IIT UBF - University Bible Fellowship at IIT

Daily Bread

We Have Only Done Our Duty

Date: Sep. 19, 2023

Passage

Luke 17:1-10 (ESV)

And he said to his disciples, “Temptations to sin are sure to come, but woe to the one through whom they come! It would be better for him if a millstone were hung around his neck and he were cast into the sea than that he should cause one of these little ones to sin. Pay attention to yourselves! If your brother sins, rebuke him, and if he repents, forgive him, and if he sins against you seven times in the day, and turns to you seven times, saying, ‘I repent,’ you must forgive him.”

The apostles said to the Lord, “Increase our faith!” And the Lord said, “If you had faith like a grain of mustard seed, you could say to this mulberry tree, ‘Be uprooted and planted in the sea,’ and it would obey you.

“Will any one of you who has a servant plowing or keeping sheep say to him when he has come in from the field, ‘Come at once and recline at table’? Will he not rather say to him, ‘Prepare supper for me, and dress properly, and serve me while I eat and drink, and afterward you will eat and drink’? Does he thank the servant because he did what was commanded? 10 So you also, when you have done all that you were commanded, say, ‘We are unworthy servants; we have only done what was our duty.’”

Daily Bread

Key Verse: 17:10

So you also, when you have done all that you were commanded, say, ‘We are unworthy servants; we have only done what was our duty.’”

Jesus commanded the apostles not to cause others to sin. Mature believers will be held accountable for their influence on others. So, they are to watch themselves for sins, words, and actions that can cause others to stumble. However, they must also love and care enough to rebuke others for their sin and to forgive "seventy-seven times” (Mt. 18:22) when they repent. Jesus’ commands here are very difficult for us to practice. Yet, according to Jesus, faith can uproot our bad habits, indifference, and unforgiving heart, helping us obey him.

Take a servant for example. A servant works hard in the field all day. He knows that his master does not wait to eat supper with the servant. Rather, after work, the servant must quickly prepare supper and wait on the master as he eats. The servant’s duty is to work hard and to serve his master. After finishing his duty, the servant can finally enjoy his supper with a great sense of accomplishment. We Christians are servants of Jesus Christ who bought us with his blood and made us citizens of his heavenly kingdom. In his grace, Jesus chose us to serve his redemptive work. This is Jesus’ gift for us, who were once without righteousness, life-purpose, and God-given work. we just say, “Thank you Lord. We are unworthy servants; we have only done our duty.”

Prayer: Prayer: Lord, thank you for calling me as your servant. Use me in your life-giving work.

One Word: One Word: Worthy work for an unworthy servant?

Daily Bread

God on the Move

Ezekiel 1:1-28

Key Verse: 1:12

And each went straight forward. Wherever the spirit would go, they went, without turning as they went.

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Intro Daily