Unprofitable Servant

Luke 17:5-10 and the Call to Holy Servitude

Turn with me in your Bibles. Because I believe here at redeeming grace Church. We're a lot Bible believing people. We read from the Bible. We love the Bible. We're gonna be reading from Luke 17 and it's going to be verses 5 through 10 5 through 10.

And the title of this message is holy servitude. Holy servitude. My outline is only going to have two points. The servants request and the servants reply. The servants request and the servants Reply. So as you know in the book of Luke we come to this point where Jesus has been teaching his disciples and.

And if you if you look back at the early beginning of these chapters and even look from verses 15 16 17 you can see the first lines are. He said to his disciples now the Pharisees. He says to his disciples now the Pharisees.

You see this dialogue going in between Disciples and Pharisees. Disciples and Pharisees. We come to this point in Luke chapter 17 and it seems like it's a smorgasbord like what's going on here. We see here.

There's a millstone a mustard seed and a mulberry tree. What is going on? What is going on? How does all this work together? As we know as being true Bereans of the Word of God. Texts without context is only a pretext.

So let's just hear from the Word of God from Luke chapter 17 verses 5 through 10.

And.

The Apostle said to the Lord increase our faith. So the Lord said If you have faith as a mustard seed you can say to the mulberry tree be pulled up by the rocks and be planted in the sea and It would obey you.

And Which of you having a servant plowing and tending sheep will say to him When he has come in from the field come at once and sit down and eat. But Will he not rather say to him prepare something for my service?

Prepare something for my supper and gird yourself and serve me till I have eaten and drunk and afterwards You will eat and drink. Does he think that servant because he did the things that were commanded of him?

I think not so likewise When you have done all things Which are which are commanded of you say? We are unprofitable servants. We have done that. Was our duty to do.

Let's pray.

Human Dependence, Faith, and the Apostle's Request

And father as Job said naked as I came into this world and naked shall I return. Lord we know that every good and profitable gift is from above. Lord what do we have that we have not received and if we have received it what then is there a boasting?

So father I pray in this hour. You please help my stammering tongue and help your people hear your word. Lord, I need help and so do they. So Lord if any man thinks he's something when he's nothing deceives himself and his religion is in vain.

So father to be a servant of the Holy Living God. Lord this should humble us to the dirt. So father we thank you and please help us in Jesus name. Amen. So we come here if you notice this do you notice it says and the Apostle said to the Lord increase our faith.

So you notice this it says the end the Apostles notice this. Apostles are always disciples. But disciples were not always apostles. This were we know that there was 12 chosen of God and there were some.

My thought we know Paul and there's others that were Apostles, but specifically speaking here is the 12 this was the 12 of the inner circle of God of Establishing the church in this world. God chose 12 misfits 12 nobody's.

To manifest his glory and make himself known to us. That is so liberating. That's so wonderful. He didn't choose the highest of PhDs just misfits and You know if that's their request being on the front lines in the New Testament Church.

How much more should we being in the inner of the Lord's Church militant? How much more should we ask this prayer? What a prayer it is increase our faith. Increase our faith and as you know faith is a gift from God as a food of the Spirit.

Faith is what pleases God. Faith is what pleases God. So the Lord said if you have faith as a mustard seed you can say to the mulberry tree Be pulled up by the roots and be planted in the sea and it would obey you.

Oftentimes many of you have heard that is said Little faith will take your soul to heaven, but great faith will bring your heaven to your soul but here in this instance Jesus is actually giving them a subtle rebuke a Subtle rebuke and it's a warning and it's a warning because notice this is it's not the size of your faith.

It's the presence of your faith. And it's not looking at yourself and what you have and what you don't have it's looking at God looking unto God. So this morning Man is God's servant set in the midst of God's creation to devote himself to God wholeheartedly.

He has given each one of us a mind to know him a heart to love him and hands to serve it. You are created in God's image and sin has distraught and disturbed all of this and brought total confusion and Separated us from why God made us is to know him to enjoy him to love him forever.

Man in creation was put in the midst of a garden and notice this he was always been a servant. He's never been a master or Lord. So this is critical is dealing with a Relationship many of you know the Philippians 121 it says Paul says for me to live.

Is Christ for me to live is Christ and to die is gain. For me to live for me that means it's a personal relationship for me. For me my God. The Lord is my shepherd. I shall not want for me. That means it's personal to me.

No one that's why the Lord says taste and see that the Lord is good. No one can taste for you. CH virgin said no one can needs to tell me what honey tastes like I know. So this morning How good is the Lord how good is he to you.

Are you tasting of his kindness. Are we tasting of his goodness. Taste and see that the Lord is good. Notice this taste is before seeing and it's for a reason. How can one believe unless they what? Unless they hear how can they hear?

Unless by the Word of God unless a preacher sin. So we know this faith cometh by hearing hearing by the Word of God not man, but by the Word of God. This is the power here. This is the power. So we see this taste and see.

Coming from the Psalms as we enjoy the the Lord illumination comes. Illumination comes so what we enjoy oftentimes it stirs our Passions and then it causes us to spend more time. So the key in this Man is duty-bound to use every second of his life.

With all he has with total devoted service of the one and true and living God. For every moment of his life. He is duty-bound. Man is not only a servant, but he's also an unprofitable servant. There's only one that's profitable.

There's only one that's unprofitable. We are unprofitable servants and this becomes very evident in In in in our in our text today in Luke 17 10. So there's no room for sloppy agape. Oftentimes many people say but what church are you attending.

Shouldn't the question be what?

Where are you serving? Where are you serving? Where are you serving?

And you know, there's no better Way, we see this if you can turn with me to mark 9 35 and Jesus defines what greatness is. You just turn back to mark 9 35. Jesus is defining or let's say redefining what greatness is.

So starting in verse 33, then he came to Capernaum and when he was in the house He asked him What was it that you just disputed among yourselves on the road, but they kept silent for the rut. For on the road they had disputed among themselves Who would be the greatest and he sat down and called the twelve and said to them?

Here's the same twelve. If anyone desires to be first you shall be last of all and servant of all. Then he took it a little child set him in the midst of them and When he had taken him in his arms He said whoever receives one of these little children in my name Receives me and whoever receives me receives not me but him who sent me.

So we see here Jesus was just talking about Him going to the cross and then we have This rising up of who is the greatest? Oftentimes we want to outdo one another in love and good deeds, but.

Even that.

You know, there was two parts in the Bible that we see that people were called really un they're not worthy unworthy. You know and I say that because if you will. Remember Laodicea in chapter 3 of Revelation.

They said we're rich. We have no need of nothing, but God said no you're poor.

Naked.

Coming by for me and all. And also do you remember the tax collector. If you look across the page look in Luke 18 in verse 9. Starting in verse 9 in Luke 18 9. And he spoke this parable to some who trusted in themselves.

That they were righteous and despised others. Two men went up to the temple to pray one a Pharisee and the other tax collector. The Pharisee stood and prayed thus to himself God. I thank you that I'm not like other men.

Extortion extortioners. Unjust adulterers. Or even this tax collector. I fast twice a week. I give tithes of all that I possess. And the tax collector standing afar Would not so much raise his eyes to heaven.

But he beat his breath saying God be merciful to me a sinner. I Tell you this man went down to his house justified rather than the other. For everyone who exalts himself Will be humbled and he who humbles himself Will be exalted.

Do you see there's a great paradox in these. In these these men who think they're profitable. Men who think they're worthy are oftentimes come to a great awakening. That they're not worthy. Usually ones who understand who judged themselves as 1st Corinthians tells us judge yourselves.

Judgment starts in the house of God first a man who judges himself rightly as Augustus top lady said in rock of ages. One of my favorite lines. Nothing in my hands. I bring simply to the cross. I cling.

What do we bring to a king? What can you give to a king?

Nothing.

Nothing in my hands. I bring I bring my guilt my shame my sorrow in exchange for your mercy and. That's what we are beseeching God on. Daily your mercy your mercies are new every day. So it's from that relationship as I was saying Paul said, you know Paul most of time in his epistles.

He'll say Paul a bondservant of Jesus Christ. James a bondservant of Jesus Christ. You notice Jude. Jude a bondservant of Jesus Christ. I found it interesting. Jude being a half-brother of Christ never even mentions that he's even a brother of Christ.

He sees being a bondservants even a greater ministry. That is sometimes you can learn by what is not said. What is not said and here we have and looking back on our text faith and duties interwoven. Faith and duties interwoven.

So there's like a mini parable. After they request of increasing our faith, which we know that's what pleases God. Hebrews 6 11. 6 tells us verses 7 through 10 is like a mini parable. A mini parable always remember a parable was to reveal and to conceal.

Reveal and conceal to those by faith in Christ. Jesus would want us to know who he is. So looking in verse 7 and which of you having a servant plowing and tending sheep? Will say to him when he has come in from the field come at once and sit down and eat.

Do you see this metaphor picture of a man plowing and intending the sheep is almost a spiritual metaphor. We all have been given stewardship's most importantly of the stewardship of the mystery of God's Holy Word.

We have lives. We have people that come into our Our lives daily and we've been given the stewardship of God's Holy Word tending to sheep, you know, we see this as a shepherd tends to the flock of spiritual endeavors.

To counsel to comfort to guide and to quicken us to exhort rebuke with all admonition. But the question is in this. What is really going on here what is going on here. I always remember this joy flows out of obedience.

Joy flows out of obedience. Remember, we just read in Isaiah 9 6 the greatest gifts that man needs in the gloom and darkness you remember it says unto us a son is born unto us a Child is given unto us a child is given to us a son is born.

The government shall rest upon his shoulders. But what I'm getting to is in the context of that there was gloom and darkness. There was no hope. But the greatest need that we had it's still today whether we need we need hope we need hope.

That was our first greatest need. In the midst of gloom and darkness you need joy. Freedom and peace. All of that's found in the person of Jesus Christ. Lord is warning us a spiritual pride here the scribes and Pharisees here.

They obsessed about being honored. It's a subtle warning here. It says when you have done all that you can do. Say that this is our Reasonable duty. There's a problem. I believe it's a proverb that says I'm just paraphrasing this it says gold is for the Refiners pot silver for the furnace, but a man shall be tested by his praise.

Man will be tested by his praise not by his persecution but by his praise. Praise. If you will I'd like to look at this. But will not it looking in verse 8. But will he not rather say to him prepare something for my supper and gird up yourself.

Serve me till I've eaten and drunk and afterwards you will. And afterwards you will eat and drink. Does he think that servant because he did the things that were commanded of him? I think not. I think not.

Beloved today is the day of the Lord. We have been forgiven much therefore we can love much. And out of this out of this treasury that the Lord has given you. Who was once a bondservant of sin. That word bondservant means doulos it means slave in the context and.

And what comes to mind when we think about the word slave is often so negative. Because of what man has corrupted but a slave literally meant he lived under the master's house where a person of a day laborer lived in the streets and He didn't know where his next meal was going to come from a slave was under the curious the masters.

He had he was taken care of he would be fed. It'd be well taken care of but you know When God put Adam and Eve in the midst of the garden and they rebelled and chose. The temptation would be. You would be like a god.

You would be like a god a demigod and that's the lie.

We as.

Seth mentioned this morning the distance between God and the creature. Creek the creature is so Unfathomable like it's. The distance is so vast beyond measure.

But you know.

What's so beautiful Christ in his condescension? Would humble himself be born in a manger and Would begin reversing the curse where sin had brought despair depravity doomed darkness despondency. Christ comes and gives us hope joy and a peace.

True liberty and true feet. Freedom is found in Matthew 11 28 and 29 where Jesus says. Come unto me All those that are heavy burdened and heavy laden.

Take my yoke.

That is the definition of true liberty and freedom. And learn of me because in Christ We have everything we have everything everything. If you will I want to kind of go off into a I Want to look at something if you will turn with me to Psalm 60 verse 4.

The Banner of the Gospel and the Fear of the Lord

Psalm 60 verse 4 a servant of the Lord is.

Also a standard. Bearer is also a standard bearer. Oftentimes, it's kind of hard to understand what a standard bearer is. Because we have so much communication and electronics today we don't use that anymore and more.

Really a standard bearer was one that put a flag on a pole and It the pole on the and on the bearer of the flag. It would identify Who he belonged to and whom he was serving. So notice this in verse. Psalm 60 verse 4 you have given a banner to those who fear you.

That it may be displayed because of the truth. That your beloved may be delivered save with your right hand and hear me. So we see here. You have given a banner to those that fear you. You know what that banner is beloved.

You know what that banner is. It's the gospel. That's what this banner is. God offers sinful people eternal life. And you know may we hoist that upon this little small pole that we have in Public and notice this the standard bearer was a rallying point.

Where we would come together as the church. We're here underneath his banner. It's a rallying point to fight under it meant union one faith one God one baptism and we see this. It encourages and strengthens our confidence and our walk in the faith and it's not a faith.

It's the faith of the Son of God so a lot of times we'll say We don't live by our faith. Faith is a gift from God. God's salvation is the victory battle. God's salvation is the victory battle. And What is to be done with it?

It is to be displayed publicly. It's be it's you don't put a banner like a light up underneath a bushel. You don't hide it in a house. You hoist it and the bravest people were standard bearers what God has said.

I'm gonna make you not fear man because the fear of God is the death of all other fears. Proverbs 29 Believe 25 says the the fear of man brings a snare into our souls, but those who trust in God shall be safe.

So the fear of God basically can be simply defined as and I love this small children's definition of the fear of God. Does my thoughts and actions does it bring a smile upon my father's face or a frown upon his face?

That's simply Getting to the heart of the matter. Is what I'm thinking in the thoughts and meditations of my mind. Heart in my hands. Will it bring a smile upon his face or frown upon his.

Frown upon his face. And you know.

This is a rallying. I saw a standard bearer says this banner is a rallying point that we come together. Under to encourage one another. Encourage means to Be faithful brother. That's what we want to encourage one another.

Isn't that what we desire to hear most. Well done my good and faithful servant. Well done my good and faithful servant, we don't want to be like.

You remember the.

Servants and the stewards. Well, there's one that went and buried his talent. He buried it in the bank of the earth. Anybody with half a brain wouldn't do that. He buried his talent in the earth. It returns nothing.

Zero. He even had a brazen audacity to say the Lord was a hard taskmaster, you know. God forbid in Daniel chapter 4 you remember such a man as Nebuchadnezzar would not give glory to God. God made this man into a beast and ate in the field basically lifting himself up glorifying himself.

God has told us in 1st Corinthians 1031 whether you eat or drink do all to the glory of God. As I already mentioned in 1st Corinthians 4 7 says there's no room for boasting. No room for boasting if you're gonna boast.

Boast that you know the Lord. Boast that you know the Lord. What do you know about the Lord? That'd be the question. I'm sure you've met many people That say I'm a Christian.

Yeah.

The devil will say it too.

But the question is do you know him?

The word know.

Canoso it means intimacy. We have to spend time with those to get to know them time in the secret place. Does notice this God's? Faithful servants are mostly Tom the opposite of the world's servants. They always want the preeminence as the tax collector.

Remember he was standing up one of the one in the honor of men. Wanted to be forth wanted to be heard of men. So yeah, he got his reward. He got his reward. He was getting the praises of the men wanting the preeminence.

So beloved many of us here. I mean, I feel so inadequate just standing here. I. Many of us are very small.

Mundane.

But you know what little as much when God God does his greatest work. In the darkest hours and in the smallest places you see this all throughout Scripture. So be encouraged wherever you're serving as a Homeschooling mother as a nurse no matter where it may be wherever you may be serving as an accountant or No matter what it is may God quicken us to be.

You know, don't you want That word to be filled to the ninth degree. Like where we make everything common that silver gold. Where people can say I know Whom you serve I know you've got something. I don't have what is your hope?

Because we maximize as servants of the Living God. We plow the field. We tend to whatever's needed of the Lord's then we come and we do whatever's now else that may needs to be done in his house. Remember Galatians 6 10 says it says Basically the way we love one another is actually an assurance of our salvation.

So if you want to test that are you truly saying what do you love who you see? That's a question. How do you love what can you do you pray for them as if you would want them to pray for you. That's being a servant.

Do we meet them in their weakness. Do we do we beg? Inwardly for those opportunities to serve where no one else will see but the Lord where you and him can have that sweet communion and say I did that unto you Lord and That's between you and him.

The only person I ever know is just you and him. That's this hidden place. That's the dwelling place of God on most high when you do dwell with him in the secret place because ultimately We fear God and not men and we want God's praise because through obedience when we give our faith away.

More is given you can't out give God. So that's where we can be encouraged by. I Had miss Lillian one time miss Lillian Smith one time said Keith take this from me. She gave it to me and she says now I'm gonna receive give you something else and I said, I can't take it.

She said that's the point what God gives. What do you have that you have not received? You know, it takes maximum effort to open the hand to get his wide open. So I'm asking this morning. What are you holding on to that?

You want the world to see? What are you holding on to that? You want this world to really see? Because when we give it away, is it for their benefit or is it for our benefit? Or is it for his benefit?

I would ask the greater the question. It must be for his benefit and for his glory. The Lord said if you did it unto one of the least of them you did it unto me if you will turn back to Luke chapter 17 and It's a beautiful thing.

The Lord said You've been bought with a price you're not your own. You've been bought with a price. So that means he's our power proprietor. He is our master. He has rights to do what he wants when he wants a Servant's heart cry when he hears the Word of God as a servant.

It should be three letters. LBO he listens believes and obeys. LBO listens believes and obeys. That's the heart cry of a servant of God. Speak Lord for your servant hears. That's our heart cry. Is that we want to be obedient more this coming year in our callings and our stewardship's.

So we have no right of ownership. We've been bought with a price. Therefore we are not our own you own nothing. We are all stewards all stewards of everything. We can build nothing on our own effort. Christ expects every member of his church To be an active participant an active participant in doing whatever you can.

To serve him. So there's a warning here spiritual pride the attitude of not.

This is not an attitude be fed befitting of a true disciple of Christ to say. To won't recognition to won't honor to want to sit in the place of preeminence. This is not befitting of a child of God. But the path of service is Jesus.

Notice this Jesus is not this is key order is key and. And notice this he's not saying we are to work for our salvation. This is key. He's not laying down the path to salvation for we know there was only one that was profitable that earns.

He said this is my beloved son whom I'm well pleased. So he's not laying down the path of salvation, but the path of service for us the path of service. Faith grows as one uses it as a servant service as a servant and In its servant service is not an end to itself.

There's no bonus points no extra credit for the child of God it is just a reasonable duty. What more can you say can he say and what more can he do? He's given us everything in himself. Give us everything in ourselves, so the greatest problem the greatest problem.

I want to kind of Stir our souls and quicken us this morning the greatest Problem of a servant is apathy. Spiritual apathy what do you have to do to take it if anyone knows this to Have a knife go dull or anything.

It's just do nothing. What do you have to do to keep a boat from? To go down a river do nothing. It'll drift. Do you know in the Levitical in Levitical priesthood in Leviticus chapter 4 the first? Sins dealt with was not idolatry.

It was not adultery. It was unintentional sins. It was unintentional sins drifting dulling and hardening. There's a razor-edge sharp line between Despondency knowing that you're unworthy and and then believing that you are worthy.

There's a razor-edge Line that we must walk as children of God. Not going into two ditches. Not going in to do two ditches, and it all starts by one saying nah not me. It won't happen to me not at my age not given my status.

It won't happen. What comes to mind when you think of the word Sodom and Gomorrah? What comes to mind? Destruction death wrath. I'm sure those are all probably some things you conjure up. But do you know this these were that was only the high-handed sins but before that.

Before that in Ezekiel 16 the sin of your sister Sodom. Sodom she was apathetic listen to this she was apathetic. She was over Fred overfed and unconcerned. That was the beginnings of Sodom and Gomorrah all the other sins come after this.

After this and guess who was there? Lot righteous lot. Leviticus for the first sins in the sacrificial system again is unintentional sins. God starts with this by by dressing. Unintentional sins know this sins of commission always lead to sins of omission.

The things that God has told us to do that we don't do the things he's told us not to do we do. These sins always lead into other sins. By drifting dulling and hardening our hearts by forsaking your time with the Lord in the morning by Giving him the best of you your first fruits.

So what is the solution to this if you will turn to Hebrews and let's start with Hebrews chapter 1.

Christ, the True Servant, and the Cure for Spiritual Apathy

Spiritual apathy being the servants.

Greatest. Enemy greatest.

Problem.

Notice this in Hebrews. Here's the greatest answer. Here's the greatest solution. Notice what it says.

God.

Who at various times in various ways spoken time passed to the fathers by the prophets. Hasn't these last days spoken to us by his son of whom he is appointed heir of all things. Through whom also he made the worlds who being the brightness of his glory and the express image of his person and Upholding all things by the word of his power and when he by himself Purged our sins sat down at the right hand of the majesty on high having become so much better than the angels as he Has by inheritance obtained a more excellent name than day.

There's the answer. It's not looking unto ourselves, but looking unto Jesus. Notice this this is like an ER room. God Who at sundry times who in various ways? Spoke to us by the fathers and the prophets but in these last days has spoke to us by his son by his son.

So if you will flip back to Luke 17. Luke 17. So really the key verse I'm gonna try to finish here. So likewise in verse 10, so like a lot likewise when you have done all those things what you're commanded say we are Unprofitable servants we have done.

What is our duty? So this is the attitude this comes from an attitude of inward disposition. Once we know this out of this can flow these things. Remember the Lord said it's not what goes in the mouth that defiles a man but what comes out of the mouth.

You know, what's interesting when I look at that word servants the last four letters. The last four letters I Believe anyone can understand what the last four letters are in servants and.

God.

You know told us if you will, let's go to Proverbs 6 and look at Proverbs 6. Proverbs 6 starting verse 6.

Yeah.

God tells us to go to these creatures and learn from them go from from the lesser to the greater. If you want to know what a servant does Let's look at the last letters of what it. What's in the word servant.

Go to the ant.

You slugger.

Consider her ways and be wise. Which having no captain overseer a ruler provides her supplies in the summer and gathers her food and harvest. How long will you slumber Oh sluggard? When will you rise from your sleep.

A little sleep a little slumber a little folding of the hands to sleep so shall poverty come on you like a prowler and You need like an armed man.

That's a great warning as we see this.

I'm a. These images are profound. They help us. We're to be about our father. Remember Christ said I must be about my father's business. That is what a servant's cry is. I must be about our father's business.

I Must be about my father's business. You know, there's eleven hundred and eighty nine chapters in God's Holy Word 1189. Only four of these Chapters don't talk about our problem. Only for the first two God's creation and the last two Christ consummation.

Sin fills our history. So in this scandalous to understand that our physician had to die that the patients may live. That's scandalous. The physician had to die so the patients could live our greatest Enemy, yes sin, but it's not only sin, but you think of these things that come from sin cancer.

Sorrow.

Murder. All these things the Lord has conquered. He conquered. What conquered you and I? So when we are unprofitable servants, we have done. What was our duty. A question is this morning? Do you really understand that every good and perfect gift comes from above?

What do you have that you have not received? If we expect thanks and a reward for filling the bare minimum requirements of our labor. Our thoughts are not on duty, but what we may gain from this. Christ expects every church member as I said to do their duty.

Be found faithful. Be found faithful.

Be found faithful so in in this you know.

I'm reminded of Jesus in the upper room. Do you remember? When he's telling them he's telling Peter Peter, I must wash your feet. I Must wash your feet. Here's the Lord of Glory the Creator washing the creators the creatures feet and Peter says no.

Cleanse me from my head to my toe. But he says you've already been cleansed you've already been cleansed. So notice in this there's a already been cleansed means there's already been judicial forgiveness.

And in that context those first four the first four verses he was saying forgive a brother forgive a brother. How many times you forgive him. Seven times 77? Infinitely how many times have you sinned against the Lord today alone?