Song “Will you come and follow me” https://youtu.be/o469PRLdbHU
Reflection on Luke 17v5-10
Three gospels in the New Testament offer similar portraits of the life of Jesus; Luke is the third of them. Its author was Luke the doctor, who accompanied Paul on some of his missionary journeys. Throughout Luke’s gospel, there is a special concern for the poor and social outcasts, shepherd, servants, women, the sick and deranged.
Following a dispute with the Pharisees over wealth / mammon, Jesus addresses his disciples on the issue of skandala/ stumbling blocks. The them is that in Gods kingdom, there will be condemnation of the self-righteous and blessing for the humble.
Stumbling-blocks, faith and humility.
The self righteous will find themselves excluded from the kingdom of God, while the humble take their place in the kingdom. Jesus warns his disciples of the danger of adopting the same pharisaic works-mind-set so prevalent in Judaism at the time. Faith, with repentance, is the way of a disciple, and not what we do/works!
The Pharisees are obsessed with law keeping. Nit picking, speck-removing righteousness and log-blinding corruption. Sound familiar?!
Pharisees had a false legal piety. They did not keep the deep moral demands of the law and the prophets, even as they posed as their protectors. They loved money and tried to serve both God and Mammon/money and ended up hating and despising the commandments that demanded sharing of possessions!
A person's acceptance by God is not based on our ability to do things, but on our faith and God's forgiveness.
The parable of the Master and the Slave, v7-10 is a teaching parable, a story / picture serving to illustrate a particular truth.
So Jesus dismisses any notion that the full appropriation of the blessings of the covenant may be appropriated by faithful attention to the Law (Mosaic law).
Legalism yokes us and undermines our relationship with God and the salvation we have through Jesus. We can never earn God's praise through faithful obedience. We always remain unworthy servants. We have only done what we should have done. The only work/action that brings joy to God is repentance and faith, an easy yoke.
When it comes to forgiving, it is forgiven people who tend to be forgiving, not law-bound people. It is by Jesus grace, that we are redeemed, through faith, and this apart from works of any law. Amen
(With thanks to Brian Finlayson)
Song “Take this moment sign and space ” https://youtu.be/2bnCxCh5EGA
The Peace of God
Be upon everything our eyes see
Be upon all we hear
Be on our bodies that come from the earth
Be on our souls that come from heaven
For ever and ever. Amen
