The Conduct of a Disciple
In Lk 17:1-10 Jesus taught his disciples several things on the conduct of a disciple. Then in Lk 17:11-19 Jesus healed ten lepers and made the thankful one whole.
A true disciple of Jesus…
Doesn’t offend
There are a few principal ways we can offend other believers. We can offend them with our liberty sinning against a weak brother’s conscience. We can offend them with sin, turning them away from the Lord. Or we can offend by causing offenses contrary to sound doctrine.
We should not offend the brethren with what we eat, for example. 1 Cor 8:11-13 when ye sin so against the brethren, and wound their weak conscience, ye sin against Christ. Rom 14:20-21 it is evil for that man who eateth with offence. “…nor anything where by thy brother… is offended”.
We should not offend the brethren by our sin. For example, there are Christians who will no longer go to church because they’ve been offended by sins committed by their pastor.
We should not offend by causing divisions and offenses contrary to sound Biblical doctrine. Rom 16:17 mark them which cause divisions and offenses contrary to the doctrine which ye have learned; and avoid them.
Causing offence is serious business. It were better that a millstone were hanged about his neck, and he cast into the sea, than that he should offend one of these little ones.
In Matt 18:7-9, Jesus said a man should cut off a hand or foot or pluck out his eye. The way “Christian” religions have caused divisions and offenses is heinous.
Always forgives
If a brother trespasses against you you are to rebuke him. You aren’t to go tell someone else about him and start spreading gossip.
If he repents, forgive him. And if he trespasses against you seven times a day, and repents each time, forgive him.
Since Calvary, we forgive because God has forgiven us, Eph 4:32. It’s best to forgive whether he repents or not. It’s easier to put away bitterness and anger this way.
Uses the faith he has
The disciples asked Jesus to increase their faith. In truth, even faith as small as a grain of mustard seed was sufficient for them to say to a sycamine tree (leaves of a mulberry, with fig-like fruit) be plucked up by the root and planted in the sea. And it would obey them.
Notice that Jesus said, “Ye might say”. He was illustrating with something close at hand. Jesus cursed a fig tree, for example. Paul never did this. Neither did the disciples. But they certainly accomplished great things by faith in God.
It’s not the size of our faith; it’s the size of our God in whom we have faith. For with God nothing shall be impossible, Lk 1:37. But with God all things are possible, Matt 19:26.
Paul wrote Gal 2:16 and 2:20. Our faith is the faith of the Son of God. Through him, we surely have all the faith we need.
Does his duty
The servant’s day is not done when he comes in from the field. He still has to serve his master supper. Take care of all duties to the Lord, first. Afterward eat and drink.
The Lord doesn’t thank him for doing what he is commanded to do. He’s just supposed do it because it is his duty.
Do ALL those things which are commanded you and then say, We are unprofitable servants: we have done that which was our duty to do. There’s no applause for doing your duty.
We know that we may be rewarded at the Judgment Seat of Christ. However, the attitude of this servant is the right attitude for us. We don’t serve for personal recognition.
The Ten Lepers
In Lk 17:11-19 Jesus was going through Samaria and Galilee on his way to Jerusalem.
When he entered a village, ten lepers stood afar off, which they were supposed to do, Lev 13:46. They called out, “Jesus, Master, have mercy on us”.
He didn’t come over and heal them, as in Matt 8:2-3. He just said, “Go shew yourselves unto the priests”, Lev 14:2. This is what lepers were instructed to do in the day of their cleansing. As they went, they were cleansed. Remarkable that they would simply obey.
One turned back and with a loud voice glorified God. He knew his healing was from God. And he fell down on his face at Jesus’s feet, giving him thanks. Jesus accepted his worship because he is God. Contrast Acts 10:25-26 and Rev 19:10.
And he was a Samaritan, not a Jew. Jews have no dealings with Samaritans, Jn 4:9. Yet, Jesus dealt with him and he thanked Jesus.
Jesus asked, “where are the nine? There are not found that returned to give glory to God, save this stranger”.
Therefore, he said to this leper, “Arise, go thy way: thy faith hath made thee ‘whole’”. The others were healed. This leper was healed AND made whole. Compare 2 Ki 5:14.
Conclusion: if you want the request you are seeking from the Lord, then do what he says, like these lepers did. And then glorify God, worship Jesus, and give him thanks.
To study the previous lesson, click on The Rich Man and Lazarus.