Mustard Seeds of Faith
Luke 17:5-10 [CEB]
5 The apostles said to the Lord, “Increase our faith!”
6 The Lord replied, “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.
7 “Would any of you say to your servant, who had just come in from the field after plowing or tending sheep, ‘Come! Sit down for dinner’? 8 Wouldn’t you say instead, ‘Fix my dinner. Put on the clothes of a table servant and wait on me while I eat and drink. After that, you can eat and drink’? 9 You won’t thank the servant because the servant did what you asked, will you? 10 In the same way, when you have done everything required of you, you should say, ‘We servants deserve no special praise. We have only done our duty.’”
GATHERING FOR SUNDAY
CAN BE FOUND AT:
https://www.facebook.com/NewDayCovenantChurch/
Following the worship gathering, worship services will be uploaded to our website and will be available at www.newdaycov.org/listen.
NewDay Online Giving: https://newday.churchcenter.com/giving
Questions for reflection:
Jesus didn’t ask us to focus on the mulberry tree and our output in this lesson, he asks us to consider the mustard seed of faith. Tell a partner or two about the mustard seed moments where you expressed or practiced your faith. And remember, mustard seed. “I held my temper in with that one co-worker,” “I taught my children that God will always love them and so will I,” “I quietly clean up the church after every Sunday.” -These are all wonderful answers.
If it was hard to remember, why do you suppose that is? If it wasn’t hard to remember these mustard seeds of faith moments, why do you suppose that is?
What are the mustard seed moments (past or present) when you see God at work in your life? What are the small signs in life that God is expressing his faithfulness to you?
Whether this is hard to recall or not, consider a practice of giving thanks in all things this week. -Literally try to thank God for every event each day for a week. If you are able, report back to your friends next week if you noticed anything changing in your perspective this week.
Set a goal and report back to someone you trust next week, what is a mustard seed of faith you will express this week?
Hello everyone,
When I was a high schooler, just old enough to drive, I’d been walking in faith for about five years. A combination of teachings and personal failures (both perceived and actual) had morphed my faith into something ugly and filled with despair. I remember convincing myself that everyone knew God better than I did, everyone was more loved, everyone else’s prayers were set to be answered. But not mine.
Our church invited a traveling evangelist named Dwayne Friend (yes, that was his real last name) to give a message. Now Dwayne had an unassuming, perhaps even self-deprecating, way about him. I remember his stories of successes were about others whenever possible. If anyone needed to be the butt of a joke through his message, he’d offer himself as the punchline. That’s not why I remember Dwayne, though. I remember him because he told us that, “If Jesus walked out from behind this curtain right now, he’d make you feel more welcomed and loved than anyone you’ve ever met.”
Dwayne is why I’m still a Christian. Forget pastor or chaplain. His sermon was the only time I’d ever heard that. He said it in a way that I believed him. I wouldn’t hear anyone say something like that to me again for another 11 years. But that one moment carried me; nurtured me.
Jesus came to preach the truth and a lot of it confronted the sin of his age. We’ve been covering his convicting teachings over the last few months. But this Sunday we come to Luke 17:5-10. You may not know it yet, but this verse is one of those times where Jesus isn’t trying to rebuke sin. Rather, Jesus comes out from behind the curtains to comfort the disciples, welcome them into their calling, and tells them he loves them as they are. I hope we can be nurtured by that welcome together this Sunday.
-Zach