a solemnity to those last moments,

those final moments.

And likely that person is going to be very selective with the words that he or she says,

very intentional about the people that he spends time with.

And we see a similar thing going on here in our passage,

because Jesus is preparing for his death.

He's impending death on the cross.

He's gathered his 12 apostles to have a final Passover meal with them.

And these are his parting remarks.

His final instruction on what it means to be a Christian,

what it means to be a follower of Christ,

a disciple of Christ.

And so we ought to all the more pay attention to what he tells us here.

And the main point of this passage is this,

that Christ's service, intercession, and suffering

enable and exemplify Christian discipleship.

And first we're going to look at Christ's service,

and then Christ's intercession, and Christ's suffering.

Let's look first at Christ's service in verses 24 to 30.

In last week's passage, if you remember,

Jesus told his disciples that the hand of him who betrays him,

betrays me, he said, is with me on the table.

That's a shocking thing to say,

because to have table fellowship with someone,

to eat this intimate meal with someone,

is a gesture of trust.

It's really you're saying that these are people,

my trusted companions, my friends.

And yet out of that intimate circle,

there is a hand that is going to betray Jesus.

And so it's no surprise that it says in verse 23 of chapter 22,

the disciples began to question one another,

which of them it would be that is going to do this.

It's not me.

Maybe it's you.

You've been really quiet today.

And it's not hard to imagine how that conversation

then erupts into this in verse 24.

A dispute also arose among them

as to which of them was to be regarded as the greatest.

I can imagine the scene.

It's who among us will betray Jesus?

Well, certainly not me.

I'm the most loyal and important disciple of the 12.

That's why Jesus always sends me out on his special missions.

You're the most important?

Certainly not.

I'm the best preacher.

I'm the best organizer.

Did you open the eyes of the blind?

Well, I did.

And then you could see Peter and John

maybe rearing their heads and,

well, I think we have you all beat.

Were you there at the transfiguration

when Jesus was transformed before our very eyes

into his glorious heavenly self?

So apparently this was one of the favorite subjects

to discuss among the disciples

in the same way New Englanders always like to discuss

who's the greatest quarterback, right?

They're arguing who's the greatest disciple

because they argued about this earlier

in Luke chapter 9, verses 46 to 48 as well.

Luke 9:46–48

And Luke chooses a very colorful word

to describe this argument.

He says that a dispute arose among them.

The word dispute in the Greek,

the original Greek word,

it's a compound word that literally means

love of victory, love of glory.

They are seeking to triumph over each other,

to outshine each other.

They want to one up all the other disciples.

They want to be the greatest.

But Jesus shows them another way in verses 25 to 26.

And he said to them,

the kings of the Gentiles exercise lordship over them,

and those in authority over them

are called the benefactors.

Jesus uses many words here to describe

those who were prominent and powerful

among the Gentiles.

Kings who exercise lordship,

those in authority,

and benefactors.

That's probably the most confusing term used here

because benefactor sounds very generous

and benevolent, right?

In English, it's a positive term

in the way we use it.

But in its original usage here in the Bible,

it can refer not just to good people,

but also to tyrants.

It's a term that designates class,

people who claim to be the patrons of society,

the celebrities,

those who have power and position

that can bestow favor upon people.

And they believe,

they style themselves as benefactors,

saying that you all,

you commoners,

have your livelihood because of us.

They were the benefactors.

And Gentile rulers set themselves

over their subjects,

lording it over them

and styling themselves to be such patrons.

But Jesus tells his disciples in verse 26,

but not so with you.

In the sentence,

in the Greek,

again,

the pronoun you

is fronted for emphasis.

So it's literally,

but you,

not so.

But you are not to be so.

All the rulers in the world

might behave that way,

but you,

my disciples,

are not to do that.

Rather,

Jesus says,

let the greatest among you

become as the youngest

and the leader as one who serves.

Notice Jesus doesn't say that

there ought to be no leaders.

He assumes that there are leaders.

The Bible consistently affirms

healthy leadership as a good thing.

For example,

Hebrews 13,

Hebrews 13:7

verse 7 says,

Obey your leaders

and submit to them,

for they are keeping watch

over your souls

as those who will have

to give an account.

Let them do this with joy

and not with groaning,

for that would be

of no advantage to you.

So Jesus is not

discounting leadership.

Rather,

he is here defining it,

what it should look like.

In the ancient world,

the younger people

got the most menial tasks

and they had to serve

the older people.

And that's actually

not just in the ancient world.

Things haven't changed

too much, right?

That's the case

even in our

supposedly egalitarian society.

Right?

Rookies on sports teams

have to grab the bagels

and the newspapers

for their teammates.

They have to perform

other embarrassing acts

like wearing, you know,

children's backpacks,

Barbie doll backpacks

to their games.

Right?

This is what I read.

Junior,

junior,

junior office members,

junior office members

that are new to the office,

they are tasked

with taking meeting notes,

right?

And getting the coffee,

fetching the food.

The more senior members

will not deign to do.

Freshmen in high school,

right?

Freshmen in college

are often dismissively treated,

turn into memes,

and excluded

from certain social scenes,

right?

And privileges.

But Jesus instructs

his disciples

not to exploit

the seniority

and authority

to their selfish advantage.

The most senior person

should serve even

like the most junior person.

That means Christian leaders

in the workplace

should never talk down

to their subordinates.

They should never belittle

other people's gifts

and their contribution.

God calls Christian men

to be leaders

in their homes.

But a Christian husband

who does not deign

to wash dishes

or do laundry

because he sees them

as beneath his dignity

is not practicing

Christian leadership.

That's worldly leadership.

a Christian husband

who speaks condescendingly

to his wife

that doesn't listen

to his wife

but makes self-serving decisions

is not practicing

Christian leadership.

That's worldly leadership.

A Christian father

who does not deign

to play with his children

to indulge them

that refuses to change diapers

because that's beneath his dignity

is not practicing

Christian leadership.

A Christian pastor

who avoids meeting

with counseling

the most difficult members

who only meets with members

who tithe the most

who serve the most

is not practicing

Christian leadership.

That's worldly leadership.

The leaders among God's people

should not be pulling rank

on other church members.

They should never use their authority

to bully people into submission.

They should never resort

to shaming

or blame shifting

to maintain control

and to protect themselves.

This is why

when we appoint our leaders

we try to make a point

that when we appoint our deacons

we give them as gifts

towels

literal towels

with our church logo

emblazoned on it

to remind them

that they are not receiving

a title

that comes with a set

of entitlements

but that they are receiving

a towel of service

in the same way

Jesus took the towel

to wash the feet

of his disciples.

That's what it means

to be a deacon.

This is why

when we ordain elders

we give them a Bible

and not a robe

or a gavel

to remind them

that they are not

the law.

God's word

is the law

and they have authority

in the church

only insofar

as they submit

to God's word

and apply what

God's word teaches.

They're servants

ministers of God's word.

Let the greatest

among you

become as the youngest

and the leader

as one who serves.

Jesus is not

nullifying authority

but he is

qualifying authority.

Christian leadership

is therefore

to be characterized

by Christ-like humility

and service

and not by a fragile

approval craving

and power grabbing

ego.

That's why

1 Peter 5

specifically exhorts

elders of the church

to exercise oversight

without domineering.

And why

should Christian leadership

look like this?

Jesus gives us

the reason

in verse 27

for

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.

Jesus is asking

a rhetorical question

that has an obvious

answer.

When you go

to a restaurant

what does the

power dynamic

look like

at the restaurant?

There's a model,

right?

A truism

among service

providers.

The customer

is always right.

It's not true

but that's how

they are taught

to serve.

Customer is king.

It points

to the importance

of catering

to the customer's

expectations

to ensure

their satisfaction.

It makes it obvious

the one who waits

at the table.

The server

does the bidding

of the one

who reclines

at table.

The one who is

eating,

the one who's

reclining at table

is the greater

one.

But,

Jesus says,

but I am

among you

as the one

who serves.

In the same way

that Jesus

emphasized the pronoun

you in verse 26,

but you are not so.

He says here

in verse 27,

I,

but I am

among you

as the one

who serves.

The one

who reclines

is greater

than the one

who serves.

And if anyone

deserves to recline

at table

to be served

by the rest,

that's Jesus.

But he says,

I'm the messianic king.

I'm the son of God.

I'm the savior

of the world.

But I,

but I myself

am among you

as the one

who serves.

That's why

Christian leadership

is characterized

by service.

Because Christ's

service

enables and

exemplifies

Christian discipleship.

Jesus,

think about this,

Jesus is the

holy one,

the sinless

lamb of God,

yet he died

on the cross

in the place

of sinners.

He's the son of God,

yet he

took on

human flesh,

became a son of man

to live,

to represent us.

he is the king,

but he served

with his life

and with his death.

That's true greatness.

That's

Christian leadership.

That means

Christian leaders,

I didn't fully

understand this

when I

volunteered

to become

a Christian leader.

and so many

people,

and I'm still

learning this,

and so many

people don't

understand this

when they seek

positions of

authority

in the church.

Christian leaders

are called

to suffer

at the hands

of those

whom they serve.

They're called

to receive

criticisms,

even unfair

ones,

graciously.

they are called

to heal

the people

who hurt

them.

They're called

to be slandered

by the very

people that

they counsel.

They're called

to give

to people

who give

nothing back.

They are called

to teach people

who will not

listen.

They're called

to endure

beatings

and jail

terms,

not to

protect themselves,

but to protect

the people

that God

entrusted to

them.

They are called

to love

people

who don't

appreciate

them.

They're called

to serve

people that

want to

replace

them.

Why?

Because that's

what Christ

did.

That's how

Christ lived

through

humiliations

and

sufferings.

Knowing well

that this is

not an easy

command to

obey,

Jesus provides

further

motivation in

verses 28

to 30.

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.

So is

there any

reward for

staying with

Jesus in

his trials?

the answer

is yes.

And Jesus'

promised reward

is extravagant.

Jesus bequeaths

the kingdom

that God the

father himself

gave to him

to these

twelve

apostles.

And notice the

contrast between

verses 29 to

30 and

verses 25 to

27.

Now,

in this

present life,

now,

they are not

to behave like

the kings of the

Gentiles who

exercise lordship.

but Christ

promises them

a kingdom

in the

age to

come

where they

will sit

on thrones

judging the

twelve tribes

of Israel.

No,

now you

serve.

Later you

will rule.

Later you

will get to

sit on

thrones to

judge.

Now,

they are not

to be like

those who

recline at

table.

But Christ

promises them

that a day

is coming

when they

will eat

and drink

at his

table

in his

kingdom.

The point

of the

contrast is

obvious.

You

sacrifice,

you serve,

you suffer

now.

You endure

humiliation and

injustice for the

sake of Christ

now.

But when the

kingdom of God

is fulfilled,

you will get

to recline

at the

eternal

heavenly banquet

with Jesus,

your king

himself.

Christ

will vindicate

you and

he will

bestow on

you honor,

praise,

and glory.

Though the

promise is

given specifically

to the

twelve apostles,

minus Judas,

of course,

and though they

do have a

unique role

in standing

among the

people of

God because

they're the

foundation of

the church,

the apostles,

because the

twelve are

leaders and

representatives

of the

whole people

of God,

we the

church will

also share

in Christ's

reign.

Earlier in

Luke 19

Luke 19:11–27

verses 11

to 27 in

the parable

of the

minus,

Jesus speaking

generally,

not just of

the twelve

apostles,

but generally

of all those

who serve

God,

he said he

promised reward

each of them,

he promised to

reward them

with rule

over cities

in the kingdom

of God.

This is

confirmed by

other passages

of scripture

like Ephesians

2.6 that

speak of

believers being

seated with

Christ in

heavenly places.

And 2 Timothy

2 Timothy 2:12

2 verse 12

which promises

that if we

endure,

we will also

reign with

Christ.

God will

have us

share in

his throne

and his reign.

that's so

magnanimous.

God is the

creator and

we are

creatures.

God's the

king and

we are his

servants,

slaves.

God is the

potter.

We are his

pottery.

And yet

after our

lifetime of

haltering

witness and

faltering

faithfulness,

Christ will

take us.

If we

endure to

the end,

stay with

Christ to

the end,

he will

take us

and seat

us on

his throne

to share

in his

reign in

the kingdom

of God.

That should

motivate us

to follow in

the pattern of

service that

Christ set for

us.

Christ's

service.

And not

only Christ's

service, but

Christ's

intercession on

our behalf also

enables and

exemplifies Christian

discipleship.

That's my

second point.

Jesus says in

verse 31,

Simon,

Simon,

behold,

Satan demanded

to have you

that he might

sift you like

wheat,

calling someone's

name twice like

this in this

culture conveys

particular earnestness

and affection.

That's what he

said earlier when

he said,

Martha,

Martha.

That's what he

said when he

said,

Jerusalem,

Jerusalem.

So now he

says,

Simon,

Simon.

And though

Jesus is

addressing Peter

here specifically,

the pronoun

you in

verse 31,

which occurs

twice there in

verse 31,

is in both

instances plural.

So it's

actually you

all referring

to all the

apostles.

Satan has

demanded to

have all of

the apostles.

He has

demanded to

sift all

these apostles

like wheat.

In the same

way, he

demanded to

have Job in

Job chapter

Job 1:6–12

1,

verses 6 to

12,

in order to

afflict him

and to

tempt him to

renounce his

allegiance to

God.

Satan is

trying to

do the

same with

these 12

apostles.

He's asked

of them.

He wants

to sift

them.

But he

has a

particular

design for

Peter because

Peter is the

first among

equals.

He's the

leader among

the 12

apostles.

He's the

spokesperson.

And sifting

is a very

vivid image.

When farmers

harvest wheat,

there's a

lot of

debris that

come with

the wheat,

the kernels.

So in

order to

isolate the

grains, they

use a

sieve, move

it back and

forth to

separate the

wheat from

the debris.

The wheat

falls through

the small

holes to the

ground.

The larger

debris, they

get caught

and get

picked off.

That's what

Satan is

trying to

do.

With Peter

and the

apostles, he

wants to

expose them

as a

fraud, as

debris, to

pick them

off and

discard them.

But this

is what

Satan does,

not just

with the

12 apostles.

This is what

he seeks to

do with

every believer

as well.

1 Peter

1 Peter 5:8

chapter 5

verse 8

warns us

your

adversary,

the devil,

prowls

around like

a roaring

lion,

seeking

someone to

devour.

When we

believed in

Jesus Christ

and confessed

him as our

Lord and

Savior, we

were transferred

from the

dominion of

evil to

the dominion

of light,

the dominion

of Christ,

the kingdom

of God.

And precisely

because we're

no longer

Satan's

slaves,

we are

by definition

his enemies.

We have

targets on

our backs.

It should

come as no

surprise to

us that

there's

spiritual

warfare

around us.

But Satan

is not

the only

actor in

this story.

Look at

what Jesus

says in

verse 32.

But I

have prayed

for you

that your

faith may

not fail.

And when you

have turned

again,

strengthen

your

brothers.

This is a

remarkable

thing that

Jesus says

here.

Think about

it for a

moment.

Satan is

sifting you

with menace.

He seeks

to destroy

you.

He is a

roaring lion

prowling about

seeking to

devour you.

But don't

you worry.

I pray for

you.

if that

sounds ridiculous

to us,

it's because

we have so

little faith

in the

power of

prayer.

Nowadays,

I read a

lot of

people on

social media

say things

like,

sending

good vibes

your way.

You know,

I appreciate

the thought,

I really

do.

But frankly,

you sending

me good vibes

doesn't do

me any

good.

What in

the world

is vibes

anyway,

right?

But I

think

Christians

often think

of prayer

in the

same way.

We think

prayer is

like a

Christian

equivalent

of sending

good vibes

or keeping

our fingers

crossed.

But that

is a

gross

devaluation

of prayer.

When we

ask each

other,

please pray

for me,

when we

tell each

other,

I will

pray for

you,

these are

not mere

pleasantries.

When you

say,

I will

pray for

you,

you're

saying,

you're not

saying,

oh,

let's just

hope for

the best.

You're

saying,

I will

go to

battle

for you.

You're

saying,

I will

go run

this

difficult

errand

for you.

I will

go to

the king

himself

and speak

for you.

That's

what prayer

is.

Think of

it this

way,

when you're

talking to

a customer

service agent,

but he or

she doesn't

seem to

understand the

gravity of the

situation,

or they don't

have enough

authorization to

actually help

you,

what do you

do?

You say,

hey,

can I

please talk

to your

manager?

manager,

you're

escalating

the case.

So you

can talk

to someone

that actually

has a

power to

do something

to help

you.

Similarly,

when we

pray,

we're

saying,

I'm

done

trying to

sort out

my

problems

and my

friends

and my

families,

my

church's

concerns

with mere

mortals.

I'm

escalating

the case,

I'm

going to

take it

to the

throne

of heaven,

to God

himself.

That's

what prayer

is.

What Jesus

says to

Peter only

makes sense

when we

understand

that

properly.

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 Jesus

prays for

us as

well.

Hebrews

7,

23 to

25,

they say

the former

priests

were many

in number

because they

were prevented

by death

from continuing

in office.

But Christ

holds his

priesthood

permanently

because he

continues

forever.

Consequently,

he's able to

save to the

uttermost

those who

draw near

to God

through him

since he

always lives

to make

intercession

for them.

Jesus

lives

forever

at the

right hand

of God

the Father

and he

is

presently

making

intercession

for you.

When you

fear that

your faith

will fail,

when you

fear that

the tempter,

the devil

would prevail

in your life,

remember that

Jesus is

praying for

you.

He has

your back

and he

is interceding

for you

at the

Father's

right hand.

He has

the year

of the

God

Almighty

and his

mighty

intercession

for you

never

fails.

The second

and third

stanza

of the

Charles

Wesley hymn

Arise,

my soul

arise,

describe

Christ's

intercession

on our

behalf

beautifully.

He says,

he ever

lives

above

for me

to intercede,

his all

redeeming

love,

his precious

blood

to plead,

his blood

atoned

for every

race,

his blood

atoned

for every

race,

and sprinkles

now the

throne

of grace.

Five

bleeding

wounds

he bears

received

on Calvary,

they pour

effectual

prayers,

they strongly

plead for

me,

forgive him,

oh forgive,

they cry,

forgive him,

oh forgive,

they cry,

nor let

that

ransomed

sinner

die.

When you

feel burdened,

weighed down

by guilt

and condemnation,

remember that

Christ's

blood

pleads

for you,

he's at

the right

hand of the

father

interceding

for you,

saying he

belongs

to me,

she

is my

child,

they've

been clothed

with my

righteousness,

and I

will preserve

them to

the end,

that's

what Christ

is doing

for you.

And Jesus

has full

confidence

that his

prayer will

be answered,

so he

says to

Peter,

and when

you have

turned

again,

strengthen

your

brothers.

Jesus

knows that

Peter will

go astray,

but he

also knows

that he

will turn

back again,

thanks to

his prayers.

This is so

instructive for

us,

because Jesus

knows that

Peter will

be restored

among the

twelve apostles

as a leader,

and he

gives him

here a

great commission

to strengthen

his fellow

brothers,

but this

teaches us

that he

who is

given this

great commission

to strengthen

his brothers

is not

someone who

is strong,

is not

someone who

is invincible,

it's not

someone who

never falls,

but it's

someone who

falls and

then rises

again.

It's

someone who

goes astray,

but turns

back again.

It's

someone who

sins,

but

repents

again.

So don't

you ever

believe the

lie of the

enemy that

tells you that

God cannot

use you because

of your past,

that God

will not use

you because

of your

sins,

that God

will not

use you

because of

your failures.

1 Corinthians

1, 27-29

says,

God chose

what is

foolish in

the world

to shame

the wise.

God chose

what is

weak in

the world

to shame

the strong.

God chose

what is

low and

despised in

the world,

even things

that are

not,

to bring

to nothing

things that

are,

so that

no human

being might

boast in

the presence

of God.

God's

standard

mode of

operation.

He does

this to

humble the

pride of

man and

glorify his

own name,

so that if

you're living

in sin

today,

renounce it

before God.

Turn again

and then

strengthen your

brothers,

strengthen your

sisters.

Don't remain

self-focused,

just inwardly

turn onto

yourself,

orient yourself

instead toward

others,

move on

from your

sins,

renounce

them,

turn to

Christ,

and strengthen

your church

family.

But Peter

didn't quite

understand that

this is how

God likes to

do things,

at least not

yet.

So with all

the bravado

that he can

muster up,

he says in

verse 33,

Lord,

I am ready

to go with

you both to

prison and

to death.

But Jesus

kind of brings

him back down

to earth,

verse 34,

I tell you,

Peter,

the rooster

will not

crow this

day until

you deny

three times

that you

know me.

A rooster's

crow in the

night anticipates

the sunrise.

So Jesus

is saying

here that

before the

night is

over,

you will

deny three

times that

you even

know me.

Peter will

be in

prison for

Christ later

in Acts

5.

Peter will

be martyred

for Christ.

hung upside

down on a

cross.

But not

before he

fails miserably

and denies

Jesus three

times.

Not before he

is humbled

and taught to

depend on

God.

Pride goes

before

destruction.

Peter thought

he could stand

with Jesus in

his own strength,

but Jesus

tells him

that he

can't.

Not once

or twice,

but three

times he

refused to

admit that

he even

knows Jesus,

let alone

admit that

he is one

of Jesus'

twelve

apostles.

This is a

sobering

warning for

all of us.

Therefore

let anyone

who thinks

that he

stands

take heed

lest he

fall.

It says

in 1

Corinthians

10-12.

Don't ever

get secure

in your own

abilities,

in your

own willpower,

your

resolutions.

Instead

lean on

God's

strength,

his

sustaining

power.

Lean on

Christ's

intercession

on your

behalf.

Don't ever

think that

you are

immune to

certain

sins.

Oh, I

don't deal

with those

issues,

so I can

do these

things while

they can't.

We're all

capable of

failing.

I hope

you

understand

this,

because this

is going

to preserve

you for

the rest

of your

life.

If you're

looking for

a strong

pastor,

this is not

the right

church for

you.

I have

no confidence

in myself

that I can

persevere to

the end.

there's no

guarantee

that I

will never

stumble and

sin and

bring

disrepute to

Christ and

his church.

I fear

that sometimes.

I don't

know sometimes

how many

years I'll

have left

in pastoral

ministry.

I want to

make it to

the end,

but I

don't know

if I

will.

what gives

me hope

is Christ

is preserving

me.

He's

with me.

He walks

with me.

He

strengthens

me when

my hands

are weak.

You're

going to

hit times

in your

life when

you're

going to

feel the

same.

How can

I make

it as

a Christian?

How can

I keep

going?

How can

I keep

fighting

these sins?

How can

I keep

giving?

How can

I keep

loving?

Christ

will

preserve

you.

He will

hold you

fast.

And the

fact that

it's not

our own

strength of

resolve,

but Christ's

intercession

on our

behalf that

decisively

preserves

us,

should encourage

us freely

to confess

our sins

to each

other,

to admit

our weaknesses

and shortcomings

to each

other.

As

Christians,

we never

need to

hide our

weaknesses

and shortcomings

in order to

look stronger

and better

than we

actually are.

We don't

need to

do that.

The people

in the

world have

to do

that.

We don't

because we

have been

accepted by

Christ as

weak and

sinful

people.

His grace

is sufficient

for us and

His power

is made

perfect in

our weakness.

It's when

we're weak

that we

experience God's

power.

It's when

we're

humble that

we receive

God's