The Humble King
March 8 | Rick Thiemke
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Luke 17:1-37
Temptations to Sin
1 And he said to his disciples, “Temptations to sin are sure to come, but woe to the one through whom they come! 2 It would be better for him if a millstone were hung around his neck and he were cast into the sea than that he should cause one of these little ones to sin. 3 Pay attention to yourselves! If your brother sins, rebuke him, and if he repents, forgive him, 4 and if he sins against you seven times in the day, and turns to you seven times, saying, ‘I repent,’ you must forgive him.”
Increase Our Faith
5 The apostles said to the Lord, “Increase our faith!” 6 And the Lord said, “If you had faith like a grain of mustard seed, you could say to this mulberry tree, ‘Be uprooted and planted in the sea,’ and it would obey you.
Unworthy Servants
7 “Will any one of you who has a servant plowing or keeping sheep say to him when he has come in from the field, ‘Come at once and recline at table’? 8 Will he not rather say to him, ‘Prepare supper for me, and dress properly, and serve me while I eat and drink, and afterward you will eat and drink’? 9 Does he thank the servant because he did what was commanded? 10 So you also, when you have done all that you were commanded, say, ‘We are unworthy servants; we have only done what was our duty.’”
Jesus Cleanses Ten Lepers
11 On the way to Jerusalem he was passing along between Samaria and Galilee. 12 And as he entered a village, he was met by ten lepers, who stood at a distance 13 and lifted up their voices, saying, “Jesus, Master, have mercy on us.” 14 When he saw them he said to them, “Go and show yourselves to the priests.” And as they went they were cleansed. 15 Then one of them, when he saw that he was healed, turned back, praising God with a loud voice; 16 and he fell on his face at Jesus' feet, giving him thanks. Now he was a Samaritan. 17 Then Jesus answered, “Were not ten cleansed? Where are the nine? 18 Was no one found to return and give praise to God except this foreigner?” 19 And he said to him, “Rise and go your way; your faith has made you well.”
The Coming of the Kingdom
20 Being asked by the Pharisees when the kingdom of God would come, he answered them, “The kingdom of God is not coming in ways that can be observed, 21 nor will they say, ‘Look, here it is!’ or ‘There!’ for behold, the kingdom of God is in the midst of you.”
22 And he said to the disciples, “The days are coming when you will desire to see one of the days of the Son of Man, and you will not see it. 23 And they will say to you, ‘Look, there!’ or ‘Look, here!’ Do not go out or follow them. 24 For as the lightning flashes and lights up the sky from one side to the other, so will the Son of Man be in his day. 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 will it be in the days of the Son of Man. 27 They were eating and drinking and marrying and being given in marriage, until the day when Noah entered the ark, and the flood came and destroyed them all. 28 Likewise, just as it was in the days of Lot—they were eating and drinking, buying and selling, planting and building, 29 but on the day when Lot went out from Sodom, fire and sulfur rained from heaven and destroyed them all— 30 so will it be on the day when the Son of Man is revealed. 31 On that day, let the one who is on the housetop, with his goods in the house, not come down to take them away, and likewise let the one who is in the field not turn back. 32 Remember Lot's wife. 33 Whoever seeks to preserve his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life will keep it. 34 I tell you, in that night there will be two in one bed. One will be taken and the other left. 35 There will be two women grinding together. One will be taken and the other left.” 37 And they said to him, “Where, Lord?” He said to them, “Where the corpse is, there the vultures will gather.”
Luke 17 helps us get to know Jesus as a King who carries real authority, yet exercises it in humility. He is not fragile. He is not insecure. He does not need to prove Himself. And because of that, He forms a certain kind of people.
If this is what Jesus is like, then walking with Him will shape how we live.
The Humble King Forms Humble Disciples
Jesus begins by speaking about stumbling and protecting “little ones” (verse 2). The humble King takes responsibility for the spiritual safety of others. Following Him means we take seriously the impact our lives have on those around us. Discipleship is not private. It affects people.
He then commands repeated forgiveness (verse 4). Seven times in a day. Not because sin is small, but because mercy defines His Kingdom. If Jesus is a forgiving King, then life with Him means we refuse to build identities around resentment. We become people who confront honestly and forgive freely.
When the disciples ask for more faith (verse 5), Jesus redirects them. Faith does not have to be impressive to be real. Even mustard seed faith matters (verse 6). Walking with a humble King means depending on Him in small, daily ways. It means trusting Him when obedience feels costly. It means believing that small acts of faithfulness matter.
Then comes the parable of the servant who simply does his duty (verse 10). In a culture of self-promotion, Jesus speaks of ordinary obedience. The humble King forms servants who do not demand applause for doing what love requires. If this is what Jesus is like, then following Him will free us from needing recognition. We obey because He is worthy, not because we are noticed.
Finally, ten lepers are healed, but only one returns in gratitude, and he is a Samaritan (verse 16). Jesus says to him, “Your faith has made you well” (verse 19). Gratitude is not an accessory to faith. It is evidence of it. Walking with the humble King means returning to Him. It means noticing grace. It means falling at His feet in worship, not rushing on to the next thing.
If Jesus forms humble disciples, then the question becomes: Am I allowing Him to shape my heart in these ways? Am I forgiving? Am I faithful in small things? Am I grateful?
The Humble King Reveals A Hidden Kingdom
When asked about the coming of the Kingdom, Jesus says it is not arriving with visible spectacle. “The kingdom of God is in your midst” (verse 21). The King is already present. His reign begins quietly, in transformed hearts, restored relationships and faithful obedience.
If this is true, then walking with Jesus means learning to value what the world overlooks. His Kingdom grows through humility, not hype. Through suffering before glory (verse 25). Through daily faithfulness, not dramatic display.
Yet Jesus also speaks of a future revealing. Like the days of Noah and Lot, people will be living ordinary lives when the Son of Man is revealed (verse 30). His words are not meant to create fear, but clarity. This King will not remain hidden forever.
“Remember Lot’s wife” (verse 32). Do not cling to what cannot last. “Whoever seeks to preserve his life will lose it” (verse 33). Following a humble King means loosening our grip on control, comfort and status. It means living now in light of what is coming.
Luke 17 shows us a King who lowers Himself before He is lifted up. He forgives. He welcomes outsiders. He honors small faith. He receives gratitude. He suffers before glory. And one day, He will be revealed.
To walk with Jesus is to become like Him. Humble. Faithful. Grateful. Ready. If this is who He is, then the invitation is clear. Bow now. Trust now. Live now, under His gracious reign.
Discussion Questions
Where in your life right now is Jesus inviting you to practice humility through forgiveness, small obedience or unseen faithfulness?
Which part of Luke 17 feels most confronting or most comforting to you, and what might that reveal about how you are relating to Jesus?
If the Kingdom of God is already in your midst, what would it look like this week to live as though Jesus is truly your King?