Sermon #123 Luke
Sermons
Title: Strong
Doctrine
Text: Luke 17:1-5
Subject: Offence, Forgiveness, and Faith
Date: Sunday Evening—May 2, 2004
Tape # Y-17b
Readings: Bob
Poncer and James Jordan
Introduction:
The title of my message
tonight is “Strong Doctrine.” Our text contains the strongest
doctrine set forth in Holy Scripture. Tonight, we will be looking into the deep
things of God. Our text has nothing but strong meat. By comparison, the things
taught in our text will make predestination, election, reprobation, limited
atonement, and efficacious grace appear to be mere milk for newborn babies in
the kingdom of God.
You will find my text in
Luke 17:1-5. Find your place and follow along with the Word of God open before you.
Verse 1 ― “Then said he unto the disciples, It is impossible but that
offences will come: but woe unto him, through whom they come!”
“Then
said he unto the disciples” ― The Master is addressing his
disciples, those who trust him, who believe his doctrine, follow his Word,
serve him and seek to honor him. Our Lord’s words, then, are to you and me, who
profess to be his disciples, who claim to be washed in his blood, robed in his
righteousness, and saved by his grace. Now, watch what he says…
“It
is impossible but that offences will come” ― What offenses is
he talking about? How is it that these offenses must come? Let me answer the
second question first.
Offenses must come because God has purposed them and has purposed to use them or overrule them for the salvation and everlasting good of his elect and the glory of his own great name. Multitudes are of the opinion expressed by Charles Finney in his sermon on this text. Finney said, “The doctrine of this text is that sin, under the government of God, can not be prevented.” Of course, Finney’s assertion is utter blasphemy. To suggest that there is something, anything beyond the absolute control of God is to deny Godhood altogether.
(Psa
76:10) “Surely the wrath of man shall
praise thee: the remainder of wrath shalt thou restrain.”
(Isa
45:7) “I form the light, and create
darkness: I make peace, and create evil: I the LORD do all these things.”
Offenses must come because by these things the Lord God distinguishes
true believers from false professors.
(1 Cor 11:19) “For there must be also heresies among you, that they which are approved may be made manifest among you.”
(Acts
20:30) “Also of your own selves shall
men arise, speaking perverse things, to draw away disciples after them.”
(1
Tim 4:1) “Now the Spirit speaketh
expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving
heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils.”
(2
Pet 2:1-2) “But there were false
prophets also among the people, even as there shall be false teachers among
you, who privily shall bring in damnable heresies, even denying the Lord that
bought them, and bring upon themselves swift destruction. (2) And many
shall follow their pernicious ways; by reason of whom the way of truth shall be
evil spoken of.”
What are the offenses our Lord has in mind in this passage? What are these offenses that
must come? The word that is translated offenses means “stumbling blocks,”
“things that calls people to fall.” It is a word that we would use to refer to
the trigger device that makes the trap door of a snare catch its victim.
We must read these words in their context. They immediately follow the
parable of the rich man and Lazarus. Our Lord is talking about offenses that deceive
the soul, offenses that carry eternity bound men and women to hell. The
offenses our Lord is talking about are here are not mere hurt
feelings or injured pride, but…
· Damning Heresies ― The
Judaizers at Galatia and the will-worshippers at Colosse!
· And Behavior that leads
others to ruin. ― The Sins of One Generation visited upon Another in
Divine Judgment!
The
whole world is a stumbling-block. There is not one thing in it which is not
calculated to turn the heart from God. Take the merest trifles: dress, the
vanities in the street, the flatteries of man, the fame and riches it offers,
and its religion, all tend to elevate the flesh, as in the case of the rich man
in the parable.
Verses 1-2 ― “But woe unto him, through whom they come! It were
better for him that a millstone were hanged about his neck, and he cast into
the sea, than that he should offend one of these little ones.”
Our
Lord here refers to an ancient form of capital punishment reserved for only the
most reprehensible criminals. He is saying, “It would be better for a man to be
guilty of any horrid crime for which men are justly executed than to be guilty
of causing another to perish in hell!”
Who
are “these little ones?” Again, the answer must be determined by the
context. The little ones of whom our Lord is speaking here are those poor,
despised publicans and sinners who were sitting before him. Our Savior, has
been talking to the Scribes and Pharisees, who despised these little ones and
would by their religion shut them out of heaven. Now, as he addresses his
disciples, he waves his hand over the sinners sitting before him and says, “Woe
unto him, through whom they come! It were better for him that a millstone were
hanged about his neck, and he cast into the sea, than that he should offend one
of these little ones.”
Let us ever beware of our Lord’s warning and take care never to be the
cause of offense, the instrument of destruction for another.
When do men cause “offenses” to
come? Certainly this is done any time they persecute believers, or endeavor to
deter others from serving Christ. And offenses come by heretical doctrine,
which subverts the souls of men.
But offenses are not limited to such
actions. We lay snares by which Satan traps the souls of many whenever
bring reproach upon the gospel by our behavior.
· This was the result of David’s sin
when he took Bathsheba and had Uriah killed. Nathan said to him…
(2
Sam 12:14) “Howbeit, because by this
deed thou hast given great occasion to the enemies of the LORD to blaspheme,
the child also that is born unto thee shall surely die.”
· This was the crime Paul laid against
the Jews, when he said, “the name of God is blasphemed among the Gentiles
through you” (Rom. 2:24).
Let us take care that we give no
offense to eternity bound sinners, that we lay no snare before them, that we
destroy none.
(1
Cor 10:31-32) “Whether therefore ye eat,
or drink, or whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God. (32) Give
none offence, neither to the Jews, nor to the Gentiles, nor to the church of
God.”
Verse 3 ― “Take heed to yourselves: If thy brother trespass against
thee, rebuke him; and if he repent, forgive him.”
Here
our Lord moves on to another of the deep things of God. He warns us to carefully
avoid giving offense to eternity bound men and women in verses 1 and 2. Now, in
verses 3 and 4, he tells us (his disciples, you and I who believe the gospel)
not to take offense at the actions of our brothers and sisters in Christ.
“Take
heed to yourselves” ― It is ever our proud tendency to take
heed to others, to guard others, and to correct others. The Scriptures
constantly teach us to take heed to, to guard, to discipline, and to correct
ourselves.
“If
thy brother trespass against thee, rebuke him” ― If your
brother or sister in Christ says, or does something by which he wrongs you,
graciously, kindly speak to him about it and no one else, make him aware of it
and no one else, always presuming that there was no intention on his part to
hurt, injure, or offend you.
The word rebuke does not mean, “ream him out,” but show him what he has done. He may be shocked to discover it. In fact, the word carries with it the idea of showing honor! Yes, when I have been hurt, injured, or offended by my brother, it is my responsibility to show him honor.
“And
if he repent, forgive him” ― As soon as he says, “I’m sorry.
“I’m so sorry. I would not intentionally hurt you for the world,” forgive him.
Drop all resentment and anger, and show him nothing but sweetness of temper,
the kindness of love, and the respect of one who has done no wrong ― And
do it immediately!
Perhaps
you think, “Lord, that’s tough.” Oh, no. That’s not tough. The next line is –
tough on our proud flesh!
Verse 4 ― “And if he trespass against thee seven times in a day, and
seven times in a day turn again to thee, saying, I repent; thou shalt forgive
him.”
Our
brothers and sisters are just exactly like us. Like us, they do the same, dumb
things over and over again.
(Prov
24:16) “For a just man falleth
seven times, and riseth up again: but the wicked shall fall into mischief.”
Nothing is more constantly urged in the New Testament than the practice of forgiveness. Why? Because there is nothing to which we are more naturally disinclined.
· Our flesh wants vengeance.
Grace teaches forgiveness.
· Pride wants to punish. Mercy
teaches forgiveness.
· Self-righteousness demands
retribution. Love demands forgiveness.
If I cannot forgive my brother the few trifling offences he may have
committed against me, I know nothing experimentally of that free and full
forgiveness that sinners have by the grace of God in Christ.
(Mat
6:9-15) “After this manner therefore
pray ye: Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name. (10) Thy
kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven. (11) Give
us this day our daily bread. (12) And forgive us our debts, as we
forgive our debtors. (13) And lead us not into temptation, but deliver
us from evil: For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever.
Amen. (14) For if ye forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father
will also forgive you: (15) But if ye forgive not men their trespasses,
neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.”
(Mat
18:35) “So likewise shall my heavenly
Father do also unto you, if ye from your hearts forgive not every one his
brother their trespasses.”
Our
Lord warns, “Take heed to yourselves,” because nothing is so harmful to
your soul, nothing makes you so miserable and useless as a proud, hard,
unforgiving heart. Nothing makes a person more utterly wretched on the inside
as nursing hurt feelings and feeding malice with the manure of resentment.
Our Lord’s word to us here is, “Do yourself no harm.” The least
degree of malice, hatred, or revenge, is altogether contrary to the gospel we
believe and totally inconsistent with the character of our blessed Lord.
But he knows what is in us. He
remembers that we dust, ever encumbered by our flesh. He knows how very prone
we are to offend one another, how quick we are to hurt and injure each other,
how repeatedly we say and do things to quench the Spirit, disrupt the peace,
and injure the fellowship of his body.
Therefore, he tenderly teaches us how
to correct the evil. When your brother does something against you, do not
resent him for it, but pity him, pray for him. Call his name before your
heavenly Father, his heavenly Father. If he aggravates his offence by frequent
repetition, still, do not resent him, but pity him, pray for him, and do
whatever you can to help him.
(Gal
6:1-3) “Brethren, if a man be overtaken
in a fault, ye which are spiritual, restore such an one in the spirit of
meekness; considering thyself, lest thou also be tempted. (2) Bear ye
one another's burdens, and so fulfil the law of Christ. (3) For if a man
think himself to be something, when he is nothing, he deceiveth himself.”
As often as he offends, that often,
forgive. If he repents, forgive him. If he does not repent, let that be his
problem. Forgive him any way.
William Mason wrote, “We must not, at our peril,
entertain anger, or let the sun go down on our wrath, but in our hearts freely
and fully forgive an offending brother. But what if he remains stubborn and
persists in a spirit of bitterness? Even then we are to forgive him in our
hearts, and be desirous of embracing him in love.”
· As God's thoughts of love are toward
us before we turn to him, so our thoughts of love should be to our offending
brethren before they turn to us.
· Does the Son of God require us to
forgive every repeated offence, even until seventy times seven, 490 times a
day? I find something wonderfully glorious in that. ― Surely he will
magnify his love and display his mercy in pardoning the innumerable offences of
all who turn to him!
Our Lord has been addressing
his disciples in general. When the apostles, the preachers among them, heard
his strong doctrine, this was their response…
Verse 5 ― “And the apostles said unto the Lord, Increase our faith.”
They understood that this was strong doctrine, far too for flesh to
embrace. Flesh can grasp eternal justification, distinguishing grace, sovereign
predestination, reprobation, and limited atonement. By comparison, those things
are a piece of cake. Flesh can understand and promote the most rigidly orthodox
dogma. Flesh loves and revels in church doctrine and the mysteries of prophecy.
But forgives requires a
continual supply of grace, grace experienced deep in our souls, by which the
Lord God continually increases our faith. And the more our faith in Christ
increases, the more fully we learn that our only hope before God is free,
constant, absolute forgiveness by the blood of his cross, flowing to our souls
from the ever-springing fountain of his everlasting love, the more ready and
able we will be to forgive one another.
(Eph
4:29-32) “Let no corrupt communication
proceed out of your mouth, but that which is good to the use of edifying, that
it may minister grace unto the hearers. (30) And grieve not the holy
Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption. (31) Let
all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamour, and evil speaking, be put
away from you, with all malice: (32) And be ye kind one to another,
tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ's sake hath
forgiven you.”
(Eph
5:1-2) “Be ye therefore followers of
God, as dear children; (2) And walk in love, as Christ also hath loved
us, and hath given himself for us an offering and a sacrifice to God for a
sweetsmelling savour.”
Amen.