06/07/2026 PM - Following Christ in a World of Offenses
Notes
Transcript
Handout
Luke 17:1-10
We are continuing tonight in our Sunday evening series through the Gospel of Luke called Follow His Steps.
As we walk through Luke, we are watching the steps of our Saviour, hearing His words, seeing His compassion, learning His priorities, and asking the Lord to make us more like Him.
Luke 17 begins with a series of instructions Jesus gave to His disciples.
The setting still connects with what came before.
In Luke 15, Jesus answered the murmuring of the Pharisees and scribes by showing the heart of God toward lost sinners.
In Luke 16, Jesus warned about stewardship, covetousness, and the eternal danger of rejecting God’s Word.
Now in Luke 17, He teaches His disciples how to live faithfully in a world where offenses will come, people will fail, forgiveness will be tested, faith will feel small, and service must remain humble.
These verses are not disconnected thoughts.
They are part of the same discipleship lesson.
Jesus is teaching us what it looks like to follow Him when life gets difficult with people.
That is where Christianity often becomes very practical.
It is one thing to sing about loving God.
It is another thing to keep from causing another believer to stumble.
It is one thing to say we believe in grace.
It is another thing to forgive someone who has hurt us again.
It is one thing to talk about faith.
It is another thing to obey when the Lord’s command feels bigger than our strength.
The Christian life is not lived in isolation.
It is lived around people.
It is lived in homes, churches, friendships, ministries, and relationships.
And because we are still sinners living among sinners, there will be offenses.
Jesus does not pretend those things will not happen.
He tells us how to follow Him when they do.
Tonight I want to give you four marks of a faithful disciple.
I. Walk Carefully
I. Walk Carefully
1 Then said he unto the disciples, It is impossible but that offences will come: but woe unto him, through whom they come!
Jesus begins with a very honest statement.
Offenses will come.
The word “offences” carries the idea of a stumbling block, a trap, or something that causes someone else to fall.
Jesus is saying that hurt feelings will happen.
He’s saying that in a fallen world, there will be things that trip people spiritually.
There’ll be temptations.
There’ll be bad examples.
There’ll be careless words.
There’ll be hypocritical lives.
There’ll be influences that pull people away from God.
That is why the disciple of Jesus has to walk carefully.
We cannot control every offense that comes into the world, but we are responsible not to be the one through whom it comes.
A. Guard Your Influence
A. Guard Your Influence
Jesus says, “but woe unto him, through whom they come!”
That is a serious warning.
The Lord takes it seriously when a person becomes a stumbling block to someone else.
We often think of sin only in terms of what it does to us.
Jesus reminds us to think about what our sin does to others.
Your attitude affects someone.
Your words affect someone.
Your bitterness affects someone.
Your carelessness affects someone.
Your compromise affects someone.
Your faithfulness also affects someone.
13 Let us not therefore judge one another any more: but judge this rather, that no man put a stumblingblock or an occasion to fall in his brother’s way.
That verse reminds us that love does not ask, “What can I get by with?”
Love asks, “Will this help my brother walk with God?”
9 But take heed lest by any means this liberty of yours become a stumblingblock to them that are weak.
That is an important spirit in the church.
We should never be casual about influencing someone in the wrong direction.
A dad may think his anger is just his personality, but his children are learning from it.
A mom may think her complaining is just venting, but her children are absorbing it.
A church member may think his criticism is just honesty, but a younger believer may be wounded by it.
We are always teaching someone something.
The question is whether our life is making the path to Christ clearer or harder.
B. Consider The Little Ones
B. Consider The Little Ones
Luke 17:2 says, “It were better for him that a millstone were hanged about his neck, and he cast into the sea, than that he should offend one of these little ones.”
That is one of the strongest warnings Jesus ever gave.
A millstone was a heavy stone used for grinding grain.
Jesus says it would be better for a person to face a dreadful death than to cause one of these little ones to stumble.
The “little ones” may include children, but the phrase also applies to humble, vulnerable, and young believers.
Jesus cares deeply about those who are spiritually tender.
Matthew 18:6 gives a similar warning:
6 But whoso shall offend one of these little ones which believe in me, it were better for him that a millstone were hanged about his neck, and that he were drowned in the depth of the sea.
The Lord is protective of His children.
He sees the young believer trying to grow.
He sees the child listening in the pew.
He sees the struggling Christian trying to take another step.
And He says, “Be careful how you treat them.”
This should sober every parent.
This should sober every Sunday School teacher.
This should sober every preacher.
This should sober every church member.
We never want our spirit, our example, our attitude, or our sin to become the reason someone stumbles.
Thank God, His grace can overcome our failures.
But this passage reminds us that influence matters.
A careless life can leave marks on people we love.
C. Keep Your Steps
C. Keep Your Steps
Verse 3 begins with the words, “Take heed to yourselves.”
That phrase is very important.
Before Jesus tells us how to deal with someone else’s sin, He tells us to watch ourselves.
That is where we often get it backward.
We take heed to everybody else.
We notice their faults.
We measure their attitude.
We remember their offenses.
Jesus says, “Take heed to yourselves.”
Before you confront someone else, check your own heart.
Before you correct another believer, make sure you are walking humbly.
Before you talk about what someone did to you, ask whether your own spirit is pleasing to God.
1 Brethren, if a man be overtaken in a fault, ye which are spiritual, restore such an one in the spirit of meekness; considering thyself, lest thou also be tempted.
It says, “considering thyself, lest thou also be tempted.”
Restoration must be done with meekness because we are not above falling ourselves.
That does not mean we ignore sin.
It means we handle sin with humility.
A faithful disciple walks carefully because influence is a sacred trust.
We are not just living for ourselves.
We are walking in front of others.
II. Correct Lovingly
II. Correct Lovingly
Luke 17:3 says, “Take heed to yourselves: If thy brother trespass against thee, rebuke him; and if he repent, forgive him.”
Jesus now moves from causing offense to responding when someone sins against us.
This is where discipleship gets close to home.
It is your brother.
It is someone near you.
It is someone who has sinned against you.
Jesus gives two commands here.
Rebuke him.
Forgive him.
Both are acts of love when they are done God’s way.
A. Face The Wrong
A. Face The Wrong
Jesus says, “If thy brother trespass against thee, rebuke him.”
That does not mean we become harsh, sharp, or eager to correct everyone.
It means love does not pretend serious sin is harmless.
Sometimes people use forgiveness as an excuse to avoid dealing with sin.
Other times people use rebuke as an excuse to unload anger.
Jesus does not call us to either extreme.
He calls us to face the wrong in a spirit that desires restoration.
15 Moreover if thy brother shall trespass against thee, go and tell him his fault between thee and him alone: if he shall hear thee, thou hast gained thy brother.
That is a gracious process.
Go to him.
Tell him his fault.
Do it privately.
Do it with the goal of gaining your brother.
The goal is not to win an argument.
The goal is not to punish the person.
The goal is restoration.
6 Faithful are the wounds of a friend; But the kisses of an enemy are deceitful.
A faithful friend may say something painful, but he says it because he loves you.
There are times when silence is not love.
There are times when ignoring sin only allows more damage.
15 But speaking the truth in love, may grow up into him in all things, which is the head, even Christ:
Truth without love becomes cruel.
Love without truth becomes shallow.
Christlike correction brings both together.
B. Forgive The Repentant
B. Forgive The Repentant
Jesus says, “and if he repent, forgive him.”
That is clear.
When there is repentance, forgiveness is not optional for the follower of Christ.
We are not allowed to hold the person in debt after they have sought forgiveness.
We are not allowed to keep punishing them emotionally.
We are not allowed to say with our mouth, “I forgive you,” while our heart says, “But I will never let you forget it.”
Forgiveness is costly because sin really does hurt.
Jesus is not minimizing the hurt.
He is calling us to release the debt into the hands of God.
32 And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ’s sake hath forgiven you.
That verse does not say we forgive because the offense was small.
It says we forgive because God has forgiven us.
13 Forbearing one another, and forgiving one another, if any man have a quarrel against any: even as Christ forgave you, so also do ye.
Christ’s forgiveness becomes the pattern for our forgiveness.
That does not mean trust is always restored instantly.
Forgiveness releases the debt.
Trust is rebuilt over time through repentance, truth, and faithfulness.
A person can forgive and still use wisdom.
A person can forgive and still require accountability.
A person can forgive and still acknowledge that consequences may remain.
But a Christian cannot cherish bitterness and call it obedience.
Hebrews 12:15 warns about “a root of bitterness” springing up and troubling us.
15 Looking diligently lest any man fail of the grace of God; lest any root of bitterness springing up trouble you, and thereby many be defiled;
Bitterness rarely stays private.
It troubles the heart that holds it, and then it troubles the people around it.
Jesus calls His disciples to forgive the repentant because forgiven people should be forgiving people.
C. Repeat The Mercy
C. Repeat The Mercy
Luke 17:4 says, “And if he trespass against thee seven times in a day, and seven times in a day turn again to thee, saying, I repent; thou shalt forgive him.”
This is the part that made the apostles feel overwhelmed.
One offense is hard enough.
Seven times in one day sounds almost unbearable.
Jesus is not encouraging fake repentance or careless sin.
He is teaching that our willingness to forgive must not run out before God’s mercy does.
If a brother returns saying, “I repent,” the disciple of Jesus must be ready to forgive.
That does not come naturally.
Naturally, we keep count.
Naturally, we protect ourselves.
Naturally, we say, “I have already forgiven you enough.”
But Jesus calls us to a mercy that reflects the mercy we have received.
21 Then came Peter to him, and said, Lord, how oft shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? till seven times?
22 Jesus saith unto him, I say not unto thee, Until seven times: but, Until seventy times seven.
The point is not that we count to 490 and then stop.
The point is that grace does not live with a calculator in its hand.
Think of how many times you have gone back to the Lord with the same weakness.
Think of how many times He has been merciful to you.
10 He hath not dealt with us after our sins; Nor rewarded us according to our iniquities.
That truth should soften us.
Christlike disciples correct lovingly because the goal is not revenge.
The goal is restoration.
III. Trust Deeply
III. Trust Deeply
Luke 17:5 says, “And the apostles said unto the Lord, Increase our faith.”
That response makes sense.
After hearing Jesus speak about forgiving seven times in a day, the apostles realize they need help.
They do not say, “Lord, increase our patience.”
They do not say, “Lord, increase our emotional strength.”
They say, “Increase our faith.”
They understood that obedience to Christ in relationships requires faith in God.
It takes faith to obey when forgiveness feels unsafe.
It takes faith to release bitterness when your flesh wants to hold it.
It takes faith to believe that God’s way is better than our instincts.
A. Bring Your Weakness
A. Bring Your Weakness
The apostles’ prayer is simple: “Increase our faith.”
That is a good prayer.
There are times when we should stop pretending we are stronger than we are.
There are times when the most spiritual thing you can say is, “Lord, I need help.”
You may say, “I know I should forgive, but I don’t feel strong enough.”
Tell the Lord.
You may say, “I know I should speak the truth in love, but I’m afraid.”
Tell the Lord.
Just like the man in Mark 9, When Jesus asked him if he believed…
24 And straightway the father of the child cried out, and said with tears, Lord, I believe; help thou mine unbelief.
That is a prayer the Lord understands.
Faith is not pretending you have no weakness.
Faith is bringing your weakness to the One who is strong.
9 And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.
God does not ask us to obey in our own strength.
He gives grace for what He commands.
B. Use What You Have
B. Use What You Have
Luke 17:6 says, “And the Lord said, If ye had faith as a grain of mustard seed, ye might say unto this sycamine tree, Be thou plucked up by the root, and be thou planted in the sea; and it should obey you.”
Jesus does not answer by giving them a lecture about the size of their faith.
He points them to the power of genuine faith, even when it seems small.
A mustard seed was tiny.
Jesus says faith like that can do what seems impossible.
The sycamine tree has deep roots.
To pluck it up by the root and plant it in the sea would be humanly impossible.
But Jesus is teaching that God can enable obedience that feels impossible to us.
He is not giving us a blank check for selfish miracles.
He is showing us that even small faith in a great God is enough to obey a hard command.
Sometimes we think, “If I had stronger faith, then I could obey.”
Jesus is saying, “Use the faith you have.”
Do the next right thing.
Take the next obedient step.
Pray the honest prayer.
Speak the humble word.
Offer the needed forgiveness.
God does not need impressive faith.
He calls for real faith.
C. Believe His Power
C. Believe His Power
The sycamine tree is a helpful picture.
Deep-rooted things are hard to move.
Some hurts feel deep-rooted.
Some bitterness feels deep-rooted.
Some patterns in a family feel deep-rooted.
Some fears feel deep-rooted.
Jesus says faith looks at the deep-rooted thing and says, “God is able.”
That does not mean every relationship will be healed instantly.
It does not mean every offender will repent.
But it does mean God can work in your heart in ways you could not produce on your own.
13 For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure.
That means God can change your desires and empower your obedience.
13 I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.
That verse is about Christ giving strength to obey and endure in whatever He calls us to face.
You may not feel like you have enough faith to forgive.
You may not feel like you have enough faith to confront.
You may not feel like you have enough faith to walk carefully.
But bring the faith you have to the Lord you know.
The strength is not in the size of your faith.
The strength is in the greatness of your God.
Faithful disciples trust deeply because Christ can enable what Christ commands.
IV. Serve Humbly
IV. Serve Humbly
In verses 7–10, Jesus gives a short parable about a servant.
Luke 17:7 says, “But which of you, having a servant plowing or feeding cattle, will say unto him by and by, when he is come from the field, Go and sit down to meat?”
Then Jesus says the master would instead tell the servant to prepare the meal, serve him, and then afterward eat and drink.
Jesus is using a common master-servant situation from that day to teach the spirit of discipleship.
The servant was not praised as though he had done something extraordinary when he simply fulfilled his duty.
Jesus is not teaching that God is harsh or unkind.
He is teaching that obedience does not put God in our debt.
A. Accept Your Place
A. Accept Your Place
Luke 17:10 says, “So likewise ye, when ye shall have done all those things which are commanded you...”
Notice the phrase, “commanded you.”
Disciples are not volunteers giving God occasional favors.
We are servants under the authority of our Lord.
That is not a miserable place.
It is a blessed place.
The safest place in the world is under the authority of Christ.
19 What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own?
20 For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God’s.
We belong to Christ.
He has the right to command our lives.
That includes our words.
That includes our attitudes.
That includes our forgiveness.
That includes our relationships.
That includes our service.
Love for Christ shows up in obedience to Christ.
We do not obey to earn His love.
We obey because we have received His love.
We do not serve to purchase grace.
We serve because grace has purchased us.
B. Refuse The Credit
B. Refuse The Credit
Jesus continues in Luke 17:10, “say, We are unprofitable servants.”
That phrase does not mean we are worthless to God in the sense that He does not love us.
Jesus is teaching that even when we obey, we have not made God owe us anything.
We are not bargaining with God.
We are not earning special status.
We are not building a case for why God should be impressed with us.
We are simply servants of a gracious Master.
That truth is especially important after we have done something hard.
If you forgive someone, do not let pride grow out of your obedience.
If you serve faithfully, do not let resentment grow because nobody noticed.
If you sacrifice, do not keep a hidden ledger.
If you obey in a difficult relationship, do not begin thinking God now owes you an easier path.
Luke 18:11 shows us the danger of spiritual pride when the Pharisee prayed,
11 The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself, God, I thank thee, that I am not as other men are, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this publican.
That man had religion, but he did not have humility.
10 But by the grace of God I am what I am: and his grace which was bestowed upon me was not in vain; but I laboured more abundantly than they all: yet not I, but the grace of God which was with me.
Paul labored faithfully, but he knew grace was behind it all.
When we have obeyed, grace helped us obey.
When we have served, grace gave us strength.
When we have forgiven, grace softened our heart.
There is no room for boasting at the feet of Jesus.
C. Fulfill Your Duty
C. Fulfill Your Duty
Jesus ends verse 10 with these words: “we have done that which was our duty to do.”
Faithful service is not always dramatic.
Sometimes it is just doing your duty.
It is forgiving when Christ commands forgiveness.
It is speaking truth when love requires truth.
It is guarding your influence when others are watching.
It is serving when you are tired.
It is staying faithful when nobody claps.
It is doing the next right thing because Jesus is Lord.
13 Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God, and keep his commandments: for this is the whole duty of man.
8 He hath shewed thee, O man, what is good; And what doth the Lord require of thee, But to do justly, and to love mercy, And to walk humbly with thy God?
That is the spirit of Luke 17.
Do right.
Love mercy.
Walk humbly.
Some of the most faithful Christians in the world will never be famous.
They will never write a book.
They will never stand before thousands.
But they get up and serve God.
They forgive.
They pray.
They give.
They teach.
They love.
They stay.
They keep going.
And when they have done what Christ commanded, they do not demand applause.
They say, “Lord, I only did what was my duty to do.”
A faithful disciple serves humbly because obedience is not a favor we do for God.
It is the duty and delight of belonging to Him.
Conclusion
Conclusion
This passage in Luke 17 gives us a very practical picture of discipleship.
Jesus tells us to walk carefully because our influence can help or hurt others.
He tells us to correct lovingly because sin must be faced with a heart for restoration.
He tells us to trust deeply because the commands of Christ require the grace and power of Christ.
He tells us to serve humbly because obedience never puts God in our debt.
That is what it looks like to follow His steps in a world of offenses.
This passage touches church life.
It touches family life.
It touches marriage.
It touches parenting.
It touches friendships.
It touches every place where sinners live close enough to hurt and be hurt.
Maybe tonight the Lord is speaking to you about your influence.
Is your example making the path to Christ clearer or harder for someone else?
Maybe the Lord is speaking to you about a wrong that needs to be faced lovingly.
You have avoided it, excused it, or talked around it, but you have not handled it God’s way.
Maybe the Lord is speaking to you about forgiveness.
You have said, “I can’t forgive again,” but Jesus is calling you to bring that deep-rooted hurt to Him.
Maybe the Lord is speaking to you about faith.
You do not need to pretend your faith is strong.
You can simply pray, “Lord, increase our faith.”
Maybe the Lord is speaking to you about humility in service.
You have served, but resentment has been creeping in because you feel unseen or unappreciated.
Christ sees.
Christ knows.
Christ is worthy.
The applause of earth is not the measure of faithful service.
The approval of Christ is enough.
One day, the Lord will make all things right.
One day, He will reward what was done for Him.
Until then, we follow His steps.
We walk carefully.
We correct lovingly.
We trust deeply.
We serve humbly.
And when we have done what He commanded us to do, we bow our hearts and say, “Lord, we are unprofitable servants: we have done that which was our duty to do.”
