Leadership Is a Stewardship
Luke 17, verse 1. Then He said to the disciples, “It is impossible that no offenses should come, but woe to him through whom they do come! Luke 17, verse 2. It would be better for him if a millstone were hung around his neck, and he were thrown into the sea, than that he should offend one of these little ones. Luke 17, verse 3. Take heed to yourselves. If your brother sins against you, rebuke him; and if he repents, forgive him. Luke 17, verse 4. And if he sins against you seven times in a day, and seven times in a day returns to you, saying, ‘I repent,’ you shall forgive him.” Luke 17, verse 5. And the apostles said to the Lord, “Increase our faith.” Luke 17, verse 6. So the Lord said, “If you have faith as a mustard seed, you can say to this mulberry tree, ‘Be pulled up by the roots and be planted in the sea,’ and it would obey you. Luke 17, verse 7. And which of you, having a servant plowing or tending sheep, will say to him when he has come in from the field, ‘Come at once and sit down to eat’? Luke 17, verse 8. But will he not rather say to him, ‘Prepare something for my supper, and gird yourself and serve me till I have eaten and drunk, and afterward you will eat and drink’? Luke 17, verse 9. Does he thank that servant because he did the things that were commanded him? I think not. Luke 17, verse 10. So likewise you, when you have done all those things which you are commanded, say, ‘We are unprofitable servants. We have done what was our duty to do.’ ”
The Ten Cleansed Lepers
Luke 17, verse 11. Now it happened as He went to Jerusalem that He passed through the midst of Samaria and Galilee. Luke 17, verse 12. Then as He entered a certain village, there met Him ten men who were lepers, who stood afar off. Luke 17, verse 13. And they lifted up their voices and said, “Jesus, Master, have mercy on us!” Luke 17, verse 14. So when He saw them, He said to them, “Go, show yourselves to the priests.” And so it was that as they went, they were cleansed. Luke 17, verse 15. And one of them, when he saw that he was healed, returned, and with a loud voice glorified God, Luke 17, verse 16. and fell down on his face at His feet, giving Him thanks. And he was a Samaritan. Luke 17, verse 17. So Jesus answered and said, “Were there not ten cleansed? But where are the nine? Luke 17, verse 18. Were there not any found who returned to give glory to God except this foreigner?” Luke 17, verse 19. And He said to him, “Arise, go your way. Your faith has made you well.”
The Coming of the Kingdom
Luke 17, verse 20. Now when He was asked by the Pharisees when the kingdom of God would come, He answered them and said, “The kingdom of God does not come with observation; Luke 17, verse 21. nor will they say, ‘See here!’ or ‘See there!’ For indeed, the kingdom of God is within you.” Luke 17, verse 22. Then He said to the disciples, “The days will come when you will desire to see one of the days of the Son of Man, and you will not see it. Luke 17, verse 23. And they will say to you, ‘Look here!’ or ‘Look there!’ Do not go after them or follow them. Luke 17, verse 24. For as the lightning that flashes out of one part under heaven shines to the other part under heaven, so also the Son of Man will be in His day. Luke 17, verse 25. But first He must suffer many things and be rejected by this generation. Luke 17, verse 26. And as it was in the days of Noah, so it will be also in the days of the Son of Man: Luke 17, verse 27. They ate, they drank, they married wives, they were given in marriage, until the day that Noah entered the ark, and the flood came and destroyed them all. Luke 17, verse 28. Likewise as it was also in the days of Lot: They ate, they drank, they bought, they sold, they planted, they built; Luke 17, verse 29. but on the day that Lot went out of Sodom it rained fire and brimstone from heaven and destroyed them all. Luke 17, verse 30. Even so will it be in the day when the Son of Man is revealed. Luke 17, verse 31. “In that day, he who is on the housetop, and his goods are in the house, let him not come down to take them away. And likewise the one who is in the field, let him not turn back. Luke 17, verse 32. Remember Lot’s wife. Luke 17, verse 33. Whoever seeks to save his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life will preserve it. Luke 17, verse 34. I tell you, in that night there will be two men in one bed: the one will be taken and the other will be left. Luke 17, verse 35. Two women will be grinding together: the one will be taken and the other left. Luke 17, verse 36. Two men will be in the field: the one will be taken and the other left.” Luke 17, verse 37. And they answered and said to Him, “Where, Lord?” So He said to them, “Wherever the body is, there the eagles will be gathered together.”