Intentional Growth: Forgiveness, Faith, and Gratitude
Summary
In today's message, we explored the profound teachings of Jesus in Luke 17, focusing on the intentionality required in our spiritual growth and the responsibilities we hold as followers of Christ. We began by acknowledging the importance of not causing others to stumble in their faith journey. Jesus warns us about the dangers of hypocrisy, misuse of liberty, and selfishness, urging us to be mindful of our actions and their impact on others. Spiritual growth is not accidental; it requires deliberate effort and a conscious decision to follow Jesus wholeheartedly.
We delved into the necessity of forgiveness, a central tenet of Christian living. Jesus teaches that forgiveness is not optional but a reflection of God's infinite grace. We are called to forgive repeatedly, just as God continually forgives us. This act of forgiveness is a testament to our faith and a demonstration of the transformative power of Christ in our lives. We discussed practical steps to cultivate a forgiving heart, including praying for strength, setting healthy boundaries, and praying for those who have wronged us.
The message also highlighted the power of faith, even as small as a mustard seed, to overcome deep-seated challenges in our lives. Jesus uses the metaphor of the mustard seed and the mulberry tree to illustrate that with faith, we can uproot and overcome entrenched difficulties. This faith is not about seeking special praise but fulfilling our duty as humble servants of God.
Finally, we examined the story of the ten lepers, emphasizing the importance of gratitude. While all ten were healed, only one returned to give thanks, demonstrating that true wellness comes from a heart of gratitude and a life that glorifies God. This story serves as a reminder that spiritual growth involves not just physical healing but a transformation of the heart and spirit.
Key Takeaways:
1. Intentional Spiritual Growth: Spiritual growth requires intentionality and cannot happen by accident. We must consciously decide to follow Jesus and align our actions with His teachings, avoiding hypocrisy and selfishness that can lead others astray. [32:15]
2. The Necessity of Forgiveness: Forgiveness is central to Christian living and reflects God's grace. It is not optional but a command to forgive others as God forgives us, demonstrating the transformative power of Christ in our lives. [43:13]
3. Faith's Power to Overcome Challenges: Even faith as small as a mustard seed can overcome deep-seated challenges. Jesus teaches that with faith, we can uproot and overcome entrenched difficulties, emphasizing the importance of trusting God with our struggles. [49:36]
4. The Role of a Humble Servant: As followers of Christ, our role is to serve humbly, fulfilling our duties without seeking special praise. Our actions, such as forgiving others and not causing them to stumble, are part of our calling as disciples. [56:27]
5. Gratitude and True Wellness: True wellness comes from a heart of gratitude and a life that glorifies God. The story of the ten lepers reminds us that while physical healing is important, spiritual transformation and gratitude are essential for true wellness. [01:05:14]
Youtube Chapters:
- [00:00] - Welcome
- [32:15] - Intentional Spiritual Growth
- [35:46] - Jesus' Journey to Jerusalem
- [37:30] - Avoiding Stumbling Blocks
- [41:55] - Hypocrisy, Liberty, and Selfishness
- [43:13] - The Necessity of Forgiveness
- [45:57] - Practical Steps to Forgive
- [47:43] - Setting Healthy Boundaries
- [49:36] - Faith's Power to Overcome Challenges
- [51:42] - Mustard Seed and Mulberry Tree
- [53:05] - Deep-Rooted Issues
- [54:51] - Fulfilling Our Function as Followers
- [56:27] - The Role of a Humble Servant
- [58:22] - Gratitude and True Wellness
- [01:05:14] - Spiritual Transformation and Gratitude
Study Guide
Bible Study Discussion Guide
Bible Reading:
- Luke 17:1-19
Observation Questions:
1. What are the specific actions Jesus warns against that could cause others to stumble in their faith? [37:30]
2. How does Jesus describe the process and importance of forgiveness in Luke 17? [43:13]
3. What metaphor does Jesus use to illustrate the power of faith, and what does it signify? [49:36]
4. In the story of the ten lepers, what distinguishes the one who returned to Jesus from the others? [01:00:27]
Interpretation Questions:
1. Why does Jesus emphasize the intentionality required in spiritual growth, and how does this relate to the concept of not causing others to stumble? [32:15]
2. How does the act of forgiveness reflect God's grace, and why is it considered a command rather than an option for Christians? [43:13]
3. What does the mustard seed metaphor teach about the nature of faith and its potential impact on deep-seated challenges? [49:36]
4. How does the story of the ten lepers illustrate the relationship between gratitude and spiritual wellness? [01:05:14]
Application Questions:
1. Reflect on your daily actions. Are there any behaviors or habits that might cause others to stumble in their faith? How can you change these to be more supportive of others' spiritual growth? [37:30]
2. Think of a situation where you have struggled to forgive someone. What steps can you take this week to move towards forgiveness, and how can you rely on God's strength in this process? [45:57]
3. Identify a challenge in your life that feels deeply rooted. How can you apply the faith of a mustard seed to begin addressing this issue? [53:05]
4. Consider your role as a humble servant of Christ. How can you serve others this week without seeking recognition or praise? [56:27]
5. Reflect on the story of the ten lepers. How can you cultivate a heart of gratitude in your daily life, and what specific actions can you take to express this gratitude to God and others? [01:05:14]
6. Are there areas in your life where you have been ungrateful for God's blessings? How can you shift your perspective to recognize and appreciate these blessings more fully? [01:02:54]
7. How can you intentionally focus on your spiritual growth this week? Identify one specific area where you want to grow and outline a plan to pursue this growth intentionally. [32:15]
Devotional
Day 1: Intentionality in Spiritual Growth
Spiritual growth is a deliberate journey that requires conscious effort and alignment with Jesus' teachings. It is not something that happens by chance or without intention. As followers of Christ, we are called to be mindful of our actions, ensuring they reflect the values and teachings of Jesus. This involves avoiding hypocrisy, selfishness, and the misuse of our liberties, as these can lead others astray. By intentionally choosing to follow Jesus and live according to His principles, we not only grow spiritually but also positively influence those around us. [32:15]
"For this very reason, make every effort to supplement your faith with virtue, and virtue with knowledge, and knowledge with self-control, and self-control with steadfastness, and steadfastness with godliness, and godliness with brotherly affection, and brotherly affection with love." (2 Peter 1:5-7, ESV)
Reflection: What specific steps can you take today to ensure your actions align with the teachings of Jesus, avoiding hypocrisy and selfishness?
Day 2: The Transformative Power of Forgiveness
Forgiveness is a cornerstone of Christian living, reflecting the boundless grace of God. It is not merely an option but a command to forgive others as God forgives us. This act of forgiveness is a testament to our faith and a demonstration of the transformative power of Christ in our lives. By forgiving repeatedly, we mirror God's infinite grace and allow His love to transform our hearts. Practical steps to cultivate a forgiving heart include praying for strength, setting healthy boundaries, and praying for those who have wronged us. [43:13]
"Bear with each other and forgive one another if any of you has a grievance against someone. Forgive as the Lord forgave you." (Colossians 3:13, ESV)
Reflection: Think of someone in your life you need to forgive. Can you ask God to help you begin to extend His love and forgiveness to them today?
Day 3: Faith's Ability to Overcome Challenges
Even faith as small as a mustard seed can overcome deep-seated challenges. Jesus uses the metaphor of the mustard seed and the mulberry tree to illustrate that with faith, we can uproot and overcome entrenched difficulties. This faith is not about seeking special praise but fulfilling our duty as humble servants of God. By trusting God with our struggles, we can experience His power to transform and overcome the challenges we face. [49:36]
"And Jesus answered them, 'Truly, I say to you, if you have faith and do not doubt, you will not only do what has been done to the fig tree, but even if you say to this mountain, "Be taken up and thrown into the sea," it will happen.'" (Matthew 21:21, ESV)
Reflection: What is one area of your life where you find yourself holding back from trusting God completely? What would trusting Him with this area look like in terms of daily habits?
Day 4: Serving Humbly as Followers of Christ
As followers of Christ, our role is to serve humbly, fulfilling our duties without seeking special praise. Our actions, such as forgiving others and not causing them to stumble, are part of our calling as disciples. By serving with humility, we reflect the character of Christ and demonstrate our commitment to His teachings. This humble service is not about recognition but about faithfully fulfilling our responsibilities as followers of Jesus. [56:27]
"Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves. Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others." (Philippians 2:3-4, ESV)
Reflection: In what ways can you serve others humbly today, without seeking recognition or praise?
Day 5: Gratitude and Spiritual Wellness
True wellness comes from a heart of gratitude and a life that glorifies God. The story of the ten lepers reminds us that while physical healing is important, spiritual transformation and gratitude are essential for true wellness. By cultivating a heart of gratitude, we acknowledge God's work in our lives and experience the fullness of His blessings. This gratitude not only transforms our hearts but also deepens our relationship with God. [01:05:14]
"Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you." (1 Thessalonians 5:16-18, ESV)
Reflection: What are three things you are grateful for today, and how can you express this gratitude to God in your daily life?
Quotes
Spiritual growth can't happen accidentally. It can't happen, it's not like you go, whoop, you trip, and you go, oh, look, I'm now a mature Christian. Woo-hoo! You know, spiritual growth doesn't happen accidentally, does it? It doesn't happen spontaneously. One day, you're just walking around and, poof, I'm a mature Christian. Boy, spontaneous combustion, spontaneous Christianity, right? You just don't become, you just don't grow spontaneously, nor does spiritual growth happen in proximity. In proximity. In other words, well, I live next to a church, therefore, you know, I'm a Christian. Or, I live in America, therefore, I'm a Christian. Or, I even attend church, and therefore, I am growing spiritually. See, spiritual growth has to be intentional. [00:32:25] (45 seconds)
Spiritual growth, you need to intentionally, purposefully, thoughtfully, say, yeah, I want to follow Jesus, and what does it mean to follow Jesus? In this passage that we're going to look at in Luke chapter 17, we're going to look, we're going to look at what Jesus says to his disciples. And if you have your Bibles, that'd be a feel great. You can bring a pencil, and you can write in it. You can bring a pen, you can mark in it. And so today, or this week, I just went ahead and marked some key words in here for you, but for my own purpose. The great thing about marking in a Bible is that if I give a note, the notes come, and then you take them home, they go on the counter, and two weeks later, you throw them away. But the Bible that you read every day, the hard copy that you have, you look at that, and a couple of years later, you can come back and go, oh, look, cleanse. Oh, look, made well. Wow, what is that passage saying? [00:33:07] (55 seconds)
The very thought we'll start with, intentionally focus your actions on helping others grow and not foolishly causing others to sin. The first thing Jesus points out to his disciples is we need to be focused on helping other people grow. We can't be focused, and we cannot, we should not cause other people to sin with our lives. He said, things that cause people to stumble are bound to come. In other words, in other words, there will be times when we're going to be focused on helping others grow. There will be times in life when you stumble. There will be things that tempt you. There will be things that come your direction, and you go, oh no, I just said something wrong. Oh no, I did something wrong. Oh no, my thoughts, my words, my actions were not right. And those will come. You will run into hardships. You will run into challenges. And those things will come. But woe to anyone through whom they come. In other words, woe to you if you are the cause of your brother's or sister's sin. [00:37:54] (58 seconds)
Intentionally be the person who constantly and continually, forgive other people. Before I read the passage this week, I had a conversation with a man. And I was studying this and then I get this phone call. And in this phone call, I have not talked to him in years. Probably six, seven years since I've talked to him and he moved away and he's going to another church and he calls me up and says, I have a problem. And as we get to the root of the problem, there's a lot of forgiveness that needs to happen. There's a lot of hurt. There's a lot of pain. There's a lot of unforgiveness that is going on. And it's interesting that I needed to talk to him about forgiveness and about teaching his family members how to forgive and how to seek reconciliation as I'm studying this passage on forgiveness. [00:43:13] (47 seconds)
Forgiveness is huge and it gets really, really carried on in a family. Whether it is your personal family, and I know people who struggle because they've been hurt in the church. Or whether it's your church. Forgiveness. Jesus says, if your brother or sister sins against you, you rebuke them. And if they repent, forgive them. Even if they sin against you seven times in a day and seven times come back to you saying, I repent, you need to forgive them. And they say, Jesus, increase our faith. Forgiveness for the Christian is not option. [00:44:01] (39 seconds)
Forgiveness is the direct evidence that you don't have to live you have accepted Jesus Christ as your Savior. Because when you realize that he has forgiven you, not just one, but he continually forgives you. He continually says, when you go to him and say, God, forgive me for that, his arms are open, his grace and mercy are wide. Forgiveness, it is direct evidence. If you harbor bitterness and grudges against people, and every time you think of that person, there's something that wells up in your gut. Because, you know, there are brains in your gut, right? And you've got brains in your gut. They're going, hey, that's not a good place to be. [00:45:37] (43 seconds)
I think I have mustard seed faith. I actually believe that's the right thing to do. So what's he talking about? Is he simply talking about seeds and horticulture? No. Then he talks about a mulberry tree. And a mulberry tree is a symbol of deep-seeded challenges. It's a symbol of entrenched difficulties because the rabbis taught this, and I'll show you a picture in a second. The rabbis taught that the root system was so extensive in a mulberry tree that it would take 600 years to grow. And it would take 600 years to grow. And it would take 600 years to untangle the roots. He's not just talking about a tree. He's talking about the root system. It is a deep, incredibly rooted tree. [00:52:20] (46 seconds)
