In Matthew 17, the disciples are at it again. Three of the disciples have a mountaintop moment (literally) while the other nine are struggling down below to help a poor boy suffering seizures.
To understand this story, you need to remember what has happened earlier in the book of Matthew. In earlier chapters, the disciples went on a highly successful missions trip. On that trip, they saw people healed and liberated from spiritual bondage. I imagine that coming off that trip the disciples thought that there was very little that they could not accomplish. But here the disciples are stymied. All of the success of their trip seems to be eroded in a single episode of frustration.
I will give the disciples credit for one thing. When all goes wrong, they don't blame God. In verse 19, the disciples ask Jesus: "Why couldn't we drive it out?" They point the finger of blame to themselves. And Jesus says that, that is where it rightly rests. He tells the disciples that they were powerless because of their lack of faith. He famously tells them that all they need is faith like a mustard seed.
A mustard seed is a small seed that grows into a rather big plant, relatively speaking. Jesus' point is that even out of the tiniest bits of faith great things can happen. I wonder how many chances we miss to liberate people from bondage because we don't have even the little bit of faith that we need to have? As I read Matthew 17, it challenges me to trust more in God and less in myself. It is through faith in Jesus that mountains are moved. Perhaps more importantly, it is through faith that people are helped and healed. Do I have even a little faith that God might do great things through me?
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