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Luke 17 English Standard Version (ESV)

Temptations to Sin

1  And he said to his disciples, “Temptations to sin are sure to come, but woe to the one through whom they come!2 It would be better for him if a millstone were hung around his neck and he were cast into the sea than that he should cause one of these little ones to sin. 3 Pay attention to yourselves! If your brother sins, rebuke him, and if he repents, forgive him, 4 and if he sins against you seven times in the day, and turns to you seven times, saying, ‘I repent,’ you must forgive him.”

Increase Our Faith

5 The apostles said to the Lord, “Increase our faith!” 6 And the Lord said, “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.

Unworthy Servants

7 “Will any one of you who has a servant plowing or keeping sheep say to him when he has come in from the field, ‘Come at once and recline at table’? 8 Will he not rather say to him, ‘Prepare supper for me, and dress properly, and serve me while I eat and drink, and afterward you will eat and drink’? 9 Does he thank the servant because he did what was commanded? 10 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.’”

 

REFLECTION:

  1. Here Jesus shows us that we are to rebuke one another when one of us sins, but be quick to forgive when he or she repents. Each of us is to accept responsibility to care about one another’s walk with God.  In the community of faith each is to find forgiveness and support to live a godly life.
  2. Jesus commanded his disciples to confront, to accept someone when he repents, and to forgive. Responding to a command isn’t a matter of faith, it is a matter of obedience.
  3. How many times have you held back, wishing you had more faith to do something you knew God wanted you to do (v5)? How many times have you pleaded for more faith in your inadequacy?  And how many times has the longing for more faith simply masked the fact that you have been unwilling to obey?
  4. Allow the questions to speak to your heart. Continue this quiet time with God.  If the Holy Spirit is rebuking you right now, confess it and ask for God’s forgiveness.  Pray for mercy to obey God willingly.