Luke 17:5-10
5 The apostles said to the Lord, “Increase our faith!”
6 But the Lord said, “If you had faith the size of a mustard seed, you could say to this mulberry tree, ‘Be uprooted and be planted in the sea’; and it would obey you.
7 “Now which of you, having a slave plowing or tending sheep, will say to him after he comes in from the field, ‘Come immediately and recline at the table to eat’?
8 On the contrary, will he not say to him, ‘Prepare something for me to eat, and properly clothe yourself and serve me while I eat and drink; and afterward you may eat and drink’?
9 He does not thank the slave because he did the things which were commanded, does he?
10 So you too, when you do all the things which were commanded you, say, ‘We are unworthy slaves; we have done only that which we ought to have done.’ ”
The Teaching about Faith
Faith the size of a mustard seed
Jesus taught that we are to forgive a brother who repents, even seven times in a single day. The disciples likely realized they lacked such a forgiving heart, and so they said to Jesus, “Increase our faith!” (v 5). Jesus replied, “If you had faith the size of a mustard seed, you could say to this mulberry tree, ‘Be uprooted and be planted in the sea,’ and it would obey you.” Jewish rabbis taught that the mulberry tree has deep roots that remain in the ground for 600 years. There is a reason Jesus used the example of a mulberry tree here. Grudges and hatred toward others have deep roots. They cannot be easily pulled out. But Jesus is saying that no matter how deeply rooted the issue may be, if we have faith even as small as a mustard seed, it will surely be resolved. What Jesus is addressing here is not the size of our faith, but whether we have genuine faith. It is not about having great faith but about having faith in a great God. Have you had a tendency to try to accomplish things through the depth of your own faith? Now, let us surrender authority to our great God.
Humility of the believers
As our faith grows, we may fall into the sin of pride. To warn against this, Jesus told the story of the “unworthy servant.” A master does not thank a servant just because he did what he was supposed to do. The servant simply did what was expected of him. Likewise, when we have carried out our duties as servants of God, we should respond by saying, “We are unworthy slaves; we have done only that which we ought to have done” (v 10). Paul also confessed the following about his own heart: “For if I preach the gospel, I have nothing to boast about, for I am under compulsion; for woe to me if I do not preach the gospel” (1 Cor. 9:16). As I write this, I find my heart filled with joy, because at the banquet of the kingdom of God, things that were never possible on earth will happen. There is a promise that the Master (Jesus Christ) will serve His servants (Luke 12:37). We do not fully understand what that means, but in any case, it is a promise that the labor of faithful servants will be rewarded. Our God is gracious. He will never treat us unfairly.
Today's prayer
Father God of Jesus Christ, please forgive me for the times I have forgotten that You are a great God and instead focused on my own faith. You are the One who can resolve even the most deeply rooted problems. Now, by faith, I receive Your miracle. Please resolve my problems. In the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, I pray. Amen.