Luke 17

• Luke 17:11 - Jesus was on His way to Jerusalem to be crucified.
• Luke 17:14 - Jesus is commanding them to do what was required under the Law of Moses. It would have been a big problem if they showed up to the priests and were unclean. These ten showed great faith in immediately turning to go see the priests.
• Luke 17:17-18 - Jesus remarked that the others did not return to give glory to God - not that they did not turn and thank Him. Also, note that the Samaritan was the one who returned to worship Jesus.
• Luke 17:20 - The kingdom would not come in some physically observable way.
• Luke 17:22-37 - It seems likely this was talking about the destruction of Jerusalem.
  • Luke 17:36 - This verse is omitted in some modern translations, like the ESV. Some manuscripts have it, but the ones considered most reliable do not.

Introduction

• Hebrews 12:4-11

Is Hebrews 12 saying that when we sin, God punishes us immediately on earth?

• Numbers 12:10 - Miriam was punished for sin.
• Acts 12:23
• Job 1:8-12 - Job was not punished due to sin.
• John 9:1-3 - The blind man was not punished for sin.
• II Timothy 3:12 - Persecution doesn’t imply sin. It might mean the opposite!

What is the discipline of Hebrews 12?

• Hebrews 13:22
• It could be talking about the letter itself.
• The discipline itself may also include the trials of life that God allows.
• Deuteronomy 8:2-5 - God disciplined the Israelites in the wilderness.
• Job 42:11
• Hebrews 10:32-39
• Hebrews 11:32-38
• Hebrews 12:1-2 - Endure!
• God was not punishing them. He was allowing them to endure hardships that would mature their faith.
• Acts 14:21-22

What are the benefits of enduring hardships in this life?

It builds character.

• Hebrews 12:10
• James 1:2-4
• I Peter 1:6-9
• I Peter 4:12
• Romans 5:3-5
• God will not just make our lives smooth.

It develops my sympathy and service for others.

• Hebrews 10:32-34
• Hebrews 4:15

It makes me look forward to Heaven.

• Hebrews 10:34
• Hebrews 11:10-16
• If my hope is tied up in this world, I will be crushed.

What is the scope of this problem?

• I John 2:15-17
• Matthew 5:27-28
• Proverbs 6:23-26
• We know that “there is nothing new under the sun” (Ecclesiastes 1:9). But how would you describe this age-old temptation today in our society? What is the devil doing to amplify this temptation in our generation?

Porn changes your beliefs

• Hebrews 3:12-15
• Ephesians 4:17-19 - Sin causes us to become callous.
• Proverbs 28:13-14
• Studies have shown that porn consumption changes how people think about violence against women.

Any sin is beatable!

• I Corinthians 10:13
• James 4:7

First, I have to admit that I am guilty of sin

• John 9:39-41 - If you don’t think you’re wrong, you’ll never change.
• I John 1:8-9
• Isaiah 5:20

Introduction

• Acts 9:3-9, 18-20
• We want to do what Saul did that day and turn from our error.

Find victory in Jesus Christ!

• Romans 3:9
• No one can say, “I don’t need Jesus.”
• Romans 4:2-8, 22-25; 5:1-2
• Philippians 1:23

Keep coming back to Jesus!

• Hebrews 6:6 - Our goal should be to never sin again.
• Romans 6:1-4
• I John 1:7
• Ephesians 2:1-8
• Mark 2:17
• I John 2:1-2 - The ideal and the real.

Use your past to help others.

• Hebrews 5:1
• I can’t change my past, but the past has helped to change me into someone who can better help others.
• Luke 18:9-14
• Luke 7:40-48 - Who would you want to help you, Simon or the woman?
• Acts 22:1-5
• Satan can use guilt to drown a Christian. Don’t let that happen!

Turn regret into motivation.

• Luke 22:54-62; Acts 5:27

Be content as a servant

• Luke 5:4-11
• I Corinthians 12:22-23
• Take the pressure off yourself and just get busy serving!

Luke 16

• Luke 16:16 - Compare the other use of “force his way into it” in Matthew 11:12. In the original language, this is a very unusual phrase - only occurring twice in the New Testament.

Luke 16:1-13 - Parable of the unjust steward.

• The lesson here seems to be the importance of being wise in all your dealings - not so much in the dishonesty perpetrated by the steward. If we can’t be faithful with the relatively less valuable earthly goods, how can we be faithful with much more valuable spiritual things?

Luke 16:19-31 - The rich man and Lazarus