Proper 22

Preparation

    Please begin by reading Luke 17:5-10 in your Bible. If you do not have one at hand, we have provided that text for you at the end of this reflection.

Reflection--Paying Our Dues

    One of the reasons that Bible study should be a life-long pursuit for Christians is that different parts of it speak to us at different places on our faith journey.  Some passages are messages of salvation that bring us to faith; to help us to be “born again” in evangelical terms.  Many other passages are geared toward growing Christians.  Just as humans develop physically, emotionally, and mentally over time, they also develop spiritually over time.  This is the process traditionally referred to as “sanctification;” growing closer to God while becoming the person God made us to be.  A passage that may make no sense to us at all when we are a spiritual newborn or a spiritual adolescent may have a deep impact on our life when we have grown further along in spiritual maturity.

Still other passages are aimed at mature Christians.  The teachings we have been looking at recently are just such passages.  Jesus tends to take a very direct, no-nonsense approach when it comes to this kind of lesson delivered to mature disciples.  Today’s passage involves just such a lesson.  The disciples ask Jesus to increase their faith and get something of a lecture in response. 

There is more going on here than immediately meets the eye.  As some commentators suggest, it is likely that the request for more faith is a thinly disguised request for more personal spiritual power.  Jesus’ comments make it plain that the disciples need to concentrate far less on obtaining spiritual power and instead focus on being about God’s business.  Even a tiny amount of faith, diligently applied, is enough to work miracles! 

The reign of God is not about personal power or the glow that comes from receiving praise; it is about dedicated service that asks nothing other than the privilege of being about God’s business.  Jesus lets us know in no uncertain terms that God’s call to mature Christians is a call to servanthood.  As we grow, the emphasis on our faith walk inexorably shifts from receiving from God to giving of ourselves for God.  Our reward will come when we are done with the work God sets before us and we are gathered up to be with God and with the people of God who have gone before us.

    Jesus can be this direct with us because he asks nothing that he has not already lived out.  As Paul puts it, “Let the same mind be in you that was in Christ Jesus, who, though he was in the form of God, did not regard equality with God as something to be exploited, but emptied himself, taking the form of a slave, being born in human likeness.  And being found in human form, he humbled himself and became obedient to the point of death - even death on a cross.”  [Philippians 2:5-8]
 

revclay

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Luke 17:5-10

      The apostles said to Jesus, "Increase our faith!"  Jesus 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. 

    "Who among you would say to your slave who has just come in from plowing or tending sheep in the field, 'Come here at once and take your place at the table'?  Would you not rather say to him, 'Prepare supper for me, put on your apron and serve me while I eat and drink; later you may eat and drink'?  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!'"  [NRSV]