“So, likewise ye, when
ye shall have done all those things which are commanded you, say, We are
unprofitable servants: we have done that
which was our duty to do” (Luke 17:10).
Note: The devotion below comes from notes from the
introduction and conclusion of last Sunday’s sermon on Luke 17:1-10:
Do you serve Christ because you have to or because you want
to? Is it wrong to do spiritual things
simply out of duty? Does our obedience
and service to Christ always flow naturally and spontaneously from our love for
him? Or does it sometimes require
disciplined obedience simply to keep our commitment and obligations to Christ? How many times have you heard that doing
things out of duty made faith mechanical and threadbare? What Jesus teaches may surprise you.
Here
is the rather unpleasant truth: Much of living the Christian life is a matter
of doing our duty. It is simply a matter
of obeying Christ’s commands.
Why do
we love one another? Because our master
told us so.
Why do
we not forsake the assembly of ourselves?
Because our master told us so.
Why do
wives submit to husbands and husbands love wives? Because our master told us so.
Why do
children obey parent and fathers not exasperate their children? Because our master told us so.
And
this means among other things:
That
we beware of doing anything that would result in a stumbling block being placed
in the path of a little one (see Luke 17:1-2).
Because our master told us so.
That
we be ready to be overlook inconsequential differences with brethren and to
confront more serious matters in private and godly ways that seek repentance,
forgiveness, and reconciliation rather than retribution or punishment (see Luke
17:3-4). Even seven times a day. Because our master told us so.
Can we
do so on our own strength? No. We must ask the Lord as the apostles did, “Lord,
Increase our faith” (Luke 17:5).
Grace and peace, Pastor
Jeff Riddle
No comments:
Post a Comment