ENOUGH FAITH TO BE FAITHFUL

      In the first ten verses of Luke 17, Jesus continues to tell his disciples and us what he expects from his followers. He sets the scene by bringing up two connected teachings.

Jesus said, “In an imperfect world with imperfect people things, which cause people to sin, are bound to happen. But make sure that you are not the one who causes another person to sin. Woe unto a person who willingly becomes a stumbling block to another.” Paul echoes Jesus’ words when he says that there are things he could do or say, but chooses not because it might cause someone to sin. Are we sensitive to the weaknesses of others? Jesus warns against any behavior of ours that might “trip up” or cause someone to compromise his or her beliefs, or maybe even turn and follow Jesus no more.

      Then Jesus says, “If someone within the body of Christ, within my church, sins against a brother or sister, there should be a spirit of forgiveness.” Our sins are ultimately directed toward God, but most often carried out toward one another. Luke has Jesus saying we should forgive seven times in a day, Matthew says seventy times seven. The idea is not the quantity but the unconditional quality of the forgiveness—the genuineness and the sincerity.

      So Jesus brings up two important spiritual practices. Do not be the cause of someone sinning. Even if you feel you are entitled to do a certain thing, or to give your opinion, Jesus says to be careful, you may cause someone to become weak. You will be accountable for their compromise. Then Jesus says we are to be willing to forgive unconditionally and without limit. If we expect God to forgive us, we must forgive each other.

      The disciples hear Jesus and immediately connect these two responsibilities of discipleship with the need for faith. They do a quick faith check and make an obvious request to Jesus. “Increase our faith.”

      The disciples realized very quickly that they did not have enough faith to fulfill these two teachings of Jesus. It is interesting that the disciples did not ask for love or understanding, they asked for faith. They realized that they would need faith in God to help them be sensitive to the needs of others; to lay aside the things they liked to do if it has the potential to harm others. They also realized that they would need much faith in God to forgive, as Jesus wanted them to forgive. They would need faith to make the connection between God’s forgiveness of them and their forgiveness of others. They did not think they had enough faith to do any of this, so they asked Jesus to give them more.

      Jesus is quick to respond. He tells them that all they need is faith the size of a mustard seed. It is not the amount of faith that is important; it is the strength in that tiny seed. It is all about the awesome things we can do if we use the faith we already have, and as we use it, its strength increases and we find ourselves trusting God with the things concerning our faith walk that we never thought possible before. That gift of faith can even move us into a more intimate relationship with Jesus, a relationship of complete surrender to his will.

      If we are going to be people who are sensitive to the spiritual needs of others, people who practice forgiveness, and people who are true servants of God, then we need to be people of faith. It is not great faith that we need, but mustard seed faith in a great God. Even the tiniest peephole in the window of faith will give us access to power in our daily walk like we never thought possible. And that power can used to uplift our brothers and sisters, encouraging them, showing them a holy example, and forgiveness, even seven times a day.

      This may sound like radical talk, and it is, but it is also Jesus talk. Maybe we have been as guilty as the disciples were by asking for our faith to be increased when we have not been using what we have. So Jesus looks at us in our weakness, our hesitancy, and fear of the unknown and says simply, “You have all you need. You have been given enough faith to do what I expect you to do. You have enough faith to be faithful.”

Rev Tim McConnell, Long’s Chapel UMC, November 17, 2013