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FORGIVENESS AND SERVICE
LORD’S DAY, AUGUST 10
Luke 17:1-10

1 Corinthians 3:5-15

 

“…We are unprofitable servants…”

 

FORGIVENESS AND SERVICE
 
The Pharisees treated people outside of their circle, especially tax collectors and sinners, with disdain. The rich and powerful treated the poor and weak similarly. Such an attitude effectively shuts out the people God desires to save. Jesus warned His disciples against discrimination. It is better to kill oneself than to cause any of God’s people (cf. Matt 18:2-6) to sin.
 
When a brother sins against us, we must forgive him fully (“seven” signifies perfection). We must keep on forgiving those who have wronged us, even if they do so repeatedly (cf. Matt 18:21-22). If they are penitent, we must forgive. Does this mean that we forgive only if and when a person repents? That seems to be the implication, but there is no explicit statement. The implication seems reasonable in light of the fact that God forgives sinners only if and when they repent (Matt 11:20-21; Luke 13:3). At any rate, even if a person who has done us wrong does not say sorry, it does not mean that we are to stop loving him. Peter wrote, “charity shall cover the multitude of sins” (1 Pet 4:8). Did Peter not learn this from the Lord?
 
On the matter of service, the Lord tells us that we must serve Him obediently and humbly. We must do what He commands, and at the end of the day say, “We are unprofitable servants: we have done that which was our duty to do.” Sounds very Chinese! Such words reflect lowliness and gratefulness, virtues which the Lord desires of us.
 
THOUGHT: “Forget yourself, if you would serve God.” (Calvin)

PRAYER: Father, have compassion on me in my troubles and struggles.

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