Sep. 10, 2025

Dear Friends,

I hope you can join us tonight for Bible study (at 5:30) as we look at Luke 17:7-19. These are passages about attitude and gratitude ... and perhaps something more. Notes are attached.

LIVING THE CHRISTLIFE

WAYNE BARRETT

SEPTEMBER 10, 2025

Luke 17:7-19

7 “Will any one of you who has a servant plowing or keeping sheep say to him when he has come in

from the field, ‘Come at once and recline at table’? 8 Will he not rather say to him, ‘Prepare supper for

me, and dress properly, and serve me while I eat and drink, and afterward you will eat and drink’?

9 Does he thank the servant because he did what was commanded? 10 So you also, when you have done

all that you were commanded, say, ‘We are unworthy servants; we have only done what was our duty.’”

11 On the way to Jerusalem he was passing along between Samaria and Galilee. 12 And as he entered a

village, he was met by ten lepers, who stood at a distance 13 and lifted up their voices, saying, “Jesus,

Master, have mercy on us.” 14 When he saw them he said to them, “Go and show yourselves to the

priests.” And as they went they were cleansed. 15 Then one of them, when he saw that he was healed,

turned back, praising God with a loud voice; 16 and he fell on his face at Jesus' feet, giving him thanks.

Now he was a Samaritan. 17 Then Jesus answered, “Were not ten cleansed? Where are the nine? 18 Was

no one found to return and give praise to God except this foreigner?” 19 And he said to him, “Rise and go

your way; your faith has made you well.”

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Two passages about attitude and gratitude! And maybe something more …

vv 7-10 – Parable of the Servants

This is a “big picture” parable- primarily making a main point—an important one—without there

being allegorical elements in the details

There may also be elements of humor—certainly irony—in that what Jesus suggests about how a

bondservant (doulos) would be treated after coming in from work would never have

happened!

“Which of you” would do this?—it is a completely rhetorical question

In fact, the servant, after finishing his work in the field, would be given additional work to do in

service—and when he had taken care of that—he would then be allowed to eat and drink.

Jesus is referring to something people understood as normal in his day.

“Does he thank the servant because he did what was commanded?”—another rhetorical question,

the answer is so obvious it can remain unspoken. And why doesn’t he thank the servant?

Because he is a servant, of course!

And then comes the clincher: “So you also, when you have done all that you were commanded,

say, ‘We are unworthy servants; we have only done what was our duty.’”

This is a parable of huge importance and should be one of huge impact—especially in our very modern,

egalitarian age and culture.

This should shape our paradigm of reality –of who we are and of who God is. And of what the mutual

obligations (if any) are in our relationship.

When we serve God—even with hard work in the field followed by additional work before we can even

sit down and rest—we are

• not doing God a favor

• not placing God in our debt

• not creating an entitlement for ourselves.