Pastor Tom Johnson, September 25, 2022
Jesus has just said a number of difficult things—about the love of money, how we can fall into ruin when we put anything in this world before the true and living God. Jesus gives dire warnings for those who cause the little ones to stumble, and how God calls us to forgive one another even if we sin against each other seven times a day. This may be the most difficult—requiring the most faith—to forgive one another seven times a day. “Increase our faith!” the apostles cry. “Make our faith grow!” If they only had more faith, they suppose, they would be able to love God more than money. If they only had more faith, they would be able to stop putting other people and things before their relationship with God. If they only had more faith, they would teach and protect the little ones with great zeal and conviction. If they only had more faith, they would be able to forgive others all day long without any resentment or forgiveness fatigue. “If I had more faith,” I’ve heard people say, “I’d go to church more often. I’d read my Bible more. I’d pray more. I’d share my faith more. If I had more faith, I’d worry less about the future. I’d fear death less.” There is nothing wrong with what the apostles say to Jesus: “Increase our faith.” In fact, it is a prayer. You’ll remember the man who brought his son to be healed by Jesus. Jesus says, “All things are possible to those who believe.” The man prays in a similar way. “Lord, I believe. Help my unbelief” (Mark 9:23-24).
One of the greatest mistakes we make about faith is to view it as a commodity. We see faith as transactional. If we have enough faith, we will be able to put that in God’s vending machine and get what we want. Or we see faith as what we do to get God’s attention. God is just waiting and waiting and waiting for us to believe. He won’t move an inch. He will not open his treasure chest until you and I muster up enough faith to qualify for his blessings. Perhaps you have heard the prosperity preachers on the radio or on television. The reason you don’t have that vacation home, high-paying job, or fancy car—the reason your dreams have not come true—is that you do not have enough faith. Hearing preaching and teaching like that infuriates me. It is a diabolical lie. It puts us at the center of our spiritual journey: “What’s wrong with me that I don’t have enough faith?” “Why can’t I muster up more faith?” “Increase our faith, Lord!”
Jesus’ response shows that we have the whole question of faith upside down. Our whole understanding of faith is backwards. We will never be able to generate faith. We are not the agents of faith. Faith is not what gets God’s attention. He loved you since before the foundation of the world. Our Scripture says, “This grace was given to us in Christ Jesus before the ages began.” He sought us when we were lost and wandering in unbelief. He pursued us while we still lacked faith. Our relationship with God is a gracious gift. He is the one who first loved us. Even our faith itself is a gift. He gives that gift thought the power of his Holy Spirit when we hear Scripture. He plants the seed of faith into our hearts in Baptism when we are washed with the water, the Word, and the Holy Spirit.
“If you have faith the size a mustard seed,” Jesus says, “You will be able to uproot a mature tree with a commanding word and plant it in the sea.” “If you have the faith of a mustard seed…”—even if you have the smallest of faith—even the teeny-tiniest belief and trust in God—it is enough for miracles to happen. God does great things through our small and weak faith. As Paul says about how our faith grows, “I planted, Apollos watered, but God causes the growth.” It is no surprise to God that our faith is small and weak. In fact, he expects our little faith. He knows that we lack faith. When the Apostle Paul was struggling with his faith, God spoke to him. He said to Paul, “My grace is sufficient for you. For my power is made perfect in weakness.” It is God’s speciality to do great things with our weak faith. Just as a tiny mustard seed is sown into the ground to produce a shrub that is thousands of times its size. So God sows a little seed of faith into our hearts. It is enough for him to do what seems impossible to us. For all things are possible through him.
Paul encourages Timothy in our Scripture reading by talking about the humble, small but glorious beginning of his faith. He says, “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.” Timothy’s mom and grandmother are further proof that Timothy did not create his faith or grow his faith. It was a seed planted in grandma Lois, then passed down to mama Eunice, and then planted into little Timothy. God not only works faith into the heart of Timothy—he works faith into generations of Timothy’s family.
It was 1941. War between the United States and Germany and Japan broke out that year. A seven year-old little girl was listening to the radio with her family. It was the first time she saw absolute fear and terror on her parents’ faces. It was about the same time that little girl began a friendship with another little girl—a Presbyterian little girl. She invited the little girl to go to church with her. The little girl who went to church for the first time was my mom, Caryl. Little Caryl came home from church with newborn faith. She told her parents about God and about Jesus. Her parents—my grandparents—started taking their little daughter to church. Correction—the little girl started taking her parents to church. Correction—God used the little faith of a little girl—God used the latent faith of my grandparents to bring them back into a relationship with God. It was not the little hands that held their hands—nor her parents hands that held hers. It was the grip of Almighty God that held them. It was their Great Redeemer who led them with faith the size of a mustard seed.
Jesus love me, this I know, for the Bible tells me so.
Little ones to him belong. They are weak. He is strong.
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