Luke chapter 17

vs 1

Note, that these things are being said to his disciples, so it's more teachy, and less pointedly aimed at people.

There will always be sin on this world. But if you cause someone else to sin, then you're in big trouble. Which puts a lot of us in big trouble, because there's not often that our sin sticks to ourselves.

vs 2

"Little ones" might mean children, but it might also mean the disciples. I actually think the second definition is more plausible, but I'm open.

vs 3

Sin is to be rebuked, but repentance is to to be met with forgiveness. I don't think we do nearly enough of either of these in our modern culture.

vs 4

This is obviously a divine model. It also shows the fact that some people can sin, and be really honestly repentant, but yet continue to sin because of a lack of control! This warrants both rebuke (for the sin) but also forgiveness for the repentance. I think we do rebuke people who sin over and over, but we find it harder to forgive them more than once or twice, especially if we don't struggle with the same kind of sin.

vs 5

Do they say this out of the blue? Or do they say it in response to what Jesus just said? I think it's the latter. Because I think we all find this a really hard part of scripture.

Oh, look, Luke calls the Apostles Apostles here. Exciting!

vs 6

Our responses are always "then we must have a pretty small faith." And I guess we do. But also, of course, there is no reason that God requires mulberry trees in the sea. I bet Jesus liked mulberries, and that they stained his fingers just like when we eat them :)

vs 7-8

The second one is obviously what servants would have to do. I often wonder, even in the times of Jeeves and Wooster, how much of a strain being a gentleman's gentleman would have been, because the welfare of your man is so important, that you deny yourself for his sake all day and night.

vs 9

And all that without thanks. Well, perhaps with a little thanks, but not a huge tickertape parade. This is what I was talking about earlier - that servants do servants work because they are servants.

vs 10

For Jesus, the practical outworking of doing God's will for the apostles is quite simply "Do it until it is done". It's just our job to do it, because God is God and we are to serve him. And at the end of it all, we should have the attitude "We didn't do anything special, just what we are meant to do." Of course, if God has the generous attitude "Well done, good and faithful servant" then that is his business of being awesome. But it's not necessary.

vs 11

Oooh, Samaria. Home of the giant nasty Samarians! Boogie boogie boogie! Wait, no, that means get down and dance. Oh well, do it now.

vs 12

Ten guys with leprosy are amushing Jesus! What are they gonna do? How will Jesus respond. Tomorow we find out!