You are listening to a message from Southwood Presbyterian Church in Huntsville, Alabama.
Our passion is to experience and express grace.
Join us.
Such a fun song.
Thank you all.
It's a lot to rejoice in this morning.
Thank you to the one of you who texted me during the song to say you wanted to dance,
but I needed to start it.
I felt that, but you want me to dance in my heart, and that's where you want it to stop.
We'll keep it there.
Part of the beauty in that song is that it tells our story, doesn't it?
It's a story that Scotty Smith talked about last week in terms of desperation and delight.
Did you hear that in there?
I know you heard the delight, but in the words, the desperation of where we found ourselves,
that's at the heart of what it means to be a follower of Jesus, isn't it?
To be so desperately dependent on Him and delighted in what He has done for us.
It's at the heart of what it means to be a community of people who gather together to celebrate Jesus.
That's what we're doing this morning.
We delight in welcoming people into a church family.
Even as they do so, they begin by acknowledging their desperation, right?
They're sinners without hope, except in God's mercy rescuing them.
So on this day where we consider young people and older people trusting Jesus,
promising to follow Jesus as a part of this church,
it's appropriate that in our study of Luke,
we come to a passage where Jesus is telling us what it looks like
to be a part of His community, to follow Him.
I want you to notice this morning as Jesus tells us what His community looks like,
the honesty of it.
The reality that sin and struggle will still be present in this community is not a surprise to Jesus.
In fact, it's where Jesus begins when He's talking about it.
He's going to tell us some really important things that are,
on the one hand, very basic to following Jesus.
Normal, everyday stuff.
And on the other hand, those same things are also so difficult
that it's not an exaggeration to call them supernatural.
Let's listen to Jesus tell about this extraordinary, ordinary Christian community.
And we'll talk about it for a few minutes after we read.
Picking up Jesus' conversation at Luke 17, verse 1.
He's talking now to His disciples.
This is God's holy, inerrant, infallible Word that He gives to us
so that we can know how to have relationship with Him
and that that relationship would transform all our other relationships.
Wow. Let's listen.
He said to His disciples,
Temptations to sin are sure to come,
but woe to the one through whom they come.
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.
Pay attention to yourselves.
If your brother sins, rebuke him.
And if he repents, forgive him.
And if he sins against you seven times in the day
and turns to you seven times saying,
I repent, you must forgive him.
The apostles said to the Lord,
Increase our faith.
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.
Will any one of you who has a servant plowing or keeping sheep
say to him when he has come in from the field,
Come at once and sit down at table?
Will he not rather say to him,
Prepare supper for me and dress properly
and serve me while I eat and drink
and afterward you will eat and drink?
Does he thank the servant because he did what was commanded?
So you also,
when you have done all that you were commanded,
say,
We are unworthy servants.
We have only done what was our duty.
Let's pray.
Father, thank You for this,
Your word.
In some ways,
they are hard words for us.
And we ask Your help.
We acknowledge again our need for You,
every one of us.
Come by Your Spirit and teach us,
but also mold us and shape us,
even in ways that are painful,
that help us.
We might know You,
love You,
and live as You've called us to.
We ask in Jesus' name.
Amen.
Before we jump in this morning
to what Jesus tells us
about being a part of His community,
a couple of words to those of you
who don't follow Jesus,
or who maybe aren't sure
that you would really want to.
As we go into this,
as we talk through this passage,
I'm going to point out things
that Christians must take seriously.
And you may well think to yourself
when I say some of them,
well, that's not what I've seen
or experienced
from the Christians I know.
Sounds like a lot of talk to me.
That's fair enough.
You can probably help us see
some blind spots
that we have in these areas
where we don't actually live
like the type of community
that God has called us to.
And I'd welcome that input.
I'd love to hear
where you see that
from me, from us.
We need to know.
But I'd also encourage you
as you listen this morning
to consider
not just other Christians
you've seen,
but Jesus Himself.
What He both calls for
and what He creates
in a community.
Because that's the kind of community
that He is making us into
even if we're not there yet.
So it's the kind of church,
the kind of family
that you too could be a part of.
And notice how essential Jesus is
to sustaining relationships like this.
Notice Jesus as we talk this morning.
First thing in this passage that we see
biblical Christianity takes sin seriously.
And you may be saying,
well, yeah,
that's what Christians are known for, right?
They got that one down.
They're pointing out
everybody else's sin.
That's all I ever hear from them.
That's not what I'm talking about.
It's not what this means.
It's quite the opposite, in fact.
When I say we take sin seriously,
I mean first and foremost
our own sin
within the community of believers
in Jesus.
Jesus begins
by saying
temptations to sin
are sure to come.
It's certain.
I love how Jesus recognizes
that we will struggle.
It's a repeated theme
in the Gospel of Luke
when Jesus talks about
His followers
and that community.
Commentator Dane Ortland
says it this way,
the fundamental distinction
between churches
is not that some of them
have sinners
and others do not.
The fundamental distinction
is that some churches
have honest sinners
and other churches
have self-protecting sinners.
The question is not
whether we are sinful or not,
but whether or not
we are honest about it.
But,
even though those things
are certain,
what's Jesus saying here?
Woe to the one
through whom they come.
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.
We hear it a little more clearly
now at the end
of what Jesus is saying.
That's a pretty clear warning,
isn't it?
We understand what that means,
but what's got Jesus so worked up?
What's He warning against?
Jesus is strongly condemning,
leading someone else
towards sin
and away from Him.
Like,
how, Will?
How would someone do that
that Jesus would be condemning?
Well,
I think it's hard for us
to understand
because when I read the phrase
temptations to sin,
I picture in my mind
like a drug dealer
or something
who's kind of tempting
little kids over here
to get involved
with bad stuff,
to make a bad decision
and a bad choice.
And that's not wrong,
but it's not really
the picture here.
The word that's translated
temptations to sin
has in mind
more than a single bad choice
or action,
but rather a heart
being bent towards sin
away from Jesus,
a direction
that is away from Jesus,
a stumbling block
that leads someone
towards sin
which is always away
from Jesus.
The little ones
could be kids,
but really it's anyone
who's young in faith,
who's little in the community,
an outsider
to spiritual things.
don't dare lead them
or keep them
away from Jesus.
That's what he's saying.
So the warning
is for those
in the Christian community,
perhaps especially
for leaders,
teachers,
don't teach someone
by your words
that self-righteousness
and good behavior
is the way to Jesus.
That actually leads
away from him
as Jesus so often
told the Pharisees.
don't lead someone
away from Jesus
on the other hand
by your flagrant
and unrepentant sin
that says there's another story
that's truer
than what I preach.
Don't through hypocrisy
or pride
or favoritism
keep someone
away from Jesus
whom you've been charged
to lead to Jesus.
It will not go well
with you,
Jesus says,
if you find yourself
doing those things.
Taking sin seriously
certainly means
not trifling
with what God's word
tells us is dangerous.
But it doesn't mean
merely avoiding sin
which you're never
going to do perfectly.
Does your defensiveness
or your lack of repentance
say to your kids
that the only safe place
is in successful,
obedient living?
On the other end
of the spectrum,
does your sacrificial
following of Jesus
communicate to those
around you
that He really is worth
giving up everything for?
Or do those who are
newer, younger,
potential Christians
in your life,
do they watch you
and get the impression
that as much as you say
Jesus is worth everything,
really,
the true path to pleasure
is indulging self
and what you need.
That's where life
is really found.
You just have to say
this other thing
about Jesus.
I can tell by watching you
He's not worth it.
See, the opposite
of temptations to sin,
stumbling blocks
to lead them away
from Jesus
is helping them
to stand firm
in the Lord,
to trust His strength,
to find their hope
only in Him.
So if it's woe
to those who lead
away from Jesus,
then blessed are those
who anchor others
in Jesus,
be they kids
in your home
or friends
that you have.
That's what taking sin
seriously does
for little ones
in our community.
It anchors them
to Jesus.
Then,
verse 3,
pay attention
to yourselves.
In other words,
watch out for each other.
Look out for each other.
Not just yourself.
If your brother sins,
rebuke him.
How seriously
must we take sin?
So seriously
that whenever we see
a brother or sister
in sin,
we must rebuke them.
Jesus clearly
commands us
to confront sin
in each other.
I'll be honest.
There is very little
in all of God's Word
that my heart
runs away from
faster than those
couple of words
right there.
I don't enjoy this.
There's all sorts
of things in me
that come up
with reasons
to avoid it.
There's my desire
to be loved.
My aversion
to conflict.
My idol
of peace
and comfort
that would like
just a nice,
easy conversation,
nothing really hard.
lots of reasons
not to confront
people.
In fact,
it's easier for me
to stand up here
and hide behind
this pulpit
and rebuke
your sins
than it is to sit
across the lunch table
one-on-one
and have that conversation.
And some of us
hide behind
social media,
hide behind
busy schedules,
or any number
of other things
when Jesus says
quite simply,
we must address
sin personally
and consistently.
And we're failing
to love
a brother or sister
just as grievously
as if we didn't
tell our toddler
to take his finger
out of the electrical
outlet when we saw him.
And we knew
there was danger there
and we didn't say anything.
That's how,
you know how unloving
that would be
for a parent?
It would be equally
or more
unloving for us.
Do we really believe
sin is what drags
us away from Jesus?
Is it really
that serious,
that dangerous
to us?
Of course,
there are other places
where we're told
to do this gently,
graciously,
and humbly
because we sin too,
so don't get too excited
about running off
to tell people off.
But here,
we're simply told
to do it.
The reason we can,
what actually enables us
to rebuke sin
in a brother or sister
is the rest
of the sentence.
We can do this
because if he repents,
forgive him.
As seriously
as we take sin,
we must also
take forgiveness
seriously,
perhaps even more so.
See,
if you think about it
for a second,
if I take forgiveness
seriously,
then work backwards
a little bit.
then I'm actually able,
it's a bit easier,
to rebuke sin
graciously
because I've got a salve
for the wound
I may be creating.
If sin is a problem
in the community,
forgiveness
is the solution
to it.
Imagine,
if you will,
a friend
in your small group
who's been complaining
to you about her husband
and she's been talking
glowingly
about this guy
at work
who's so wonderful
and it feels easier
for you to avoid
having the conversation
that Jesus tells you
you must have.
But if you remember
first your own sin,
if you are eager
to forgive,
then it actually
makes the conversation
a more hopeful one
to enter into.
You're not coming
to scold
or condemn,
right?
Rather,
you're coming
to bring hope
and restoration.
Sin may be
different for you.
It may be pride
or anger,
racism,
selfishness,
alcohol abuse,
whatever that sin is
that you need
to confront.
But regardless,
forgiveness
must be
the immediate
response
to repentance.
If he repents,
forgive him.
For some of us,
that's harder
than confrontation.
It doesn't seem
just
or fair,
right?
It doesn't seem
to account
for all the pain
I've endured.
And sometimes
it just doesn't work
to change things.
That doesn't get us
anywhere.
Where?
Jesus says,
forgive him.
Is there someone
you need to
forgive
this morning?
Better take the chance
right now.
Write the name down.
It's only getting harder.
Verse 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.
Forgive
not just
immediately
but repeatedly.
Forgiveness
must be
the persistent
response
to repentance.
Now listen,
I know where
some of you
are going
right now.
I know
there's two sides
to this.
There are two
people involved
and you've got
a theology
of repentance
that you want
to pull out
right now
and say,
this is what
gospel repentance
looks like
and it has fruit
and can I just
encourage you
with something?
That's true.
It's not what
Jesus is talking
about right here.
Right now
you are the
forgiver.
You're not worried
about the
repenter.
You're the
forgiver
that Jesus
is talking
to.
And he's
saying to you
seven times
in one day
someone repents.
You forgive.
For reference,
three times
was considered
magnanimous
by the religious
leaders of
Jesus'
day.
They thought
that was
very gracious
and forgiving.
Jesus says
seven
implying
full,
free,
persistent
forgiveness
even against
repeat offenders.
Oh,
they frustrate
us,
don't they?
The same
thing you
just did.
Let me ask
you to think
about something.
How many
times a day
do you think
God forgives
you?
I want an
actual number
to go in your
head.
It's okay
if it's not
exactly right
but just
kind of
an estimate.
You know,
back to
math class.
How many
times a day
do you think
God forgives
you?
Did you
remember to
include the
thoughts and
attitudes of
your heart,
not just the
actions and
bad decisions
that you
include?
Don't leave
those out.
Did you
remember to
count the
sins of
omission,
the duties
that you
neglected to
do?
You could
have done,
should have
done,
but just
didn't?
Number
getting a
little bit
bigger.
I don't
know how many
zeros yours
has,
but just pick a
round number.
And as we
start to
contemplate that
for just a
minute,
it's where the
beauty of
Jesus'
community actually
comes into
this.
Because,
listen,
I totally
relate to the
difficulty that
we feel in
following some
of these things
Jesus said.
I mean,
just imagine
those situations.
He disrespected
you again.
She hurt your
kids' feelings
again.
they let you
down,
left you
out again.
And nothing
about you
wants to
forgive,
does it?
You don't
feel that
way.
You don't
have any
forgiveness to
give,
do you?
Have you
been there?
Are you
there today,
maybe?
I don't have
any forgiveness
to give there.
It doesn't
make sense.
See,
forgiveness is
costly,
isn't it?
There is a
debt that
must be
paid.
And forgiveness
is painful.
There is a
wound that
needs to be
mended.
And so it
hurts and it
costs to think
about this.
And if you have
been hurt enough,
and some of you
have been,
if they owe you
enough,
and some people
owe you,
moralism will
never compel
you to forgive.
A preacher
yelling loudly
at you will not
compel you to
forgive if you
hurt enough.
You need
Jesus.
He's absolutely
essential.
There's no
other way it
works.
You actually
have to stare
at your own
debt before
the face of
God to have
that number
start piling
up, to
consider who
is it that
we've sinned
against.
You have to
cry out to
Him to
feel again
the tidal
wave of
His grace
rushing over
you in
Jesus Christ.
To feel
His forgiveness
that has to
wash you
clean every
day.
And then,
then you
have the
resources to
forgive someone
else.
Then you have
rivers of
grace flowing
out from you
because the
ocean, the
tidal wave of
God's grace
has poured
over you.
God's grace
will
have you
ever wondered
why God
left His
people as
sinners in
the world?
God, why is
sin just still
a part of
life when
You've forgiven
us for all
those sins and
You know God
better than we
do how sin
divides and
devastates and
destroys?
Why did You
leave us still
sinners?
You ever thought
about that
before?
I think it
must be at
least partially
that it is even
more important to
God than
eliminating sin
is and that's
really important.
That we delight
in Jesus.
That we remain
aware of our
desperate need
of Him.
That we learn
to live in
relationship with
Him where He
is glorious to
us.
That's important
to God.
Really important.
Important enough
to leave us
battling against
sin.
Did you know,
by the way,
that's why we
talk about sin
so much?
Some of you
probably think,
what a crazy
church,
they talk about
sin all the
time.
In fact,
you could get
the impression
in a service
like this one
that we're
almost proud
of our sin.
May it
never be.
May that
never be
true,
that we
would be
proud of
our sin.
We talk
about sin
a lot
because it
is so
important
that we
remember
how much
we need
our Savior.
Because we
must never
forget
how great
a Savior
Jesus is
and how
much we
need Him.
That's the
reason we
try to be
honest about
our sin.
Part of it
is just
honesty,
but part
of it
is how
important
it is
for our
hearts
to cling
to Jesus
and the
temptation
to forget
that we
need Him
if we
minimize
our sin.
If it's
important to
take sin
seriously
and more
important to
take forgiveness
seriously,
it's most
important to
take Jesus
seriously.
When we
see our
sin,
we see the
requirement of
forgiveness,
we need a
great Savior.
Not just a
decent teacher,
not just a
guy who's a
good life
coach,
we need a
great Savior
who alone
can rescue
us and
provide the
resources for
us to be the
community that
He commands
us to be.
we don't
just need
the path,
we need
the power
to live
like this
and only
Jesus gives
it.
He's the
only one.
Jesus,
the object
of our
faith,
gives
supernatural
power for
things naturally
beyond us.
It's the
point of the
next couple
of verses.
Verse 5,
the apostles
say to
Jesus,
increase our
faith.
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.
Do you
relate with
the disciples?
They take
to heart
what Jesus
is saying
about forgiveness,
don't they?
Jesus,
increase our
faith.
How could
we ever
do that?
Help!
We can't
do it.
We need
more faith.
And Jesus
says,
well,
not exactly.
it's the
object of
the faith
that's the
source of
power.
So that
even the
smallest
amount of
faith can
uproot even
the strongest
tree in
their world
and heave it
into the
ocean.
We all know
days where our
faith feels
small,
don't we?
Jesus says
on those
days,
you get the
same strong
Savior,
the same
tidal wave
of forgiveness,
the same
supernatural
Holy Spirit
empowerment
for life
and living
in a sin
stained world
that you
would get
on the
days you
think you're
strong.
It's not
that people
need to be
more like
us,
great in
faith.
It's that
they,
like us,
need a
great Savior.
If someone
comes to you,
someone may
have said to
you before,
I just
need your
faith.
say,
no,
you need
my Jesus.
He sustains
me.
He holds
on to me.
He empowers
me in my
weakest
hour.
Then Jesus
concludes with
a parable
to remind us
that He has
done so much
for us
that no matter
how much we
serve Him,
He will
never be
in our
debt.
Verse 7,
will any
one of you
who has a
servant plowing
or keeping
sheep say
to him
when he's
come in
from the
field,
come at
once and
recline
at table?
No.
Will he
not rather
say to
him,
prepare supper
for me
and dress
properly
and serve
me while
I eat
and drink
and afterward
you will
eat and
drink?
Yes,
that is what
they would
say.
Does he
thank the
servant
because he
did what
was commanded?
No.
So you
also,
when you
have done
all that
you were
commanded,
say,
we are
unworthy
servants,
we have
only done
what was
our duty.
The point
here in
saying
unworthy
servants
here at
the end,
it's not
that we're
insignificant,
worthless,
that's not
what the
word means,
it's not
that we
should treat
others as
though they
are worthless,
rather it
means that
we never
merit a
change in
places with
God.
We don't
become
creditor
master
and him
debtor.
We don't
become
master
and him
servant.
The servant
works hard
all day
but still
fixes
dinner
rather than
earning the
right to
be fed
by the
master.
That's how
great the
gift of
Jesus is
to us,
that we
remain
dependent
on him,
that we
never stop
needing
him,
we never
become the
source of
his
forgiveness.
It's the
other way
around,
right?
This is
the spirit
of humility
many see
as the
thread of
the whole
passage.
Seeing sin,
extending
gracious
forgiveness,
grasping
for more
of Jesus
by faith,
serving
his kingdom
rather than
my own.
Humility
is essential
in Jesus'
community
because while
we are
significant in
his story,
the story is
not ultimately
about us.
We're not
the heroes.
While we are
meaningful servants
in the kingdom,
we are not
the king.
Imagine you
come up to
me after the
service and
say,
what a great
sermon,
pastor.
I know,
I said,
imagine,
imagine that
you did.
And if I
responded by
saying,
well,
yes,
I am quite
fantastic.
In fact,
I hope you'll
tell many
others about
me and this
morning is
after all,
all about
me,
so thank
you for
noticing.
I hope you
would slap
me.
Jesus says
you have to
rebuke me,
so there.
hopefully,
what I would
not just say
but actually
feel is what
a joy it is
to do something
God has called
me to do.
What a privilege
it is to share
such good news
about Jesus
that I need
so desperately
myself.
And I hope
you'll tell
others about
Jesus too.
Similarly,
when you
gently rebuke
a brother
or sister,
when you
forgive the
seventh time
even though
it hurts,
when you
trust Jesus
in a hard
situation
where you
would more
likely grasp
for control,
you have
merely done
ordinary
Christianity.
But it
required
an extraordinary
Jesus.
You may say
what a joy to
reflect the
heart of
Jesus to
me by
forgiving
someone else.
And that
pointing someone
else to
Jesus,
that confronting
a fellow
sinner,
that forgiving
a repeat
offender
was
supernatural.
Basic
Christianity,
yes,
Jesus says,
but absolutely
supernatural,
only possible
through the
grace of
Jesus.
It's why
those of us
who have
taken vows
of membership
here promise
to live as
followers of
Jesus only
in humble
reliance upon
the grace
of the Holy
Spirit.
Are you
clinging
desperately to
Him today?
Is that the
posture in
which you
live?
Are you
drawing strength
from His
Spirit?
We've said
it's the only
way we can
live.
I don't have
those resources
to live like
that in
myself,
but I
have a
great Savior
and He
gives them
an abundance
far beyond
what I
deserve to
enable me
to live
for Him.
See,
this table
says exactly
that to us.
It says,
first of all,
that sin is
serious.
So serious
Jesus had to
die for it.
It says
forgiveness is
serious.
So serious
we should
celebrate it
often because
we need it.
And it
says Jesus
is most
serious.
We cling
to Him
as our
great Savior.
The only
way
that we
can live
with God.
The only
food we
need
to empower
us and
strengthen
us for
living as
He has
called us
to.
He owes
us nothing,
does He?
He's the
Master.
But you
may remember
in Luke
chapter 12
a few
weeks ago,
when He
comes back
as the
Master
returning
to unworthy
servants
who have
done only
their duty
and often
done very
poorly at
that.
Remember
what He
does,
Luke 12?
He serves
us.
Verse 37,
blessed are
those servants
whom the
Master finds
awake when
He comes.
Truly I
say to
you,
He will
dress
Himself
for service
and have
them recline
at table
and He
will come
and serve
them.
He's
just
established
this morning
there's no
reason for
that to
happen.
There's
nothing that
we deserve
for Him
to come
to us
and yet
that's
how He
loves us.
That's
what He
does this
morning in
setting this
table before
us and
every day
throughout
eternity
He sets
it,
He invites
you to
dine with
Him and
He serves
you beyond
what you
could ever
repay.
Right after
He took
off His
outer garment
and washed
His disciples
feet,
serving
them,
He served
them the
Passover meal
1 Corinthians
reminds us
that He took
bread
and He
broke it
and He
gave it to
them saying
this is
my body
broken for
you,
do this
in remembrance
of me.
In the same
way after
supper He
took the
cup and
said this
cup is
the new
covenant
in my
blood,
shed for
many for
the forgiveness
of sins,
drink from
it,
all of
you.
Young
people,
some of
you are
coming to
partake of
this table
for the
first time
this morning
and we're
so excited
to celebrate
Jesus in
this way
with you.
Hopefully it's
the first
time of
many,
many times
in your
life that
you will
come to
the Lord's
table,
that Jesus
will invite
you to
sit down
with Him
and here's
what I want
you to hear
when you
come.
I want
you every
time to
hear Jesus
whispering in
your ear,
I love
you so
much.
I died
for you
so you
could live
with me.
Every time
you come,
it's a chance
to remember
that sin
is serious
and confess
sin.
It's a chance
to remember
forgiveness
is serious
and think
is there
someone I
need to
forgive
and need
to be
made right
with before
I come
and most
importantly
kids,
when you
come it's a
chance to
remember at
this table
Jesus
and remember
how much
He loves
you,
that He
would hang
on a cross
so that you
wouldn't have
to,
so that He
would be there
in your
place so that
you could live
with Him
forever.
That's how
much He
loves you.
Let's pray
and then we'll
come and celebrate
this together.
Jesus,
we're so grateful
for what You
have done for us.
And You didn't
just do it once
upon a time,
but You come
to meet with us
and feed us
now,
so use these
elements,
not only to
remind us
of what You
have done,
but to strengthen
us afresh
for loving
and serving.
We ask it in
Your name.
Amen.
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at southwood.org.