The purpose of faith
Luke 17:5-10

Sometimes we ask, "What is the purpose of our faith?" Is it the means by which we gain a relationship with God, or is there more to it than just that?

The disciples had seen many of Jesus' miracles and they wondered, "What is the reason we are here in this place at this time? Is it just so we may believe and receive the Messiah God has sent, or is there more to it than just receiving it? Is there a step #2?

Jesus is making a direct answer to the disciples' request, "Increase our faith" Again and again when Jesus did a miracle he often said it happened because of faith. The disciples naturally thought that the more faith they had perhaps they could understand what Jesus was doing.

They saw him as a man of great faith. How could they become like him? Surely the greater their faith the greater the miracles they could do.

First of all Jesus was against glorifying self. Having a lot of faith may mean a person could perform miracles, but every real miracle worker knows that the miracle did not happen because of himself or herself, but because of what God was doing.

If there is any recognition, or glory it must always go to God. God is the originator of all that is good and to God alone must go the glory and honor.

Self righteousness was always the temptation. "Hey look at me. I have such great faith that I can do miracles. God really trusts me and loves me.!"

Jesus emphasized that it was not the amount of faith a person has, but the purity of faith. Just a little faith could do great things if the trust was placed doing what God wanted done, and not in the amount of faith as if they could be infused with or could absorb great faith from Jesus.

In our "Walk Across The Room" study this week, we have had opportunities to consider how God brings us into a relationship to someone we may be able to influence for God's Kingdom.

If we will take that first step in faith, motivated by what God wants us to do, we will see great things happen.

Reading this book has caused me to step way outside my comfort zone this week, into a real unknown area about which I know nothing. I have met a young black man who works for Clow, who knows a great deal about a subject. I want to learn what he knows.
This has happened through no association with my job as a Pastor. I am eager to see where God will lead me as I continue to learn from this young man and get to know him better.

As I have been reading and studying this book, I thought that I'd be walking across the room to someone who needed what I know, and that would perhaps draw us into a relationship. I have discovered that God has put someone in my path who knows what I need to learn.

I'm not real good at what he knows, but I want to not only learn about it, but also to see what God has in mind in putting the two of us together. Was he just randomly assigned to me? Did God have a hand in that?

That's what we talked about last Sunday evening. We are to ask that question in all our relationships so we may be in tune with what the Holy Spirit is doing.

Are these friendships we have formed from our own interests and preferences, or does God have a plan? Are we open to what will happen next?

The Holy Spirit is not only dwelling in us to keep us connected to God, keep us away from sin, and ready to repent when we fail, but the Holy Spirit is also dwelling in us for the purpose of drawing others to knowing God as well.

The Holy Spirit speaks to their hearts, and speaks to our hearts and then draws us to that person.

We are to grow more aware of those relationships in the contacts we have every day.

Our Sunday evening study tells us we don't have to wear our religion on our shirt sleeve. We don't have to wear a pin or carry a Bible.
God can best use us just as we are.

When we realize that we are called to be participants in drawing others to Christ we begin to look at things and people differently.

Do you live in the neighborhood you do, with the neighbors you have by accident or by God's design?

Just by being yourself, doing what you do, listening for opportunities, you will be able to be the connection God is calling you to be.

Now you may be like the disciples in today's scripture. You know you can't do it. They said, "Lord, increase our faith."

You may be saying, "This is too scary, this is too uncertain, I am uncomfortable, I don't have the training, I can't do this."

When we begin backing up from being the person who is willing to connect with another person, we are saying that God's plan won't work.

I can't just walk across the room and make contact with another person, inviting friendship and letting the relationship ease into whatever it will become.

What if I don't have any similar interests, or have anything in common with that person.

God has called you to be a part of the family for two reasons.
#1. So that you may have a relationship with God.
God wants to know each one of us personally and wants us to grow to trust God with all the details of life.

Whatever we have done that may make us think that God would not be interested in me, or I have been around the block too many times, my past is too awful. Christ has covered even that with his death.
He died so we can be forgiven. It is a gift. No one who has the gift has earned it. It comes only by God reaching out to us and our accepting it.

This relationship God establishes with us is designed to last us not only for a lifetime here, but even past our lifetime here, forever.

When we finally submit to such love and receive it for ourselves, we want to find some way to respond to it. How can we say, "Thank you" to God for such a life giving gift?

Which brings us to the second reason God has called us to God's family; our response to that gift.

In response to that gift of love God gives to us, we will want to live to help other people into that same relationship.
Who do you know you would like to meet again in heaven?
In response to what God has done for you, how are you helping them find their way?

Here is a news flash for us. God wants everyone to live forever in a relationship with God as members of God's family. That relationship begins here when we invite Christ into our hearts. We then move from sinners with no hope to the beloved children of God...and that continues even past death...forever!

This is not just for us, but for every person we know and love, every person we don't particularly like, and even for those who constantly get on our nerves, those who disappoint us, those who are of a different religion or a different race, those who think they are better than we are, make us angry and upset; those who are motivated by personal ambitions, have a different political view, and even those we consider not our friends and even undesirable; some we have labeled desperate sinners deserving hell, both here and in the hereafter.

Do you know anybody like that?
God wants them all in his family. As his children we all become humble, obedient, and grateful for God's mercy. Instead of what divides us we will focus only on what unites us.

Dietrich Bonheoffer, the German Theologian who was killed during World War II, in one of Hitler's prison camps, wrote in prison a little book called "Life Together". He said we, as members of the human race, are always united in two things.

Two things that says we are all alike. On this World Communion Sunday in which we try to picture other Christ-followers from various cultures and habits and customs uniting their hearts around the Lord's Table, we are reminded we are like in two ways.
#1. We are united by our common sinfulness. We are all sinners. The Apostle Paul said, "For all have sinned and come short of the glory of God." (Romans 3:23) We need a Savior.
#2. We are united by the uncommon love of God. We read in (Romans 5:8) "God commanded his love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners Christ died for us." God gave us the Savior we need.

The same Holy Spirit who has come to us, pointed out our sin, showed us the Savior who has paid the price for that sin, gave us the opportunity to invite him into our hearts to forgive us, also instructs in our response to such love.
The purpose of our faith is for us to be drawn toward that relationship with God made possible in Christ, and to share it with those we encounter every day.

For some, you will be planting a seed. Make sure it is a good one that speaks of God's love.
For some, you will be helping the seed of faith to grow in some way.
In all our relationships we are to be aware of opportunities we have to help them toward a personal relationship with Christ, so that they may experience God's love and forgiveness and the gift of eternal life.

As Christ-followers this is our calling.

Our study, "Just Walk Across The Room", will encourage us and show us how to do what the Holy Spirit is calling us to do. If you missed last week, I hope you will get a book and make it to class this week. This week we will be doing section two. Read the book and then come at 5pm ready for an exciting event.

I'm looking forward to seeing you there.

Luke 17:5-10
The apostles said to the Lord, "Increase our faith."

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.'

"Supporse 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'? 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'? Would he thank that servant because he did what was told to do? 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.'"
(From the New International Version of the Bible.)

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