Automatic Transcript Generated:
Speaker 1
Yes. Jay, would you read that? Sorry?
Speaker 2
Oh, right, sorry. That’s right. I read these. Now, what’s your thought when Jesus said the term unprofitable servant in Luke 1717 to ten? It’s kind of harsh.
Speaker 1
Yeah. Mr. Excerpt edify, I like your name. That’s pretty cool. So really quick, let’s go there in Luke chapter 17 and take a look at those verses, just to start, because this is a really interesting passage, and I remember reading this too, and being like, that doesn’t make sense to Jesus. Why would you say that? You’re such a nice person. That sounds kind of mean. And so I kind of got the same feeling when I first read it. But then again, looking at it through God loves you, he is not saying this to be mean. Everything God says is out of love, just like a parent with their child. Sometimes a parent might say something and you might feel like, you’re so mean, you’re so harsh. But then when you become a parent, you’re like, oh, my parents loved me. They were just trying to help me and look out for me. Anyways, I think that applies to so many things we’ve talked about today. So again, going back to Luke chapter 17 in verses 17 through ten, and it says, in which of you having a servant plowing or tending sheep will say to him when he’s coming from the field, come at once and sit down to eat.
Speaker 1
So basically Jesus is saying, like, if you hired somebody to work for you, would you tell them, like, hey, come in here, I made something for you. And first state it says, but will he not rather say to him, prepare something for my supper, engage yourself and serve me till I have eaten and drunk, and afterward you will eat and drink. So Jesus is saying, like, when you hire somebody again to work for you, you’re not expecting to serve them. You’re expecting to be served to receive something for the wages that you’re paying for their service. And Jesus goes on to say, does he thank this servant because he did the things that were commanded him? I think not. Jesus saying, you don’t really get a big thank you all the time from your boss for you doing the job you were hired to do. And in verse ten, it says, so likewise, you and you have done all those things which you are commanded. Say, we are unprofitable servants. We have done that which was our duty to do. And so again, Jesus here basically saying that when you’re coming to judgment, would you stand before God and be like, God, I did this for you.
Speaker 1
I did this for you, I did this for you. Kind of goes back to what we saw in Matthew chapter seven, right, where people were saying, lord, didn’t I prophesy in your name? Didn’t I do this in your name? And Jesus, I don’t know you because what is life eternal is knowing God. And the thing is, if we know God, it’s really not us doing any of this stuff in the first place. And you really see this in the Book of John, chapter 15. And I love this passage. I think it’s John chapter 15, verse five. So I’ll read that really quick, john 15 five. Jesus is saying, I am the vine and you are the branches. He who abides in me and I Him bears much fruit. So you’re going to do a lot of things for God, and yes, you’re in a labor for the Lord, but it says, for without me you can do nothing. So it’s not like anything we do for God is us really doing it. It’s God through us. And Jesus tells his people in the book of Matthew, I believe it’s verse chapter six, where basically Jesus says coming to me, all you that labor and are heavy laden and I will give you rest.
Speaker 1
And so Jesus is saying and he says, I will take my yoke upon you. And basically when two oxen are yoked together, they’re doing the work. Jesus saying, I take my yoke upon you and learn of me frying meek and lowly in heart. And I think this is really the point of what Jesus is saying, is that first of all, you can’t do anything without me. Second of all, you’re yoked up with me. I’m really the one doing the work. All you’re doing is allowing me to do the work in you and through you. And when you see that Jesus, the God of Heaven, came down to this earth to die for your sins, to pay the wages of sin, which is death, that’s the wages that Jesus is giving you. He’s giving you his life, his eternal life. He gave for you so that you could be saved. How can we then go to heaven and be like God? You owe me. You owe me because I paid my tithe and I went to church every week and I helped some people here and there. I obeyed your commandments. Even that we can’t say, Well, God owes us.
Speaker 1
No. God doesn’t owe us. We owe God everything. Because again, the wages of sin was death, but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord. So I think what Jesus is getting at is just keeping that attitude of humility and remembering the big picture of salvation, which is that we were lost people. We had no salvation, we had no hope, until God the Father sent his only begotten Son to this world that whosoever would believe in Him based on the merits of his perfect life and his sacrifice on the cross for our salvation. That’s the only way we’re saved. And so I think Jesus is just trying to remind his followers that, hey, don’t have this attitude of I’m owed something because I’m serving the Lord. No, we serve the Lord in the example of the Lord and the example of Jesus is this act of surrender and humility and love and kindness. And I think when we have that attitude, that’s how we know we know God, because God is that way. God doesn’t throw his weight around. God is not proud or God is humble and merciful and kind.
Speaker 1
And so I think that’s more what Jesus is getting at is not just saying like, don’t act like he’s not trying to give his disciples attitude, but really just to remind them of the big picture that we are God’s servants and God paid for our salvation. And so when we come to God in the day of judgment, we can’t come to Him in an attitude of self righteousness, but rather in the righteousness of Christ and just accepting his gift and being like, I did whatever, everything that was done through me, you did it, you deserve the glory. And I’m just grateful that I was allowed to be used by you because without you I can do nothing. So I think that’s more what Jesus is getting at in these verses. Janey, other thoughts on that one?
Speaker 2
No, no, I think it’s spot on and just reinforced. I mean, if one of us walks into a police station and says, hey, I like to claim a reward, I didn’t speed, I haven’t stolen, I haven’t killed anybody, can I get anything reward? They’ll just look at you crazy and say, well, at least you’re not in prison to do that stuff. Yeah, we’re expected to love. So if you are a good loving person, God will say, good, that’s why I expected. And he’s probably going to say, though, like, really? We still don’t even know how to love and yeah, exactly. I just said tina right, yeah. Nothing we do that is good really is, and of ourselves, it does come for God. And if God was to praise us for being good or acts, it leads to pride and pride leads the downfall. And studies show, like if parents do too much applauding of their children for every little thing, the kids grow up expecting it, needing it, and having major personality issues, the studies have shown. So kids need a certain amount of affirmation, but it should not be for every little thing they do.
Speaker 2
They need to find joy in just doing what’s right and not need the external applause or else again, there’s going to be some big consequences down the road.
Speaker 1
Man that’s true. And the thing is, God does say, and Jesus tells us that when we go to heaven, that if we are faithful, that God will tell us, good job. In Matthew 25, verse 21, this is a parable of the judgment that will happen. And it says his Lord will said to him, well done, good and faithful servant. You are faithful over a few things. I will make you rule over many things enter into the joy of the Lord and we will hear those words well done, good and faithful servant. But we don’t need to hear that all the time and we don’t need to come to God with that attitude of we deserve. And I think that’s really an attitude of the world. And we see that so much now is this entitlement. And I think that’s just a very unchrist, like attitude of just feeling entitled, of course I deserve everything. And you really have to look at the big picture. It’s like, no, we’re sinners, we deserve death. But it’s only by God’s mercy and love that he sent His Son to the sacrifice. And because of that sacrifice that should change our hearts to have also an attitude of humility and kindness that we see in Jesus Christ.
Speaker 2
It’s really interesting that this when the question comes from Luke 17, this whole sort of parable is prompted by the apostles question lord, increase our faith. Jesus first says, if you had the faith of a master seed, you can tell a mulberry tree, pluck yourself and go into the sea. And he brings up that parable, right? I think, yeah, he’s saying, yeah, you could do amazing things with faith, but saying like, yeah, be humble, really, because you’re expected to have faith. You’re expected to do amazing things with their faith through God, but you’re just doing what God wants you to do. And yeah, God will applaud us, but our attitude should be that one of humbleness.
Speaker 1
Amen. And it just reminds me so much of a passage we will close with this in Philippians chapter two, verses one through five. It says, therefore if there is any consolation in Christ, if any comfort of love, if any fellowship of the spirit, if any affection and mercy, fulfill my joy, being like minded, having the same love, being of one accord, of one mind, let nothing be done through selfish ambition or conceit, but in lowliness of mind. Let each esteem others better than himself. Let each of you look not only on his own interests, but on the interests of others. And this is really the point which is let this mind that he just described being you, which was also in Christ Jesus. So we want to have this mind of Christ, which is all these beautiful things that God describes as a true Christian, this love, this mercy, this kindness, this humility. And I think that that’s really the point of, like everything we said today, again, is God loves you. And because God loves you, we need to follow in that love and be loving people. And so I just pray that, you know, as we go throughout our week, we keep these beautiful words of God in mind and we carry that in our hearts.
Speaker 1
Amen.
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