Luke 17:1-10
Things That Really Matter (Part 2)

In v. 1-10 of Luke ch. 17 we come to the end of a Sabbath day for Jesus that began in ch. 14

  1. Now although it was a Sabbath day it was a busy day for Jesus
  2. After teaching in the Synagogue / he confronted the Hypocrisy of the Pharisees at a Lunch after Church.
  1. That followed by Him - healing a man in need - Dropsy
  1. Then teaching the Crowd - that was outside concerning DISCIPLESHIP/ then SPOKE to the Religious rulers concerning ETERNAL RICHES

So after He has addressed the Pharisees, the religious rulers, the crowds, & now coming to the end of the day Jesus addresses His disciples

  1. As Jesus made His way to Jerusalem, He sought to prepare His disciples what He would suffer there.
  2. But He was also preparing them for the time when He would no longer be with them and they would be ministering to others in His place.
  1. It was a critical period in their lives.

In this chapter, Luke recorded 4 lessons that Jesus gave His disciples Four related LESSONS ON 4 essentials of the Christian life:

v.1,2 Lesson on Offenses & Stumbling blocks

v.3,4 Lesson on FORGIVENESS

V. 5,6 Lesson on FAITH

V.7-10 Lesson on FAITHFULNESS & SERVANTHOOD

Now we looked at the first two of these Lessons in our study last time

Where Jesus first gave a lesson about offenses

  1. OFFENSES - STUMBLING BLOCKS are going to come - Just make sure you are not the one doing the stumbling !!!!
  2. Then Jesus moved into the 2nd - Lesson - forgiveness - what do you do when a brother stumbles you - offends you
  1. REBUKE HIM- & if He repents you FORGIVE HIM
  1. Now a lot of people have no problem w/ the Rebuking part / it is the 2nd part that is more Difficult at times FORGIVE
  1. Especially because Jesus says even if he sins against you seven times in one day - & seven times comes saying I repent - You forgive him
  1. Now the Rabbis said that a mature man would forgive an individual 3 times for the same sin. After that - DONE
  1. JESUS says 7 times in ONE DAY -
  1. Lord's response to Peter - how many 7 times - 70 times 7 -
  1. Unlimited number - true forgiveness doesn't keep track !!

We Noted in our study last time that we are to forgive IN THAT WAY & THAT MUCH because we have been forgiven of so much !!!!

  1. And as we live in that way - we are becoming more & more like Jesus each day !!!!

When the Disciples hear this they respond in v. 5 Lord increase our Faith - See FAITH & FORGIVENESS GO HAND IN HAND -Why?

  1. When we seek to be like Jesus & obey the command of Jesus w/ those who have wronged us - WE HAVE TO TRUST THE LORD!!!
  2. You open yourself up to be HURT - the question comes to your mind : IF I DO THIIS WHO IS GOING TO PROTECT ME ? KEEP ME ?
  1. God says I will Isa.26: 3 You will keep him in perfect peace, Whose mind is stayed on You, Because he trusts in You. 4 Trust in the LORD forever, For in the LORD, is everlasting strength.
  1. Now that is why faith & forgiveness go hand in hand - because when I forgive I am basically saying to the Lord :

I am going to obey your instructions in this situation & trust you for my protection for the OUTCOME.

Now when the Disciples said INCREASE OUR FAITH - I would have expected Jesus to respond :

Guys that is insightful - good Job seeing the connection between faith & forgiveness - sure I will increase your faith- lay hands .....

But instead Jesus gives a Lesson on faith- when he says in v. 6 "If you have faith as a mustard seed, you can say to this mulberry tree, 'Be pulled up by the roots and be planted in the sea,' and it would obey you.

  1. Now often times this verse as well as Matt. 17:20 Where Jesus says if you have faith AS a MUSTARD SEED ... MT. ..... OBEY YOU
  1. These verses often get quoted in this way. If you have FAITH LIKE a mustard seed ....... Say to the tree or the Mt. etc
  1. And The IDEA that is often communicated is :if you have just a little bit of faith-LIKE a mustard seed -small seed -like a poppy seed
  1. So even if your faith is small you can do so much.
  1. Now I do believe that is part of what Jesus is saying here but I don't think that is the Whole message or the Primary emphasis/
  1. HE IS Not emphasizing the SIZE BUT THE TYPE of faith by saying IF YOU HAVE FAITH AS .....
  1. And I find it interesting that on 2 separate occasions in talking about faith Jesus used the analogy - faith AS a MUSTARD SEED

D) See if He was only emphasizing the SIZE of the FAITH - why didn't

He say - Like a grain of sand or a tiny pebble ?

  1. What makes a Mustard seed Different from a grain of Sand ? The ANSWER IS The seed has life in it !!!!!
  1. I believe that Jesus is speaking more about the type of faith we are to have than the size - IS IT LIVING FAITH - FAITH THAT IS ALIVE

ILLUSTRATION: Somewhere in Italy there is a tomb that had placed in front of it a HUGE chunk of granite weighing several tons

It was placed there by the request of the man buried there so just incase there was a resurrection from the dead that he would NOT be raised

While they were carving out the place where this huge granite ROCK , was to go apparently a little bird dropped an acorn into the hole that was dug

After that huge chunk of granite was put in place, ACORN began to grow & eventually grew into an oak as it grew SPLIT that chunk of granite in two

Yes true JUST a LITTLE seed... But it was LIVING/ It was able to move several tons of granite

A grain of sand or a tiny pebble couldn't do that

C) SO JESUS IS TALKING ABOUT LIVING FAITH !!!!!!

IT IS faith in a Living God !!!!!

Everyone in the Sanctuary today has faith - exercise faith all the time

  1. Faith in car got you here ! / Faith in architect & builders of this building / maker of those pews
  2. Put 8 people in a pew there is probably close to 1000 lbs. sitting there when full - no one is squirming - is it going to collapse ?
  3. But the faith that UPROOTS TREES & MOVES MTS. - is faith that has to be LIVING FAITH IN A LIVING GOD.
  4. FAITH IS ONLY AS STRONG AS OBJECT - OF FAITH
  1. MOODY if God be your partner make your plans large !!!!
  1. Barnhouse - Back to preach at his seminary - & one of his Professors a godly old man - came to listen. afterwards approached Barnhouse said
  1. When my students come back to preach - I come out to hear them to see if they are a BIG GODDER or a LITTLE GODDER
  1. Meaning is your God Big or Is He small - He continued by saying sometimes I am disappointed that some students have adopted little view of God

But I am blessed to see that you are a BIG GODDER - Keep that up & you will do well !!!

Jesus is talking about Living Faith - NOT faith in faith- BUT a LIVING faith in a LIVING God can move Mountains

  1. As we consider this Lesson & the Lesson in v.7-10 which is connected there are 4 things I believe the Lord would have us to make note of
  1. WHAT IS FAITH
  2. HOW FAITH COMES & GROWS
  3. THE WORKING OF FAITH
  4. THE PERSPECTIVE OF THE FAITHFUL -

1st WHAT IS Faith? Heb.11:1,6 11:1 Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen/ ..

  1. The Word faith simply means - a FIRM CONVICTION - Heb.11:1 An ABSOLUTE EXPECTATION - BANK ON IT !!!!!
  2. It is a form of the word - Believe - which means - Cling to / trust in / Rely upon/ SPEAKS of a CONVICTION you can stand upon.

  3. V 6 But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him

  4. My faith is in WHO HE IS - and what HE HAS SAID - He is the REWARDER OF THOSE WHO DILIGENTLY SEEK HIM
  1. That activates me to Pursue Him & His Will.

II. HOW FAITH COMES & grows Romans 10:17

  1. faith COMES by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.
  2. Faith is ACTIVATED by the Word of God. - My heart is quickened by the Word.
  1. The word of God has a quality about it that awakens faith. That is the amazing thing about this book.
  1. As you read it through and REREAD it and STUDY it and THINK about it and MEDITATE upon it,
  1. there comes a quiet conviction to the heart, "This must be true!"

faith COMES by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.

Now Jesus likened the Word of God to a seed - that seed gets planted in my heart when I hear the Word.

  1. Comes a point when that - seed - sprouts & begins to take root - faith is born - Then as that seed is watered - water also likened to the word
  1. As the Seed is watered that FAITH BEGINS TO GROW !!!!

Joshua 1: 8 "This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall MEDITATE in it day and night, that you may observe to do according to all that is written in it. For then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have good success.

III. The WORKINGS OF FAITH

1ST - In SALVATION. Romans 10:9,10

9 that if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved.

  1. For with the heart one believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.
  1. SO you Believe in the Heart - but that Belief needs to be followed by action - CONFESSION NEEDS TO OCCUR
  1. BEEN SAID Faith is IMPLANTED by the Word yet it is UNLEASHED through the Lips !!!!!
  1. Paul said in v. 8 Rom. 10 that the Word of faith which we preached to you is near to you in your hearts & even in your mouths
  1. SEE it is not good enough to just Believe in the Heart - Confession needs to follow.

But Faith doesn't just speak - FAITH ACTS - FAITH THAT WORKS

Eph.2:8-10 8 For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, 9 not of works, lest anyone should boast.

10 For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them.

Now When talking about Faith -We have to talk about Abraham - Called the Father of faith

A) We are told Concerning Abraham in Romans 4:1-3

What then shall we say that Abraham our father has found according to the flesh? 2 For if Abraham was justified by works, he has something to boast about, but not before God.

  1. For what does the Scripture say? "Abraham believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness."
  1. Paul is arguing in this section that a person can be justified -or declared RIGHTEOUS apart from the works of the Law !!!!
  1. And Abe is Paul's model - referring to Gen. 15:6 - where God made a promise to Abe that He was going to make Abe a great nation
  1. Abe - said FAR OUT -SOUNDS GREAT -
  1. Actually - just says He believed it in His heart - And God was so blessed He declared Abe to be a RIGHTEOUS MAN
  1. But as James points out - His faith was then manifested by his works! (Doesn't contradict - it Compliments)
  1. His Faith was proven or made perfect by His works

James 2: 21 Was not Abraham our father justified by works when he offered Isaac his son on the altar?

22 Do you see that faith was working together with his works, and by works faith was made perfect?

23 And the Scripture was fulfilled which says, "Abraham believed God, & it was accounted to him for righteousness." & he was called the friend of God.

  1. You see then that a man is justified by works, and not by faith only.

So James says that His faith was working together w/ His works & by His works the faith was made - perfect - complete.

  1. And His works actually brought about the Fulfillment of the Scripture in Gen. 15:6 Abe believed God & it was accounted as Righteousness
  2. What Works? James zero's in on when He offered up Isaac - which was the final & ultimate test of Abe's faith.
  1. Abe's faith was seen when He Left Ur. / When He separated from Lot & let him choose -
  1. Heb. 11:10 tells us that His faith was seen in the very fact that He lived in a tent - never settled down BECAUSE
  1. for he waited for the city which has foundations, whose builder and maker is God.
  1. But the Culmination of all of that - was when the Lord asked - Abe to sacrifice the Promised Child - Isaac
  1. Gen. 22 - But there we read that Abe spoke a word of faith when he told his servant to wait at the base of the Mt. For Isaac & himself

V.5 And Abraham said to his young men, "Stay here with the donkey; the lad and I will go yonder and worship, and we will come back to you."

  1. There was a confession of what He believed in his heart - what did he believe in his heart - told in Heb. 11:17-19

17 By faith Abraham, when he was tested, offered up Isaac, and he who had received the promises offered up his only begotten son,

18 of whom it was said, "In Isaac your seed shall be called,"

  1. concluding that God was able to raise him up, even from the dead,

So Abraham's faith - was made perfect by His works - Our faith is a FAITH THAT WORKS

  1. That is the point that James makes beginning in v. 14 when He says

14 What does it profit, my brethren, if someone says he has faith but does not have works? Can faith save him? 15 If a brother or sister is naked and destitute of daily food, 16 and one of you says to them, "Depart in peace, be warmed and filled," but you do not give them the things which are needed for the body, what does it profit? 17 Thus also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead.

18 But someone will say, "You have faith, and I have works." Show me your faith without your works, and I will show you my faith by my works. 19 You believe that there is one God. You do well. Even the demons believe; and tremble!

20 But do you want to know, O foolish man, that faith without works is dead?

Put it in short - True faith in God is going to be faith that speaks when God says speak / says Go when God says Go / Moves God says move

  1. There is power in faith - to do the incredible - but it is not faith in faith - but it is faith in God
  2. This is where the Word of Faith teachers go south - faith in faith .
  1. Just Name it Claim it / Blab it & Grab it - You can do it if you just have faith
  1. What that mentality does however is make you the Lord & God your Servant !!!
  1. Faith becomes the VEHICLE - not for getting God's will done in man & on the earth / but Man's will - done in Heaven
  1. By faith - I speak & God must do what I am commanding -
  1. Suddenly faith becomes a means to an end to get what they want

done for them. What God can do for me !!!!

  1. Recall in the Story of the Prodigal Son - Left GIVE ME THE GOODS
  1. Faith teachers teach that Faith is the means to get the goods - NEW CAR / HOUSE ETC. / JUST NAME CLAIM IT / VISUALIZE
  1. What happened when that Prodigal Son came Home - he said - MAKE ME A SERVANT - Now Looking Back at Luke

Jesus addresses such a mentality in the last lesson that he gave His disciples v.7-10 READ

  1. Here Jesus gives us a Lesson in Perspective - the Perspective of the Faithful
  2. What is the Perspective we are to Have - WE ARE UNPROFITABLE SERVANTS .
  3. When the servant comes in from a hard days work the Master doesn't wait on him.
  1. He doesn't say - why don't you sit down here while I make you a meal
  1. No the MASTER expects the servant to serve him / fix HIM dinner

  2. because that is what is expected of a Servant

  3. So Jesus is talking about Living faith - gives a word of Caution- incase

His disciples would have been prone to get all hyped up about

  1. Moving Mts. & Up rooting trees - Jesus says keep in mind you are SERVANTS

Listen So much of these understandings concerning Faith & power & authority are embedded in the understanding : That we are nothing more than UNPROFITABLE SERVANTS

  1. It is Realizing that Jesus is the MASTER - I need to be in tune w/ Him & His word - doesn't matter what I think feel - what is His will!!!
  2. It is recognizing that we have nothing in & of ourselves to offer - I don't have it w/ in me to be that Loving & forgiving - I need HELP
  1. Lord INCREASE MY FAITH -

Lesson that Joshua was reminded of in Joshua 5

  1. And it came to pass, when Joshua was by Jericho, that he lifted his eyes and looked, and behold, a Man stood opposite him with His sword drawn in His hand. And Joshua went to Him and said to Him, "Are You for us or for our adversaries?" 14 So He said, "No, but as Commander of the army of the LORD I have now come." And Joshua fell on his face to the earth and worshiped, and said to Him, "What does my Lord say to His servant?"

At that Point Joshua was reminded - I am the SERVANT - He is the GENERAL.

  1. It was then that Joshua received instruction on how to conquer the great city
  2. It was a Battle Plan that would involve a great deal of faith -faith seen in ACTION march 6 days / 7th day 7 TIMES final time SHOUT
  1. Joshua saw the LORD !!!!

I ENJOY reading the Biographies of some of the great men of faith of old Guys like Moody / Spurgeon. Whitefield.

A) They have challenged my life and inspired me to make a fresh start; to

determine anew to walk with God, and to follow their example.

B) They challenge us to be men and women of faith in this 20th century. But if that is our motivation we shall find that we soon run out of gas.

  1. It all begins to fade and after a few weeks we are right back in the

same old rut.

  1. The secret of persistence is in this phrase, "looking unto Jesus." The word LIT. means "looking away unto Jesus."
  1. Look at these men and women of faith, yes, but then look away unto Jesus. Why? Because he is the author and finisher of our faith.
  1. He can begin it and he can end it, complete it. He is the pioneer, he has gone on ahead. He is also the perfecter of faith. He himself ran the race. 1) He laid aside every weight, every tie of family and friends. Every restraining hand he brushed aside that he might fulfill His fathers will.

He set his face against the popular sin of unbelief & walked on in patient perseverance, trusting the Father to work everything out for him.

A) He set the example.

B) But there is more than EXAMPLE in this phrase; Looking unto Jesus

there is EMPOWERMENT. That is what I want you to see.

  1. We are to look away unto Jesus because he can do what these others cannot do. They can inspire us, but he empowers us.

  2. 1) Moment by moment, day by day, week by week, year by year, if we

    learn to look to him we find strength imparted to us. That is the secret.

  3. You can find strength to begin TODAY in Jesus , you can venture out and start this life of faith today in him.

You also discover strength to continue. He is not "up there" somewhere. he is within us, by faith.

  1. If we have received Jesus Christ, he dwells within He is there in that

place where we need strength, and is available every moment

B) Therefore, in Christ, I have all that it takes to meet life.

Hebrews 13:5 He Himself has said, THE WORD -THE SEED "I will never leave you nor forsake you."

  1. So we may boldly say: "The LORD is my helper; I will not fear. What can man do to me?"