October 9, 2007 Luke 17:7-10

7 ASuppose one of you had a servant plowing or looking after the sheep. Would he say to the servant when he comes in from the field, >Come along now and sit down to eat=? 8 Would he not 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 Would 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.=@

When you are trying to raise children it is important to set boundaries and make them aware of the powerful objects in your household. Every time we open our stove we are careful to hold him back and say emphatically, Adon=t touch! Hot!@ The same goes with power outlets and power tools. When a child doesn=t understand the nature and purpose of a power tool it can cause great damage to him or those around him.

The same runs true with faith. If we don=t understand what it is and what it does we can cause a great amount of harm with our mis-perceptions of it. Take for instance if I were to tell you, Atrue Christians never lose their temper@ or Aif you really have true faith you will never lust.@ Many of us would have to infer that we are not really Christians from these statements. If you somehow get the idea that through faith you will always be happy or naturally be successful - then you have been given a misrepresentation of faith. You=ll spend your life trying to manufacture a constant happiness and constantly question whether you are who you thought you were because of your attitude or position in life. This is exactly what Satan - the king of lies - wants you to think of when it comes too faith.

The context of today=s text presents us with probably one of the most misused or misunderstood portions of Scriptures on the topic of faith. The disciples were told not to cause a little one to sin. They were also told to rebuke and forgive their brother even seven times in the same day if they are put in such a situation. It was a difficult thing Jesus was telling them to do - something that they felt would take a great amount of faith. In order to encourage them to do this Jesus talked about the powerful things people can do through faith. He said, AIf 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.@

Now, someone could take this passage and completely misapply it. A young child could look at it as a challenge from Jesus and say, Aok, I know I have faith. So I=m going to go in my back yard and tell this tree to be moved, and it will move!@ I can recall as a child thinking that if I really had faith I could ask God to move a curtain and it would move. When it didn=t happen I wondered to myself, AI wonder if I really have faith?@ This is a misrepresentation of faith. For God=s Word also says that faith comes from hearing the message. It is generated by the Word and promise of God. God never commanded me to move that curtain. He never promised me it would move. God=s Word never commands us to move mulberry trees into the sea. If God promised to do it - as He promised the sea to part with Moses - it would happen. But faith does not generate it=s own promises and conditions in which to perform. It is at the mercy of the Word and promise of God. Faith needs the Word of God to bring it to life and give it focus and direction. Without a specific Word and promise of God it is nothing but a sham. The words of Jesus show us what faith really does.

The Real Works of Faith

I. Are about being a servant

For those who would start trying to move mulberry trees, Jesus brings us back to ground zero with faith in the text for today. He gives us a realistic view of who has it and what it does. The branches of the tree (that we thought we should be tossing into the sea) He shapes into handles and attaches them to some oxen. He puts boots on the Christian and tells him to start following the oxen through a muddy field as he talks about a servant plowing a field or looking after sheep. After a hard=s day work he then puts a bib on the Christian and tells to get cooking and serving dinner at the home of his master. He lowers the concept of faith down to the form of an every day slave - a doulos - who does mundane and difficult tasks for his master. Jesus was using a very common description within the Roman society of a person who had no freedom to decide when he would eat or sleep. It was a person who was purchased and bound to the commands of the master. What is more shocking is that this is where he put the disciples - the Christians - the believers. This is what he or she is bound to for life. It is a down and dirty description of life; a weak description that seems to lack the power and authority of throwing trees around at their every whim and word.

Looking further at Jesus= description of what faith does, are there hidden symbols or meanings behind the seeming two tiers of service - one in the field and one in the home? One for the sheep and one for the master? Perhaps we could distinguish between the things that God calls on us to do for his sheep and those things which we do directly for Him? But when do we directly provide food and drink for our master? Is it a distinction between physical and spiritual feeding? I don=t believe so. It seems that through these verses Jesus is more just describing the whole life and calling of a Christian on this side of heaven. Consider for instance Jesus= description of Judgment Day.

Matthew 25:34‑40 AThen the King will say to those on his right, >Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world. For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.= AThen the righteous will answer him, >Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?= AThe King will reply, >I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me.=

Jesus equated waiting on the sick and the hungry and the stranger with waiting on Him. So these verses in Luke seem to be describing the overall calling in life that Christians have to Alove their neighbor as themselves.@ It isn=t a glorious calling. It isn=t a powerful calling. It is a painful and difficult calling which demands work along with patience, kindness, forgiveness and love. It says to the husband, Aclothe your wife and feed her.@ It tells the wife, Alisten to your husband and do all you can to help him be the leader of your home.@ It tells the mother and the father, Amake sure you feed your children. Put clothes on their back. Change their diapers. When they ask you for help, make sure you are at their beck and call. Above all this, make sure you raise that child in God=s Word.@ It commands you to be a hard working employee and a generous employer. It tells us to turn our cheeks when we are insulted and slapped around. What are these but roles of a hard working slave?

It is interesting to me that Jesus differentiates the working in the field to the coming home because it seems to correlate to life. He makes sure to know that even in returning home the role of the slave does not change. It reminds me of the way we like to differentiate our roles in life. A guy can be an awesome worker from 9 to 5 but then get home and think to himself, Aok, I=ve put a hard day of work in here at the shop. I=m tired. I did my job. I have every right to plant my rear end on this couch until I go to sleep.@ He doesn=t think of how he is fulfilling his role of a husband and father. He thinks his calling is completed at 5 o=clock. Nowadays though it more applies to both the husband and the wife - they both probably come home and do all they can to delegate cleaning and cooking to the other. The main point that hit me is that we tend to put a lot of time into what we think our primary callings and then let the other duties fall flat. A woman can be an awesome mother and cater to her children left and right, but then talk to her husband as if he were the most awful dictator on earth when he asks for something. Instead of asking Awhat can I do now to serve my spouse, my family, my church, or my community,@ we tend to perform one main duty and think that this covers it all. We think that just because we are tired and we have worked hard we have every right to sit at the table and be served - when there are still plenty of duties that need to be done. Our Master says to us, Ahey! Get your eyes off of that TV! You still have a spouse and children that need your time and attention and care! I don=t care how tired you are! You aren=t done working yet!@ We don=t like it. It isn=t always fun. But in today=s text Jesus is reminding us of the fact that we are called on to be His servants throughout this life no matter how tired we are or what we Awant@ to do.

II. Proclaim that we are servants

With a strong faith the apostles embraced this concept. Consider the words of Paul for instance -

$ Ephesians 3:7‑8 I became a servant of this gospel by the gift of God=s grace given me through the working of his power. Although I am less than the least of all God=s people, this grace was given me: to preach to the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ,

Peter used the same term -

$ 2 Peter 1:1 Simon Peter, a servant and apostle of Jesus Christ,

James and Jude also used the same term. Even the angels call themselves God=s servants -

$ Revelation 19:10 I am a fellow servant with you and with your brothers who hold to the testimony of Jesus.

The apostles were not embarrassed in the least to think of themselves as slaves of Christ. Even the angels call themselves God=s servants. Think about what a difficult job they have! God calls on them to serve and protect us sinful human beings in an invisible way. Who would want that job? Satan sure didn=t seem to. Yet the apostles and angels seem to embrace it - even though it causes them pain, suffering, heartache and even death (for the apostles)! Jesus tells us in today=s text that this is a concept we should embrace and declare; saying, Awe are unworthy servants!@

Why would anyone embrace such a title and role in life? Consider the story of the Prodigal Son -

Luke 15:11‑19 Jesus continued: AThere was a man who had two sons. The younger one said to his father, >Father, give me my share of the estate.= So he divided his property between them. ANot long after that, the younger son got together all he had, set off for a distant country and there squandered his wealth in wild living. After he had spent everything, there was a severe famine in that whole country, and he began to be in need. So he went and hired himself out to a citizen of that country, who sent him to his fields to feed pigs. He longed to fill his stomach with the pods that the pigs were eating, but no one gave him anything. AWhen he came to his senses, he said, >How many of my father=s hired men have food to spare, and here I am starving to death! I will set out and go back to my father and say to him: Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son; make me like one of your hired men.=

After his own lifestyle led him down the pathway of destruction, the Prodigal Son realized that even being a slave in his father=s house was better than that. His own choices had led him down a pathway of hunger and filth and shame. At least he would have food and clothes and shelter; the basic necessities of life. He would also at least be living under his father=s care - who had proven himself to be loving, nice, and caring than the pig farmers were. Even though he didn=t deserve to be a servant, he would be more than glad to have such a status.

When we remember who we were and where we were headed - when we identify ourselves with the prodigal son then the status of servant or even slave starts looking pretty good. Consider what God=s Word says of us -

$ John 8:34 Jesus replied, AI tell you the truth, everyone who sins is a slave to sin.

$ Acts 26:18 (the whole world is under) Athe power of Satan@

In reality we are pawns - powerless pawns at that. We will either be slaves of sin and Satan or slaves of Christ. There is no middle ground. Being slaves of sin and Satan sounds real fun to our sinful and selfish nature, until it brings along with it guilt, shame, disease, death and hell. Everything that the world lives for ends up decaying over time - health, a big bank account, a nice house - a big promotion - it all ends sooner or later. The things that we slave away for all fade away. Sometimes people don=t realize this until they end up in hell. They never return to the Father who created them. When we see life for what it is and where it is headed - we realize what a rotten pigsty it really is. God rescued us from this kind of hopeless life.

$ 1 Peter 1:18‑19 For you know that it was not with perishable things such as silver or gold that you were redeemed from the empty way of life handed down to you from your forefathers, but with the precious blood of Christ, a lamb without blemish or defect.

$ Revelation 5:9‑10 You (Christ) were slain, and with your blood you purchased men for God from every tribe and language and people and nation. You have made them to be a kingdom and priests to serve our God, and they will reign on the earth.@

$ 1 Corinthians 6:19‑20 Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your body.

When God shows us and leads us to believe in Christ - He then adopts us into His household. As His servants we are bathed in the blood of Christ - clothed in eternal robes of righteousness that make us look holy in God=s sight - protecting us from God=s wrath on Judgment Day. This is a status we never earned or deserved. Before this we were only filthy and rotten sinners. On top of this, He sends the Holy Spirit into our hearts so that we can resist the temptation to live for the temporary things of this world. He opens our eyes to an eternity in heaven that we have waiting for us - an eternity of no tears and absolute bliss. He gives us HOPE of a better life to come. He gives us faith to believe that everything that happens in this world works out to His good and gracious will - which ends up being for our good.

III. Provide faithful service

In light of this, we recognize that being a slave of Christ isn=t so bad after all. Even though it usually involves sacrifice and suffering - doing sacrificial and difficult things - it=s all good. The world looks at this type of work of being forgiving, kind, and generous as a boring and thankless lifestyle that isn=t any fun. When they see us trying to live like this they regard it as slavery with no benefits. But there are benefits. We have eternal shelter in the blood of Christ. We have eternal status as saints in Christ=s blood. We have eternal protection under the powerful God. We have comfort and relaxation in knowing that our loving Father is in charge. We don=t need God to constantly pat us on the back and tell us how great we are because we know that in reality we don=t deserve any of it. We=re just thankful to be called slaves of Christ because that means we are HIS PROPERTY.

Think also about what Jesus said in today=s text. >Prepare my supper, get yourself ready and wait on me while I eat and drink; after that you may eat and drink=. Our Owner and Master does not withhold food and drink from us. He doesn=t starve us to death - far from it. After we have performed the duties that we are called on to do - we are then allowed to sit down and enjoy the same kinds of gifts that we have been distributing to our Master. We can eat and drink too - and enjoy these gifts from God. There=s nothing wrong with enjoying a nice meal or a cold drink on a summer night after a hard day=s work. The Master has provided us with air conditioning, heating, cars, televisions and so much more. Even Christians can enjoy these little pleasures in life. Think also about the spiritual aspects of this. In the midst of our callings in life and serving people - God prepares a table before us on a Sunday morning and calls to us saying, Atake some time out and eat this - my body and blood. Take a few moments of your life to appreciate this sacrifice that I made for you. Eat it. Drink it. Inwardly digest it. As you kneel here at my altar - take comfort in the fact that your sins are forgiven and paid for.@ It=s these little spiritual meals that nourish us and strengthen us to do the duties that He calls on us to do in life. Without them, we starve and work ourselves to death.

It=s with this refreshment that we are given a new attitude. Through repentance and faith we then say to our Master, Awhat have you prepared for me to do today, Lord? You want me to go to school under my boring teacher? Ok. I can handle that. You want me to turn the same wheel on this production line for ten hours? Doesn=t sound thrilling, but ok. I can do that. You want me to spend some time with my kids? Read them some books? Take them for a walk? I was trained to be a professional accountant - but that=s ok. I can do that. You want me to invite my neighbor to worship - even though he has shown absolutely no interest? Ok. He may not want me talking to him anymore, but I can try it.@ Whether it=s shoveling manure, putting up with a grumpy parent, working hard for a lazy boss, we are willing to do it - because we recognize that we are here to serve. No matter what God calls us to do - it is an honor and privilege just to know that we are doing it for the King of the Universe. We don=t need Him or anyone else to thank us because we have all the recognition we need in just being called Christian. It doesn=t matter whether our labors are tiring or successful on this side of heaven or not. For God says, A Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord from now on.@ AYes,@ says the Spirit, Athey will rest from their labor.@ (Rev. 14:13) In the picture of the Rich Man and Lazarus, it pictures Lazarus as reclining and relaxing in the bosom of Abraham - enjoying the rest he so desired but lacked on earth. So with Habakkuk we await the appointed time.

What does it mean to live a life of faith? This is important to know. The life of faith is often glamorized by our sinful nature. We like to think of how wonderful it would have been for Moses to be able to part the Red Sea in two. We would love to have a piece of the action in casting out demons or healing the sick that the disciples had. We would love to envision faith as tossing trees in the sea. What we tend to forget is that after Moses parted the sea he had to spend the next 40 years walking through a desert with a bunch of whiners and then never physically enter the Promised Land. The life of faith for the apostles didn=t only involve chasing out demons and healing the sick , it also involved suffering and running as fugitives. Living by faith isn=t always so glamorous. It means looking at yourself as an unworthy person who has been graciously purchased from hell by the blood of Christ. It means recognizing who you are until the day you die - an unworthy servant who has been given a beautiful status as a slave of Christ. It means willingly plowing fields, feeding sheep and serving masters - all out of respect and love to our Master. The Holy Spirit reminds us of this today through the words and wisdom of Christ - our Master. Amen.