WE HAVE ONLY DONE OUR DUTY

Luke 17:1-10 / Keywords 17:10

So you also, when you have done everything you were told to do, should say, 'We are unworthy servants; we have only done our duty.

 

 Sin, Faith, Duty

17:1 Jesus said to his disciples: “Things that cause people to stumble are bound to come, but woe to anyone through whom they come. 2 It would be better for them to be thrown into the sea with a millstone tied around their neck than to cause one of these little ones to stumble. 3 So watch yourselves.

“If your brother or sister[a] sins against you, rebuke them; and if they repent, forgive them. 4 Even if they sin against you seven times in a day and seven times come back to you saying ‘I repent,’ you must forgive them.”

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

6 He replied, “If you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mulberry tree, ‘Be uprooted and planted in the sea,’ and it will obey you.

7 “Suppose one of you has a servant plowing or looking after the sheep. Will he say to the servant when he comes in from the field, ‘Come along now and sit down to eat’? 8 Won’t he rather say, ‘Prepare my supper, get yourself ready and wait on me while I eat and drink; after that you may eat and drink’? 9 Will he thank the servant because he did what he was told to do? 10 So you also, when you have done everything you were told to do, should say, ‘We are unworthy servants; we have only done our duty.’”

Footnotes

a. Luke 17:3 The Greek word for brother or sister (adelphos) refers here to a fellow disciple, whether man or woman.

1. Jesus commanded the apostles not to cause others to sin. Mature believers will be held accountable for their influence on others. So, they are to watch themselves for sins, words, and actions that can cause others to stumble. However, they must also love and care enough to rebuke others for their sin and to forgive "seventy-seven times” (Mt. 18:22) when they repent. Jesus’ commands here are very difficult for us to practice. Yet, according to Jesus, faith can uproot our bad habits, indifference, and unforgiving heart, helping us obey him.

 

2. Take a servant for example. A servant works hard in the field all day. He knows that his master does not wait to eat supper with the servant. Rather, after work, the servant must quickly prepare supper and wait on the master as he eats. The servant’s duty is to work hard and to serve his master. After finishing his duty, the servant can finally enjoy his supper with a great sense of accomplishment. We Christians are servants of Jesus Christ who bought us with his blood and made us citizens of his heavenly kingdom. In his grace, Jesus chose us to serve his redemptive work. This is Jesus’ gift for us, who were once without righteousness, life-purpose, and God-given work. We just say, “Thank you Lord. We are unworthy servants; we have only done our duty.”

 

Prayer Lord, thank you for calling me as your servant. Use me in your life-giving work.

One Word Worthy work for an unworthy servant