Lukechapter 17:1 begins with, "Then He said to His disciples."Jesus is teaching His disciples some powerful lessons, first about forgiveness,faith, and obedience in these opening verses. But now, in verses 7 through 10,He's teaching a lesson about faithfulness. My friend, when you live a life offorgiveness, faith, and obedience, doing what you're supposed to do as abeliever, you will be faithful despite what's going on around you, and you'llbe faithful for the right reasons with the right motives.
Thispassage of Scripture warns to beware of offenses, they're going to come. Thegreatest offenses that come to you and me don't come from the outside worldthat hates Jesus, hates us, and hates the gospel. No, the great and painfuloffenses come from those we go to the house of God with, those we worship with;another pastor, another believer, another co-worker. That offense happens andgoes deep into our hearts, sometimes from a family member who’s abusive or sayssomething hurtful. Those are the offenses we have to deal with, and many times,they cause us to quit. We throw in the towel and say, "If that'sChristianity, I want none of it."
So,the Lord has a powerful lesson in verses 7-10.
Youknow, so often I find that many believers, because of their past sins andoffenses toward God, and the sense that when they realize God’s forgiven them,they are grateful and thankful. But they do what I call religious compensation—theytry to pay God back for His goodness. My friend, you can never pay God back,and to serve trying to pay God back is not the right motive to serve the Lord.The main motive to serve the Lord is because you love Him. "If you loveMe, you will keep My commandments." The main purpose and motive inserving the Lord is to glorify Him. When you’re doing everything, whatever youdo, you do it with all your might and to the glory of God. You don’t do it toget a pat on the back.
Somany believers, so many Christians, serve to be recognized by somebody else—bythe pastor, some leaders, or to work their way up in leadership and be somebodyimportant. My friend, those are the wrong motives in service. Jesus makes itreally clear because here is a servant who’s serving, watching sheep, plowingin the fields. Jesus used those illustrations often because we are like sheep.We’re shepherding sheep as pastors, ministers, and co-workers with the Lord.We’re plowing fields, working in the fields, sowing in the fields, trying toreach the harvest fields for Christ. So He says, "You’re working in thefields, and you come home—do you expect a pat on the back?" No, He says,"Sit down and make me a meal."
JesusHimself set the great example. He said, "I didn’t come to be served; Icame to serve and to give My life a ransom." He set the example. He becameobedient to death, obedient to the death of the cross. He made Himself aservant; He humbled Himself. Humility is involved here because if we’re notcareful, as workers and co-laborers with God, with faith to cast mountains intothe sea, we might get proud, and God’s going to have to bring us down somehow.
So,Jesus is making it very clear here: serve with the right motives, serve for theglory of God, serve because you’re simply being obedient. As you’re living alife of forgiveness, handling those offenses that come, and living a life offaith, you will be faithful despite what’s going on around you for the glory ofGod.
Beencouraged today to be faithful. It’s required in a steward that he be foundfaithful (1 Corinthians 4:2).
