Beloved, I am glad to share with you today the above theme from Lk 17:7 and following. Indeed, this parable appears in a discourse of Christ on the faith and the Christian life. It is an exhortation to humility. It’s actually a succession of questions that are easy to answer. The discourse is all the more alive. Jesus applies the parable to His disciples. He draws a lesson from this for Christians in general and preachers in particular. When the disciple has done all that the Lord expects of him – but what disciple can claim that? -, he has done only his duty, and his Master owes him nothing. This is the point of comparison of the parable. Other texts and parables teach us that Jesus will not act as the master of this text, that he will reward his servants (Mt 25:21, 23; Luke 19:17, 19). That is why this master does not illustrate Jesus or God, but us: “Who of you…?” His way of doing things is not that of God, but the normal attitude of the masters. The Lord does otherwise: He rewards His servants, even those who have not done their work to perfection. However, he does not owe it to them. For this reward is a grace and not a due. And it takes place because he loves them, not because of the quality of their work. To claim a reward for a service that is far from perfect is to negotiate that service to God, to demand a salary that would be due to us.
Indeed, the apostles feel that in order to act according to these principles of grace they need more faith and they ask the Lord for it. He replies that another virtue is indispensable: obedience, because it is in the knowledge and fulfillment of God’s will that we can count on Him. Yes, faith is not separated from obedience or obedience from humility. Useless servants: this is what we must think of ourselves, because God can work without us and if He employs us it is pure grace on His part. But this is not what the Lord thinks of those who are His friends (John 15:12-17). For in the realm of grace, that of faith and obedience, the heart sometimes finds it difficult to act with such principles. It was especially strange for the disciples who had lived until then under the law, a legal principle that suits everyone.
Therefore, upon hearing the Lord’s exhortations about forgiveness, they ask Him to increase their faith, thinking that it takes great faith to walk on a path so alien to the natural heart. The Lord answers them, “If you have faith like a grain of mustard, you would say to this mulberry tree, Uproot yourself, and plant yourself in the sea; and he would obey you,” something impossible according to nature. For faith, whatever it may be, involves God, and from then on anything can happen, for nothing is impossible for God. It is simply a question of whether the thing for which God is involved is according to Him; if it is contrary to his will, it is useless to speak of faith, but if one is with God, in the path of obedience, in the enjoyment of his communion and the spiritual intelligence that discerns his thoughts, all that one can desire will be done, and above all, we will be able to accomplish what he asks of us without question of great or small faith, because faith, to whatever extent, relies on God alone.
There is another principle with faith to which the Lord wants to make the disciples, and us after them, attentive by the example given above: that of obedience. The Lord supposes the case of a master who, having a servant ploughing or grazing cattle, when he returns from work, does not tell him to sit down at the table; on the contrary, he enjoins him to prepare for supper; after that, he will be able to eat and drink. The Lord said of the master, “Is he obligated to the servant of what he has done what had been commanded? I do not think so. So you too, when you have done all the things that have been commanded to you, say: We are useless servants; what we were obliged to do, we have done.” Let’s notice that the Lord does not say ,” is he obliged to the servant that he had great faith”; but “that he has done what has been commanded to him.” Likewise he says, “When you have done all the things that have been commanded of you, say: …” and not: “When you have had great faith.” Faith with the power of God to accomplish His will cannot be separated from obedience. When we know God’s will, we must simply obey, without wondering if we have the faith to do it, as the servant who, returning from the fields, instead of resting, drinking and eating, obeys his master by preparing his meal and serving him. He doesn’t tell her that he needs great faith for this. Often, after knowing the thought of God, instead of obeying, we say that we do not have the faith to act, because we look at the consequences of obedience, sometimes painful. For the faith of the martyrs placed them on the path of obedience; they gave their lives rather than disobey, according to the divine Model who died rather than failing in obedience. Since the servant obeyed, does the master owe him great gratitude? The Lord says, “I don’t think so.” For the servant is his property; the believer also belongs to his Lord, he is his slave redeemed at great price. In return for all the love that has borne the brunt of this redemption, he owes the Lord his being, his life, whole. He can count on such a master; he owes him everything. It is in this spirit of dedication and obedience that we must serve under the regime of grace that has replaced that of the law, taking into consideration only the will of the Lord and his great love, without thinking that our obedience is meritorious.
Having done all our duty, if we ever do, we can call ourselves “useless servants; what we were forced to do, we did.” This is the feeling we must have of ourselves, as slaves of Christ, of the one who has loved us more than his own life and who provides us with everything necessary to serve him. We know that the Lord will speak a completely different language to His faithful servants on the day when everyone receives His praise. Jesus says this himself in Matthew 25. 21:23; we also see in this same chapter that the Lord reminds those at his right hand of services that they do not believe they have performed, as his heart pays attention to the smallest things done for him: A glass of cold water given in his name will not lose its reward.
The following verses have been compiled for your edification and grouped together for your better understanding.
The slave who has only done his duty:
· Duties of Employees
-Obedience Eph 6:5 Servants, obey your masters according to the flesh, with fear and trembling, in the simplicity of your heart, as to Christ,
Fidelity Col 3:22 Servants, obey your masters in all things according to the flesh, not only before their eyes, as if to please men, but with simplicity of heart, in fear of the Lord.
-Respect for the masters 1 Tim 6:1 Let all who are under the yoke of bondage regard their masters as worthy of all honor, so that the name of God and doctrine may not be blasphemed.
-Desire to please 2:9 Exhorts servants to be subject to their masters, to please them in all things, not to be contradictory,
Patience in trial 1 Pet 2:18 Servants, be subjected in fear to your masters, not only to those who are good and gentle, but also to those of a difficult character.
· Divine Priority: The Steward’s Responsibility for Human Possessions
Nb 3:13 For every firstborn belongs to me; on the day I struck all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, I consecrated to myself all the firstborn in Israel, both men and animals: they will belong to me. I am the Lord. Dt 26:2 thou shalt take the first fruits of all the fruits which thou shalt take from the soil in the land which Jehovah your God gives you, you shall put them in a basket, and you shall go to the place chosen by Jehovah thy God to make his name dwell there. 1 Kings 17:13 Elijah said to him, Fear not, go back, do as you said. Only, prepare me first with this a small cake, and you will bring it to me; then you will do it for yourself and for your son. Mt 6:33 Seek first the kingdom and righteousness of God; and all these things will be given to you above.
· Spiritual service
God requires Ex 23:25 You will serve Jehovah your God, and He will bless your bread and waters, and I will keep sickness away from your midst. Dt 10:12 Now, Israel, what does Jehovah your God ask of you, except that you fear Jehovah, your God, in order to walk in all his ways, to love and serve Jehovah, your God, with all your heart and soul; Ps 2:11 Serve the Lord with fear, and rejoice with trembling. Eph 6:7 Serve the Lord with fear, and rejoice with trembling. Hb 12:28 Therefore, receiving an unshakable kingdom, let us show our gratitude by worshiping God in a way that is pleasing to Him,
-Must be offered to Christ John 12:26 If anyone serves me, let him follow me; and where I am, there too will be my servant. If someone serves me, the Father will honor him. 1 Cor 7:22 For the slave who has been called into the Lord is a freedman from the Lord; likewise, the free man who has been called is a slave of Christ. Eph 6:6 not only before their eyes, as if to please men, but as servants of Christ, who willingly do God’s will. Phil 1:1 Paul and Timothy, servants of Jesus Christ, to all the saints in Jesus Christ who are in Philippi, to the bishops and deacons: Col 3:24 knowing that you will receive from the Lord the inheritance as a reward. Serve Christ, the Lord.
· Imperfection of man
Jb 9:20 Am I righteous, my mouth will condemn me; Am I innocent, he will convict me. Ec 7:20 No, there is no righteous man on earth who does good and never sins. Phil 3:12 It is not that I have already won the prize, or that I have already attained perfection; but I run, trying to grasp it, since I too have been seized by Jesus Christ. Jas 3:2 We all flinch in many ways. If someone does not flinch in words, he is a perfect man, capable of holding his whole body in bridle. Rev 3:2 Be vigilant, and strengthen the rest that is about to die; for I have not found your works perfect before my God.
From all the above, we note that today this principle of obedience has been lost sight of to a great extent, among those who think they are serving the Lord. There is a lot of talk about faith, acts of faith, healings and other very interesting facts perhaps; books are written about it. But little regard is paid to the obedience due to the Lord by conforming his walk, individual or collective, to the immutable teaching of the word of God. In the Philadelphia congregation (Rev 3), the Lord likes to recognize, despite the lack of strength that characterizes it, a walk in accordance with his word and his name. “You kept my word, and you didn’t deny my name.” “He who has my commandments and keeps them is the one who loves me.” “If someone loves me, he will keep my word.” Let us remember that obedience goes with faith, and that if we know the thought of God, it is to obey without reasoning and without waiting to be under the effect of another power than the thought and enjoyment of the love of which we are the objects on the part of the one who died for us. Our prayers are with you all.
PRAYER OF ACCEPTANCE OF JESUS CHRIST AS LORD AND PERSONAL SAVIOR
I now invite every person who wants to become a new creation by walking in the truth, to pray with me the following prayer:
Lord Jesus, I have long walked in the lusts of the world ignoring your love for humans. I admit to having sinned against you and ask your forgiveness for all my sins, because today I have decided to give you my life by taking you as Lord and personal Savior. I recognize that you died on the cross of Calvary and rose from the dead for me.
I am now saved and born again by the power of the Holy Spirit. Lead me every day to the eternal life that you give to all who obey your Word. Reveal yourself to me and strengthen my heart and faith, so that your light may shine in my life right now.
Thank you, Lord Jesus, for accepting me into your divine family, so that I may also contemplate the wonders of your kingdom.
I will now choose a nearby waterpoint to baptize myself by immersion, in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.
All adoration, power and glory are yours, now and forever and ever. Amen!
I would be happy to respond to any questions and comments you may have, before sharing with you tomorrow ” the parable of the unfinished tower.”
May the Lord Jesus Christ bless you abundantly.
David Feze, Servant of the Almighty God.