Luke 17- Increase our Faith

Let me begin by saying, Jesus is pretty tricky. Even after taking a course on Hermeneutics and learning the historical-grammatical interpretation rules. When Jesus speaks I am still often befuddled. Why does that still surprise me that the Son of God can use words in a way that often leaves me intellectually crippled and soul-stirred?

When the apostles asked Jesus to increase their faith he gave them a bizarre answer in Luke 17;

The apostles said to the Lord, "Increase our faith!"

He replied, "If you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mulberry tree, 'Be uprooted and planted in the sea,' and it will obey you.

"Suppose one of you had a servant plowing or looking after the sheep. Would he say to the servant when he comes in from the field, 'Come along now and sit down to eat'? Would he not rather say, 'Prepare my supper, get yourself ready and wait on me while I eat and drink; after that you may eat and drink'? Would he thank the servant because he did what he was told to do? So you also, when you have done everything you were told to do, should say, 'We are unworthy servants; we have only done our duty.' "

Here are a couple of observations --hold them lightly because I still have no idea if they are right. First, Jesus turns the apostles attention away from the size of their faith to what can actually be accomplished with it. He says, 'if you have faith as small as a mustard seed' --the smallest seed in the region-- you can say to this mulberry tree --the largest in the region-- 'be uprooted and planted in the sea,' and it will obey you. Don't look at the size, rather look at the outcome. What can God accomplish with your little faith? He can accomplish the miracle of Salvation, He can accomplish huge things. Or to say it a little differently, don't look at the size of the faith, look at the One in which you place your faith.
Second, the outcome of real faith is wondrous-servitude. If you understand what God has done for you in Christ Jesus, if you understand how gracious God is to you in his adopting you into the family and calling you His own, then you will be filled with gratitude. You will not look to your service to Him for your good-standing in His kingdom. We can never appeal to God on the basis of what we do for Him. As if our bible reading, or our volunteering at church, or our hours of prayer, or even our worship-singing earns God's favor. God's favor is given to us through Jesus Christ. That is the only way we are made right in the eyes of God. Not even our faith earns us God's favor. Essentially, what Jesus is saying is, we should stop looking to what we can or should do --even growing our faith-- and look to what God has already done. When we see God's work in salvation we cannot help but believe. You want to increase your faith, stop thinking about faith, and start looking to the One on the cross.