“Increase our faith!” The disciples’ plea to Jesus is certainly understandable. In the verses immediately preceding today’s gospel reading, Jesus has been talking to them about the difficult task of discipleship. They are to be on their guard about leading others astray. They are to forgive the person who had sinned against them and repented, even if this sinning and repentance happens seven times in the same day! And this is on top of all the other difficult things that come with the territory when following Jesus.
So, yes, I am right there with the disciples – there’s no way to do all that on our own, without Jesus, and asking for more faith seems to be the right way to approach it. More faith, to deal with trials and disappointments. More faith, to get us through a time of transition and the particularly overwhelming parts of life. More faith, to know what to do in tough situations. More faith, to make the right choices.
While our first instinct may be to agree with the disciples that “more faith” is clearly the answer to all of life’s difficulties, Jesus has a different response. I picture him gazing on the disciples and their anxiety with a look of love and encouragement – no, no, you don’t need more faith! Even a tiny bit of faith, the size of a mustard seed, is enough to do great things. And, guess what – you already have everything you need!
See, faith isn’t something we can measure. It’s not like a bank account, or a shelf full of trophies. There’s no way to earn more faith, or expand the little we have. Certainly we grow in our understanding of faith as we learn and experience and listen, but to talk about an amount of faith is not really something we can do. Why? Because faith, like love or trust or hope, can’t be counted or measured. And, because faith is more about God than it is about us.
Faith is a gift of God, given in baptism. In those waters, we received the assurance that God loves us, that we are forgiven, and that we will never be alone – not because we earned it, or deserve it, but because of God’s mercy and grace.
Faith is the Holy Spirit, working in us to produce good works. These good works are not rare miracles, saved for special occasions, but rather our way of life. This is what Jesus is pointing to in the second part of today’s Gospel reading. Just as servants and slaves are not rewarded for doing what is expected, neither are we rewarded for living a life of faith, a life of obedience to God, a life that is a direct result of the faith present in us.
So, yes, instead of being something we pull out only on special occasions, faith is a way of life. And the good news? You already have exactly what you need to do this. In baptism we have been given the gift of the Holy Spirit, and the assurance of God’s love and forgiveness, and the support of the community of believers.
Even if our faith is only the size of a tiny mustard seed, we know that again and again little things are turned into abundance in God’s hands. At the communion table each week we are reminded of the astounding things God can do with and through even the smallest piece of bread and sip of wine, the Body and Blood of Christ. A bigger piece of bread doesn’t mean that we receive more Jesus – whatever amount we receive contains exactly what we need, and the same can be said for the gift of faith.
Just as faith is a gift of God, in many ways it is also a gift passed down in families from generation to generation. Hear these words again from Second Timothy: “I am reminded of your sincere faith, a faith that lived first in your grandmother Lois and your mother Eunice and now, I am sure, lives in you.” I have talked to many, many people who share that their connection to this particular community of faith, and a life of faith in general, has come about or been encouraged by a family member.
How many of you are here because your parents or grandparents first brought you to the waters of baptism, read Bible stories with you, and brought you to worship? How many of you are the grandparent or parent who has continued that tradition for the next generation?
When we think of what it means to pass on the faith, the experiences we lovingly remember are probably not about admiring how much someone knew about God or the Bible, but about how that knowledge and understanding was put into action. Through the practice of their faith, these parents, grandparents, Sunday School teachers, and others showed us what it looks like to trust God, to practice gratitude, to shift our perspective, and to cling tightly to God’s promises. Though ultimately faith is about God’s action, we can clearly see how God is at work through our families and friends. Through the people closest to us, we receive encouragement and support, see examples of a life of faith, and experience love and forgiveness.
Of course, the life of faith is not easy. Our daily attention to God’s work in us – loving our neighbors, caring for the vulnerable, serving one another, speaking and acting in ways that honor others as beloved children of God – can be difficult to do. But don’t be discouraged! You already have exactly what you need. You have the promise of God’s continued presence and the assurance of forgiveness, poured over you in baptism. You have the presence of Jesus, given and shed for you in the bread and wine we share. You have the Holy Spirit, strengthening and empowering you. You have the body of Christ – the gathered community – to provide support and care. You have exactly what you need. Thanks be to God!
So, yes, I am right there with the disciples – there’s no way to do all that on our own, without Jesus, and asking for more faith seems to be the right way to approach it. More faith, to deal with trials and disappointments. More faith, to get us through a time of transition and the particularly overwhelming parts of life. More faith, to know what to do in tough situations. More faith, to make the right choices.
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| Photo by Calum MacAulay on Unsplash |
While our first instinct may be to agree with the disciples that “more faith” is clearly the answer to all of life’s difficulties, Jesus has a different response. I picture him gazing on the disciples and their anxiety with a look of love and encouragement – no, no, you don’t need more faith! Even a tiny bit of faith, the size of a mustard seed, is enough to do great things. And, guess what – you already have everything you need!
See, faith isn’t something we can measure. It’s not like a bank account, or a shelf full of trophies. There’s no way to earn more faith, or expand the little we have. Certainly we grow in our understanding of faith as we learn and experience and listen, but to talk about an amount of faith is not really something we can do. Why? Because faith, like love or trust or hope, can’t be counted or measured. And, because faith is more about God than it is about us.
Faith is a gift of God, given in baptism. In those waters, we received the assurance that God loves us, that we are forgiven, and that we will never be alone – not because we earned it, or deserve it, but because of God’s mercy and grace.
Faith is the Holy Spirit, working in us to produce good works. These good works are not rare miracles, saved for special occasions, but rather our way of life. This is what Jesus is pointing to in the second part of today’s Gospel reading. Just as servants and slaves are not rewarded for doing what is expected, neither are we rewarded for living a life of faith, a life of obedience to God, a life that is a direct result of the faith present in us.
So, yes, instead of being something we pull out only on special occasions, faith is a way of life. And the good news? You already have exactly what you need to do this. In baptism we have been given the gift of the Holy Spirit, and the assurance of God’s love and forgiveness, and the support of the community of believers.
Even if our faith is only the size of a tiny mustard seed, we know that again and again little things are turned into abundance in God’s hands. At the communion table each week we are reminded of the astounding things God can do with and through even the smallest piece of bread and sip of wine, the Body and Blood of Christ. A bigger piece of bread doesn’t mean that we receive more Jesus – whatever amount we receive contains exactly what we need, and the same can be said for the gift of faith.
Just as faith is a gift of God, in many ways it is also a gift passed down in families from generation to generation. Hear these words again from Second Timothy: “I am reminded of your sincere faith, a faith that lived first in your grandmother Lois and your mother Eunice and now, I am sure, lives in you.” I have talked to many, many people who share that their connection to this particular community of faith, and a life of faith in general, has come about or been encouraged by a family member.
How many of you are here because your parents or grandparents first brought you to the waters of baptism, read Bible stories with you, and brought you to worship? How many of you are the grandparent or parent who has continued that tradition for the next generation?
When we think of what it means to pass on the faith, the experiences we lovingly remember are probably not about admiring how much someone knew about God or the Bible, but about how that knowledge and understanding was put into action. Through the practice of their faith, these parents, grandparents, Sunday School teachers, and others showed us what it looks like to trust God, to practice gratitude, to shift our perspective, and to cling tightly to God’s promises. Though ultimately faith is about God’s action, we can clearly see how God is at work through our families and friends. Through the people closest to us, we receive encouragement and support, see examples of a life of faith, and experience love and forgiveness.
Of course, the life of faith is not easy. Our daily attention to God’s work in us – loving our neighbors, caring for the vulnerable, serving one another, speaking and acting in ways that honor others as beloved children of God – can be difficult to do. But don’t be discouraged! You already have exactly what you need. You have the promise of God’s continued presence and the assurance of forgiveness, poured over you in baptism. You have the presence of Jesus, given and shed for you in the bread and wine we share. You have the Holy Spirit, strengthening and empowering you. You have the body of Christ – the gathered community – to provide support and care. You have exactly what you need. Thanks be to God!
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