Chapter 17
Anyone who knows me knows how much I love to cruise.
Besides the beautiful blue waters and the open sea, one of the biggest reasons I enjoy cruising is that it forces me to truly disconnect. (Let’s be real—I’m way too cheap to buy the internet package at sea! Ha!) But honestly, there’s something really refreshing about being able to unplug from everything and just enjoy where you are. There’s a real freedom that comes from disconnecting.
Interestingly, there’s another place in the U.S. that also promotes this idea of “disconnecting”—Las Vegas. You’ve probably heard the saying, “What happens in Vegas, stays in Vegas.” Once you visit the Las Vegas Strip, it’s clear they’re selling a similar message, but with a darker twist.
The kind of “freedom” Vegas promotes isn’t just about letting go of stress—it’s marketed as a freedom from accountability. A freedom to do whatever you want, without anyone judging you or holding you responsible for your actions. The idea is that you can do as you please while you’re there, and then go back to your “regular” life as if it never happened. Unsurprisingly, the city has earned the nickname “Sin City.” (I’m sure the Las Vegas Police Department might not fully agree with that branding!)
In Luke 17, Jesus speaks to a very different idea of freedom. The main message of this chapter is this: Faithful living right now is the preparation for the coming Kingdom of God.
Jesus compares the coming of God’s Kingdom to the days of Noah. Back then, people were just living their everyday lives—eating, drinking, getting married—without any thought about what was coming. Then the flood came, and it was too late.
Jesus’ point is if you’re always living for the moment, eventually the moment will run out. And when God shows up, those who waited too long to turn to Him will find that their window to respond has closed. None of us knows when that moment will come. So we should live every moment in preparation.
We do this by being faithful—by living as a servant who puts God’s purpose first. Not chasing your own self-focused, disconnected version of freedom, but staying connected to what God has called you to do.
True freedom isn’t about escaping accountability—it’s about living with purpose, under the grace and guidance of God.
Sin, Faith, Duty
1 Jesus said to his disciples: [It is important to remember who Jesus is speaking to and not speaking to here.] “Things that cause people to stumble [literal offenses. Greek word is skandalon. It means a “bent stick” as in the kinds of sticks used to spring a trap. It is also used as a stumbling block, in order to trip people.] are bound to come, but woe to anyone through whom they come. 2 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. [Whether in the church or out, this skandalon may be false counsel, or guiding someone to false “liberty” or divisive and false doctrines or teaching. Anything that draws people away from the cross.] 3 So watch yourselves. “If your brother or sister sins against you, rebuke [directly correct] them; and if they repent, forgive them. 4 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.”
5 The apostles said to the Lord, “Increase our faith!” [their response to “forgive often”. Even today we have trouble with the idea of forgiveness. We can find all kinds of justifications to hold on to our bitterness and resentment. These apostles felt the same and their response was “help us”.] 6 He replied, “If you have faith as small as a mustard seed, [not about “how much”, but “in who”. Even a small amount faith in God can bring transformation.] you can say to this mulberry tree, [a tree with extremely deep and strong roots. Something that would be very difficult to “uproot” like a deep, long lasting offense maybe?] ‘Be uprooted and planted in the sea,’ and it will obey you.
7 “Suppose one of you has a servant plowing or looking after the sheep. Will he say to the servant when he comes in from the field, ‘Come along now and sit down to eat’? 8 Won’t he rather say, ‘Prepare my supper, get yourself ready and wait on me while I eat and drink; after that you may eat and drink’? 9 Will he thank the servant because he did what he was told to do? [it is our duty to work in forgiveness.] 10 So you also, when you have done everything you were told to do, should say, ‘We are unworthy servants; we have only done our duty.’ ” [The attitude of the servant is the point: Jesus has done and is doing much more for us, than we may ever do for him. We are created to serve Him by serving others. Do we really think Jesus must then thank us for living in the purpose he created us for? Should Jesus thank us for forgiving others after all he has forgiven us?]
Jesus Heals Ten Men With Leprosy
11 Now on his way to Jerusalem, Jesus traveled along the border between Samaria and Galilee. 12 As he was going into a village, ten men who had leprosy met him. They stood at a distance 13 and called out in a loud voice, “Jesus, Master, have pity on us!”
14 When he saw them, he said, “Go, show yourselves to the priests.” And as they went, they were cleansed. 15 One of them, when he saw he was healed, came back, praising God in a loud voice. 16 He threw himself at Jesus’ feet and thanked him–and he was a Samaritan.
17 Jesus asked, “Were not all ten cleansed? Where are the other nine? 18 Has no one returned to give praise to God except this foreigner?” 19 Then he said to him, “Rise and go; your faith has made you well.” [literally; made whole and complete. Not just a temporary physical healing, but a complete spiritual wholeness – salvation.]
The Coming of the Kingdom of God
20 Once, on being asked by the Pharisees when the kingdom of God would come, Jesus replied, “The coming of the kingdom of God is not something that can be observed, 21 nor will people say, ‘Here it is,’ or ‘There it is,’ because the kingdom of God is in your midst.”
22 Then he said to his disciples, “The time is coming when you will long to see one of the days of the Son of Man, but you will not see it. 23 People will tell you, ‘There he is!’ or ‘Here he is!’ Do not go running off after them. 24 For the Son of Man in his day will be like the lightning, which flashes and lights up the sky from one end to the other. 25 But first he must suffer many things and be rejected by this generation.
26 “Just as it was in the days of Noah, so also will it be in the days of the Son of Man. 27 People were eating, drinking, marrying and being given in marriage up to the day Noah entered the ark. Then the flood came and destroyed them all.
28 “It was the same in the days of Lot. People were eating and drinking, buying and selling, planting and building. 29 But the day Lot left Sodom, fire and sulfur rained down from heaven and destroyed them all.
30 “It will be just like this on the day the Son of Man is revealed. 31 On that day no one who is on the housetop, with possessions inside, should go down to get them. Likewise, no one in the field should go back for anything. 32 Remember Lot’s wife! 33 Whoever tries to keep their life will lose it, and whoever loses their life will preserve it. 34 I tell you, on that night two people will be in one bed; one will be taken and the other left. 35 Two women will be grinding grain together; one will be taken and the other left.” 36 [NKJV] “Two men will be in the field: the one will be taken and the other left.”
37 [NIV] “Where, Lord?” they asked. He replied, “Where there is a dead body, there the vultures will gather.”
