Dear Christian friends:

A true Christian does many good works for His God and Savior. And when he gets the good habit of doing his Christian duties he may be tempted to rest and to expect God and others to thank and praise him because of his good works.


In our text Jesus answers that question and tells us the reason why. In this lesson Jesus reminds the disciples about various Christian duties: They must not give offense by a bad example causing some to fall from faith in Jesus (verses 1&2); They must always forgive a brother who hurts them and sins against them if he is sorry, even if that happens seven times a day (verses 3&4); and they should have strong faith to do hard work and wonderful works (verse 6).

Then He tells them a story to teach them that they should not expect God to thank them if they do these duties. Jesus asks: Does the Lord thank his servant when he does his duty? Then He answers: "I think not." So you if you have someone working for you and pay him wages you do not thank him if he does his duty. But if he failed to do his work, you would be displeased and fire Him.

So Jesus says of God and us in Luke 17:10 "So likewise ye, when ye shall have done all those things which are commanded you, say, We are unprofitable servants: we have done that which was our duty to do."

So no matter how much good work you do for God, you should not expect God to thank you or boast and rest after that. But Jesus says we should even call ourselves worthless servants when we do our duty. That's strange! Why should we feel so humble, and worthless before God?

Well, first of all God made us and gives us life and brains and health to do these duties. If we didn't have His fresh air to breathe we would choke and die in four minutes. He makes us able to do any work here in the world. That's how He made Adam and Eve and they did their duty perfectly until they feel into sin. After that men used their body and mind and God's earth for themselves and not to do their duty to God.

And so also we Christians can't do these duties without God's mercy and power. Look at the duty in verses 3&4 that we are to forgive those who sin against us and hurt us. Those who know not God's mercy for themselves cannot forgive anyone else who sins against them. True, they may outwardly shake hands with their enemy and smile, but in their heart they refuse to forgive.

But if we understand our sins against God, how we hurt Him by our pride and selfishness. If we understand how worthless we are before Him and that we deserved only His wrath and displeasure, temporal death and eternal damnation and yet, remember that He nevertheless pitied us and loved us and forgave us through his Son Jesus. Then we will be able to forgive those who sin against us and hurt us.

But if I forgive my brother, that is not my praise, but Gods: He changed my sinful heart: His Spirit leads me to love and show mercy to my brother or anyone.

Paul says in Galatians 2:20, "I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me." Although Paul did many great works for God Paul refused to accept praise. He praised Christ saying, "I was chief of sinners, unworthy to become His apostle, but He showed mercy to me and changed me; to Him be glory forever and ever." (1 Timothy 1:15, 2 Timothy 4:18)

So you and I must think and say when we by God's Spirit do our Christian duties and work: Say, Don't praise me: Say, don't thank me: Thank God He has made me and changed me to faith in Him. Not I but Christ who lives in me.

Another thing which should keep us humble is that we understand that we are never perfect in doing our Christian duties. We often fail because of our weakness, sin and pride to do perfectly as God wants. We only because of our weakness do part of our duty for the other part which we failed to do we must beg His mercy and forgiveness.

So before God none can boast or rest. We live and do by His mercy in Christ and only by that.

This should help us to stop seeking self-praise and stop us from comparing ourselves with other Christians as we often do in giving. "I give as much as he does and more. I am a better Christian than he is." Church members often think and say that. We should not compare ourselves with others and then rest and boast.

We should compare ourselves with God's Word and Law. Then daily, humbly seek His forgiveness and try more and more by His Spirit to improve. Let me show you: One member may decide to give a $1 a week for church. Another member sees that and compares his offering. "I'll give $2 a week. I am better than he is. I can rest. I do not need to improve until he catches up with me."

But that member is wrong to compare and think like that. He should attend to God's Word and hear what that teaches about giving at least 10%. And then he should pray for God to give him a cheerful and generous heart to give as much as he can, no matter what the other members are giving.

This gives glory to our Savior Jesus and not to us. May God give each one of us a humble obedient spirit.

Amen.