Proper 22
October 2, 2016
Luke 17:1-10
What your faith can do for you
The apostles ask Jesus to increase their faith. The
Savior responds. Reminding us. Even a
little faith is a lot. This might catch some off guard. Like the disciples,
many are eager for a larger portion of faith – the faith to guide people aright.
Faith to forgive. Faith to serve just for the privilege. As we face the tough
issues of life, we cry out for more faith. No one can honestly say, ‘I have all
the faith in the world.” If we really have faith. Do we need more? Jesus
corrects the disciple’s desire for more faith. He says the quantity or degree
of faith does not matter. It is sufficient just to have faith. The parable of
the mustard seed emphasizes that the smallest amount of faith can do wonders.
Faith is a practical thing in a Christian’s daily
life. Does the common man know this? Is faith for him only a creed? Could faith
be something for preachers only? Faith is meaningful in the day-to-day life of
a Christian. Note that this gospel lesson on faith is addressed to the
disciples, men of faith in Christ. Jesus is teaching them about the
implications or responsibilities of that faith.
What faith can do for you.
1. Keep you
from leading others astray – Vv. 1-2 Jesus said to his disciples: “Things that cause people to sin are bound to
come, but woe to that person through whom they come. It would be better for him
to be thrown into the sea with a millstone tied around his neck than for him to
cause one of these little ones to sin.”
We are unworthy servants.
Have we not sometimes caused offense?
A. We have at times lived selfishly. Without
regard for the needs of those around us. Like selfish children. Always looking
out for what is mine.
B. We have lived “immoderately” always
wanting more – But it is always just beyond our reach. And so, we are
impatient. Never satisfied. Never content. Never at peace.
Little
ones. (Those who struggle. Or who are weak in the faith.) May thereby have been
led astray – A serious matter. (See vs. 2) To cause offense is to be an
unworthy servant.
Lord, increase my faith! That I may not cause
offense!
2. Cause you
to forgive – Vv. 3-4 So watch yourselves. “If your brother sins, rebuke him, and if he repents, forgive him. If he
sins against you seven times in a day, and seven times comes back to you and
says, ‘I repent,’ forgive him.”
A. Have we not
sometimes refused to deal lovingly with sinning brothers and sister?
B. Have we failed
to rebuke them personally for a sin we see them committing.
1. Rebuking a
brother is difficult.
2. We can come
off as a busy body
3. In our “live
and let live” world, most people’s reaction is “whatever”.
C. We have failed
to forgive them as often as they repent
1. Forgiving can
be difficult too!
2. After a
rebuke. We might feel as if we have the power and the upper hand.
3. If we refuse
to forgive. We break the bond of peace, which the Savior has given us.
4. There should
be no limit to our forgiveness.
a. If he sins against you 7 times in a
day. And 7 times comes back to you and said “I repent” ~ you must forgive him.
b. There is to
be no limit to our forgiveness.
c. Forgiveness
needs to be complete.
Lord, increase my faith when I’m called upon to
forgive!
3. Perform
wonders – Vv. 5-6 The apostles said to the Lord, “Increase our faith!” He
replied, “If you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this
mulberry tree, ‘Be uprooted and planted in the sea,’ and it will obey you.
Faith makes it possible for us to do our duty.
A. We need only to
exercise the faith we have.
1. What matters is not the amount of
faith. Or ever faith itself. As though we were now obligated to get faith to do
our duty. Rather, faith is instrumental.
2. Faith joins us to Christ. So that
through faith we receive His power. Thus, even a little faith can do great
things.
3. Wherever
there is faith in Christ. Christians will deal lovingly with each other.
B. We should not
expect praise for doing our duty.
1. Jesus alone
gives faith and then increases it.
2. He does not owe us a thing. It is by
His grace alone that we have faith. And are able to do our duty.
Lord, increase my faith when I’m called to render
service to my neighbor!
4. Motivate
you to serve with no desire for reward – Vv. 7-10 “Suppose one of you had a servant plowing or looking after the sheep.
Would he say to the servant when he comes in from the field, ‘Come along now
and sit down to eat’? Would he not rather say, ‘Prepare my supper, get yourself
ready and wait on me while I eat and drink; after that you may eat and drink’?
Would he thank the servant because he did what he was told to do? So you also,
when you have done everything you were told to do, should say, ‘We are unworthy
servants; we have only done our duty.’ ”
We have been called into Christian service.
A. In such service there are certain expectations. The servant is called to perform specific
tasks.
1. To plow. Look
after sheep. Etc. when the Master calls.
2. To render
service – To cook supper. And wait on the Master.
B. The expectation
is service rendered.
1. No need to say thanks. “Would he thank the servant because he did
what he was told to do?” Apply this lesson to school or your first job –
boot camp for life!
a. Show up on
time.
b. Do what
you’re told.
c. Don’t have an
attitude!
2. The final
reward of the child of God is to be ushered into mansions glorious.
a. We enter
glory not due to any merit on our part. All we have is a gift.
b. Rather, we are unworthy servants. We
are only doing our duty as the Master has pressed us into His service.
Lydia’s violin instructor in high school would
often say, “We are all students” –
Rightly applied to our Christian walk – we are all servants. We are to each
humbly walk before God and our neighbor, forgiving and restoring our brother
gently for in the final analysis we are to remind ourselves – we are only
servants – simply doing our duty.
Words – 1,145
Passive Sentences –5%
Reading Ease –82.4
Reading Level – 4.1
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