What’s Expected

jillolish
Oct 7
3 min read

Please turn to Luke 17:5-10 and read what Jesus says about faith. We step into the middle of a conversation. Nudging the disciples along, Jesus is telling them they must forgive. This can be hard – our nature is to feed the flesh and here we are reminded that we ask for forgiveness, and we receive it, likewise we are commanded to extend it. That’s a lot to take in.

Clearly, the time the disciples spent with Jesus was challenging. In their humanness, they recognized how difficult the work was and replied, “We are going to need a lot more faith.” As we muddle through some of the challenges we are confronted with, I think many of us might echo – “We need a lot more faith.” Jesus encourages them by saying that having a mustard seed size faith is all that is needed.

Church, what seems impossible, with God’s help can be achieved. You see, in the natural maybe it cannot happen, however nothing in God’s will is impossible: a tree can be uprooted and planted in the sea, manna rained down, water flowed from a rock, Jesus' resurrected Lazarus, the Red Sea was parted, and Jesus was born of a virgin.

The Bible defines faith as dependent assurance in God’s character and promises. The heart of this text is, we need to be dependent on God. Friends, our faith is only as strong as the object in which its placed and there is nothing stronger than our Creator, Redeemer and Sustainer. The disciples’ faith is small but it’s being placed in our powerful God. Our faith is not measured by an amount, you either have it, or you don’t. Faith is not like a gas gauge letting you know how much you have and how far you can go with it; it’s either present or it is not.

While seeming misplaced Jesus’ example in verses 7-10 was put there to keep us in check. Intimately aware of the heart, Jesus used this opportunity to explain that we must be careful. As faithful servants all that is done is a response of gratitude. Serving God is a privilege, done in humility, and not for recognition. This brief interlude emphasizes the right attitude of a servant.

Faith can wax and wane. Often beginning with baptism, the Holy Spirit forms and reforms us. Along the way we are nourished through fellowship, prayer, and investing in scripture--in doing so our relationship with God becomes stronger. On occasion our focus shifts from God and in those moments doubt creeps in. Remember Peter. He stepped out in faith to walk on the water but when his fear took over, he began to sink. When we take our eyes off God, we will be weighed down by our problems. The good news is God is always present reaching out to us, just as he did for Peter.

Faith and fear do not coexist, we choose. So, how can we increase our faith? To paraphrase John Ortberg, we don’t try to have more faith, we turn to God. You see, this is about creating a deeper relationship. We need to take time to listen, to study God’s word, to hear the promises, and repeat them back to God in prayer. We need to practice gratitude and embrace solitude, and when doubt creeps in we must go to Scripture to rid the uncertainty. Making God’s will the desire of our heart is the answer. As we trust in God, we drop the worry. As we lean on our mustard seed sized faith, we circumvent fear.

So, what are you wrestling with today? Go to God, trust that He will draw near and give you guidance and comfort. As we apply our faith, acting with conviction and trusting in God, He will lead us.

This week, I encourage you to write your faith statement, grapple with your faith. As you spend time with God and scripture, some of your questions will get answers, your doubts will be quelled, and your faith stirred and strengthened. And all God’s people say, amen!

Blessings,

Pastor Kerry

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What’s Expected

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