In Luke 16, you learned the investment strategy for maximum reward: use your time, talent and treasure to help people enter heaven and grow spiritually. The world’s way is to out work, compete, cut corners and evaluate options to find those with greatest potential and highest financial yield. Instead of hard work that is only focused on temporal outcomes, God’s way is faith expressed by concern for others’ spiritual lives through obedience to God, grateful heart, Holy Spirit empowered and sacrificial service.
Better for millstone be hung around his neck and be thrown into the sea than be a stumbling block to one of these little ones. If your brother sins, rebuke him and if he repents, forgive him. If your brother sins against you seven times a day and repents, forgive him (Lk. 17:1-4). True faith rebukes or forgives sin to prevent ruining someone’s spiritual life.
Having faith like a mustard seed would cause a mulberry tree to obey if you said, ‘Be uprooted and be planted in the sea.’ A slave does what is commanded even though he’s not thanked by his master (Lk. 17:5-10). True faith is active, effectual and obedient.
Ten leprous men asked for mercy from Jesus as he passed between Samaria and Galilee. He told them to show themselves to the priests to be cleansed. Only one, a Samaritan, thanked Jesus. He told the foreigner that his faith healed him as he gave glory to God (Lk. 17:11-19). True faith thanks and glorifies God with a grateful heart.
Jesus told the Pharisees that the kingdom of God is not coming with observable signs but is within you (Lk. 17:20-21). True faith originates from the indwelling Holy Spirit.
During the last days, people will be eating, drinking and getting married like during the days of Noah and Lot. The Son of Man will suffer many things and be rejected by this generation. When Lot left Sodom, it rained fire and brimstone from heaven and destroyed them all. It will be the same when the Son of Man is revealed. Remember Lot’s wife. Whoever seeks to keep his life will lose it and whoever loses his life shall preserve it. There will be two men in one bed, one will be taken and other left. Where the body is, the vultures will be gathered (Lk. 17:22-37). True faith is found in sacrifice service on behalf of God’s kingdom purposes.
Rate yourself on a scale of 1 to 5 on the following ways to express faith for maximum reward (1 being lowest and 5 highest):
1. Concern for others’ spiritual lives
2. Obedience to God
3. Grateful heart
4. Holy Spirit empowered
5. Sacrificial service
Ask God to increase the lowest rated area.
