Just Do It!

Luke 17:5-10

5 The apostles said to the Lord, “Increase our faith!” 6 He replied, “If you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mulberry tree, `Be uprooted and planted in the sea,’ and it will obey you. 7 “Suppose one of you had a servant plowing or looking after the sheep. Would he say to the servant when he comes in from the field, `Come along now and sit down to eat’? 8 Would he not rather say, `Prepare my supper, get yourself ready and wait on me while I eat and drink; after that you may eat and drink’? 9 Would he thank the servant because he did what he was told to do? 10 So you also, when you have done everything you were told to do, should say, `We are unworthy servants; we have only done our duty.'”

In our text today…..the disciples ask for more faith! Have you ever felt this way? Have you ever felt that if you just had more faith….you could accomplish more for God…that you could be a “better Christian”?

The passages leading up to today’s text are about discipleship.

What does it take to follow Jesus? What will be required of them? In verses 1-4 Jesus has just told them that it would be terrible for them to ever cause a little one to stumble, and that they need to forgive people seven times if asked.

1 Jesus said to his disciples: “Things that cause people to sin are bound to come, but woe to that person through whom they come. 2 It would be better for him to be thrown into the sea with a millstone tied around his neck than for him to cause one of these little ones to sin. 3 So watch yourselves. “If your brother sins, rebuke him, and if he repents, forgive him. 4 If he sins against you seven times in a day, and seven times comes back to you and says, `I repent,’ forgive him.”

So it’s no wonder in verse 5 that the disciples ask for more faith! Who could live up to that standard? Have you ever felt that way? That being a Christian requires a lot, and you’re not sure you’re up for it?

Jesus’ answer seems somewhat strange: “If you have faith the size of a mustard seed, you could say to this mulberry tree, ‘be uprooted and planted in the sea’, and it would happen.” Is Jesus saying that they don’t even have faith the size of a mustard seed? Is he saying that they should really be uprooting trees and moving them around? No. Instead, Jesus seems to be directing them to a different problem than their “amount” of faith.

Jesus seems to be saying that FAITH is not something that you measure. E.g., “if I had more faith, I could do more things for God.” Instead, faith is like a muscle…. You don’t need more of it…you just need to exercise it more. As you use it, it will grow in strength.

“Disciples, you already have enough faith. You have all the faith you need. You just need to use it! Just do it!”

In verse 7-10, we have another story that seems to elaborate on this point of simply stepping out with the faith you have. Jesus seems to be saying to his disciples. “You don’t need more faith. You just need to be faithful and obedient in doing the tasks that are right before you. Just as a servant does what’s asked of him without expecting any special thanks or reward – you, too, as my disciple, should simply do the little and big things that are right in front of you – not always considering what your reward will be, or what’s in it for you….but simply out of obedience and faithfulness to your master. Then you will experience growth in your faith.”

Conclusion:

• Faith is not something you measure – it’s something you do. It’s a muscle you use.
• You show your faithfulness and obedience by performing the little (and big) things that are right in front of you. Not with hesitation..or with calculating what your reward will be – but simply as your duty to your master.
• Then you will experience a natural increase in your faith!

(The above is a summary and outline of the message shared in worship on October 5, 2025.)