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faith moves mountains
josh:
Sean,
If you don’t mind, I’d like to share a few thoughts…
You ask:
"I have heard though through this site that each time Jesus spoke to the multitudes, it was a parable, not to be taken literally. But this isn't a parable right?"
The scriptures tell us that Jesus spoke to the “multitudes” or “ crowds” in parables…
Matthew 13:34
"All this Jesus said to the crowds in parables; indeed he said nothing to them without a parable."
Mark 4:33-34
With many such parables he spoke the word to them, as they were able to hear it;
He did not speak to them without a parable, but privately to his own disciples he explained everything.
But “privately to his own disciples he explained everything”… re-read Luke 17:1-10, who is Jesus talking to?
He’s talking to His disciples! So this is not a “parable” in the classical sense… but we cannot forget that ALL of Christ’s words are “SPIRIT.”
John 6:63
It is the spirit that gives life, the flesh is of no avail; the words that I have spoken to you are spirit and life
And the things of the “SPIRIT” can only be taught by the “SPIRIT.” So in a sense to those who do not have the “SPIRIT” all of the words of Christ remain a parable that cannot be understood by human wisdom.
1 Cor. 2:11-14
For what person knows a man's thoughts except the spirit of the man which is in him? So also no one comprehends the thoughts of God except the Spirit of God.
Now we have received not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit which is from God, that we might understand the gifts bestowed on us by God.
And we impart this in words not taught by human wisdom but taught by the Spirit, interpreting spiritual truths to those who possess the Spirit.
The unspiritual man does not receive the gifts of the Spirit of God, for they are folly to him, and he is not able to understand them because they are spiritually discerned.
Ok. Back to Luke 17… I believe it’s paramount in interpreting a scripture to look at the scriptures that surround it…
Here Jesus is teaching His disciples a truth… and to them it seems to be out of their capability to not only have the faith to believe what He is saying, but also to have the faith to actually live it and put it into action.
Luke 17:1-4
And he said to his disciples, "Temptations to sin are sure to come; but woe to him by whom they come!
It would be better for him if a millstone were hung round his neck and he were cast into the sea, than that he should cause one of these little ones to sin.
Take heed to yourselves; if your brother sins, rebuke him, and if he repents, forgive him; and if he sins against you seven times in the day, and turns to you seven times, and says, `I repent,' you must forgive him."
The disciples have to be thinking… This guy is crazy! Surely it can’t be better to drown to cause a child to sin? Or doesn’t it seem alittle against common sense to continue to forgive someone if they hurt you seven times in ONE DAY?
So they respond… knowing that they cannot do this….
Luke 17:5
The apostles said to the Lord, "Increase our faith!"
Then Jesus gives an odd response… a response that is often misunderstood and misquoted by today’s religious leaders as some emphatic declaration by Christ telling us if we, in our own power, can muster enough faith we can do anything… EVEN MOVE A MOUNTAIN!
Sure... moving trees or mountains by faith is an "awesome concept" but I would ask "What would be the purpose in doing it?"
And have we not forgotten that faith is a gift from God, not something that we can manufacture our self?
Ephesians 2:8-10
For by grace you have been saved through faith; and this is not your own doing, it is the gift of God --
not because of works, lest any man should boast.
For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.
Now here is Christ’s response to His disciples request for an increase in faith…
Luke 17:6 (RSV)
Yet the Lord said, "If you have faith as a mustard kernel, you would say to this black mulberry,
'Be uprooted and be planted in the sea,' and it would obey you.
Now, look at it in the Message translation…
“But the Master said, "You don't need more faith. There is no 'more' or 'less' in faith. If you have a bare kernel of faith, say the size of a poppy seed, you could say to this sycamore tree, 'Go jump in the lake,' and it would do it.”
This passage of scripture is not an emphatic declaration of man’s ability to be able to DO ANYTHING if he just has enough faith, but rather it is a reprimand from our Lord for believing in such an ideology. The disciples believed that if He would grant them more faith THEN they would be able to do the things that He was requiring of them, but Jesus turns the tables on them…
Luke 17:7-10
"Will any one of you, who has a servant plowing or keeping sheep, say to him when he has come in from the field, `Come at once and sit down at table'?
Will he not rather say to him, `Prepare supper for me, and gird yourself and serve me, till I eat and drink; and afterward you shall eat and drink'?
Does he thank the servant because he did what was commanded?
So you also, when you have done all that is commanded you, say, `We are unworthy servants; we have only done what was our duty.'"
Have we forgotten that we are SERVANTS of God…
Even Paul, writer of a good majority of the New Testament proclaims that He is a SERVANT of Jesus Christ…
Romans 1:1
Paul, a servant of Jesus Christ, called to be an apostle, set apart for the gospel of God
It’s important to remember who we are in comparison or in light of our creator in the grand scheme of things… many of today’s “Christians” are caught up on scriptures like Luke 17:6… because they are manipulated into believing that God is going to give them some sort of super powers to do and to have whatever they want…
The 15th chapter of John gives us some insight into this philosophy…
John 15:7-8
If you abide in me, and my words abide in you, ask whatever you will, and it shall be done for you. By this my Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit, and so prove to be my disciples.
What are the requirements for asking “whatever you will and it shall be done for you?” or saying to a mulberry tree “be uprooted and be planted in the sea!” and it actually obeying you?
First, we must ABIDE IN HIM, Jesus Christ the Word of God…
And then His WORDS WILL ABIDE IN YOU…
And then, and only then can you “ask whatever you will and it shall be done for you,” because then your desires and your heart are inline with the desires and the heart of God, and you will no longer ask for selfish things, but you will ask for things that coincide with the will, the purpose and the plan of God.
Looking at Luke 17:7-10 again… are we expecting thanks or reward for simply doing the things that are required of us? Do we believe God will increase our faith so that we can do the simple things that He requires of us?
Or will we be faithful and say “We are unworthy servants, we have only done what was our duty.”
It is our duty to FORGIVE, (not to move mountains) let us look at Christ for the model of who we are suppose to be like and act, by the sovereign choice of God who works all things after the counsel of His own will, to do the things that are our DUTY as His SERVANTS.
Hope this helps.
Josh
YellowStone:
Josh, what a wonderful Post. I know that you have worded the thoughts of my heart, even though they may not have transgressed in my post. :)
You said:
It is our duty to FORGIVE, (not to move mountains) let us look at Christ for the model of who we are suppose to be like and the act, by the sovereign choice of God who works all things after the counsel of His own will, to do the things that are our DUTY as His SERVANTS.
This has been on my mind a lot. For even if we "could" move mountains, would we; the answer has to be a resounding "no!" For who, having garnered such Faith through our Father, would seek to destroy what he so lovingly created?
You also wrote: :)
John 15:7-8
If you abide in me, and my words abide in you, ask whatever you will, and it shall be done for you. By this my Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit, and so prove to be my disciples.
What are the requirements for asking “whatever you will and it shall be done for you?” or saying to a mulberry tree “be uprooted and be planted in the sea!” and it actually obeying you?
First, we must ABIDE IN HIM, Jesus Christ the Word of God…
And then His WORDS WILL ABIDE IN YOU
The word Abide is the key here. To Abide or meno {men'-o} [3306] means to Keep the Faith.
1) to remain, abide
a) in reference to place
1) to sojourn, tarry
2) not to depart
a) to continue to be present
b) to be held, kept, continually
b) in reference to time
1) to continue to be, not to perish, to last, endure
a) of persons, to survive, live
c) in reference to state or condition
1) to remain as one, not to become another or different
2) to wait for, await one
We remain faithful because it is our duty to do so, for as Paul said and correctly used: He was a servant of Christ, as are we also. (Romans 1:1)
Great Post Josh, thank you so much for sharing your God given insight. :)
Your Brother in Christ,
Darren
Deborah-Leigh:
Josh
One addition : :D
Galations 2 : 20 ....the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith OF (not my faith however big grand or holier-than-thou, but by HIS FAITH which also happens to be a fruit of HIS Spirit! love, joy, peace, kindness, goodness, patience, FAITHFULNESS, gentleness and long-suffering!) the Son of God who loved me, and gave Himself for me.
Wouldn't the carnal mind just delight itself in having such power to parade its pride on world stages set to impress sick and hurting people. By contrast Jesus used His power for others and not for Himself. As you say He served! His crucifixion impressed no one at the time! It brought grief and pain and sorrow and His resurrection brought hope and joy and liberation.
He will come in Glory and rule with a rod of iron and then we will see some mountains of deception melt at the breath of His presence in the fire of His righteousness and the authority of His Sovereignty! Until then the mountains are not going to be moving anywhere soon...they will be growing and the shadow they cast will be getting darker and colder on the world.
I am glad to be in the sunshine of His love and able to see where it is shining. I enjoyed the scriptural exhortation, edification and encouragement that your post brought to me. Thank you.
Peace to you
Arcturus :)
rrammfcitktturjsp:
To those who posted in this thread,
Good stuff this thread is. Everything I was going to say has been said here. Well, I have learned a lot reading this thread, but I am gladdened and encouraged that I am learning these truths and am becoming one with God and His Truth. Yeah.
Sincerely,
Anne C. McGuire
DWIGHT:
Josh,
Thank you brother, that was well said. It's just like us to think that God wants us to move mountains or trees with our faith. What faith? Like Arcturus said, we have no faith of our own, its His faith that we live by. It seems harder to move the heart of man than to move a mountain to the sea.
In Him,
Dwight
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