Many Are Called but Few Are Chosen Part 5: The GOAT

Many are Called but few are Chosen Series

Part 5: "The Goat" - Luke 22:14-27
Pastor Ray-ann Dela Fuente
July 27, 2025

Opening Verse:
“Obviously, I’m not trying to win the approval of people, but of God. If pleasing people were my goal, I would not be Christ’s servant.” Galatians 1:10 NLT

Introduction:
Welcome to an amazing Sunday here at River of Faith! We are concluding our series today I entitled "Many are Called but Few are Chosen". In this series we learned about the effectual calling of God to all humanity to repent and accept Jesus as Lord and Savior. We also learned about our individual calling, and the spiritual gifts God gave us to use it for His kingdom! Luke records the final hours Jesus spent with His disciples. He ate supper with them for the final time and told them of the suffering that He was about to go through.

Jesus revealed his betrayer during supper and His disciples responded with selfish arguments. God seeks servants who truly posses a genuine heart for Him and love for people. Someone's motives will tell you everything about their character. To serve God is to serve Him with the right intentions.

(Basic functions in the church) - Romans 12:6-8
▪ Prophecy
▪ Service
▪ Teaching
▪ Exhortation
▪ Liberality
▪ Giving aid
▪ Acts of mercy

(Basic functions in the church) - 1 Peter 4:11
▪ Speaking
▪ Service

(Offices in the church) - Ephesians 4:11
▪ Apostles
▪ Prophets
▪ Evangelist
▪ Pastor and Teacher

(Special abilities in the church) - 1 Corinthians 12:6-8
▪ Wisdom
▪ Knowledge
▪ Faith
▪ Healing
▪ Working of miracles
▪ Prophecy
▪ Ability to distinguish spirits
▪ Various tongues
▪ Interpretation of tongues


Main Pointers:
“When the time came, Jesus and the apostles sat down together at the table. Jesus said, “I have been very eager to eat this Passover meal with you before my suffering begins. For I tell you now that I won’t eat this meal again until its meaning is fulfilled in the Kingdom of God.” Then he took a cup of wineand gave thanks to God for it. Then he said, “Take this and share it among yourselves. For I will not drink wine again until the Kingdom of God has
come.” 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 in remembrance of me.” 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. “But here at this table, sitting among us as a friend, is the man who will betray me. For it has been determined that the Son of Man must die. But what sorrow awaits the one who betrays him.” The disciples began to ask each other which of them would ever do such a thing. Then they began to argue among themselves about who would be the greatest among them.” Luke 22:14-24 NLT

1. A person's motives says a lot about their character.

A. This was Jesus' last dinner with them. Jesus spoke for the last time about the "suffering" that he was about to go through. He also revealed who would betray Him.
B. Instead, of being attentive to the words of Jesus, nobody heard "I must suffer." All they can think about is "that is definitely not me" which turns into "who do you think is the greatest among us?"
C. “You want what you don’t have, so you scheme and kill to get it. You are jealous of what others have, but you can’t get it, so you fight and wage war to take it away from them. Yet you don’t have what you want because you don’t ask God for it. And even when you ask, you don’t get it because your motives are all wrong—you want only what will give you pleasure.” James 4:2-3 NLT

2. The greatest in the kingdom are the ones humble enough to serve others.

“Jesus told them, “In this world the kings and great men Lord it over their people, yet they are called ‘friends of the people.’ 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.” Luke 22:25-26 NLT

A. Serving Christ is the complete opposite of how the world works. In the world, we are taught to rely on ourselves, our talents, to reach the top and be better than everyone else.
B. In Christ, we must decrease, serve in humility, seek the lowest rank, and serve like Jesus did.
C. “Watch out! Don’t do your good deeds publicly, to be admired by others, for you will lose the reward from your Father in heaven. When you give to someone in need, don’t do as the hypocrites do— blowing trumpets in the synagogues and streets to call attention to their acts of charity! I tell you the truth, they have received all the reward they will ever get. But when you give to someone in need, don’t let your left hand know what your right hand is doing. Give your gifts in private, and your Father, who sees everything, will reward you.” Matthew 6:1-4 NLT

3. No one can be great without following the example of Christ.

“Who 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.”
Luke 22:27 NLT

A. The one sitting on the dining table is the most important. Jesus is not about being "important" Jesus is about being the one who is serving!
B. “Don’t be selfish; don’t try to impress others. Be humble, thinking of others as better than yourselves. Don’t look out only for your own interests, but take an interest in others, too. You must have the same attitude that Christ Jesus had."
Philippians 2:3-5 NLT

Conclusion:
Everyone wants to be the greatest. Everyone wants all the attention they can get. That's all
their reward here on earth. There is another reward that we should be seeking. It's not the kind that gets old or fades away. It's the reward that only your Father in Heaven gives. It's the only reward that matters. There is only one way of getting it. Serve like Jesus did!