"The apostles said to the Lord, 'Increase our faith!' 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'."
Luke 17:5-6
If we go back and read from the beginning of this chapter in The Gospel of Luke, we discover that this passage is connected to a much larger message than having depth in faith. Jesus has recounted a number of illustrations teaching on forgiveness. It is interesting then that the disciples response is not, “Help us forgive,” but is instead, “Increase our faith!”
They rightfully understand that forgiving one another is a matter of faith, but even so, they have still missed Jesus’ point. The disciples assume that we must have a great deal of faith in order to forgive someone, and so, they cry out for more. Jesus responds by teaching them that they have yet to realize the fullness of faith – a faith which enables them to work in powerful ways contrary to the very laws that seemingly govern this world.
When we think about this extraordinary gift applied to the lives of one another, imagine the healing, comfort, and forgiveness that we can give one another because of faith. Jesus has called us to be agents of His grace in the world. If we have experienced grace in forgiveness from God, we are compelled to then pass that grace (through faith) along to others. Forgiveness is not about us; it is about God.
Reflection Questions:
- Think of a time when you were wronged or wronged another, how would the apology and forgiveness look if it was about God rather than yourself?
- Read Matthew 13:31-32. What connections do you find between faith and fruitfulness?
- How would you share this lesson with someone using a more modern illustration?
Practices of Preparation:
- PRAYERS - pray for those who are struggling with their faith, whether they know they are or not
- PRESENCE - spend time with someone from the church who isn't a family member
- GIFTS - keep a log of what you spend for three days, on the fourth day, make an offering to the church that is more than one of the expenditures on your list
- SERVICE - practice "mustard seed" forgiveness
- WITNESS - share with someone how you experienced God by practicing one of the four things listed above
Yours,
Michael C. Andres
Director of Discipleship
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