“The Unworthy Servant”
By Joe Mack Cherry
I. Introduction
A. Text – Read Luke 17:7-10
1. This is a very hard text for a lot of people.
2. Christianity is a foreign concept to many.
B. Entitlement has become a part of the American character.
1. At first glance some might say the master was harsh.
2. Some might say this poor servant was being mistreated.
3. This is one of Christ’s sterner lessons to His disciples.
4. The truth is without Christ the only thing we are entitled to receive is death.
II. Lesson
A. Basic Premise of this Parable
1. God/Christ does not need us. PERIOD!
2. God/Christ is self-sufficient
a. Ex. 3:14 – God tells Moses to tell the Israelites that the I AM WHO I AM has sent you.
b. The word “Jehovah” or “Yahweh” is the Heb. translation. He is everything!
c. The term aseity describes the whole inclusiveness of God’s character as follows:
i. Aseity – “a property by which a being exists in and of itself, from itself, or exists as “so-and-such” as of or from itself”
ii. God/Christ existed prior to creation in whole state and separate from creation He is in a whole (self-sufficient) state.
iii. He has never had nor ever will have any deficiency that requires humankind to fulfill the need.
iv. Heb. 13:8-“Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever.”
B. Why did Jesus address the disciples with this parable?
1. They were an important part of spreading the gospel.
2. They had powers that other people did not have.
a. Luke 10:17-20 – the 70 came back saying that the demons were subject to them, they could tread on snakes and scorpions and not die.
b. Notice what Jesus says in vs 20 – DO NOT rejoice in these powers but rejoice that your names are written in heaven.
3. Anyone could get a little cocky and think, “Look at all I’m doing, God really does need me!”
4. We must remember we are doing one thing that God could not do Himself.
5. In vs. 10 of the text. he reminds them in the end that the servant had only done his duty and nothing else.
C. The Servant
1. He was not mistreated.
2. He was not denied sustenance.
3. He was required to wait his proper time.
a. In Gal. 6:9 – Paul says, “Do not grow weary in well doing, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.
b. God is faithful to His children.
c. He will reward us. Mt. 25:23 “… enter into the joys of your Lord.”
D. Unprofitable or Unworthy
1. These words are used interchangeably as we look at different Bible versions.
2. Both words originate from the Gr word “achreios”
a. Def. is useless, unworthy, or unprofitable.
b. Another derivative of the same root word is “axreios” which means “not needed”.
3. Did the work they did count for anything?
a. Answer is yes, but it was their duty.
b. Jesus was driving home a point.
c. Their work was profitable for mankind but not God.
d. There are rewards that we reap for being a Christian here on earth.
i. Read Mt. 19:27-30
ii. These rewards come through God’s grace, not through merit.
E. We must serve God with the understanding that:
1. We should do all things to the glory of God, not for the recognition.
a. I Cor. 10:31 – “… do all to the glory of God”
b. Mt. 6:1-4 – do not give to be seen of man, if you do, man’s acknowledgement is all the reward you will get.
2. We must serve God because we owe Him our everything and more.
a. Christ died for us, not us for Him.
b. Christ did for us that which we couldn’t do for ourselves. Rom. 3:23 – “while we were yet sinners, Christ died not only for our sins but the sins of the whole world.
c. Just as this servant’s work did not end when he came in from the field, neither does our work end.
i. I’m tired get it yourself might be the attitude some or I’ve done enough for you today. Neither convey an appreciation for what God/Christ has done us.
ii. It is a privilege to serve the Most High God!
iii. We give our money but the church still needs teachers.
iv. We offer prayers but the church still needs attendants for Communion.
3. Christ paid even for our future sins which keeps us continually indebted to Him.
a. I Jo. 1:7 – KJV “… if we walk in the light, as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Christ cleanseth us from all sin. NIV reads purifies us from all sin.
b. eth on cleanse infers past, present, and future sins.
III. Closing
A. Christ is teaching humility
1. A characteristic that is not displayed much in today’s America.
2. What does scripture say about humility.
a. II Pet. 1:5-6 – Read
b. Jas. 4:10 – “Humble yourself in the sight of the Lord, and He will lift you up.”
3. Humility is understanding who we are and who God is.
a. When it’s God alone who saves us, of what can we really boast?
b. All the miracles performed by the disciples were done by God’s power, not by ant strength of their own.
c. Eph. 2:8-9 – For by grace ye are saved through faith and not of works lest any man should boast.
d. We can never do enough!
B. We can trust that God will not take advantage of our lowly state.
1. We receive blessings for serving God.
2. Putting God first is foreign to those who do not know Him.
3. God rewards our works through grace, not obligation
C. We must love God
1. I Jo. 4:19 – “We love because He first loved us!
2. For what He has done for us
3. Because He is due all our love
4. Mk. 12:30 – the greatest commandment – “Love the Lord thy God with all your heart, soul, and mind.
