Seeking for the help of the Lord,
I direct your prayer for attention to Luke's Gospel, chapter 17,
and verse 5. Gospel according to Luke, chapter
17, verse 5. And the apostles said unto the
Lord, increase our faith. And what is upon my spirit is
the request by the apostles that their faith be increased and
our Lord's answer to it, how the Lord responded to it. But firstly, what gave rise to
it? What went before that caused
them to say, increase our faith. Our Lord had just said before
them in verses three and four, that if their brother, if our
brother trespass against us, that we're to rebuke him and
if he repent, forgive him. But not just once, if he trespass
or go against thee, seven times in a day, and seven times in
a day turn again to Thee, saying, I repent, I am sorry, Thou shalt
forgive him. And it is when the Lord had set
before them this path that they suddenly say, There's something the Lord had
said before then that would try many, many people. By nature,
we would find it very hard to keep forgiving one that kept
on trespassing, going against us, doing us injury, doing wrong
things, all the time was having to say, sorry, sorry, sorry, and the apostles then says increase
our faith. Now it is in the context of what
the Lord had set before them, a path, a way to act, the way
that they should walk. May we remember what the scriptures
in Hebrews 11 tells us of what faith is. Faith is the substance
of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. Without faith, it is impossible
to please Him, for he that cometh to God must believe that He is,
and that He is a rewarder of them that diligently seek Him. And in that chapter 11 of Hebrews, We have instance after instance
of men of old, men of faith, and the evidence of that faith. Abel offering a more excellent
sacrifice than Cain. Enoch translated chains so he
did not see death. Noah making his ark, Abraham
going out into a place which he did not know of but after
should receive her inheritance. And he went out not knowing whether
he went. And right through that chapter,
the faith in that chapter is pointing to Christ, is believing
that he that should come would come, that he would put away
their sins, that he would fulfil the scriptures, he would satisfy
the law. They died not seeing that happen,
but they died in faith believing it would and resting on that
sacrifice. And yet their way that they lived,
they walked in a way that was answerable to that faith. And that is why we read that
in James, where James is so clearly setting forth that faith without
works is dead, that works are joined to true and living faith. Now I want to come back to then
the word of our text, nor increase our faith." Now, in one way it was almost as if
the apostles were saying, we want some miraculous help from
heaven, otherwise we can't do this. And really in the lives of all
the people of God, There can be this struggle at
times. What do we need the power of
God to do? And what should we be doing ourselves
with the light that God has given us, the understanding that God
has given us? And especially in the things
of God, sometimes that can be very muddled with us. And yet
if we were to take a person that was confused in that way, and
take them to the place of their employment, and if it was, in
my case, as an engineer, as I was trained to do, And it was said, now, how will
you do your employment? And I would say, well, I try
my hardest to design the best machines and do the best I can
for my employer. And there are many times that
I prayed and asked the Lord for direction and guidance, and to
know what to do and how to design this machine, but I try to work
my hardest and to use all of the knowledge I've got through
my schooling, my training, and my knowledge of the situation
to do the job. If you were to take the accountant
to his office and ask him the same, he'd do the same. He said,
I've had years of training for this. that training to my best
of ability and really labour at doing it. And sometimes I
have to ask the Lord, Lord how can I do this rightly? But all the time there's a seeking
to, as it were, go to the utmost bounds of one's ability and learning
and might to do one's work. And people can see that in a
natural way. But as soon as you say of something
that is what the Lord requires or a duty commanded by God, then
suddenly everything seems to be confused. And men will say,
yeah, but we can't do anything without God and without his help
we cannot do anything. And it seems that There's this
barrier, this line that runs. And on one side there's religion
and faith, and the other side is what the Lord helps us to
do in secular things. But as soon as we go over to
the things of God, it's as if we just unlearn everything we've
learnt. Never use anything that we've
learnt in the school of Christ. in instruction. Oh yes, we use
what we learned in our apprenticeship and we use what we use in our
training for our secular jobs, we do that. But when it comes
to using what the Lord's taught us in the school of experience
and in the teaching of his word, and the admonitions and warnings
of his word, if we've got to apply that, well, oh no, we need
some special faith and special help for that. And you see there's
a difference that is wrought there. And so it is in with these
thoughts and really maybe to even introduce what, or think
of some of the words that we've sung in the hymns. In the first
hymn that we sung, it is in verse six, in hymn 30, give wisdom
to direct our way, strength to do thy will. We pray to be renewed
within and reconciled to God. The prayer is that we might actually
do the Lord's will and walk in his ways. And the last hymn we'll
sing, the Lord will on the last verse, trust in the Lord alone
for life and do what good you can. And as Joseph Hart summed
up, this is based on the faith without works is dead in James. the link between works and faith,
the power of God, what we have got ability to do and what we
haven't got ability to do. And one thing we should really
bear in mind, you and I have a wicked, deceitful heart, a
heart that is deceitful above all things and desperately wicked.
It loves its sin. It loves its besetting sins. It loves this world. It is corrupt
according to the deceitful lusts. And it will try every way it
can to gain an excuse for its sin. And if it can blame God,
it will. And if it can shelter under inability,
it will. And if it can act in a way that
is trying to deceive itself, it will. And so we need to be
clear on what the teaching of the Word is and really true faith,
true faith, faith cometh by hearing and hearing by the Word of God.
True faith will be taught by God and desire to walk in the
light of that teaching to the best of our ability, to the utmost
of our power, and to be, yes, praying to the Lord for help
in that, seeking grace, seeking faith to do it, but with all
our might and all our power, walking in that way. Now I want
to illustrate this a little with the answer that our Lord gave
to the disciples here. They had said, increase our faith. The Lord answers them in three
ways. The first thing, and we'll use
these as our points, the first thing is the power of true faith,
however small. What that power is, he says this
before them. And then he answers by way of
a parable, an earthly, storing, spiritual application. And then
in the third phase he answers in the application of that parable. But firstly he gives them what true faith is. The Lord
said in verse 6, if ye had faith as a grain of mustard seed, now
grain of mustard seed we're told in scripture is smaller than
any other seeds and I've seen them, they are very, very small
grain and in another place it speaks of how that mustard seed
then grows into a large tree but He said this is very, very
small faith, tiny little seed. He might say unto this sycamine
tree, be thou plucked up by the root and be thou planted in the
sea and it should obey you. In another place he uses the
example of even a mountain being moved. nature of faith. In Hebrews 15
we read that the Lord Jesus Christ is the author and finisher of
our faith. It comes from God. It has in it the power of God. It has in it what God will do
through a sinner by means of that faith. And so we have in
Ephesians, by grace you are saved through faith, and that not of
yourselves, it is the gift of God. So God gives faith, graciously,
freely, undeservedly, and that faith then acts. It is what causes a person who
has that gift to act, not as a mechanical thing. You know,
when I was at school, we had typewriters, mechanical typewriters. And you could easily see if you
pressed on a key, you could see all the levers working, and the
relevant letter would hit the ribbon, hit the page, and you'd
get the letter on the page. The typewriter had no mind, no
will, no hand in it, but to just respond mechanically for the
key being touched. But God's people are not like
that. What they do is a free will offering. When we read that we love him
because he first loved us, That love is not just like a mechanical
thing. God knows that that love that
he is receiving back from that sinner is a free will love. They love him. What would we
think if those that we loved, we thought, well, there's never
any free will in it. It's all just mechanical. is
all just a response, but there's nothing that spontaneously flows
up from them. And so what God works by faith,
it has that free will aspect in it. Thy people shall be willing
in the day of thy power. It's faith that opens the eyes,
it's faith that instructs, it's faith that joins with hearing
the word. We read, the word did not profit
them, being not joined with faith in them that heard it. So, with the nature of faith,
if God gave a poor sinner faith and then required of that sinner
to move a sycamine tree and to pluck it up and put it into the
sea, then he would give them that strength to do that. If it was his will for them to
do it, they would do it. Because faith has that nature
that it would do What God commands it to do, requires it to do. That whole list in Hebrews 11.
People doing things that naturally you could never do, or would
never do. But because the Lord had given
them faith, then they could do it, and they did do it. And so the nature of faith. It is virtually saying a child
of God has a link with heaven. They have the gifts that God
gives to enable them to walk in his ways. The difference between
the law and the gospel, the law commands but does not give strength
to obey that command. The Gospel, it commands, it exhorts,
it leads, it directs, but it gives strength to perform and
to do those things. And it is through faith, by faith. By faith believing, if God would
have me to walk in this way, then He will show me in the Word
what way I am to go, what is His commands, what is His will,
and I will attempt to do His will and walk in that way, and
He will give me the faith to perform it and to do it. You think of the children of
Israel that refused to go into the Promised Land because in
their judgment The children of Anak, the walled cities were
too much for them. So rather than do anything, rather
than to even venture and to try, they would rather stone Caleb
and Moses and Joshua and go back to Egypt. Really the opposite
of faith is unbelief. A way set before us that seems
impossible is naturally the way to be walked by faith. And yet a people that look at
it and say impossible and don't even try. So the first point
is the Lord is telling them the nature of faith. And perhaps at this point just
to remind ourselves You might say, well, this is little faith.
This is small faith, but doesn't the Lord speak of great faith
in the word? And he does, if we only go back
to Luke chapter seven and verse nine. And we have the Lord there
with the centurion. And the centurion, he wants his
servant healed. But he sends to him and says,
speak the word only. Thy servant shall be healed.
He says, I'm not worthy. Thou shalt come under my roof. I am one under authority. I say
to this man, go. And he goes, and come. Another
come, and he comes. And the Lord said, he marveled,
and he said, I say unto you, I have not found so great faith,
no, not in Israel. But in that instance, that man's
faith, he could relate from his own position of authority. I
think the Lord Jesus Christ has that authority. All he needs
to do is to say the word and it will be done. That it will
so affect my servant, he will be healed. That is set forth as great faith. But how do we view it in that
practical way? It is the same faith, whether
small or great. But faith is looking to the authority
and power of God in a sinner. What God will do in men, that
men will willingly do because of what he has shown them that
they should do. And so, having shown them as
the nature of faith, the nature of even the smallest power from
God and what could be done with that power. Then he gives an
example that is an answer in a parable. We might find the
parable a little bit strange. I think we would think that we
would thank our servants for serving us waiting on us, but
the Lord gives this parable of a servant, obviously of a rich
man, that has been ploughing or feeding the cattle, and then
at the end of the day he comes in from the field and is still
expected to do duties that are in the house. He's to help feed
his employer, And then after he's done all of those, then
he can eat and drink afterward. And our Lord asks this question,
doth he thank that servant because he did the things which were
commanded him? I think not, I trow not. And
the parable is picturing And we used in the very beginning
the illustration of us in our employments and what we do for
our employers. And this is what the Lord is
saying. The master of this servant or the employer of this employee
is expecting that he does what he is commanded to do. That he
has a duty in that household to do certain things. And he's expected to do them.
He's not looking for a prize at the end. He's not looking
to be rewarded with thanks even. He's doing it because that is
what he has been commanded to do. There's no merit in it at
all. And this is what we need to remember
in the last verse of the hymn that we were singing. We are
to trust in the Lord entirely for salvation. Our souls are
saved not by works of righteousness which we have done. But that
doesn't mean to say that we have no works of righteousness. That
doesn't mean to say that we just live in this life as if the Lord
has nothing to say to his people, no will to perform, no duty to
perform at all. And so the Lord with this parable,
he brings us to think, to consider this employer-employee relationship. Every employer would expect,
especially if one came in professing to know their job and to understand
it, they'd expect to do it to their fullest ability. It would be part of their job. So this is the parable. And maybe
just think on that. And when we go from the Lord's
house tonight, Just think about in the natural ways, where we
work for others, where we train up in natural things, how we
use it, how we apply it, with what diligence we might do it,
what things we would count as our duty to do, without thinking
of any other reward or praise. So then, having given the parable,
Our Lord then answers this same question, Lord increase our faith
by applying that parable. So likewise ye, when ye shall
have done all those things which I commanded you, say we are unprofitable
servants, we have done that which was our duty. to do. Just the verse alone tells us
there are those things which are commanded us to do. God's
people are commanded to do many things. Not to earn heaven, not
to merit heaven at all. when we have done that which
was our duty to do. The Apostle Paul, he says regarding
the other labourers, I laboured more abundantly than them all,
yet not I, but the grace of God which was in me. He ascribes
that help to the grace of God, and yet he testifies how much
that Now I want to look a little more at this application of our
Lord and especially those things which are commanded you. If we
concentrate first on what gave rise to this question, it was
the Lord teaching them how many times they were to forgive another
that returned and repented. We think then what is said before
us in the Holy Word of God in Colossians and chapter 3 and
verses 12 and 13. We read this, put on therefore
as the elect of God holy and beloved, bowels of mercies, kindness,
humbleness of mind, meekness, long-suffering, forbearing one
another and forgiving one another. If any man have a quarrel against
any, even as Christ forgave you, so also do ye. And in these passages, the Lord
is giving us through the Apostle clear commandments, clear directions. And when faith is joined with
that, faith says, that is what the Lord would have me to do.
That is the way I should go. And many times we will prove that
what our desire to do and what we actually accomplish is a different
thing. But it's a blessed thing to be
able to say that I have tried to the utmost of my ability. And in doing that, there's been
many prayers and groans to God. But it can never be charged to
us that we've just been lax, careless, or even said, well,
nothing I can do. If the Lord doesn't help me,
there's nothing I can do. being very careful in not just
excusing our actions. Now, some people, they may pride
themselves in saying, well, I'm very blunt, or we as a family,
we're very blunt. When actually, in some situations,
you could say, well, actually, you're very, very rude. But by
calling it blunt seems to dull what it actually is and how it
is coming across. And the way we are to walk, as
those who have their eyes open, who are willing, made willing
to walk in the Lord's way, who are among those that are taught
of God, faith will see that which is set forth in the Word. And
they'll desire to walk in that, and to the utmost of their ability,
the same as they would if it was for their employer. If the
employer said to you, look, that man that's really trying you,
and that's trying your patience there in the stores, who keeps
getting things wrong, you be patient with him. Don't get angry
with him. Be kind to him. Now, wouldn't
you think about this when you went to get things from the stores
and then you mucked it up and you gave him the wrong thing,
gave you the wrong things and everything, and you think like
you're going to have a hard word to him, you think back to what
the employer said and you think, no, I must be patient with this
man, I must be careful with him. And we would apply these things
when it relates to secular employment or situations. And may we do
it in all of our lives, with the brethren in every situation,
in our home life, in the person on the street, or whoever it
is. You think of their Lord in John
13, setting before us that we are to love one another. We think
of the passage that we have read in James, and James is setting
before us very practical things. Not showing preference because
of how someone dresses or whether they are rich or poor. And if
someone is needy, not just saying, well, we'll pray for you that
the Lord will give you something to eat. If you've got the ability
to give something to eat to them, then you give something to them
to eat. And these are the examples given. in the word of practical faith,
working of faith. Then we have the many, shall
I say, action words, because faith is an action thing. It is the you-doers of the word,
and not hearers only deceiving your own selves. And so we have
in Hebrews 4, the exhortation letters, labor. into, to enter
into his rest. You have our Lord saying, strive,
strive to enter in at the straight gate. For wide is the gate, broad
is the way that leadeth unto destruction. Few there be that,
many there go in that enter in there at. And the action word
there is to strive We think of in the word to Timothy by Paul,
1 Timothy 6 and verse 12, fight, fight the good fight of faith
and lay hold upon eternal life. And you know, faith is that which
does fight. It seeks to do that which the
Lord has set before it is right to do. What is the right way? Thou hast shown thee, O man,
what is good. What doth the Lord require of
thee than to do justly, to do rightly, to walk in those ways? We think of the exhortations
to pray. Pray, pray continually, pray
without ceasing. The Lord's parables in that way. Do we need a special revelation
from heaven? to be struggling, to pray all
way, striving to, wrestling to do, and with the utmost of our
ability to try and do it. Yes, we feel our weakness, we
feel the struggle, we feel the insufficiency, but never could
it be charged that we have not tried, as it were, the hardest,
and many times, the very sense of our sinnership, our weakness,
a groaning to the Lord, Lord take away this heart of unbelief,
Lord give me power, give me help to know and to walk in thy ways. James again in chapter four,
he's given a clear resist the devil and he will flee from you. It leaves those that have faith
to hear that word with a very clear message as to what to do. Resist. Identify what is the
devil. You know what at the moment is
the devil? He's sowing all sorts of seeds
of differences between the people of God. Something that seems
to be coming up and well you've got to take sides and you've
got to be hostile to this side or help the other side. Maybe
really recognize what Satan is trying to do. and think, well,
whatever I might differ with a brother, I'm not going to hate
Satan. I'm not going to carry on with
his course and set brother against brother and separate between
those who have been my friends and dear brethren. I may disagree
with them. I may tell them I disagree with
them. It may alter how I affect and how I act towards them, but
I still will esteem them as a brother. We refuse to let it be a root
of bitterness and hardness coming between us. And the devil is
very active at the moment in that. Then we have those exhortations
in the Word. Instead of fighting, instead
of resisting, it is fleeing. Paul, when he writes to Timothy,
his second epistle, he says, flee youthful lusts. Then when
he writes to the Corinthians, he says, flee fornication and
then flee idolatry. Some of those sins, like dear
Joseph, couldn't trust himself to stay and to fight and resist,
he had to flee. And sometimes with us as well. Our best course of action is
to flee the temptation and flee that which is the occasion of
our falling. And so what the Lord is setting
before us and the apostles here, when they ask, and we may ask,
Lord, increase our faith. And he says, is there something
I've commanded you? Is there a way I've set you to
go? You walk in that way. And you
seek for grace and faith to walk in that way. Not to merit heaven, but that
which is your duty, your privilege. The high calling of God in Christ
Jesus, that we should walk in this way. It's a blessed thing if we know
how we should walk. Cause me to know the way we're
in, I should walk. What should be the answer for
the people of God? I should walk in the fear of
the Lord, in holiness, in prayerfulness, carefulness, in honesty and uprightness,
and in love one to another with the brethren. That's how, as
a Christian, I should walk. That's how I should act. And
the Lord would say, behold, What great faith, because that person
is fashioning their lives upon my word. They're not hearers
only, they're doers of the word. The word is fruitful with them,
and faith is mixed with it, that's why it's fruitful. And it's to
my honour and to my glory that they walk in that way. So if
we have been asking, Lord increase my faith, maybe ask ourselves,
has the Lord already shown us the way, taught us the way, instructed
the way? And maybe it is, but what is
required to actually do as the Lord has directed us to do and
to walk in that way? It's a blessed thing. In one
sense, if the Lord has given us this grain of faith, he's
given us a hearing ear. He's given us a key to all of
the teaching, instruction and guidance and admonitions and
the way that we should go. And it all leads to the Lord
and the strength and might and blessing It comes from him and
we say, mine ear hath he opened. He has made me willing in the
day of his power. He's made me esteem his word
more than my necessary food. I love his word. David, he says,
wherewithal shall a young man cleanse his way by taking heed
thereto according to thy word. If truly the Word of God is our
meat and our drink and we live upon it, it is a light unto our
path, a lamp unto our feet. And we'll see in that the Lord's
blessing, the blessed way he works with his people in giving
them faith through the Word of God, by the power of God. Power of God upon a poor sinner,
making him to be what the Lord would have him to be. From me
is thy fruit found. May we trace all and every blessing
to the Lord Jesus Christ, their blood-boiled blessings, what
he has purchased at Calvary for his dear people. The Apostle
Paul, he uses that as an incentive. You are bought with a price.
Wherefore glorify God in your body and in your spirit, which
are his. by the Lord at his blessing.