The Twentieth Sunday after Pentecost ---- 2 October 2016

"If you had faith the size of a mustard seed, you could say to this mulberry tree, "Be uprooted and planted in the sea,' and it would obey you.”

·        Let’s start with two vitally important questions:

·        First, how big is faith? How big does it have to be? And just how big is a mustard seed anyway?

·        Second, why, in heaven’s name would you want to make a mulberry tree uproot itself, fly to the ocean, and transplant itself there?

·        Of course, the answer to both questions is “What?”

·        Jesus is talking about faith in response to the disciples request to increase their faith. What we don’t have here is the preceding verses where Jesus tells his disciples to forgive each time, even if they are sinned against seven times a day. To Jesus’ disciples, this was a tall order and they wanted more faith or stronger faith or a different kind of faith to make this happen.

·        Jesus in turn assures them that they already have enough faith and the tiniest dose of faith – faith the size of a mustard seed – would be enough to accomplish amazing things. Flying mulberry trees are an illustration, not the main point here. Faith enough to forgive a sister or brother who asks forgiveness is far more important than than commanding a tree to take wing.

·        Luke continues telling of Jesus’ teaching by a discussion of Jesus’ example of how slaves are treated and what is expected of them. He also uses these remarks to remind the disciples what amazing things they can really do.

·        First, a digression. For better or worse, slavery was a fact in the time of Jesus. The evil of the institution was apparent to many, but it would be many years before governments and people in general would stand against it through law and even through force of arms.

·        Despite this, slavery remains a fact today. It simply isn’t seen because it has been driven underground, but make no mistake – it exists.

·        In Jesus’ time, slavery was a fact of the society he and his comrades lived in. Slaves often had trusted positions in business and sometimes in the government or the military. Still, whether trusted and valued or not, slaves remained slaves.

·        With this in mind, Jesus used the example of how a slave would be treated in the household he or she lived in. They served their master and were not served by their master. The example of the master telling the slave: Come here at once and take your place at the table would be laughable. The common understanding, customs, and laws would not permit this. In using this example, Jesus is telling his disciples that when they do what they are called to do and supposed to do, they might not expect reward, compliments, or recognition. There would be no trophies or awards for participation. Jesus puts it this way: Do you thank the slave for doing what was commanded?  So you also, when you have done all that you were ordered to do, say, "We are worthless slaves; we have done only what we ought to have done!' "

·        This phrase can be quite controversial and has been used by some Christians to actually put other Christians down. In truth, did not Jesus give his life for us all? Did he not shed his blood for our lives? Did he not say that our Father knows of every sparrow that falls, and that we are worth more than many sparrows? We are not worthless servants then.

·        The statement is meant to keep us from getting a big head about our own activities and even to demand reward. When we obey Jesus and follow his commandment to “love one another as I have loved you”, it is not something extraordinary. Once again, the deciding factor is not our own efforts, but the freely-given grace of God.

·        If you had faith the size of a mustard seed and graced to the same extent, obeying the command to love one another can be done! How hard it might be does not bear consideration. It is grace in faith and action that makes the difference.

·        We are not asked to transplant trees by the power of faith alone. We are not asked to perform miracles of any type by our own power. We are asked to rely on God to do what discipleship requires. That’s what faith really is – trust. Reliance. It is not simply an assent to a list of required ideas or concepts; In its simplest form, faith is trust in God and God’s promises.

·        In proclaiming our faith each time we recite our creeds, we actually state “why” we trust, using what has been revealed to us in the Scripture and how the Church has interpreted it over the years. It’s probably true that each of us could write our own creed, reciting how God has worked in each of our lives, yet we say what it is we believe and in whom we trust… together.

·        Don’t look for flying mulberry trees. Don’t look for fancy, great deeds to perform. The simplest deeds – forgiveness, sharing the faith, trusting in the face of troubles - often make the biggest difference when done in a trusting faith… and that is our task.

·        Let’s end then with words attributed to Paul:

Do not be ashamed, then, of the testimony about our Lord or of me his prisoner, but join with me in suffering for the gospel, relying on the power of God,  who saved us and called us with a holy calling, not according to our works but according to his own purpose and grace.