November 11, 2021
Please use the comment section on this page to share insights from today’s reading OR your own personal Bible reading.
Reading along with us in Luke? Here’s today’s reading:
Luke 17 (NIV)
Sin, Faith, Duty
1 Jesus said to his disciples: “Things that cause people to stumble are bound to come, but woe to anyone through whom they come.2 It would be better for them to be thrown into the sea with a millstone tied around their neck than to cause one of these little ones to stumble.3 So watch yourselves.
“If your brother or sister sins against you, rebuke them; and if they repent, forgive them. 4 Even if they sin against you seven times in a day and seven times come back to you saying ‘I repent,’ you must forgive them.”.......Continue Reading
Jesus starts this chapter with some basics that we all get stuck on forgiveness and faith. This world is not easy to forgive because we are such a self centered people. I know too many people who don’t speak to someone anymore over an offense that they likely can’t even remember. For the same reason the world struggles with faith…they need to see things for themselves and struggle with the idea of trusting someone else let alone God who you can’t see and make justifications for why He may not exist!
I do love that Jesus is always hinting His plans to the disciples in His teachings. Talking about the death He must go through and seemingly discussing the rapture at the end of the chapter. He is giving us pieces and asking us to dig deeper, to know our God and His kingdom and to be ready to drop this earthly life for an eternity with Him! Some days I wish the rapture would grab me up…I’m ready :)) but there is still more work to do first!
Luke 17: there are several passages in this chapter that confuse me. I’m waiting to hear your comments, Pastor.
Every time I read the beginning of this chapter it reminds me of my brother who was abused for years by a catholic priest. And to tell the short version. He never could get passed that and drank until he passed. Many others in the town I grew up in were terribly effected by that priest. And suffered tremendously. Verse 7. Can’t pat yourself in the back for being obedient to God. It’s expected.!! Draw 11-17. Great truth. 10 healed. 1 thank you. Must be careful as a church to thank God for his many miracles He has done for us. Always thanking Him daily. Having a great full heart draws us closer to God. Love waking first thing in the morning. Thanking our Lord for all his blessings. End of times. Matthew 24. Says when this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in the whole world as a testimony to all nations and then the end will come. That has definitely happened. Get your rapture sneakers out!!
Luke 17 – Jesus is talking about forgiveness if someone repents we must forgive them, we also need to be careful that we don’t cause people to stumble and if someone is new to Christ we need to be there and follow through. I love the example of the mustard seed, as small as it is if you have genuine faith just even a little it’s enough and it will grow.
He talks about his return as in the days of Noah and Lot people will be eating and drinking, when he comes back don’t be foolish like Lots wife who wanted to go back for possessions Jesus says “whoever tries to keep their life will lose it”.we aren’t living for ourselves if we are living for Christ.
It is one thing to fall into sin, it is a worse thing to be the vehicle that provides the means for people to sin or be the one who perpetuates sin towards someone else. Little ones speaks of those vulnerable to the influence of others because of spiritual age or physical age. But people will wrong us so we need to be prepared to both confront them on it as well as forgive them. Their repentance certainly helps us to forgive, but in other passages it is not given as a prerequisite for forgiveness. As I say, forgiveness is free, but trust is earned. Now that’s not to say they or us shouldn’t repent and like I said, if they do, it is easier to forgive. And our forgiveness should give many opportunities for them to get it right and should be extended even if they don’t. But it doesn’t mean we trust them either.
And it is important to understand that what is important about faith is what it is placed in, not the amount we have. So when the disciples say increase our faith, small faith directed in a great God makes things happen. Big faith in the wrong thing doesn’t make things happen! And there is an aspect to our service to God that is not about getting rewarded or getting a pat on the back. It is really about doing what is expected. The Pharisees and our current culture were/is all about recognition and being validated in the service we do, and that is not always wrong. But when we think of God’s glory and greatness, we recognize that He is the only One worthy of praise and when we serve, we are just doing what we are supposed to do and are unworthy of anything. But God makes us worthy to the praise of Hs name! Humble yourself in the sight of the Lord and let Him decide how much and in what ways He lifts us up! Better for us to think of ourselves as unworthy servants and let God decide whether or how we are validated and blessed.
And how much this is reflected in not being thankful when we do receive provision and blessing from God! But how easy it is to be plagued by something, receive the resolution of it, and go on our way and forget to thank the One through whom it has come! And what a slap in the face to the Jews when the one that thanks Jesus is a Samaritan.
And then there is the coming of the kingdom of God! First there is an aspect that the kingdom of God is within us. We enter God’s family and kingdom by faith. But then there will be a time when the kingdom of God is expressed physically in Jesus’ return. But there will be no mistaking when He comes. In the same way everyone notices when there is lightening, it is broadcast across the sky. That is how evident Jesus’ coming will be. But it will happen when life on earth appears normal. It will come as a surprise. And when it does, don’t worry about possession or your life. Be looking for Jesus and He will take you home!
Now having said this, the reference to the vultures means there are indications when the coming of the Son of Man will be. You see vultures swarming, you know there is a dead body. You see certain events happening, and you know the coming of the Son of man is near.
Thanks Pastor, for the explanation of verse 17!
Luke 17-18
“So likewise ye, when ye shall have done all those things which are commanded you, say, We are unprofitable servants: we have done that which was our duty to do.”
God used this verse (and the context) specifically for me when I was going through a rough time, forgiving someone. I had invested in a woman who was part of our church (not LHCC) and helped her through what I thought was a difficult time in her life. As things progressed, we (the church as a whole) realized that she was either mentally ill, or a con-woman or perhaps both. Steve and I had given her some $ to help secure a lawyer for a lawyer for her children (supposedly). At the conclusion of everything, I was trying to get our $ back, but through many circumstances and scriptures (that just “coincidentally” came up in my reading”) God showed me that we were being obedient to His direction in our care for her. I reached 2 conclusions – one that I needed to forgive her…even the debt….and that I shouldn’t expect a pat on the back for all that we did for her, I was just an unprofitable servant. It was actually releasing to just let it go knowing that we were just doing what was expected of any Christian in that situation.