Pastor Marshall Ochs | April 28, 2024
In this message, Pastor Marshall teaches from Luke 17. This chapter draws our attention to two core themes — faith and gratitude. Jesus teaches a parable on the duty of a disciple and those same duties show up in the healing of the 10 lepers. These themes are corner stones of God’s kingdom, but many of the leading Jews in Jesus’ day are missing it. In fact, more foreigners than members of God’s chosen people are in touch with what God is up to. If we aren’t careful, this same predicament can be present in our lives on the eve of the second coming of Jesus. Therefore, pay attention to yourselves!
Watch
Listen
Reflect
Read Luke 17:1-10. We see Jesus rebuking the Pharisees for their love of money, attitude towards marriage, need for excess and lack of compassion. Their example leads others into sin when they should be leading others into living a holy life for God. The warning is that as leaders with spiritual influence over others there is a greater responsibility to be a Godly example. Our motives, words and actions matter.
In the realm of influence that God has given you, do you represent God’s way or do you represent the way you like to do things?
Pray and ask the Lord to show you if your behavior and lifestyle represent Him or your personal preferences.
Jesus speaks about forgiveness and what that looks like. The Apostles express that they need more faith to forgive others the way Christ is explaining. Christ instructs them that all they need to do is use the faith they already have. Jesus goes on to teach that as a servant, we serve out of a sense of duty for what Christ has done for us. God doesn’t owe us! We owe Him everything! It is our duty to forgive, repent and obey.
Is there someone you need to forgive and have been challenged to do so? Remembering what God has forgiven us for makes it much easier to extend the same forgiveness to others. Pray and ask God to show you any attitude of unforgiveness you may be struggling with and help you extend the same grace, mercy and forgiveness that was so lovingly lavished on you.
Read Luke 17:11-19. Jesus heals 10 lepers, but only one returns to say ,“thank you.” Jesus tells the one who returns to thank Him that his faith has made him well. This is another example of how faith and gratitude go hand in hand. It is noteworthy here that the man who returned to thank Jesus was not a Jew, but rather a Samaritan. The foreigner modeled the attitude of gratitude more that the Jews who knew the scriptures and didn’t model them.
Do you find that you have an attitude of gratitude, or do you take the things the Lord does for you for granted? Take time to notice and thank the Lord for what He has done for you. The blessings are too many to count!
Read Luke 17:20-37. In this passage, Jesus teaches about the Coming of the Kingdom of God. Jesus tells the Pharisees that the Kingdom of God is already among them. They didn’t recognize it when it was in front of them. Jesus goes on to give warning that when He returns, some will be going about their lives and not be prepared for His return. Many in the first century missed Jesus’ first arrival and didn’t recognize Him as the true Messiah. We must be spiritually awake, prepared and be about His business and not miss His return!
If Jesus returned today, would you be ready?
Are you going about your life without any awareness of His second coming?
Are you in love with this world and its pleasures more that Jesus? Pray and ask the Lord to prepare your heart and mind for the things of God rather than the temporary things of this world.