CHRISTIAN ETHOS IN ACTION – “So the Lord said, “If you have faith as a mustard seed, you can say to this mulberry tree, “Be pulled up by the roots and be planted in the sea,’ and it would obey you.” (Luke 17:6)
The phrase “if you”, as it applies to you (and me) as a disciple of Jesus, appears one hundred twenty-four times in the English Standard Version (ESV) of the New Testament.
First, we will be confronted with various situations and circumstances from the Bible and, we will discover how we are to respond in these examples. Secondly, I have personalized (rephrased) our study verses for you to memorize. By this, we can bring the Gospel to life as we go and defeat sin along our way.
Today we, as Christians, are confronted with questions about how we should deal with matters such as doubts and increasing faith.
IN CONTEXT
“The apostles said to the Lord, “Increase our faith!” And the Lord said, “If you had faith like a grain of mustard seed, you could say to this mulberry tree, ‘Be uprooted and planted in the sea,’ and it would obey you.” (Luke 17:5-6)
REPHRASED and personalized to memorize:
“I cry to the Lord, “Increase my faith!” And the Lord says, “If you had faith like a grain of mustard seed, you could say to this mulberry tree, ‘Be uprooted and planted in the sea,’ and it would obey you.” (Luke 17:5-6)
If you or I had faith, the size of the tiny mustard seed, we could move mountains or tell the mulberry tree to be uprooted and cast into the sea? Where would we find that kind of faith? Where would you, or I begin to look or to search for that kind of faith?
LISTEN AND THINK
“Now the eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain to which Jesus had directed them. And when they saw him they worshiped him, but some doubted. And Jesus came and said to them, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, (Matthew 28:16-19)
- How did the eleven defeat their doubt and increase their faith? By GOING and DOING!
- You cannot ‘muster up’ more faith.
- You will not find more faith by looking for it.
Peter tells us, “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! According to his great mercy, he has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead…so that the tested genuineness of your faith—more precious than gold that perishes though it is tested by fire—may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ.”
Your faith and my faith are a gift of The Holy Spirit, increased through use in the face of trials, tests and temptations, resulting in praise, glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ!
Your Brother and Friend,
Mike Young
NEXT: CHRISTIAN ETHOS IN ACTION – “If you had known” – Luke 19:42
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