Luke 17:1-10 - Instructions for Disciples

Welton or continuing on in our sermon series in the Book of Luke I'd like to read for you a quote from one of the commentaries that I have found helpful over the last couple years as we've been in Luke at the commentary written by Joel Greene and he writes this he says Luke designates. The immediate recipients of Jesus's teaching as his disciples will see that in a moment. This stands in contrast to the audience of 16 verses 14 through 31, which was the Pharisees the effect of such a contrast is mitigated by the fact that in this section of the third gospel. Jesus seems to have made a practice of speaking to one audience in the presence of another and I'll just stop for a minute there. We seen that haven't week Jesus's teaching one group either disciples are the crowds were the Pharisees, but he doesn't in the context of others hearing. I think it's so important to understanding I can understand what's going on in the gospel. Let me continue with the quote Joel Greene writes each overhears instructions to the other so that Jesus is fundamental message comes as a point to his disciples a Counterpoint to the Pharisees on the one hand. This underscores a major thrust of Jesus's instruction avoid behaviors characteristic of the Pharisees. This message had come specifically to the four in the earlier warning of chapter 12 verse 1 Beware of the yeast of the Pharisees. I would Mark Jesus now Echoes on the other the the disciples and Pharisees received these parallel messages from Jesus shows that these two groups of recipients of Jesus's directors are not so far apart. At least not yet. Jesus remains open to the possibility that Pharisees will hear the word and respond in obedience. Bad is aware equally that the disciples if they are to be his disciples remain in need of formation and I last phrase in need of formation. I think speaks to what this passage is about. This passage is about spiritual formation and perhaps it does have an emphasis on not being like the Pharisees. And so the main idea as we go next to God's word the main idea believe this passage could be stated like this since the Disciples of Jesus are called to grow in godliness are called to be conformed to the image of Christ. Jesus instruct. His disciples to be careful with God's people to confront sin and forgive the repentant to have faith in God and to be dutiful and service to God. Let's take a look at this passage will be looking at Luke chapter 17 verses 1 through 10. And he said to his disciples Temptations to sin are sure to come but woe to the one through through whom they come it would be better for him. If a millstone were hung around his neck and you were cast into the sea than that. She should cause one of these little ones to sim pay attention to yourselves if your brother sins rebuke him and if he repents forgive him and if he sends against you seven times in the day and turns to you seven times saying I Repent you must forgive him the Apostle said to the Lord increase our faith and the Lord said if you had Faith Like a grain of mustard seed you can say to this mulberry tree be uprooted and planted in the sea, and it would obey you Will any one of you who has a servant plowing or keeping sheep say to him when he is coming from the field come at once and recline at table. Will you not rather say to him a prepare supper for me and dress properly and serve me while I eat and drink and afterward you will eat and drink does he think the servant because he did what was commanded. So you also when you have done all that you were commanded say we are unworthy servants. We have only done. What was our duty This is the word of the Lord. Where to consider this passage in four separate sections. Are we going to start with the idea of being careful? This is verse 1 to the first part of verse 3 again. Let me read it for you and he said to his disciples Temptations to sin are sure to come but woe to the one through whom they come it would be better for him. If a millstone were hung around his neck and he were cast into the sea the night. He should cause one of these little ones to send pay attention to yourselves. Jesus instructs. His disciples here to be careful with God's people of this word translated Temptation in the ESV is an interesting word the NTSB New American Standard Bible uses the phrase stumbling block in the Christian Standard Bible translate them offenses. So this this word under consideration is a word that literally means or defines a trigger. For a trap trigger for a trap something that when engaged with causes death or great harm. So Jesus is saying do not be the trigger that brings the Trap of sin in someone else's life. Another one of the helpful commentators is Darrell bock and it is exegetical commentary of the New Testament. He notes that Temptation the Temptation and question to send what is a sin that would particularly result in apostasy or lost or false faith and sobok translates the word enticements and the indication in the taxes that this would be an enticement to do something. So serious that a suitable punishment would be death until Jesus is saying be careful take heed. You know the millstone we don't have any contacts for that. Most of us wouldn't the millstone is a large heavy Stone used to crush grain into flour. That would be a large Stone often with a hole cut through the middle of it in the suggestion here. Is that that that Millstone would be put on you almost like this big collar for big chain around your neck. And you would be casting to see with that on your neck. Now. The little ones could refer to several different groups. I think children is the least likely in this context the what could be children. I think the little ones most likely refer to disciples who are young and their faith or perhaps it could be those who appear little in the eyes of society the ones Jesus spoke about in Luke 14 the poor the crippled the lame and the blind not a causing of sin in regards to these little ones is sure to happen. We're all Sinners we all sin but Jesus says wall that is cursed. Are those from whom these enticements to send arise these little ones are in need of protection even as a parent would protect a child, you know, my wife and daughter was driving with them last week. My youngest Arwen and my wife asked me an interesting question. She said what would you do? If you were walking on a sidewalk and a Canada Goose started to fly at you and attack you and of course this wasn't a rhetorical question. This is something that her Darwin had experience. They've been jogging together and on the path of their course, they came up to a Canada Goose. I'm sure many of you had this experience the goose attack them that goose surely is protecting an area thinking about young goslings that are soon to be born. And if you get near a nest of a Canada Goose those parents of those Gosling's are going to protect them and they're going to behave in such a way in order to care for those young ones. That's what Jesus is talking about here. We have to as disciples care for the As disciples were warned do not be like the Pharisees and lead people astray or leave them down a path by which they might stumble take heed that you don't do this and so in light of this world to pay attention to ourselves or as other versions translated watch yourselves take heed to yourselves be on your guard. We are called to be careful particularly in light of the little ones. Sol disciples according to this instruction of Jesus are the exercise a watchful and affectionate care for one another particularly the young ones in particular in regards to avoiding the pitfalls of sin. Now we could we could follow this track in terms of application. We could follow a track that would say we are in fact not careful particularly in regards to our actions and words that entice other people in the Senate. I think that's legitimate, but I want to go on a different track this morning in regards to the application of this point of a being careful. I want to talk about us as the church who gathers here at West one Alliance on Wonderland Road that we haven't gathered for a while and may not for a while. That we are called To Be watchful and affectionate and to care for the little ones of our congregation and I want to speak to a specific group. I want to talk to those of you who are out there. Who are single? Or perhaps you're a married couple, but you don't have any children. I want to speak to you because you have a great opportunity and I would suggest a great responsibility to be spiritual parents in our church. If you're single if your married without children, I believe you have an opportunity and a responsibility to be spiritual parents in our church particularly for the little ones. In our church contacts, the little ones would be those who are young and their face? And I think it would include the Youth of our church. The people who are young and their faith in our young people age-wise need spiritual mothers and fathers.

And I think about it. It's been single people and it's been childless couples who have had the greatest impact on the discipling of my own children going to think about that for a minute as I look at my children and the discipling that they've had here at the church apart from Nicole and I discipling them as their parents. It has been single men and women and couples who are childless who have had the greatest influence in discipling though. And I think that's wonderful. I'm going to name a couple names now. They just smell of course Nikki Rowan Angela Hamilton John magwood Andrew gaunt Lily LaPierre and I could name more but at the time particularly when they had a huge impact on my children's lives, they were single or they were couples without children. If you are a single and seniors, I'm thinking about you, too. Perhaps you're a widow or widower. I want to exhort you and encourage you. To be a parent like spiritual caregiver for the little ones in our church. You are a unique opportunity to impact them and to care for them in a special way. We need your help in that Westland Alliance Church needs singles and you couples who don't have children of your own. Weather that you've never been able to or perhaps that you're empty nesters and you don't have any that you're caring for now. We need you and we appreciate your help Nicole and I are indebted to those names I named and and many others and so that I encourage you if you're single if you're a couple whose child list. Endeavor to be spiritual parents to the little ones of our church. We need to understand West London that we are responsible for the ways in which we influence each other. moving on from there Let's look at forgiveness.

We see the sin verse 3 the second half of it and verse for if your brother sins rebuke him and if he repents forgive him and if he sins against you seven times in the day and turns to you sometimes saying I Repent you must forgive him. Jesus instructs his disciples that they must confront sin and forgive the repentant of these instructions convey the idea of at least two underlying relational commitments among the Disciples of Jesus Christ in these must be underlying commitments among Disciples of Jesus Christ at Westland Alliance Church. If we are to be a faithful Church, the first underlined commitment is that we have a shared commitment to pursue righteousness a disciple of Christ is committed to that committed to grow in godliness committed to be conformed to the image of Christ. We share that commitment if Westland Alliance Church is your church your home Church. My hopes is that you share not commitment with us, but there's a second shared commitment and that is that we pursue righteousness together. We're not a church that does this individually, we all have shared that commitment to pursue righteousness to be conformed to the image of Christ. But we also should have commitment that we do that together. We help each other we want another to get on that path of pursuing righteousness.

We are to pursue righteousness together in the way. We are to do it as described here as by confronting sin and forgiving those who repent no sins are to be confronted and it says you are to rebuke those who sin to rebuke is to express significant disapproval in order to prevent an action or bring an action to an end. So if someone is sending or a boat to send we are called to rebuke them that they might not sin or they might stop to send that there in Really? I think there's through sins that specifically are spoken about here that are those our sins that we have witnessed. We we see it happening or since that have committed against us against the one who's being asked to forgive. I need what's important here to notes particular in our day and age and in the cultural context with which we are in is that a failure to rebuke sin is just as unloving as a failure to forgive. I think we would look at the failure to forgive and if we saw that happening we would suggest that's a non-living unloving thing to do, but we need to understand that the failure to rebuke sin is also unloving. And both of these things are required a faithful disciples. We need to love others enough to rebuke them in their sin and a help rescue them. Now forgiveness should readily be extended to the repentant. In fact for the repentant forgiveness is always to be offered Jesus says You must forgive he makes it clear. This is a command. And the Assumption here is that the repentance is real and heartfelt, but we need to understand that the benefit of the doubt goes to the ones seeking forgiveness if they come to us and they ask for forgiveness if they repented of your sins and they asked us for forgiveness were called to forgive now. Here's a point of application. I want you to consider this morning. I think for every one of us we need to understand this the amount that you must be prepared to forgive is beyond your tolerance level for forgiveness. What you will be expected to do in the body of Christ as a disciple of Christ is to forgive and that forgiveness. Will Beyond will be beyond what you are comfortable with. That's what Jesus is trying to describe to you seven times and other place is 70 * 7.

We need to prepare ourselves for the expectation of forgiving others even when we don't feel like it. And we need to repent if we have been stingy and offering forgiveness. Jesus makes it clear that were called to forgive disciples must not stand at a distance. We must be involved in each other's lives. I'm part of that will be forgiving people. Listen, we in this day and this age at this moment are obligated to remain distant socially, but let's make sure we are engaging with each other spiritually and part of that is rebuking sin and forgiving those who repent

Next Jesus talks about faith is he's talking about spiritual formation for his disciples as he's describing what it looks like to grow in godliness. It's immature as a Believer. He talks about faith. We read in verse 5. The Apostle said the Lord increase our faith. Universe 6 Jesus responds if you had Faith Like a grain of mustard seed you could say to this mulberry tree be uprooted and planted in the sea, and it would obey you. Caring for others by ensuring you don't make them stumble caring fought for others by confronting their sin caring for others by offering forgiveness has our practices of such a nature that the disciples recognize the need for Faith. I hope you felt in a good way the burden of those commands in the waiting us of them. And my hope is that is you feel that your response was God. I need your help. Increase my faith. That's what the disciples asked Jesus for. I know the disciples are focusing on quantity Jesus shift their focus so that they see what is important about faith is its presence not necessarily its quantity quantity will stifle and prevent results, but the presence of genuine faith in God is all that is needed for a great deal to be accomplished until Jesus gives this mini Parable to illustrate his point genuine Faith the size of the smallest of seeds barely the size of a grain of sand is enough Faith to uproot a mulberry tree and planted in the sea another treat her talking but was the black Mulberry a tree that could reach 35 feet in height and it was known because it had an extensive root system allowing some of these black mulberry trees to live for 600 years. And Jesus said the smallest amount of genuine faith is enough to rip out of the ground. What's interesting though is the trees not cast into the sea. The tree is planted into the sea not cast and floating there but actually planted in the sea and and I'm thinking the disciples and a time would have said that's not even possible. It's not possible to plant a tree in the sea and yet with faith. It is possible. And so what's needed is is not necessarily in an increase in the quantity of faith. We want to grow in our faith, but we want to exercise the faith that we have and what that face to be genuine until my way of application this morning. Let us understand that Faith plays a central role in the spiritual life of disciples. First of all, we are saved by faith Ephesians 3:8 for by Grace you have been saved through faith. We need to understand this and if you're listening this morning and you aren't a Believer, you don't consider yourself to be a person of Faith. You need to understand that we are saved by faith. We become Jesus's disciples. Through faith and Faith entails knowing certain things knowing who Christ is and what he has done and that knowledge in this case would be that Jesus is the son of God who left his dwelling in Perfect Harmony and unity from eternity past with his father to come and become a man that he might live in perfect obedience to God so that he could die on the cross for our sins. We need to know that we are sinners and other things we do that are contrary to God and Country to God's law. Have brought us under his wrath in his judgment. They have separated us from him relationally. And they will be punished eternally. But because Christ died on the cross we can find the Forgiveness of sins through him and in him. We need to know these things and faith not only entails knowing things that entails agreeing with an approving something and that message which I just shared with you the gospel message. That we have been separated from God because of sin to Christ work. We can be reconciled to him and have our sins forgiven and live with him for eternity. We need to know that and approve of it and agree with it. But it goes on faith has even beyond that Faith entails a personal trusting in Christ for who he is and what he has done. And so if you're not a Believer, let me encourage you to put your faith in Christ to know and understand the gospel to approve of it in to put your trust in who Christ is and what Christ has done. If you are a Believer, we need to understand that we continue to walk by faith again talks about in Hebrews 11 that we continually need to grow in our knowledge of who Christ is risen what Christ has done we need to continually grow and our agreement in our approval of that and we need to continue to trust God through his son Jesus Christ for all of these things. That's why faith is so important finally this morning. I want to talk about being dutiful and we see this in verse 7 through 10. where Jesus says will any of you who has a servant plowing or keeping sheep say to him when he has come in from the field, but once and recline at table Willie not rather say to and prepare supper for me and dress properly and serve me while I eat and drink and afterward you will eat and drink does he think the service because he did what was commanded. So you also when you have done all that you were commanded say we are unworthy servants. We have only done. What was our duty Jesus uses a parable to illustrate the ideal posture and attitude the disciple Jesus should have now this Parable is propelled by two rhetorical question, which both expect the answer. No does a master serve. The servants is the master indebted to the servant who does what he is told no, Jesus is teaching his disciples that the performance of Duty is no cause in and of itself or reward. There is no accumulation of Merit for doing what you were supposed to do. And I think this is most clearly Jesus indirectly saying to his disciples. Don't be like the Pharisees don't be like them the Pharisees believe that good works. Put God who commands those good works under an obligation to human beings. They also thought that good works are what game a person worth. And we have worse not because we do good things we have worth that is found in being made in the image of God, and we have worth in our relationship to God our creator we have worth because of him. This is also way for Jesus to teach against the Greco-Roman practice of patronage which we talked about as well that idea patronage is when a good deed or a favor done obligates that person to return the good deed or favour. Jesus wants to communicate that in fulfilling their duties slaves and servants. Do not become their masters Patron last we should not approach god with expectations of reciprocity thinking that we deserve reward. God does not our story. God does promise to reward us, but it is not because he owes us anything. He will never always anything until I Think Jesus is communicating and must serve God dutifully in faithlyn. That's what a disciple is. 1st Corinthians chapter 4 verse 1 and 2 Paul says this this is how one should regard us as Servants of Christ and stewards of the mysteries of God moreover. It is required of stewards that they be found faithful. And so by way of application on this last Point, what should this dutifulness look like? I think the New Testament makes it clear that we are not to do our duties under compulsion, but we should do them willingly and eagerly. Not under compulsion a humble faithful dutifulness does not perform duties under compulsion Paul again. If we look at his life in his writings in the New Testament makes it clear that though. He had the expectation and the authority to demand certain behaviors from his people that he didn't want them to respond out of compulsion. We see this in the book of Philemon verses 8 through 14 where he's speaking to Philemon and he says accordingly the one bold enough in Christ to command you to do what is required yet for Love's sake I prefer to appeal to you I Paul an old man and our prisoner also for Christ Jesus. I appeal to you for my child Christmas whose father. I became in my imprisonment formerly. He was useless to you, but now he is indeed useful to you. And to me I am sending him back to you sending my very heart I would have Glide to keep him with me in order that he might serve me on your behalf during my imprisonment for the gospel. But I prefer to do nothing without your consent in order that your goodness might not be by compulsion. But of your own accord, we see the sauce were similarly Paul does not want to compel the Corinthians to give under compulsion and 2nd Corinthians 9 verse 7 each one of you must give as he has decided in his heart not reluctantly or under compulsion for God loves a cheerful Giver it so we don't want to be dutiful and do our duties under under compulsion know we want to be willing we want to do our duty as willingly. That's what a faithful disciple would do a humble faithful disciple performs his or her duties willingly. Again, if we go to this scenario with the Corinthians, he did not want them to give under compulsion but willingly we see in 2nd Corinthians verse 5 a couple versus earlier. So I thought it necessary to urge the brother to go on ahead to you and arrange in advance for the gift you have promised so that it may be ready as a willing gift not as an exaction. God wants us to be willing not to feel obligated. His people should Rejoice to give willingly with their whole Hearts offering their duties, whatever they are freely and joyously to him He wants our gifts to be out of generosity and with a willing spirit that that recognizes the joy of participating in the life of God.

We are also called to be eager. A faithful humble performance of our Christian duties will be fulfilled with an eagerness. That's how Paul lived his life. We see him being eager throughout his ministry in Romans 1:15. He was eager to preach the gospel in Galatians 2:10. He was eager to remember the poor and 1st Thessalonians 2:17. He was eager to see his Converse face-to-face. I feel his is pain a bit there in Philippians chapter 1 verse 20. He was eager to honor Christ in his life or in his death. Until how do we get there? If that's what I call isn't terms of being dutiful servants. I'm having the posture that's appropriate for disciple of Christ and understanding of that is not doing things under compulsion. But doing them willingly and eagerly, how do we get there? Let me encourage you as I often do the power in the motivation to grow and godliness to pursue righteousness to be conformed to the image of Christ is found at the cross. We look to the Cross. Let me read Philippians chapter 2 verses 1 through 12 for you. All right. So if there is any encouragement and Christ any comfort from Love and a participation in the spirit any affection and sympathy complete my Joy by being of the same mind having the same love being in full Accord and of one mind do nothing from selfish ambition or can see but in humility count others more significant than yourself with each of you look not only to his own interest but also to the interests of others, so there's Paul again laying out some of the aspects of what it means to be a faithful disciple and we can answer those the things we've talked about today about being dutiful about being eager and willing and not under compulsion and he goes on to say in verse 5, how does mind among yourself which is yours in Christ Jesus. So he points are eyes to the cross and then he says who this Jesus know he was in the form of God did not Equality with God a thing to be grasped but emptied himself by taking the form of a servant being born in the likeness of men being found in human form. He humbled himself by being obedient to the point of death even death on the cross. Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name so that the name of Jesus every knee should bow in heaven and on Earth and under the Earth and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord to the glory of God the Father therefore my beloved as you have always obeyed. So now not only as in my presence but much more in my absence work out your own salvation with fear and trembling for it is God who works in you both to Will and to work for his good pleasure. So consider what Paul does there? He's talking about them being obedient is as just as you've always obeyed. So now and this obedience is the working out of our salvation with fear. And trembling is it is what it means to be a disciple the means to pursue righteousness to grow and godliness to be conformed to the image of Christ. And in doing that in teaching his people he he points their attention to the cross. Not only so that we can see Jesus as the example and he is the example but so that we can ra be reminded about the work that he worked on our behalf. Saving us from our sin and saving us to God. This is where we find the motivation to be dutiful servants to be dutiful disciples to perform our Christian duties eagerly and willingly and not under compulsion. It's not just where we get the motivation the very power to obey comes from Christ work on the cross. Comes from his saving us from bringing us back from the dead. Regenerating us giving a space to trust in him. So let me summarize our points of application this morning as we consider Luke 17 verses 1 through 10. We need to understand that we are responsible for each other and we need to be careful with each other particular in regards. The making sure we don't make those who are young Stumblin. I won in Courage the singles in the in the couples in our congregation who don't have children. We have great need of you. To care to provide spiritual parenting for little ones in our congregation. We need your help and we appreciate you. We also need to be generous and forgiving others who repent preparing ourselves to go above and beyond what our comfort level is and what procedure that is rebuking sin when we see it loving people enough to speak into their lives that they might not send anymore. And we need to have faith and we need to walk in faith. And finally, we need to have a humble dutiful posture as we serve God not doing it under compulsion, but doing willing it doing it willingly and eagerly this is what we're called to this is what Christ has provided for us in across the motivation and power to do it. And so I want to encourage you brothers and sisters this morning. Be faithful disciples pursue righteousness. Forgive one another rebuke Sin Cara from one another Be watchful that we're not making people stumble. have faith maybe for the first time this morning but have faith and walk in that faith and have a humble dutiful posture that willingly and eagerly serves God and doesn't do it under compulsion. That's my prayer for you this morning. God bless you all the Lord be with you.