Michael Rankin’s message for us on Sunday was “Millstones & Mustard Seeds: Understanding our responsibilities in God’s world”, taken from Luke 17:1-10.
The first aspect of our responsibility is infl...
Michael Rankin’s message for us on Sunday was “Millstones & Mustard Seeds: Understanding our responsibilities in God’s world”, taken from Luke 17:1-10.
The first aspect of our responsibility is influence. Our actions can, and often will, influence others, but we won't always perceive the effects we have on them. In Luke 17:1-3 we read, “Jesus said to his disciples: “Things that cause people to stumble are bound to come, but woe to anyone through whom they come. It would be better for them to be thrown into the sea with a millstone tied around their neck than to cause one of these little ones to stumble. So watch yourselves.” Influence can be positive or negative -- which will we be?
Our next responsibility is forgiveness - seven times. As verse 4 says, “Even if they sin against you seven times in a day and seven times come back to you saying ‘I repent,’ you must forgive them.” As painful as it may be, forgiveness must be without limit. Imagine if God imposed a "benefit maximum" on our forgiveness! We are to forgive, as we are forgiven.
Our third responsibility of faith is to trust in its power. (Luke 17:5-6) The apostles said to the Lord, "Increase our faith!" They didn’t have trust in their faith; they thought they needed something bigger, stronger. He replied, "If you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mulberry tree, 'Be uprooted and planted in the sea,' and it will obey you."
Our final responsibility of faith is of service. Duty is its own reward. Our duty as Christians is to be a good influence, forgive all, and recognize the power of faith. We mustn’t be looking for kudos and pats on the back for our good works. Being a good servant - THAT’S the reward.
We are God’s servants. We are here to serve God and others (and those two are the same) because that’s what God made us to do. When we live out our responsibilities in God’s world, that’s how others learn to praise the merciful and all-loving God we serve.
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