Luke 17

Luke 17:1

Jesus’ reference to a millstonea one-ton stone with a hole in the middlehung around the neck of anyone who attempted to undermine the childlike faith of His children was in response to the Pharisees who had derided Him in the previous chapter (verse Luk_17:14). If this doesn’t sound like Gentle Jesus “meek and mild,” it’s because Jesus is also the Good Shepherd who will fight ferociously to protect His lambs from wolves who would come in and seek to destroy their faith.

Luke 17:3

Lest we cheer too loudly over His harsh words to the Pharisees, Jesus came back and said, “Take heed to yourselves . . .” Because we are connected as a body, if one of us is hurting due to the offense of another, it affects all of us. Therefore, we have a responsibility to speak the truth to one another because sometimes connection calls for correction. The rabbis of Jesus’ day taught that a perfect man would forgive an individual three times for the same sin. Jesus, however, doubles that number and adds one for good measure, as if to say we are to forgive without limit. To truly forgive someone over and over again requires faith that God will correct the offender and protect the one offended. Thus, the only way we can be a forgiving people is if our faith is increased. In this regard, we need not pray for greater love, but for greater faith.

Luke 17:6

The disciples said, “Increase our faith.” Jesus said, “Unleash your faith.” The disciples said, “Expand our faith.” Jesus said, “Express your faith. Say to those about whom you feel a root of bitterness, a tree of unforgiveness, a hedge of hostility, I forgive you. I no longer hold a grudge against you.” Jesus said the same thing regarding any obstacle before us. He didn’t say, “Pray that the mountain might be removed. He said, “Speak to the mountain itself,” (Mar_11:23). Why were the disciples told to speak? Because while faith is implanted by the Word, it is unleashed through the lips… But what saith it? The word is nigh thee, even in thy mouth, and in thy heart: that is, the word of faith, which we preach; that if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.Rom_10:8-9 The word translated “saved” is sozo, which refers not only to being born again, but to the full orb of God’s blessingto delivering, healing, saving, freeing. By the word of the LORD were the heavens made; and all the host of them by the breath of his mouth. For he spake, and it was done; he commanded, and it stood fast.Psa_33:6, Psa_33:9 How did God make the world? He spoke it into existence. So, too, Jesus altered the course of the world and eternity when He spoke… “Waves, be still” (Mar_4:39). “Lazarus, come forth” (Joh_11:43). “It is Finished” (Joh_19:30). Made in the image of God, we also speak our individual worlds into existence and alter their course with our words. This book of the law shall not depart out of thy mouth; but thou shalt meditate therein day and night, that thou mayest observe to do according to all that is written therein: for then thou shalt make thy way prosperous, and then thou shalt have good success.Jos_1:8 The Hebrew word translated “meditate” means “to mutter over and over again.” If you want to be prosperous and successful in that which the Lord has laid before you to do, mutter the Word day and night. The promises of God will be of no effect if they’re simply written in your journal or underlined in your Bible. They only take effect when they’re in your mouth. With his back to the Red Sea and the armies of Egypt barreling down upon him, Moses cried to the Lord. “Why speakest thou to Me? Speak to the children that they are to go forward,” the Lord answered (Exo_14:15). You might be a great student of Scripture. You might even be a prayer warrior. But if you wonder why the Sea isn’t parting, could it be that the Lord is whispering to you, “Why are you asking Me? Speak to the mountain that looms large before you”? Examples abound in the Word of men who understood the absolutely essential principle that the Word in them had to be spoken by them if they were to see results around them… It was when Joshua spoke to the sun that it stood still, giving him time to accomplish a great victory (Jos_10:12). It was when Elisha spoke to king Ahab on the basis of Deu_11:16-17 that there was no rain (1Ki_17:1). It was when Zerubbabel spoke to the cornerstone of the temple that the Lord began moving and the project came to completion (Zec_4:7). So too . . . Tomorrow morning when the alarm goes off, you will either say, “Oh no, it’s Monday morning.” Or you will say, “This is the day that the Lord has made. I will rejoice and be glad in it” (see Psa_118:24)and the choice you make will alter the course of your day. And when you get to work and discover your co-worker presented one of your ideas as his own, you will either say, “I can’t forgive him,” or you will say, “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me,” (Php_4:13). As the day progresses, you will either say, “I’m grumpy because I’m sick and tired and weak,” or you will say, “I am strong in the strength of the Lord,” (Joe_3:10). As you walk in your front door and are met by your family’s problems, you will either say, “Everything is falling apart,” or you will say, “The Word of God declares that all things are working together for good,” (Rom_8:28). And as you sort out your finances late at night as your family sleeps, you will either say, “We’re not going to make it,” or you will say, “The Word declares that our God will supply all our needs according to His riches in glory (Php_4:19). Of God, the writer of the letter to the Hebrews says, “For he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee. So that we may boldly say, ‘The Lord is my helper, and I will not fear what man shall do unto me,’ " (see Heb_13:5-6). God hath said that we may saynot that we may know, not that we may write, not even that we may praybut that we may say. Happy is the people whose God is the Lord (Psa_144:15). The Lord is the strength of my life; of whom shall I be afraid? (Psa_27:1). The Lord is my shepherd. I shall not want (Psa_23:1). The Lord is good unto them that wait for Him (Lam_3:25). I challenge you to write down four or five such promises from the Word on three-by-five cards, put them on your dashboard or on your windowsill, and mutter them over and over again. Frame your world and your day with the Word as you speak it forthand watch what happens.

Luke 17:7

After encouraging His disciples to speak words of faith, Jesus comes right back and reminds them that they are servants. I believe this is precisely where the radical “Name It/Claim It Confession” Movement greatly misses the mark. They’ve lost the understanding that, while there is power in the spoken word, it is always connected with servanthood. So much of the “Name It/Claim It” teaching is based upon a “Give me the goods” mentality, whereas a correct appropriation of faith and authority is only embedded in a “make me a servant” mind-set. The uprooted tree and moved mountain are always in the context of my serving the King and seeing His will donenot in my personal luxury or prosperity. If you miss this point, you will find yourself erring in your understanding of what faith is all about. Jesus gave His teaching on faith not in the context of getting a bigger house but in that of forgiving others.

Luke 17:11

At least one of these ten men was a Samaritan (verse Luk_17:16), so this group was comprised of two groups who were normally enemies. But they were brought together through the tragedy of leprosy because calamity often brings unity. Our tendency is to avoid hardships, calamities, difficulty, tragedybut in reality, oftentimes they are the catalysts for a miraculous work of unity.

Luke 17:13

No doubt, because of what had happened in Matthew 8 when a leper cried out for mercy, word spread through the leper colonies that Jesus was able to cleanse leprosy.

Luke 17:14

In Matthew 8, Jesus touched a leper and he was healed immediately. Here, however, he sends lepers on a journey, and they’re healed eventually. Sometimes He spat in men’s eyes, and they could see instantly (Joh_9:6-7). Another time, a second touch was required for a blind man to see clearly (Mar_8:25). The same is true today. Sometimes we pray for sick people and hear reports of wonderful healing.

Other times, there is no sight of healing. In fact, sometimes things seem to get worse after we pray. Sometimes people who are faltering in their walk with the Lord are healed, while those who have a profound walk with God remain in a state of illness. As illustrated by the variety of ways Jesus healed the hurting during His earthly ministry, God will not be boxed in by any preacher or program, by any man or method. Therefore, the manner and timetable of healing remain a mystery. Of, this, however, we can be sure: By His stripes we are healed indeed (Isa_53:5)whether that be on earth presently or in heaven ultimately. At what point the lepers were healed we don’t know. But it wasn’t until after they began to walk toward Jerusalema long journey. So often we have a tendency to say, “Lord, if You heal me, I’ll start walking.” The Lord, however, says, “Start walking and then along the way, you’ll see I’m working.”

Luke 17:15

Nine lepers went to the priest. One came back as a priest, offering the sacrifice of thanksgiving to the Lord (Amo_4:5).

Luke 17:17

All ten lepers were healedbut only the one who gave thanks was made whole. That is, he was saved spiritually as well as healed physically. Jesus notices those who come back to say, “Thank you.” In fact, according to Mal_3:16, the things we say concerning what the Lord has done for us, how He has blessed us, His faithfulness to us are written in a book of remembrance. I think of the baby books parents keep in which to record their children’s first words, first steps, and growth. So, too, the Lord keeps such books recording the words, walk, and growth of His children. The question is, how big is yours? I suggest the Lord needs many volumes to contain the thanksgiving of some of His kids. For others, a single pamphlet will do. When a prostitute began to wash Jesus’ feet with her tears and dry them with her hair, Jesus said to his host, “When I came into your home, you didn’t greet Me with a kiss or wash My feet"which means that Jesus not only notices what people do, but what they fail to do for Him (Luk_7:44-46). How many blessings has the Lord given me today without my even pausing to say “Thank You”?

Luke 17:20

The Greek word entos, translated “within,” is more correctly rendered “among.” The kingdom of God was indeed among them because Jesus is the King, and where the King is, there is the kingdom. “You’re looking for a material, political, physical kingdom,” Jesus said, “all the while missing the true kingdom: Me.”

Luke 17:22

Jesus warns His disciples of the days that would come wherein people would falsely say, “The Lord is in Brooklyn, or Utah, or India.”

Luke 17:24

“My coming will not be an esoteric mystery perceived by only an enlightened few,” Jesus says, “but will be as obvious as lightning in the skyvisible to everyone.”

Luke 17:25

In the days of both Noah and Lot, people ignored the spiritual climate of their day and carried on with their lives as they always did. So, too, people now go about business as usual, even though the storm clouds are gathering again.

Luke 17:31

What did Lot’s wife do? She made the mistake of looking back. Linguistic evidence makes it clear that hers was not a quick glance but a longing gaze. It’s impossible to make any progress physically without getting bruised ourselves or crashing into others while looking back. And the same is true spiritually (Luk_9:62).

Luke 17:34

Continuing His discourse on the end times, Jesus speaks of the Rapture. Although this is a difficult Scripture, the word “eagles” being better translated “vultures,” I believe the implication is that if dead bodies and vultures are linked together, how much more will the living body of Christ and Jesus Himself be linked together at the time of the Tribulation. But even before then, the degree to which we are linked to the Lord presently is the degree to which heaven will be experienced by us most perceptibly.