Luke I: Luke 17:5-10

Luke I: Little Is Much

January 31st, 2021/The Lookout

Story: I think if we're all honest, there’s something we're hoping for... there's something we are dreaming for... there's something that maybe seems impossible... something that requires faith.

Has there ever been a time where you needed faith for something? Or maybe faith for someone? I’m confident that we would all say that in the season of an election and a global pandemic, that we have needed faith every minute of every day.

There’s a passage in the Gospel of Luke that helps us understand what it means to not only have faith, but to live by faith. It speaks to not only the reality of faith, but the potential that faith in Jesus offers. Would you turn with me in your bibles to…

Passage: Luke 17:5-10 CSB

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 servant 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 servant 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 unworthy servants; we’ve only done our duty.’”

Pray:

Title: Little Is Much

Defining Terms:

Faith = Total dependence on Jesus and a willingness (desire) to do His will. It’s believing in something or someone you cannot see.

Big Idea:

1. Faith in Jesus that is authentic has the power to do the impossible.
2. Faith deepens as we humbly obey what God tells us to do

Main Points: 7 truths of faith

1. The Author of Faith

   1. The apostles said to the Lord, “Increase our faith.”

      1. Jesus had just told them to forgive a brother seven times in a day (Luke 17:3-4). That is a hard word, so they asked for faith. They went to the right person.

         1. They did not say to themselves, “I’ll work on my faith”
         2. They did not go to the pastor and say, “Preach a strong word so that I can increase my faith”. How many of you know I can preach a strong word and I can encourage you in the faith, but I can't make your faith grow.
         3. They did not say, “I will read a book, listen to the latest podcast, and that will increase my faith.”
         4. No, they said to the Lord, “Increase our faith.”
         5. You can't go to a bull to get more milk, you gotta go to the cow. You can't go to the desert looking for more water, you gotta go to the well. The creator, the author, the one whom faith comes from alone can provide the increase. Faith’s author alone can provide the increase.

         6. Question: Where do you go to increase your faith? 2. Application: If any of you desire to have a growing faith, cry out to God “Lord, increase my faith!”

         7. If you feel that your challenges have increased, go to the Lord, and say, “Increase my faith!”

         8. If your money is tight, go to the Lord, and say, “Increase my faith;”
         9. If your marriage is struggling, go to Him, and say, “Increase my faith,”
         10. Are you sick and full of pain, go to your Father and say, “‘Increase my faith,’ so that I may be patient and able to bear it well.”
         11. Are you tired and feeling overwhelmed? Go to the Father and pray, “Increase my faith!”
         12. Have you little faith? Take it to Jesus, make the request, submit to His provision in your life and pray “Increase my faith!”
         13. Question: What is it that you need faith for right now?
         14. By faith ____________. You fill in the blank.
         15. OK, so we looked at where God says we need to go to increase our faith now 2, we need to understand The Capacity of Faith.
         16. The Capacity of Faith
             1. The apostles said to the Lord, “Increase our faith.”

      2. Faith can grow by talking to Jesus, reading of the Word, hanging out with other people of faith, and obeying what God tells you to do.

      3. “Lord, increase our faith”, you could also say, “Lord, help us to believe that you can enable us to do this.”

      4. Notice what they did not say…

         1. They did not say, “Lord keep our faith alive”
         2. They did not say “Lord sustain us for today”
         3. Yesterday's victory in battle will not save you today! You can't win today's battle with yesterday's victory. There may be some momentum but you can't rest on yesterday's triumphs. 4. When you pause in faith then you will fail in battle! 5. When you sustain for the moment, then you miss in the miraculous. 6. Illust: Just as a wheel keeps its momentum as it progresses, but when it stands still it falls to the ground. So is our faith that remains stagnant. It must increase as we face new seasons, new challenges, new battles ahead! 7. Illust: Forward progress in the NFL. As long as the runner is moving forward the play goes on. Once he's halted in a pile or starts moving backwards, the play is over. 8. Question: Who wants mature faith? Deep roots? Increased faith for the battle ahead? 9. We can’t settle or fall back where we need the increase. I want to stay in the game. I want to stay battle ready!
         4. The Reality of Faith
            1. 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.
            2. Jesus is using an agricultural metaphor as a hyperbole to demonstrate that it’s not as much the size of your faith as much as how you exercise genuine faith in our great and powerful God! The focus is not on the quantity of faith, but the reality of it.
            3. The mustard seed was proverbial for its small size.

      5. It is uncertain what tree the sycamine was, but most think of the black mulberry. *Show Picture

      6. From Leon Morris, Luke (Tyndale New Testament Commentaries), on Luke 17:6.
      7. The rabbis held that the roots of the tree with this name would remain in the earth for 600 years (SB). Clearly it was very firmly rooted, so that removing it would be difficult.
      8. Jesus is saying that nothing is impossible by faith!
      9. You want healing, bring your faith, you want restoration, bring your faith, you want provision, bring your faith, you want a miracle, have FAITH and trust God with the answer!
         4. A little goes a long way
      10. Story: making smoothies
      11. The same is true when we put our faith in sex, fame, money, drugs, relationships, etc. The reality is devastating. It will not only lead to a jacked up root system, but it can bring about damaging results to the fruit.
      12. But when we dig our roots deep in Christ we become firmly established. A place for nourishment and hope to a world in desperate need of purpose.
      13. 30 And he said, “With what can we compare the kingdom of God, or what parable can we use to describe it? 31 It’s like a mustard seed that, when sown upon the soil, is the smallest of all the seeds on the ground. 32 And when sown, it comes up and grows taller than all the garden plants, and produces large branches, so that the birds of the sky can nest in its shade.” - Mark 4:30-32

      14. The Potential of Faith

          1. 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.
          2. Illust: A seed to a tree. There’s more potential than you realize or could ever rationalize.

      15. Because of your little faith,” he told them. “For truly I tell 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.” - Mt 17:20

      16. Question: Who here needs some faith for something impossible in your life? If it aligns with the will of God, then let faith rise up! This is a house of prayer, full of faith!

      17. Personal Story: Faith to start a second location in central Boulder. God did what only He could do.

          3. “Nothing can stop me, I’m all the way up!”

      18. Commit your way to the Lord; trust in him, and He will act, - Ps 37:5.

      19. When God moves, who can stop Him?! When God speaks, who can stand up to Him?! You don’t have to defend a Lion, you stand behind and lean on Him with everything you’ve got!
      20. 3 For this is what love for God is: to keep his commands. And his commands are not a burden, 4 because everyone who has been born of God conquers the world. This is the victory that has conquered the world: our faith. - 1 John 5:3–4
      21. C’mon church! Let faith rise up! We have the victory in Jesus' name! Even a seed-sized faith in a great God can do more than you realize! That's GOOD NEWS. OUR FAITH has conquered the world! Somebody say “I got a seed!”
      22. OK so y'all just said you got a seed... you know now you have to do something with that seed... Let's talk about number 5, the Work of Faith
      23. The Work of Faith
          1. 7 “Which one of you having a servant 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 servant because he did what was commanded?
          2. What good is faith going to do, if you’re unwilling to do anything with it?
          3. We are servants of God
      24. Illust: A Surgeon’s Hand
      25. “As gloves are to a surgeon’s hands, so are Christians in service for God. It is actually “God’s hand” doing the work. We are but used by him and therefore have nothing to boast of.” - Michael P. Green
      26. The Christian life is not what you or I can do for Christ, but what Christ wants to do in and through our lives.
      27. Question: Who would give praise to the glove? Who would say “can you believe the skill and talent of that glove?!”
          4. Serve with your all
      28. Don’t think of resting until your assignment is done. Serve God with all your energy, resources, and time while you have the opportunity to serve.
      29. “Show me your faith without works, and I will show you faith by my works.” - James 2:18
      30. The point of the parable is not that Jesus is ungrateful or that He doesn’t give a reward, but rather that a servant cannot boast before Him about their service. This is a matter of posture before our Master, Savior, and King.

      31. The Attitude of Faith

          1. 10 In the same way, when you have done all that you were commanded, you should say, ‘We are unworthy servants; we’ve only done our duty.’”
          2. Illust: Cory asking for a treat for cleaning out the truck… no, you just obeyed what I told you to do.

      32. What was his motivation for obedience? We don’t serve to be served. We don’t give to gain prosperity. We don’t sacrifice to be elevated. We don’t obey for a blessing, we obey from a blessing. We are more blessed than we deserve. We are more graced than we deserve.

      33. Jesus has given us Salvation. We did nothing to earn it, but He graciously gives us unconditional love. He has broken the chains of sin and has given us freedom in Him. He is our provider, our comforter, our Redeemer. Nobody owes me anything, Jesus gave me everything!

          3. Serving with the wrong attitude:

      34. Doing our duty because we have to.

      35. Doing our duty because we hope to gain a reward.

      36. “And who has ever given to God, that he should be repaid?” - Romans 11:35

          4. “Where’s my reward?!” “Where’s my recognition?!” Excuse me?! What do you think this is? A talent show? This is war. This is a battle against a very real enemy. This is not the time for unwarranted confidence or spiritual arrogance. We have been called, we have a mission, we have a duty to do! Nobody owes me anything, Jesus gave me everything.

      37. Nobody shouts in the middle of a warzone “Do you see how good I’m doing!” No!! Everyone is fighting to stay alive and focused on the mission!

      38. God’s rewards are of grace, not of merit. They are undeserved, not earned credits.
          5. “Realize God is actually the one at work, doing what you prayed for.” - Trent C. Butler
      39. The Gift of Faith

   2. “For you are saved by grace through faith, and this is not from yourselves; it is God’s gift— 9 not from works, so that no one can boast. 10 For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared ahead of time for us to do.” - Ephesians 2:8-10

   3. Illust: Lack of faith

      1. A man was walking along a narrow path, not paying much attention to where he was going. Suddenly he slipped over the edge of a cliff. As he fell, he grabbed a branch growing from the side of the cliff. Realizing that he couldn’t hang on for long, he called for help.

• Man: Is anybody up there?
• Voice: Yes, I’m here!
• Man: Who’s that?
• Voice: The Lord.
• Man: Lord, help me!
• Voice: Do you trust me?
• Man: I trust you completely, Lord.
• Voice: Good. Let go of the branch.
• Man: What???
• Voice: I said, “Let go of the branch.”
• Man: [After a long pause] Is anybody else up there?
• It’s easy to have faith when we can clearly see what’s going to happen on the other side, but the faith God has called us to is stepping out into the unknown and unseen.
• “Faith is an acknowledgment that no matter how long we wait, we will never be able to do anything on our own, but the moment we call on God, He can do anything.” - Trent C. Butler

“Faith is the gift of God. So is the air, but you have to breathe it. So is bread, but you have to eat it. So is water, but you have to drink it. So how do we accept this gift? Not by a feeling, for “faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the Word of God” (Rom. 10:17). It is not for me to sit down and wait for faith to come upon me with a strong feeling of some kind. Rather, faith comes when we take God at His Word.” - Michael P. Green

Song I wrote while studying:

Where there is faith, there is a seed

Planted in the ground, waiting to receive.

Where there is faith, there is peace

Growing in obedience, and resting in His grace

In faith, we say let the mountains move

In faith, we say let the giants fall

In faith, we say let revival come

You have our yes, you have our all

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The Reward of Faith

“And without faith it is impossible to please him, for whoever would draw near to God must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him.” - Hebrews 11:6

“His master said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant! You were faithful over a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Share your master’s joy.’” - Matthew 25:21

“Growing saints think themselves nothing; full-grown saints think themselves less than nothing.” - C. H. Spurgeon

“God give me but to have a place where, washed in his blood, I may wear the white garments of an everlasting servitude to him, and he shall have the praise for it, world without end! Amen.” - C. H. Spurgeon

“As long as you live, whatever faults you have, be not half-hearted or double-minded, but be faithful in intent and desire. This is the point of the Judge’s praise,—the servant’s faithfulness.” - C. H. Spurgeon

30 And throw this good-for-nothing servant into the outer darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’ - Mt 25:30

“George Muller, a great man of faith, once said, “God delights to increase the faith of His children. We ought, instead of wanting no trials before victory, no exercise for patience, to be willing to take them from God’s hand as a means. I say—and say it deliberately—trials, obstacles, difficulties, and sometimes defeats, are the very food of faith.” - Michael P. Green

Faith Definition from Billy Graham “Faith simply means believing that something is true, and then committing our lives to it. In the Bible, “faith” means believing in God, and in what Christ has done for us to make our salvation possible–and then committing ourselves to Him.”

“If a man lacks faith he lacks everything. “Without faith it is impossible to please God.” If a man has true faith—however little he has of any other virtue—that man is secure.” - C. H. Spurgeon

Question: How does faith Grow?

C. H. Spurgeon shares some great insight on growing in faith. He defines growth in two categories; intensity & extent.

Intensity: You believe the same things, but you believe them more firmly. A child has a pearl in her hand. When the girl grows into a woman, and she has the same pearl, how differently does she hold it. When, as a little child, she held the pearl, you might have taken it away from her; but now that she is grown up, see how she doubles her fists and grasps the treasure! So it is with the person who grows in faith. You get such a grip upon the truths of God that no one can take them away. That person is one who stands firm and holds tightly to truth. They are not carried about by every wind of doctrine.

Extent: You believe more than once you did. At first we believe a few truths, and then grow in knowledge, and instead of only three or four marvelous truths, we learn ten, and as we advance further we learn a hundred. Sometimes, however, we grieve to confess that, as our faith grows in extent, it diminishes in intensity, which is a very poor gain and bad stewardship. But if we believe more and believe with the same intensity as we did at first, then our faith continues to grow and mature as time passes.

Someone who claims to have faith without works is like a person who puts all their effort into building the foundation of a house and never builds anything on it. Someone who displays great works but claims no faith is like a person who builds a house on sand without any foundation.

I don’t want to build something I can claim or take credit for. I don’t want to build something that doesn’t have an impact. I don’t want to build something destined to fail. I want to build, make a difference, and sustain over time!

“Unless the Lord builds a house, its builders labor over it in vain;” - Psalm 127:1

“It is not so much great faith that is required as faith in a great God. The mustard seed was proverbial for its small size. It is uncertain what tree the sycamine was, but most think of the black mulberry. The rabbis held that the roots of the tree with this name would remain in the earth for 600 years (SB). Clearly it was very firmly rooted, so that removing it would be difficult. Jesus is not suggesting that his followers occupy themselves with pointless things like transferring trees into the sea. His concern is with the difficulty. He is saying that nothing is impossible to faith: ‘genuine faith can accomplish what experience, reason, and probability would deny, if it is exercised within God’s will’” - Leon Morris

“Do not expect to get some great prize for what you do in faith. Realize God is actually the one at work, doing what you prayed for. So having done all you know to do, simply sit down and say to God, We are worthless slaves. All we have done is the task assigned us to do. Faith is accepting the role of an obedient servant without expecting great gratitude and reward.” - Trent C. Butler

Little is much - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-ylbbUkKL6c