Profitable Servants    

Luke 17:1-10

1. Profitable servants deal properly with sin (1-4).
2. Quotes- sin is destructive – We grow calloused but its true.
3. Sin denies the man the power of God in this life and the presence of God in the next. -John Blanchard
4. Sin is a spiritual cancer, the man who tries to live with it dies of it.
5. We don't tempt one another (1-2).
6. We pay attention to our lives (3a)
7. We forgive one another. (3b-4)

1. Profitable servants pursue lives of Faith (5-6).
2. The disciples are saying to Jesus please cause our faith to increase
3. Principle: The quantity of faith is not as important as its presence.
4. For the Christian their effectiveness in their walk is connected to their faith.
5. Faith is acknowledgment of our weakness

1. Profitable servants fulfill their duty. (7-10).
2. What servant returning from chores would serve himself before his master.
3. Lest you see this pursuit of faith and forgiveness as something remarkable- Jesus says this is simply doing your duty.
4. Fundamentally- do you see yourself as an unworthy servant of God?
5. I was but a pen in God’s hand and what praise is due a pen? J. Bunyan
6. I think we lose sight of the reality that we get to serve God.
7. We get to use our temporary lives for eternal significance.

2 Encouragements-

• God sent his son to serve sinners (How? By dying on the cross to save)
• When you were far from God lost in sin Christ was sent to serve you- He was there when you needed him most.
• Isaiah 42:1 Behold my servant, whom I uphold, my chosen, in whom my soul delights; I have put my Spirit upon him; he will bring forth justice to the nations.
• Isaiah 53:1–6 Surely he has borne our griefs and carried our sorrows; yet we esteemed him stricken, smitten by God, and afflicted. But he was pierced for our transgressions; he was crushed for our iniquities; upon him was the chastisement that brought us peace, and with his wounds we are healed. All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned—every one—to his own way; and the LORD has laid on him the iniquity of us all. 
• God sees the service of his saints.
• Hebrews 6:9-12 9 Though we speak in this way, yet in your case, beloved, we feel sure of better things—things that belong to salvation. 10 For God is not unjust so as to overlook your work and the love that you have shown for his name in serving the saints, as you still do. 11 And we desire each one of you to show the same earnestness to have the full assurance of hope until the end, 12 so that you may not be sluggish, but imitators of those who through faith and patience inherit the promises.
• God does not overlook our works- He sees them and rewards them.
• Colossians 3:23-24 And whatever you do, do it heartily, as to the Lord and not to men, knowing that from the Lord you will receive the reward of the inheritance; for you serve the Lord Christ.
• Hebrews 11:6-7 But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.