Marks of a Gospel Life

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Read Scripture Luke 17:1-10

The Mark of Watchfulness

Luke 17:1–2 “1 Now He said to His disciples, “It is inevitable that stumbling blocks come, but woe to him through whom they come! 2 “It would be better for him if a millstone were hung around his neck and he were thrown into the sea, than that he would cause one of these little ones to stumble.”

Jesus opens up His teaching on the Gospel life by saying that temptation is inevitable.

Stumbling blocks, or temptations to sin are guaranteed in this life because we live in a fallen world.

In v.1 the literal meaning of this in the greek is,

lit. it is impossible that stumbling block not come.

This means that Jesus already know that we are prone to temptation, he is talking directly to His disciples whom he know wold face temptation as they journeyed through the world.

Heres the catch though, Jesus gives a clear woe, a warning to those through whom temptation comes.

He says it would be better for that person to die a horrid death, than to cause a little one, one of Jesus’ followers to stumble into sin.

The little ones could be representative of people newer to the faith, Just staring their Journey with Jesus, but is also encapsulates all believers.

There is a woe for those through whom stumbling comes. The woe is not the death of having a millstone around their neck and being thrown into the sea.

The woe is the coming Judgement of Christ where he will call everyone to account and right every wrong.

What then is His warning to believers in a world full of temptation? Be on your guard, be watchful.

The 1st Mark of a Gospel life is Watchfulness.

Know who you listen to, Know what you allow into your life, Be watchful.

The Mark of Forgiveness

Luke 17:3–4 “3 “Be on your guard! If your brother sins, rebuke him; and if he repents, forgive him. 4 “And if he sins against you seven times a day, and returns to you seven times, saying, ‘I repent,’ forgive him.””

The Second Mark of a Gospel life is forgiveness.

Jesus is clear about watchfulness in the midst of temptation. But what happens if a brother falls into temptation or sins against us?

A gospel life is one which lives ready to Rebuke, and more so to forgive.

Jesus is clear that our responsibility as a Covenant Community is to rebuke our brothers who fall into sin.

Lexham Theological Wordbook ἐπιτιμάω

ἐπιτιμάω (epitimaō). vb. to rebuke. Primarily refers to the action of corrective rebuke.

This means that we are to correct one another. In layman's terms, trying to reason with someone. This is the same word used for Peter when he rebukes Jesus for saying he is going to die.

Rebuke is serious but gentle

We are called to hold one another accountable.

Forgiveness must be ready not Just once, but indefinitely when our brothers repent.

We don’t withhold forgiveness from the repentant

Luke, Vol. 2—That You May Know the Truth Responsible to Forgive

It is better to be willing to forgive seven times a day even though the “brother” is not sincere than to refuse to forgive a truly repentant soul and thus place a stumbling block in his way.

We show our christlikeness when we forgive.

The Mark of Faith

Luke 17:5–6 “5 And the apostles said to the Lord, “Increase our faith!” 6 And the Lord said, “If you have faith like a mustard seed, you would say to this mulberry tree, ‘Be uprooted and be planted in the sea’; and it would obey you.”

Faith is a Gift increased by God, not something that we can create in ourselves.

So why did the disciples plead, pray for Jesus to increase their faith after being told to forgive those who sin against them?

Forgiveness requires supernatural power, the disciples prayed for faith.

If we are struggling to forgive, we need faith, because true forgiveness in the face of hurt requires the prayer of faith.

The Mark of Obedience

Luke 17:10 “10 “In this way, you also, when you do all the things which are commanded of you, say, ‘We are unworthy slaves; we have done only that which we ought to have done.’””

Luke, Vol. 2—That You May Know the Truth Do Your Duty (vv. 7–10)

Given the immense requirements Jesus gave his disciple leaders—to not cause a little one to stumble, to rebuke those who sin, to extend unlimited forgiveness, to exercise immense faith—a disciple might presume that in so doing he or she merits divine favor.

In the middle of this passage where Jesus tells his disciples, and us.

To not cause little ones to stumble, be Watchful

To rebuke those who sin and extend unlimited forgiveness

To pray for and act in supernatural faith

He tells a short parable about the role of a slave in the masters house.

He asks 3 rhetorical questions.

First, Would the master tell the servant to sit and eat when his work is not yet finished? No

Second, Would the Master tell the servant to make food and serve Him first? Yes

Lastly, Would the master thank the servant for doing what he was told to do? No

This short parable shows us that in the Gospel life, we could get lost in our own good deeds. Believing that we deserve favor from Jesus, when in reality, all we did what Jesus asked us to do.

We fulfilled our role as followers of Jesus as he asked us to.

Application

How Do We Live a Gospel Life?

Watch out for temptation and don’t cause others to sin

Forgive those who hurt us

Pray for the faith needed to live out Jesus’ teachings

Obey Jesus’ teachings