Mustard Seed vs. Mountain
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· 30 viewsJesus did not increase the faith of the apostles like they asked. He instructed them to use what they did have.
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When I was part of the leadership for a youth group when Melinda and I lived in MN. The youth group’s name was Mustard Seed Moving Co.
The Greek word for faith has a definition of strong confidence or reliance upon someone or something.
We hear and use this word often in church and when speaking with other Christians.
We encourage others to have faith and preach to others that they have to have more faith.
We pray for the Lord to strengthen and give us more faith.
We are going to see that is exactly when the apostles did. They asked for more faith. Let see what Christ answer was for them.
5 The apostles said to the Lord, “Increase our faith!”
When Luke says “The apostles,” he is speaking of the twelve that walked daily with Christ.
When you take this scripture in context Christ was just talking about forgiveness. The apostles asked for more faith because they believed what Christ was teaching was impossible.
What is going on in your life right now that you have been asking for more faith so you can handle it.
Is it to forgive someone.
Financial need.
relationship
job
children
the list could be countless.
Now let’s look at Christ reply...
6 He replied, “If you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mulberry tree, ‘Be uprooted and planted in the sea,’ and it will obey you.
Jesus answered that they did not need more faith but the must use what faith they already have.
Think of asking the Lord for more muscle. They best way is to work the muscle you have and it will increase.
The mustard seed was believed to be the smallest of seeds according to the farmers in Palestine.
A mulberry tree (some translations say sycamine tree which is a kind of mulberry tree) had a root system so intricate that the rabbis would teach that it would take six hundred years to untangle it.
A root system like that would take a great force to uproot it.
Jump down to verse 11
Luke 17:11
11 Now on his way to Jerusalem, Jesus traveled along the border between Samaria and Galilee.
12 As he was going into a village, ten men who had leprosy met him. They stood at a distance
13 and called out in a loud voice, “Jesus, Master, have pity on us!”
Leprosy was a skin disease. The Jews believed that leprosy was punishment for sin and the disease was a mark of God’s displeasure.
Weather a disease or a sin, either way they came to the right Man, Jesus.
It was required of them to keep a distance from others and announce that they were “unclean.”
14 When he saw them, he said, “Go, show yourselves to the priests.” And as they went, they were cleansed.
Jesus does not reach out to touch them or even say to them that they are healed.
He tells them to go and show themselves to the priest. Acting in faith, they leave.
15 One of them, when he saw he was healed, came back, praising God in a loud voice.
16 He threw himself at Jesus’ feet and thanked him—and he was a Samaritan.
Luke 17:15-16
This one, a Samaritan, returned to Jesus. He praised and thanked Jesus for being healed.
17 Jesus asked, “Were not all ten cleansed? Where are the other nine?
18 Has no one returned to give praise to God except this foreigner?”
19 Then he said to him, “Rise and go; your faith has made you well.”
Luke 17:
This Samaritan had faith and it made him well. “Made you well” is literally saved you.
8 I tell you, he will see that they get justice, and quickly. However, when the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on the earth?”
Reading the preceding verses you will read about a widow. A widow who was persistent and her persistence reflected faith. Persistent faith and prayer is necessary. When Jesus return for the church will He find faithfulness in you?