Increasing Our Faith

Luke 17:5-6

While a lot of Christians liked to sing the old song, most churches and Christians lived the opposite way. When they wanted to change the direction of our political system, Christians formed a huge coalition of religious groups called the Moral Majority to make it happen. Mega churches, the Million Man March, Promise Keepers, Beth Moore and Joyce Meyer conferences, and Billy Graham crusades all demonstrate our absorption with big things.

We forget that God had Gideon send thirty two thousand men home and only keep three hundred. While Saul had the entire army, Jonathan and his armor bearer won the victory. Elijah stood alone against the prophets of Baal, and the Lord used a little boy’s lunch to feed five thousand men. Periodically, we need to be reminded of Paul’s statement to the Corinthians.

“Because the foolishness of God is wiser than men; and the weakness of God is stronger than men. For ye see your calling, brethren, how that not many wise men after the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble, are called: But God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise; and God hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty; And base things of the world, and things which are despised, hath God chosen, yea, and things which are not, to bring to nought things that are: That no flesh should glory in his presence.” (I Corinthians 1:25-29)

Far too often Christians just don’t try because there is no body around to take the responsibility, and they are afraid to act independently. They want to wait until some celebrity Christian or famous preacher supports their action. They are afraid to go to the mission field or take the pastorate of a small church for fear there won’t be enough money. The problem is frequently that our faith is small, so we are afraid to commit. As James 1:6-7 says, “But let him ask in faith, nothing wavering. For he that wavereth is like a wave of the sea driven with the wind and tossed. For let not that man think that he shall receive any thing of the Lord.”


Mark 4 describes Jesus sleeping through a storm that terrified the disciples. Finally, they awoke him, so he could take whatever action was required to escape, convinced there was no hope. “And he said unto them, Why are ye so fearful? how is it that ye have no faith?” (Mark 4:40) Matthew, referring to the same incident, says little faith. Numerous other times he refers to them as having little faith. The disciples wanted the Lord to give them more faith so they could stop being stymied by their lack of it.

“And the apostles said unto the Lord, Increase our faith. And the Lord said, If ye had faith as a grain of mustard seed, ye might say unto this sycamine tree, Be thou plucked up by the root, and be thou planted in the sea; and it should obey you.” (Luke 17:5-6)

Jesus says that faith like a mustard seed is all that is required to do great things. A mustard seed is far smaller than that of most crops the Jews planted. “It is like a grain of mustard seed, which, when it is sown in the earth, is less than all the seeds that be in the earth: But when it is sown, it groweth up, and becometh greater than all herbs, and shooteth out great branches; so that the fowls of the air may lodge under the shadow of it.” (Mark 4:31-32)

Like the mustard seed, faith has to be planted and grow to become something great. It will never amount to any more until it is activated. James 2:20 asks, “But wilt thou know, O vain man, that faith without works is dead?” Until we act on that tiny amount of faith we have, it will never accomplish anything. James describes how Abraham and Rahab acted on their faith, and it was completed by their actions in James 2:22. “Seest thou how faith wrought with his works, and by works was faith made perfect?” It is the exercise of our faith by acting on it that makes it strong. Just like muscles, faith grows by repeated use. Maximum growth comes from frequent repetitions. Also like muscle strength, it is lost if not exercised.

There are a lot of spiritually and weak Christians for the same reason there are so many flabby weak Americans. They don’t use their faith to do anything. In I Timothy 4:7-8, Paul directed Timothy, “But refuse profane and old wives' fables, and exercise thyself rather unto godliness. For bodily exercise profiteth little: but godliness is profitable unto all things, having promise of the life that now is, and of that which is to come.”

Too often we want to be spectators, rather than players. If all the people who watch Monday Night Football got out and played a game instead, think how many healthier people we’d have. Of course, since a team can only have a set number of players, ther’d be a lot more small teams where less skilled players could take part. Because there wouldn’t be as many spectators, professional athletes and coaches wouldn’t make as much money, or become as famous.

The same thing would happen if Christians quit being spectators, found a church where they could be a real player, and started serving the Lord. There wouldn’t be many mega churches or famous preachers, but there’d be a lot more spiritually healthy Christians in more local churches. My study of the scriptures indicates that to be God’s plan.

Just as the growth professional sports have led to decreased physical activity and health,because only the best are allowed to play, professional religion has discouraged involvement by ordinary Christians.