In Luke chapter 17, the primary theme connecting the first ten verses is humility. Jesus directs this message specifically to His disciples, which directly implies the believing community, the church. Believers must be intentional in preparing for eternal realities. Handling stumbling blocks, forgiveness, and serving one another all require one essential trait: biblical, Spirit-produced humility. Every Christian is embedded with the seed of humility at conversion. Without God’s humility, there is no incarnation, no Messiah’s arrival, and no redemption for sinners. Therefore, we must understand how necessary it is to practice humility in every situation.
Biblical humility is not self-hatred, pretending to be worthless, or displaying low self-esteem. Genuine biblical humility means knowing who God is, knowing who you are, and living in dependence on Him instead of yourself. It sees God as holy and sovereign, and sees oneself as a sinner saved by grace. Humility is a heart that bows to God and bends toward others.
Furthermore, humility is a mark of true salvation. The humble person constantly depends on God’s grace and gladly obeys His authority. It objects to the self-righteousness of the Pharisees, who built their faith on a work-based mindset. Instead, humility says, “I obey because I belong; I serve because of God’s grace”. Philippians 2:5 commands believers to have this sustained mindset and deep disposition, which was also in Christ Jesus. If Jesus were prideful, there would be no cross and no salvation.
Jesus states in Luke 17:1, “It is inevitable that stumbling blocks come”. Because we live in a fallen, sinful world, facing stumbling blocks is unavoidable and sure to come. A stumbling block literally means a trap, snare, or bait—anything that causes a person to sin, trip spiritually, or fall away from the faith. In the believing community, stumbling blocks can manifest as false teaching, hypocrisy, pride, legalism, worldliness, or careless words.
However, Jesus issues a precautionary warning: “But woe to him through whom they come”. This is a serious warning from Jesus to all believers. Humility comes to the rescue in avoiding this trap. Humility recognizes personal weaknesses, making the believer self-aware of how fragile and broken they are. Because the humble person knows they need God to help them live right, they do not take unnecessary risks. Humility redirects attention outward to love and serve others, preventing the self-centered impulses that lead to sin.
The consequences of putting a stumbling block before another believer are gravely serious. Jesus declares in Luke 17:2, “It would be better for him if a millstone were hung around his neck and he were thrown into the sea than that he would cause one of these little ones to stumble”. This is not poetic exaggeration but a serious warning. A millstone was a massively heavy stone turned by a donkey, and could weigh up to 1000 pounds. This is a better punishment than causing one of these little ones to stumble.
Who are these “little ones”? While they certainly include children, broadly speaking, the little ones are genuine, born-again Christians (Matthew 19:17, 1 John 5:21). Every Christian can be vulnerable, weak, and gullible. Because believers are not yet glorified and face many temptations, remaining in sin exposes our limits. Therefore, let him who thinks he stands take heed that he does not fall (1 Corinthians 10:12). “This does not mean that Christians who cause someone else to stumble will lose their salvation and incur God’s eternal wrath. If that were so, none could be saved, because we all have sinned in this manner.” (Steven Cole) Jesus uses this vivid, severe language to indicate that causing a vulnerable believer to fall into sin is a devastating offense.
Because causing offense is so serious, believers must actively cultivate the humility given at conversion. First, look to Jesus as the only perfect role model, who learned obedience and humility through suffering (Hebrews 5:8-9). Second, realize that suffering is a teacher in the school of humility. Like Jacob, whose soul became humble through days of evil and trial, suffering is meant to wear down pride and train the believer (Genesis 47:9). Never waste suffering, but use it to bow down before God. Finally, grow in humility by receiving correction and accountability without making excuses (Proverbs 12:1). A humble Christian constantly asks, “Will my actions build faith? Am I serving out of love and truth, or ego and anger”?
Biblical humility does not weaken necessary actions like church discipline; rather, proper discipline protects the little ones from wider stumbling. Church discipline is often blamed for causing some to stumble; it is often the case that the lack of church discipline allows sin to remain, which sets a poor example, leading to the stumbling of others. Therefore, we must all be humble lest we stumble or cause others to stumble. Humility is the most precious compliment a believer can receive. As Charles Spurgeon noted, one should not desire to be the principal man in the church, but rather be lowly and willing to be a doormat for all to wipe their boots on, so long as God is glorified. Let the church continually cultivate this deep humility to protect the vulnerable and honor the Lord.
BIBLE COMMUNITY CHURCH 
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