Luke 17 (7)

Pray Psalm 72.1-4.
Give the king Your judgments, O God,
And Your righteousness to the king’s Son.
He will judge Your people with righteousness,
And Your poor with justice.
The mountains will bring peace to the people,
And the little hills, by righteousness.
He will bring justice to the poor of the people;
He will save the children of the needy,
And will break in pieces the oppressor.

Sing Psalm 72.1-4.
(Martyrdom: Alas! And Did My Savior Bleed)
O give the King Your judgment, Lord, and righteousness Your Son.
And let Him judge by Your good Word the need of every one.

Let now the mountains ring with peace, the hills in righteousness.
Let justice rise, oppression cease, and all the needy bless.

Read Luke 17.1-37; meditate on verses 3, 5, 10, 18, 21.

Preparation
1. What did Jesus say about the Kingdom of God?

2. What does being in the Kingdom require of us?

Meditation
The focus in Luke 17 is on the Kingdom of God. We recall that proclaiming the Kingdom was central to Jesus’ earthly sojourn. He had come to announce that the Kingdom was “near” or “at hand” (Matt. 4.17). His ministry was designed to help people understand the implications of this, both by His example and His teaching.

Jesus explained that the Kingdom had come and was among them (v. 21). It was among them in Him, and it would be within them when the Spirit fell on the first Christian Pentecost. Look first on the inside, within your own soul, to realize the presence, promise, and power of the Kingdom of God.

Kingdom life is characterized by watching over our own souls (vv. 1-4), lest we sin and cause others to stumble, and by growing in faith through active service to the Lord (vv. 5-10).

Those in whom the Kingdom has taken root unto salvation will be known by the fact that they praise and thank the Lord for His great work in them. They seek to honor Him in all they do, for He is their King and they are His servants (vv. 17-19). All those in whom the Kingdom has come know that this advent of the Kingdom is partial and progressive. We do not now possess all we one day will, but we strive to bring our lives more into line with what we look forward to when Jesus returns (vv. 22-37).

The Good News of Jesus is the Kingdom of God, that realm of righteousness, peace, and joy in the Holy Spirit to which all have been conveyed who believe in Jesus, and all who follow Him diligently seek.

Treasures Old and New: Matthew 13.52; Psalm 119.162
We know that the Kingdom of God is actively within us (Lk. 17.21) when:
1. We forgive those who repent of wrongdoing toward us (Lk. 17.3).
2. Our faith is increasing because we are working hard to make God’s gift grow in us (Lk. 17.5).
3. We obediently do what we have been called to do, not for a trophy, but out of love and duty (Lk. 17.10).
4. We glorify God for His wonderful love and provision for us (Lk. 17.18).

And we do all those things daily; and multiple times throughout the day.

Forgiveness is giving up resentment against or not wanting to punish someone for an offense or fault: pardon. I recently read an old quote from Ann Landers that explains nicely why forgiveness is a good thing to do. She wrote, “Hate is like acid. It can damage the vessel in which it is stored as well as destroy the object on which it is poured.”

Faith is the assent of the mind to the truth of a proposition or statement for which there is not complete evidence. And that is why it pleases God. It is the “evidence of things not seen” (Heb. 11.1). It is our trust in Him, because He says so, not because we can prove it. And the harder things are to comprehend the better it is for us, because God likes it when we believe Him. Not because we understand or can prove everything, but merely because the Word of God is true, and we believe it. Every word.

Duty is an act or course of action that is required of one by position, social custom, law, or religion. We are God’s servants and so our behavior must line up within the framework of His Kingdom and His desires. “I am Your servant; give me understanding, that I may know Your testimonies.” “Deal bountifully with Your servant, that I may live and keep Your word” (Ps. 119.125, 17).

And to glorify means to give honor and high praise to God. It is also our main purpose in life. As the catechism says: The chief end of man is to glorify God and enjoy Him forever. “Oh, magnify the LORD with me, and let us exalt His name together” (Ps. 34.3).

We are called to the Kingdom, and hands down, it is the best place ever to live. And while we are living in God’s Kingdom, we must be forgiving, faithful, dutiful, and glorifying to God. “If anyone speaks, let him speak as the oracles of God. If anyone ministers, let him do it as with the ability which God supplies, that in all things God may be glorified through Jesus Christ, to whom belong the glory and the dominion forever and ever. Amen” (1 Pet. 4.11).

For reflection
1. How would you explain the Kingdom of God to someone considering faith in Jesus?

2. How can we tap into the power for Kingdom living?

3. Where will the Kingdom come in your Personal Mission Field today?

It becomes us, like him, to be very humble in thanksgivings, as well as in prayers. Christ noticed the one who thus distinguished himself, he was a Samaritan. The others only got the outward cure, he alone got the spiritual blessing. Matthew Henry (1662-1714), Commentary on Luke 17.11-19

Pray Psalm 72.7-11.
Pray for the increase and advance of Christ’s Kingdom, on earth as it is in heaven. And pray that God will use you in that great enterprise of faith and ministry.

Sing Psalm 72.7-11.
(Martyrdom: Alas! And Did My Savior Bleed)
Let righteousness abundant be where Jesus’ reign endures.
Let peace increase from sea to sea ‘til moonlight shall be no more.

And let the Righteous rule the earth, and let His foes bow low.
Let nations praise His matchless worth, and all His bidding do.

T. M. and Susie Moore 

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Except as indicated, all Scriptures are taken from the New King James Version. © Copyright 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved. For sources of all quotations, see the weekly PDF of this study. All psalms for singing are from The Ailbe Psalter (Williston: Waxed Tablet Publications, 2006), available by clicking here.