“Through the Looking Glass” The Kingdom of Heaven as seen through the parables of Jesus

“For now we see through a glass…” – I Cor. 13:12


 “How Big of Me?”

A Servant’s Duty: Luke 17:7-10

“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? 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.’”

 IF I WERE THE BIG CHEESE.

“Suppose one of you has a servant…”

NOT A PICTURE OF GOD AS A MASTER, BUT US IN THE MASTER’S SHOES FOR

PERSPECTIVE… “Suppose ONE OF YOU has a servant…”

 IF I’M SERVING THE BIG CHEESE.

10 So you also, when you have done everything you were told to do…”

    WHEN THE BIG CHEESE ASKS BIG THINGS OF ME.

10 “…should say, ‘We are unworthy servants; we have only done our duty.’”

 CONTEXT (VS. 4-6): 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!” 6 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.

 Jesus: “Forgive… repeatedly”

Disciples: “Increase our faith!

Jesus: “Very little faith does big miracles”

Jesus: Doing your duty… forgiving not as much a faith issue, but an obedience issue… not a

monumental “brownie button”

  THANKFULLY, GOD IS THE BIG CHEESE.

 John 15:14-15 You are my friends if you do what I command. I no longer call you servants,

because a servant does not know his master’s business. Instead, I have called you friends…

  HOW BIG OF ME? IT IS MY PRIVILEGED DUTY.

Matthew 6:9-15

12 And forgive us our debts as we also have forgiven our debtors…14 For if you forgive other people when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. 15 But if you do not forgive others their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins.”

   “Whoever has ears, let them hear.” – Matthew 11:15