Sermon for Oct. 6, 2019

This morning I'll be reading Luke chapter 17 verses 5 through 10.

And I'll be reading from the Holman Christian Standard Bible.

In the previous verses,,, Jesus tells the disciples things that they need to do and they realize that they are not capable of doing anything without help,,, so they ask Jesus to increase their faith.

5 The apostles said to the Lord, “Increase our faith.” 6 “If you have faith the size of a mustard seed,” the Lord said, “you can say to this mulberry tree, ‘Be uprooted and planted in the sea,’ and it will obey you. 7 “Which one of you having a slave tending sheep or plowing will say to him when he comes in from the field, ‘Come at once and sit down to eat’? 8 Instead, will he not tell him, ‘Prepare something for me to eat, get ready, and serve me while I eat and drink; later you can eat and drink’? 9 Does he thank that slave because he did what was commanded? 10 In the same way, when you have done all that you were commanded, you should say, ‘We are good-for-nothing slaves; we’ve only done our duty.’ ”

God bless the reading and the hearing of your word this morning.

Let us pray:

Dear Lord, as we begin this morning, we ask that you open our ears to hear and our hearts and minds to receive the message that you have for us today,,, In Jesus' name I pray,,, Amen.

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I'm sure that there isn't anyone here today that would argue that their faith is great enough.

There are times when I struggle and wonder,,, and during those times I must pray for guidance to be given to me.

As I've told you before,,, when our District Superintendent,,, Cynthia Cross called me and asked me about being the pastor here,,, I struggled with doubts.

My doubts revolved around my short comings,,, not God.

I know that God is capable of anything,,, nothing is too large for God,,, my question was in myself and whether I could be faithful and not mess everything up!

I've been shown by God,,, each and every week,,, that He supplies us with everything that we need if we trust in Him.

And that's in spite of our failures,,, if we are faithful to admit where we come up short,,, God takes care of us,,, above and beyond what we deserve!

Just as God loved us while we were still sinners,,, He loves us and takes care of us even when we fall short because our faith is in Him and His abilities,,, not ours!

This morning,,, we will look at these verses and see how they can help us in our daily walk with God.

(3:14)

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Verse 5 says: 5 The apostles said to the Lord, “Increase our faith.”

As I told you at the beginning,,, Jesus has given the disciples some things that they need to do and they realize that they need help in being obedient to His word.

In the previous verses,,, Jesus has warned them of being responsible and making sure that they aren't the reason for the spiritual corruption of others.

He told them in verse 2: It would be better for him if a millstone were hung around his neck and he were thrown into the sea than for him to cause one of these little ones to stumble.

Jesus warns of God's wrath that would come for those that offend,,, abuse,,, or lead astray,,, any one of these little ones.

The term little ones might also include "new Christians" and be referring to what might happen if they aren't led in the right direction.

My Bible Knowledge Commentary says that the Pharisees were keeping many of the people from believing in Jesus and this might have been a direct rebuke to them since they are still listening.

Jesus also warned them about correcting their brother if they sin and forgiving their brother if he repents.

My Bible Knowledge Commentary says:

The words seven times in a day,,, which is what Jesus said to forgive him if he asked forgiveness in a day,,, indicates a completeness — as often as it happens.

After Jesus has told them these things,,, the disciples realize that they can't do these alone or on their own strength.

So they ask for help!

(4:40)

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Verses 6 says: 6 “If you have faith the size of a mustard seed,” the Lord said, “you can say to this mulberry tree, ‘Be uprooted and planted in the sea,’ and it will obey you.

A mustard seed is very small.

Jesus was saying that even if your faith was small like a mustard seed then you could say to this mulberry tree "be uprooted and planted in the sea, and it will obey you.

Which in itself is impossible for us to do ourselves but for God it's something that He could just say the words and it would be done.

This is why the disciples asked for more faith because they realized that they couldn't do what Jesus was asking them to do.

There was a question dealing with lack of faith in : where it says beginning in verse 19: 19 Then the disciples approached Jesus privately and said, “Why couldn’t we drive it out?” 20 “Because of your little faith,” He told them. “For I assure you: If you have faith the size of a mustard seed, you will tell this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move. Nothing will be impossible for you.

If you remember from this story,,, a man had fallen down in front of Jesus and asked Him to have mercy on his son because he had

seizures and suffered severely. He often fell into the fire and the water.

He had asked the disciples to heal him but they had failed,,, so Jesus had to drive the demon out.

The disciples asked Jesus later when they were alone to explain why they couldn't drive it out.

That's when Jesus told them that it was because of their little faith.

He also told them that if they had faith the size of a mustard seed, then they could tell this mountain to move from here to there and it will have to move. Nothing will be impossible for you.

So what Jesus was telling them,,, and us today,,, was that faith as small as a mustard seed,,, would make the impossible things,,, possible in your life!

(6:42)