Loving God, so many good things come from your hand, including the gift of faith.  Continue to work through the gift of the Holy Spirit that is within us, using us as your hands and feet in order to make a difference in this world; through Jesus Christ our Lord.  Amen.

    Have you ever thought that if you just had a little more faith, you could do so much more?  Have you ever thought that you simply don’t have enough faith to do what Jesus asks us to do?  If so, you’re in very good company.  Jesus’ disciples didn’t think that they had enough faith, either.

    Jesus had been talking about forgiving others - even if that person were to sin against you seven times a day and come to you repenting and seeking your forgiveness (Lk. 17:4).  Jesus had been reminding them that they can’t serve God and wealth and had been urging them to care for the poor.  Jesus had also been warning them against causing another person to sin, and how grave an offence this would be.  When the disciples heard all this, including the words, “you must forgive” (Lk. 17:4) it all seemed to be too much.  So they asked for more faith.

    Did you notice Jesus’ response?  He says, “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” (Lk. 17:6).  So what is Jesus really saying here? [responses] He uses more colourful language, but he’s basically saying that they already have enough faith.  It doesn’t take much in order to do amazing things.

    Why not?  Why wouldn’t it take very much faith? [responses] Could it be because it involves the power of God at work?  And so, God’s response isn’t necessarily based on how much faith we have, but on the fact that we have faith at all.  You just never know what God might do when we are bold enough to ask.

    The other thing to keep in mind about faith is that it’s not just an idea, but a muscle (workingpreacher.org).  Just like with any of our muscles, when faith is used and given a workout, it grows stronger.  However, when it remains unused, it grows weaker and weaker.  And so, we are encouraged to put our faith to work and to recognize how many things God is doing through us.

    Perhaps we sometimes get stuck in thinking that things need to be big and spectacular in order to make a real difference.  However, God has always had this habit of using things that seem small and insignificant in order to do great things.  Some of you might recall that last week we were also talking about small things making a difference.  In fact, some of you have already shared with me what you did with your loonies.  I hope that I will hear even more stories in the weeks to come of how you have used something small in order to make a difference for the poor and vulnerable.

    At the same time, I have a suspicion that many of you make a difference in this world in the ordinary things that you do from day to day.  While many of us probably have trouble relating to the idea of being a slave that is in today’s gospel, the picture that is presented seems to be of a disciple of Jesus who simply shows up and humbly does what needs to be done.  Nothing spectacular – no fireworks or fanfare required – simply doing what any follower of Jesus would do.

    If we were to add up all of the little things that so many of you do from week to week – all of which make a difference in this world – there would be a mountain of good things that would leave a huge void if it were not present.  Some of you make a difference in your work, as you undertake everything as if it is for God.  Some of you make a difference as you visit people who are lonely, or share music with those who can’t get out, or phone those who are sick or shut-in to let them know that somebody cares.  Some of you make a difference by caring for children who are not your own – whether grandchildren or great grandchildren or nieces or nephews or foster children.  There are so many little things that you do, and some things that are maybe not so little, that help to make a difference in our world.

    Every week, there are opportunities that present themselves for us to be God’s partners and co-workers in the world.  We just never know what might be presented to us next.  In fact, some of you told me about opportunities to help somebody in need that presented themselves the very same day you received your loonies.  The thing about faith is that it is not only a muscle, but an adventure.  We don’t always know ahead of time what God has in store for us, or what opportunities for service might come our way.  What we do know is that God will supply all the faith that is needed, and that we proceed “with the help of the Holy Spirit living in us” (2 Tim. 1:14).

    And so, keep on showing up and doing what needs to be done.  Keep on encouraging others who need it, and helping out those in need, and volunteering your time and your talents.  Keep on honouring God through your work and treating others with dignity and respect.  Keep on making a difference in all of the little things you do, and even in the big things that you do!  For what you do from day to day does make a difference, and when we live as people who follow Jesus, we become God’s partners and co-workers in the world.

    Unfortunately, there are probably times for all of us when it doesn’t seem as though we are making much of a difference.  There are times when all we can see are the bad things and the evil influences in the world.  However, things are not always as they seem.  We’ve been hearing a lot of lament over the past few weeks, particularly from the prophet Jeremiah.  Today we heard some of Lamentations, which also comes from Jeremiah.  It was written at a time when all hope seemed to be lost and when Jerusalem had been destroyed and the people had been carried away as captives to Babylon.  Yet, even in the midst of the lament, Jeremiah knew that God is good.

    The portion of Lamentations that was our Psalm for today starts out with affliction and homelessness and wormwood and gall (Lam. 3:19).  However, in the midst of this we find the basis for the hymn “Great is Thy Faithfulness.”  Jeremiah knows that there is hope, for “the steadfast love of the Lord never ceases” and “his mercies never come to an end” (Lam. 3:22).  He knows that “the Lord is good to those who wait for him,” even when everything seems hopeless (Lam. 3:25).

    Even today, God’s faithfulness, and God’s steadfast love, and God’s mercy have not changed.  And sometimes God even uses people like us in order to show God’s love and mercy in this world.  Of course, to see this does take faith, but it doesn’t take much.  For when you have faith the size of a mustard seed and act upon it, it makes all the difference in the world.  Thanks be to God!  Amen.

Lectionary 27(C)                            Luke 17:5-10
October 6, 2013                            2 Timothy 1:1-14
St. Luke’s Zion Lutheran Church                    Lamentations 3:19-26
Pastor Lynne Hutchison

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