A Nugget from New Life Network
(by Dr. Larry Ollison)
Scripture for the Day – May 26, 2020
So the Lord said, “If you have faith as a mustard seed, you can say to this mulberry tree, ‘Be pulled up by the roots and be planted in the sea,’ and it would obey you. And which of you, having a servant plowing or tending sheep, will say to him when he has come in from the field, ‘Come at once and sit down to eat’? But will he not rather say to him, ‘Prepare something for my supper, and gird yourself and serve me till I have eaten and drunk, and afterward you will eat and drink’? Does he thank that servant because he did the things that were commanded him? I think not. So likewise you, when you have done all those things which you are commanded, say, ‘We are unprofitable servants. We have done what was our duty to do'” (Luke 17:6-10).
Jesus was a faith teacher. Everywhere He went He taught faith and everything that He said contained faith. He taught how faith could be great and He illustrated “little faith.” All who traveled with Him knew that great faith was pleasing to Jesus.
One day the apostles approached Him with a request. They knew that great faith produced great miracles and that great faith pleased Jesus, so they requested, “Increase our faith” (v.5). Jesus then gave an explanation of how faith could be increased.
In verse six in this opening passage, Jesus answered them with the illustration of the mustard seed. Jesus said that if they would have the faith of the smallest of seeds, then they could command a mulberry tree to be pulled up by its roots and to be planted in the sea and that it would obey them.
Then Jesus said something we would not expect Him to say. However, it provides us with a fresh look at faith and if we can understand the mystery of this illustration, it can unlock great faith in our lives today. Jesus told His disciples that if they had a servant who had toiled all day in the field, at the end of the day when the servant entered their house, instead of allowing the servant to eat first, the servant should continue working by preparing a meal for the master. Only after the master was fully satisfied should he even consider preparing his own meal.
Then Jesus said that the servant should not be thanked, nor should he expect to receive thanks for doing the thing he was commanded to do. But instead, he should recognize he is only a servant and was doing what was his duty. It is like in the military, soldiers have duties they are expected to complete without receiving a pat on the back. They do receive a reward, but their reward is the victory that comes as a result of each soldier doing their duty. We are in the army of God and likewise, we are to complete our orders without hesitation or resistance in the same way that a servant makes dinner for the master.
Keep in mind, this illustration about the servant was Jesus’ reply to the apostles’ request to have their faith increased.
Romans 10:17 says, “Faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the Word of God.” This is how faith comes. After faith arrives, it increases by the believer doing the duty of faith.
What is the duty of faith? As soldiers in the army of God, the duty of faith is seeking first our Commander’s requests and desires and putting Him before ourselves in all that we do. As we seek His kingdom first, He supplies all our need.
