A mustard seed faith[Matt 17b]

Matthew 17:14-27

Key verse 17:20 He replied, "Because you have so little faith. I tell you the truth, if you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, 'Move from here to there' and it will move. Nothing will be impossible for you."

Introduction: What does it mean that we have faith in Jesus? The faith that we have has to be meaningful and effective in our lives as we live as a Christian. If not, there must be something lacking and eventually such faith will fade away. So it is good to ask to our selves: Is there a discernible effect or meaningfulness of our faith? Does my faith make difference in my life?  Why do we attend this worship?  Instead, would it be better to watch foot ball or study more for Monday exam?

Such question leads us to another question, what is the faith that makes us be powerful and effective in our daily lives?

Today’s passages describe two events: first, disciple’s failure in healing a boy with a demon possession, and second, Peter’s casual answer to the question on paying temple tax that betrays his inner conviction on Jesus and as well as Jesus will what to do with Peter’s weakness. These two events deal with the one thing, what the disciples believe on Jesus.  I pray that through today’s passages we know what we believe on Jesus if that faith is small as mustard seed. Also I pray that we may be able to move a mountain through our faith.

A.   Unbelieving and perverse generation 14-17

The first event happened when Jesus and the three disciples came down from the mountain of transfiguration. According to Luke, it took 8 days. So most likely Jesus went up and came down in two days. During these two days, the rest of the disciples were left behind at the foot of the mountain.

For the 9 disciples, this story is connected directly from the event when Peter made confession and Jesus teaching of his suffering and death, which Peter rebuked Jesus and Jesus rebuked Peter of thinking of only things of men. This event ended with Jesus’ stern warning that unless one denies himself and takes up his cross and follow Jesus, he has no chance to enter the kingdom of God or even lose his life for good.

This is truth. But to these disciples, this truth was very caustic.  How can Peter deny himself and take up his cross and follow Jesus? This is a very serious matter! There came a serious doubt about the whole thing, including everything that they believed. As we have discussed in the last passage, three questions might have been raised: Is Jesus truly the Son of God? If that is true, does God love him? If that is true too, then is God happy with Jesus plan?

While these doubts and questions crept into their hearts, Jesus took three of them to the Mountain and there Jesus showed them the transfiguration. But while the three were being shown the glimpse of the kingdom of God, the rest did not have that chance. But they faced a hard time with one boy whom his father brought in order that the disciples might heal the boy.

14 When they came to the crowd, a man approached Jesus and knelt before him. ¹⁵ "Lord, have mercy on my son," he said. "He has seizures and is suffering greatly. He often falls into the fire or into the water.

As we notice here, as soon as they got to the foot of the mountain, this man came with very urgent request. His son is in danger because he has seizure disorder. As his father describes, the seizure can happen any time. In each time the life is in danger. Have any of you seen a man having a seizure? It is spectacular in the sense that the man has violent contraction of muscles and no control of himself. He loses his balance and fall down hard. Simply such a sudden fall may kill him. If it happens in water, it is almost certain that he may lose his life. Simply this boy needs an urgent help, healing from seizure. Otherwise his life can be cut off anytime.

We can summarize this boy’s condition in two: a. the demon has firm grip on his life. b. His life is in danger unless he is rescued immediately from the hands of demon.

¹⁶ I brought him to your disciples, but they could not heal him."

So he brought this boy to Jesus but there were only 9 disciples. They tried to heal the boy. Andrew tried, Thomas tried and so on. But nothing happened. It seems that his symptom get worse.  After so much tries the disciples were frustrated along with all others including the father. 

First let’s think about this in the father’s perspective. The father heard many miraculous works of Jesus and his disciples. So after so many tries, he finally brought the boy to Jesus. So Jesus’ disciples were in some sense the last and final solution for the son in the eyes of the father. But after so many tries in Jesus’ name, they totally failed to heal this boy. What would be the mind of the father? The father was so sure that this time his son can finally be cured from the demonic power. But the last and only hope for his son is gone and the son is still under violent seizures. If the son of God, Jesus cannot bring a new life for this boy, then where else can the father find a new life for his son?  Helplessness, frustration, emptiness, and futility of life set deeply into the depth of his heart.

What about the 9 disciples? They saw Jesus driving out demonic power many times. Also they themselves had driven out demons before when Jesus sent them for mission journey. So they were sure and did not doubt that they could heal this boy. But each one by one tried and failed to heal this boy. More specifically they failed to drive out demonic power from this boy. It seems that the demonic power is stronger than Jesus’ power! Why can we not heal this boy? Is Jesus’ power gone? Is Jesus losing his power against demon? Is this the reason why Jesus has to suffer and die by the hands of evil men?  These questions might have gone though the minds of these disciples.  

In some sense, both the father and the 9 disciples faced a dead end. No way out! Often we feel like these disciples because we cannot do what we want to do. So we question; why are we powerless? Why do we feel powerless?

Fortunately, after few days in the mountain, Peter, John, James and Jesus came down and met them. As Jesus heard the story, Jesus said this.

 ¹⁷ "O unbelieving and perverse generation," Jesus replied, "how long shall I stay with you? How long shall I put up with you? Bring the boy here to me."

1.    Jesus was so much disappointed by the fact that unbelief and perverseness are so obvious and prevailing in the minds of the people in general.

2.    Jesus was so much disappointed for the fact that the whole generation still remain in unbelief and perverseness even after so many miracles, and teachings.

3.    For helplessness of this generation, Jesus felt deeply compelled to do something to help and to bring changes.   

Then what is the unbelief and perverseness that had firm grip on this generation? And that render Jesus’ disciple faith ineffective? 

I like to look at Rom 1:18-20

¹⁸ The wrath of God is being revealed from heaven against all the godlessness and wickedness of men who suppress the truth by their wickedness, ¹⁹ since what may be known about God is plain to them, because God has made it plain to them. ²⁰ For since the creation of the world God's invisible qualities-- his eternal power and divine nature-- have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that men are without excuse.

Unbelief is suppressing the truth that God has given as the proof of God’s authority as the creator of the world and the author of life. Such suppression is seen in Israel. Moses describes this:

Psalm 95:7 for he is our God and we are the people of his pasture, the flock under his care. Today, if you hear his voice, ⁸ do not harden your hearts as you did at Meribah, as you did that day at Massah in the desert, ⁹ where your fathers tested and tried me, though they had seen what I did. ¹⁰ For forty years I was angry with that generation; I said, "They are a people whose hearts go astray, and they have not known my ways."

As we have seen here, God did many miracles in their full view. But still they did not give full honor and credit as the God Almighty. This is unbelief. Belief is not what we have to accept what we have not seen or heard. God never demands a faith on what he did not reveal!  God was asking Israel to give full credit to God as much as God had demonstrated his power: diving the red sea, water from the rock, manna from heaven.

So is truth in case of Jesus’ disciples and the people of Jesus time. Jesus, in their full view, demonstrated his power by miracles; healing and driving out demons as well as feeding 5000 people with few loaves of bread. Despite of so many miracles, they failed to honor Jesus as the Son of the Living God, the Savior! This is unbelief!

How about us or the people of today? What are there for us to anchor our faith? They are the Bible—anchored in history, proven with enough evidences, perfect, comprehensive, resurrection; the most important one, the messenger or his life itself, the believers who give me the message.

Second, perverseness.

Rom 1:21-26

 ²¹ For although they knew God, they neither glorified him as God nor gave thanks to him, but their thinking became futile and their foolish hearts were darkened. ²² Although they claimed to be wise, they became fools ²³ and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images made to look like mortal man and birds and animals and reptiles. ²⁴ Therefore God gave them over in the sinful desires of their hearts to sexual impurity for the degrading of their bodies with one another. ²⁵ They exchanged the truth of God for a lie, and worshiped and served created things rather than the Creator-- who is forever praised. Amen. ²⁶ Because of this, God gave them over to shameful lusts. Even their women exchanged natural relations for unnatural ones.

Here perverseness is turning the heart to something other than God; So the word ‘exchange’ is used. The exchange items are idol or sinful desires of heart. They are false or lie; not truth at all. It is driven by ‘sinful desires of heart’ 

Do you know or acknowledge that we all have sinful desires of heart, the element of perverseness? We can turn it on any time and any place! The moment we turn this on, we are in falsehood and denying God’s truth. This is the leading cause of ineffectiveness of our faith!  What is of value to have the kind of faith that has no power, no significance and no effectiveness! Even if you have such a great faith, the moment we turn this on, the perverseness, it kills the good faith that we have so much confidence in it.

As we have noted already, it was in the generation of Moses, several thousand years before Jesus’ time. It was also with the generation of Jesus. How about the generation that we live now!

Yes it is true today as well. The unbelief and perverseness characterize our generation as well.  Practically speaking the whole human race since the fall of man are born and raised under these two predicaments. We all swim and breathe and live on these unbelief and perverseness!
Philippians 2:15 so that you may become blameless and pure, children of God without fault in a crooked and depraved generation, in which you shine like stars in the universe.

Thinking of this pathetic situation where the father found no remedy for his dying son, and thinking of the pervading unbelief and perverseness, only then it is hopeless!

If this is the end, it is very disappointing and sad!

@ More often than not, we feel the same way as the father of this boy or the disciples who miserably failed to drive out demon. When such failures are repeated, we just take the failure and frustration as the way of life. That shouldn’t be!

What did Jesus do?

B.   A mustard seed faith 18-20

¹⁸ Jesus rebuked the demon, and it came out of the boy, and he was healed from that moment.

Jesus drove out the demon immediately. Jesus did this before and he has not changed at all. He is the same Jesus despite of the fact that Jesus was looking ahead of his suffering and death. God is the Father of Jesus and Jesus is the Son of the living God. So when Jesus, the Son of God, commands the demon has no choice by to listen and obey. Jesus still has the authority and power over demon.

What does this mean to his disciples? Jesus is the same Jesus that sent them out to preach and to drive out demons. His power has not been weakened at all. His has authority as he was.

But when the disciples saw this, they were surprised and asked.

¹⁹ Then the disciples came to Jesus in private and asked, "Why couldn't we drive it out?"

Then why could they not? They had thought that because what Jesus was about to do, suffer and die, God was not happy with him or does not love him anymore. Or Jesus is losing power to demonic forces that he has to suffer and die. But contrary to their thinking, Jesus still had power and authority! He hasn’t changed at all! His power and authority overwhelmed the power of demon. Jesus was not the problem. Then, why? Now their attention is directed toward themselves. Why can’t we?

1.    They were very surprised that Jesus drove out the demon right away without any problem. Jesus did this before and Jesus can do it now. Jesus is still strong and has authority over demoniac forces of evil. They might have thought that Jesus was going to suffer and die because he was losing his power and authority over demon, satanic forces. This might explain why they [the disciples ] could not heal the boy though they commanded in Jesus’ name. Jesus’ power became weak or ineffective because he is losing power over demon.

2.    They were surprised that they could not but Jesus can. If Jesus can then, they should have been able to do so! But then why they could not! As long as Jesus has power and as long as they drive out in Jesus name it should work! But they could not. What went wrong? So why couldn’t WE drive it out? 

²⁰ He replied, "Because you have so little faith. I tell you the truth, if you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, 'Move from here to there' and it will move. Nothing will be impossible for you."

Here Jesus explains why they could not. It was the problem in their faith.

1.    Jesus recognized that they had faith. In this regard, it is good and positive.

2.    The little faith is the faith that lacks something. It is not wholesome and fall short of being the wholesome faith. Then what does the little faith lack?

If you have as small as a mustard seed, here a mustard seed is very small but it is wholesome as a single seed. It has its own perfectness.  Then what is the wholesome or perfect faith?

One thing we know is that when Peter confessed that Jesus is the Son of the living God, it was good and genuine. It was correct and right one. As it is, it is true expression of faith. But as soon as Jesus mentioned about his suffering and death so as to rise from the dead, Peter rebuked Jesus and Jesus denounced Peter’s desire. Actually these nine disciples shared the same sentiment and understanding with Peter. Jesus should not die. Messiah and suffering as well as death cannot match together. So it true in their mind that the Son of God shall not suffer and shall not die in the hands of men! This is the little faith. This faith is what men can make in themselves. But this faith does not give full honor to Jesus as the Son of the living God and to God the father as the Almighty and holy and righteous. This is also evident as we see what happened in the mountain of transfiguration.

God denied their unbelief in three ways at the mountain of transfiguration. When God said emphatically said, ‘this is my son, whom I love. I am well pleased with him’, God is pointedly denying the unbelief or the little faith in them. The unbelief that Jesus may not be the Son of God if Jesus is to suffer and die; that Jesus may not be loved by God the Father, or Jesus may have done wrong to go suffering and death. This is the little faith. It is anthropocentric and what one can make in his or her effort. This is saying that I am giving God the highest credit that I can give.

Then what the faith as small as the mustard seed.

1.    When Jesus described the kingdom of God, he compared it to a seed planted in a soil. Here again Jesus depicted right faith as the faith like a mustard seed. It is so small. But it is wholesome and contains all things for life.

2.    Practically what does it mean to have a faith like a mustard seed? It is the faith that understands and accepts God and His Son Jesus in His transcendent will upon us. This transcendent will is centered on God and His character; His mighty power, His holiness and His righteousness. This faith is theocentric. This must include ‘sin and redeeming will of God in his son Jesus’.   It is almost impossible to come by to men who are never redeemed by the blood of Jesus. This is well revealed in the lives of the disciples. They were anthropocentric ideals until Jesus died on the cross. This anthropocentric ideals continued even when they saw risen Jesus. This changed when they received the Holy Spirit. The major function of the Holy Spirit is ‘redemptive work’, i.e. forgiving of sins. This forgiving of sins opened their eyes to see God as He IS, the holy, righteous, and gracious. If we simplify this faith, we can find through what God said to the disciples in the mountain of transfiguration. The work God planned is the work jesus is going to do and that is Jesus suffering and death. It seems that this is all for men in sin. But actually it is are for God’s glory and His righteousness and his will for human race and for the world that He created. All these are centered on one thing: Jesus suffering and death. The Covenant theology is anchored its footing in this principle within the triune God.

3.    It is very small like a mustard seed. It is almost invisible to inattentive eyes. But it is very powerful. 

4.    If we summarize,

Description of faith	Little faith[wanting of faith]	Mustard seed faith
Content	Acknowledge Jesus, the Son of God	Accepting transcendent will of God in Jesus
Key purpose	No suffering and death; to enter Kingdom of God	To fulfill God’s righteousness and holiness
Key element	No redemption in mind; human glory	Redemption, the key will of God and in Jesus; God’s glory
Quality of Trust	Limited trust	Unconditional trust, including life and death
The essence of work	human understanding the effort of man	Having of God’s transcendent will The work of Holy Spirit
Based on	Jesus’ works and teachings	Jesus’ suffering and death
The focus	Anthropocentric  faith	Theocentric faith

²⁰ He replied, "Because you have so little faith. I tell you the truth, if you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, 'Move from here to there' and it will move. Nothing will be impossible for you."

1.    If you have faith… you can say to this mountain: having the faith is very desirable.

2.    We can use or apply this faith in ‘moving a mountain’ The mountain is always an obstacle that block the way of God. It is ‘evil’ connotation. Faith is to be used for the purpose of removing ‘evil forces of the world that blocks the will of God.’

3.    To fulfill the will of God, God will do even moving mountains in his power and authority. It is through the one who has faith—genuine faith.  Wholesome faith

4.    Nothing will be impossible for you: We should never be deterred by ungodliness of this world. There is nothing that is on earth that we cannot handle in faith.   By faith we can challenge all ungodliness of this world.

A faith as little as a mustard seed can do great things; when one accept Gods’ will and plan, then God will do such great things. From the beginning to the end, the utmost goal is to uphold God’s goodness and righteousness. Anything that defies God’s will can be removed by faith as one can remove a mountain by faith.

²² When they came together in Galilee, he said to them, "The Son of Man is going to be betrayed into the hands of men. ²³ They will kill him, and on the third day he will be raised to life." And the disciples were filled with grief.

Jesus reminded them his suffering and death. This is still unresolved issue in the hearts of his disciples. No matter what happens to his disciples, if they are to become God’s children, then this must be accepted. Jesus continues this until his death and resurrection. This is the most stumbling blocks for all human races in sin and death. They must not fall on this. It is quite obvious that they are unable to accept and handle this. Death brings only grief to all men.  Can Jesus do something about this? Jesus’ will to do something about this is hinted in the next passage.

C.   Jesus the Son of God. [24-27]

After Jesus and his disciples arrived in Capernaum, the collectors of the two-drachma tax came to Peter and asked, "Doesn't your teacher pay the temple tax?" ²⁵ "Yes, he does," he replied.  V24-25

All men are to pay temple tax every year. The tax collectors impose this rule upon every male in Israel. Women and children are exempt from this. This tax is to maintain and to support the temple of God. This authority originates from God, the true owner of the temple. But that authority is executed by men, the tax collectors So God is the Lord for all people of Israel. By paying taxes they honor God as their master and Lord. Also in this way they acknowledge that they are subjects of God.

When Peter was asked if Jesus is paying the temple tax, he said yes. By saying this Peter acknowledges that Jesus, like Peter, is one of the subjects of God and is obligated to pay taxes. But Jesus did not overlook this.

25 When Peter came into the house, Jesus was the first to speak. "What do you think, Simon?" he asked. "From whom do the kings of the earth collect duty and taxes-- from their own sons or from others?" ²⁶ "From others," Peter answered. "Then the sons are exempt," Jesus said to him. ²⁷ "But so that we may not offend them, go to the lake and throw out your line. Take the first fish you catch; open its mouth and you will find a four-drachma coin. Take it and give it to them for my tax and yours."

Jesus initiated the talk. Peter might already have forgotten this conversation. But Jesus remembered well. It concerns Jesus because it is about the Peter’s understanding of who Jesus is. Also it is concerning meeting God’s demand. So Jesus asked Peter, From whom do the kings of the earth collect taxes? In Peter’s mind the tax collectors have authority to collect taxes from all men. Since this authority is of God, Peter cannot challenge that authority. Also this authority is applicable to Jesus as well.

Jesus asked him if the kings collect taxes from their own sons. The answer is definitely no. Since the temple is God’s house, the temple tax is considered as the tax from God, the King. If that is so, then the Son of God must be exempt from this tax.

Here Jesus pointed out the fact that Peter is not giving Jesus full honor as the Son of the Living God, though he confessed as such. God is the father of Jesus. Jesus is the Son of God the creator of the heaven and the earth. So Peter must uphold Jesus’ authority as much as he upholds God’s authority.

What does this tell us about Peter? In his mind the authority of Pharisees and teachers of the law, the Sadducees, the governing authorities are formidable. Their authorities are greater than the authority of Jesus. This is because Peter fears for his life. As long as one fears for his life and he does not have confidence that Jesus has the supreme authority over our lives and he cannot handle our lives, then that fear stands as the authority over our lives. Life in little faith falters so often in practical life. Jesus, the Son of the living God is not honored as such by Peter.

What can Jesus do about it?

²⁶ "From others," Peter answered. "Then the sons are exempt," Jesus said to him. ²⁷ "But so that we may not offend them, go to the lake and throw out your line. Take the first fish you catch; open its mouth and you will find a four-drachma coin. Take it and give it to them for my tax and yours."

If we clarify the facts; a. the sons of the king are exempt from the obligation to pay tax. B. all others are obligated to pay the tax. c. Jesus is the Son of God, the owner of the temple, so he is exempt from the tax. He has no obligation to pay. d. Peter is obligated to pay the tax.

In this situation, Jesus told Peter to get a 4 drachma coin from a fish of the first catch. He can give this coin to the tax collector in order to meet the duty to God. So he did as Jesus told him to do. In this way Jesus, not Peter, provided a four-drachma for Jesus as well as for Peter. In some sense this is provided by God because it is from the first catch of fish. What can we say about this?

1.    Jesus was not obligated to pay the tax to God because he is God’s son. But He paid out of his own provision.

2.    Jesus also provided Peter of his money to meet his obligation to the temple, God. Also from his own provision.

3.    These two acts, meeting God’ demand, the tax, comes from one coin of four drachma.

What does this tell us? It tells us that Jesus is willing, actually is going, to provide Peter what he needs to meet his obligation to God. It is by one coin which he improvised by God’s divine provision. In this one coin he paid what he did not have to pay and paid for Peter the tax what he did not have.  This is what he is going to do by his life on the cross!

Peter showed his weakness in honoring God as God and Jesus as the Son of God, though he confessed correctly. It is sin and weakness that entrenched deeply in his being and that ensnares him to the fear of suffering and death. But here Jesus indicates that Jesus himself will provide for Peter to meet God’s requirement by his own provision. This alludes to his life-giving sacrifice on the cross so that he may be able to meet God’s requirements on behalf for all of His people.

Praise God and His Son Jesus, the wonderful redeemer for all sinners.