September 14, 2016
FORGIVE JUST AS WE HAVE BEEN FORGIVEN
Luke 17:1–10
Jacob Haas
Central Truth
Jesus wants his people to be marked by forgiveness. Forgiveness means cancelling a debt and that person no longer owes you. When a brother sins, tell him; and if he repents, forgive him!
Key Verse | Luke 17:4
"[A]nd if he sins against you seven times in the day, and turns to you seven times, saying, 'I repent,' you must forgive him." (Luke 17:4)
Luke 17:1–10
Temptations to Sin
1 And he said to his disciples, “Temptations to sin 1 17:1 Greek Stumbling blocks 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. 2 17:2 Greek stumble 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 3 17:7 Or bondservant; also verse 9 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, 4 17:8 Greek gird yourself 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; 5 17:10 Or bondservants we have only done what was our duty.’”
Dive Deeper | Luke 17:1–10
Daily, I am in need of forgiveness from my Father.
My efforts to "get it right" are met with the gentle reminder that I simply cannot do enough to earn favor from God. I am forgiven, loved, redeemed, and covered by the finished work of Jesus Christ. Through His death and resurrection, I have life. I am forgiven by God for all the sins I have committed in my 26 years of life, and I am even forgiven for every sin I will commit in the days I have left.
Keeping the power of this eternal truth in mind, I am moved in my personal relationships to forgive others as I have been forgiven. But this is not always as easy as it sounds.
In Luke 17:1-10, Jesus focuses on temptation, forgiveness, faith, and service. Jesus begins with a warning against tempting a brother to sin. Essentially, Jesus says that it would be better for you to die a slow and painful death than to provoke one of his followers to turn from the faith and to sin. Following this warning, Jesus commands us to be alert against sin. Jesus tells us that, if we see a brother sin, we should rebuke him. If he agrees he has sinned and repents, then we should forgive him.
Jesus is calling us to be people who take sin seriously and are marked by radical, unwavering forgiveness. Jesus wants us to be watchful not only of our own actions, but also of the actions of those in our community of believers. Jesus goes on to say that if a brother wrongs you seven times in a day and each time turns and asks for forgiveness, you must forgive him.
Just like the disciples, I cry out for more faith to be able to forgive in such a transforming way. Jesus reminds us that even a tiny amount of faith is powerful because it is not our power at all. It is faith in the power of the God who raised Jesus from the dead that will move us to such radical forgiveness.
Discussion Questions
1. Are you holding on to a sin someone has committed against you?
2. Are you holding on to a sin you have committed and for which you are not accepting God's forgiveness?
3. Do you need to confess to your community a sin that you have been keeping in secret behind closed doors?
4. Is there an area in your life that could cause your brother or sister in Christ to fall into sin?