Accountability within the community of faith

Fourth Sunday in Lent — Luke 17:1-10

17 Jesus said to his disciples, “Occasions for stumbling are bound to come, but woe to anyone by whom they come! 2 It would be better for you if a millstone were hung around your neck and you were thrown into the sea than for you to cause one of these little ones to stumble. 3 Be on your guard! If another disciple sins, you must rebuke the offender, and if there is repentance, you must forgive. 4 And if the same person sins against you seven times a day, and turns back to you seven times and says, ‘I repent,’ you must forgive.”

5 The apostles said to the Lord, “Increase our faith!” 6 The Lord replied, “If you had faith the size of a mustard seed, you could say to this mulberry tree, ‘Be uprooted and planted in the sea,’ and it would obey you.

7 “Who among you would say to your slave who has just come in from plowing or tending sheep in the field, ‘Come here at once and take your place at the table’? 8 Would you not rather say to him, ‘Prepare supper for me, put on your apron and serve me while I eat and drink; later you may eat and drink’? 9 Do you thank the slave for doing what was commanded? 10 So you also, when you have done all that you were ordered to do, say, ‘We are worthless slaves; we have done only what we ought to have done!’”

This text portrays a highly accountable community of faith, not only are those who do wrong held accountable, so also are those who are in a position to forgive. The call to live a life following God is matched by the call to forgive when people leave the path of following and subsequently seek to return to the community of faith.

Stumbling will happen; people will make mistakes; people will be led astray. Jesus is less concerned about those who go astray than he is with those who lead others astray. That is people who knowingly encourage others onto paths of not following God, especially those who cause the least and the lowly to stumble. Quite rightly our minds go to teachers and preachers who with their words have the opportunity to teach people to go astray. But as is often said, “Actions speak louder than words.” Within the mutual accountability described in this passage there is an invitation to all – not just leaders – but all – to see ourselves as examples. Our actions are watched, do our actions lead those who watch us towards Jesus or away from Jesus? This is a challenging question.

Those who fall away, who turn to their own paths, often repent of those decisions and desire to return to living in the community of faith. But will the community accept them back? This is one of the hardest things for communities to do. It is fascinating that the disciples on hearing they are called to forgive the same person seven times a day ask Jesus to increase their faith. Forgiving the other is among the most difficult thing the church is called to do. 

I have learned (see vs. 5,6) over the years that often the least and the lowly have the faith to believe and hope. Believing and hoping against hopelessness, against despair, against doubting that God is and against doubting that God can and will act.   

PRAYER:

Lord God, shape our words and actions so that people will not be led away from your Son, Jesus Christ, because of our examples. Give us the faith to forgive, just as you have forgiven us. In Jesus’ name. Amen.