Not What. Who!

Faith as a mustard seed…Matthew 17:20

While Jesus and three of His disciples were on the mountain where He was transfigured before their eyes, the others were trying to heal a young man of epilepsy, Matthew 17: 1 thru 21. Their failure led Jesus to say, because of your unbelief (or little faith) for assuredly, I say to you, if you have faith as a mustard seed, you will say to this mountain, ‘move from here to there,’ and it will move; and nothing will be impossible for you. However, this kind does not go out except by prayer and fasting. Verses 20-21.

Unfortunately, too many want to put the emphasis on the mustard seed. Maybe even wear a bracelet with a mustard seed in it to remind them of the faith required to move mountains. 

Now, let’s put the two experiences together. While Peter, James, and John were on Mt. Hermon witnessing the full glory of Jesus, the others were trying to be like Jesus on their own power. Three were seeing Jesus as He is in glory, the others are seeing Jesus as an impossible act to follow. WWJD doesn’t work. It is the wrong question. Jesus did miraculous things because He was the Son of God. We can only do things in the name of Jesus. That is the point.

To say it another way, it is not the size of our faith, it is the object of our faith. 

Think back on the men who were invited to join Jesus on the mountain. Peter, who would become a prominent leader in the building of the church of God. James, who would be the first apostle to die for preaching the gospel. John, who lived longer than all the other apostles. Was one more important than the others? No. 

Each of us has our place in the church. Each of us has been saved the same way: by grace through faith. Not just our faith. But in WHOM we believed. Having faith in the church does not save. Having faith in one’s ministry does not save. Having faith in religion does not save. Jesus saves, and Him alone. Unless our faith is firmly in Jesus there is no everlasting life. To say it another way, it is not the size of your faith; it is Jesus. For the Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, and if children, their heirs—heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ…Romans 8:16-17. All of this is not because of the size of your faith, but because in Whom you believe