“Increase Our Faith”

(Lam 1:1-6, 3:19-26; Lk 17:5-10) JG White

10:30 am, Sun, Oct 5, 2025, FBC Amherst

‘Increase our faith!’ exclaimed Jesus’ disciples; and the Lord said, ‘If you had faith the size of a mustard seed…’ 

Faith is like a seed. I looked into putting a photo of mustard seeds on our bulletin cover, but that seemed very plain. Instead, I used this lovely artwork I have of horse chestnuts and a bit of pottery. 

This is the season when we are finding horse chestnuts on the sidewalks and lawns. Such a lovely, big seed, when they are freshly hatched out of their prickly pods. Such lovely woodgrain, really, until they dry and shrivel a bit. And this is the time we get talking about them. It seems funny to me, also, how many of us associate them with Church. I have heard your stories, and I grew up going into town to a Baptist Church, and there was my one and only source of horse chestnuts, every October. 

Jesus’ words are of course about a small seed that makes a big difference. ‘Increase your faith? All you need is a mustard seed of faith…’ How do we hear Jesus say this? What is His tone of voice? Here today, in the middle of sad, sad laments from the history of Israel - in Lamentations - and then Jesus’ further words about worthless slaves, we could easily assume He is serious and harsh with the disciples. ‘Faith?! If only you had faith the size of a mustard seed!’ He could just as easily have been encouraging His students. ‘Faith increase? Yes. So much is possible for you, with just a mustard seed.’ Or perhaps Jesus spoke with curiosity. “Increase your faith? Yes, that’s the spirit. Start with but a mustard seed, and go from there.’ 

You might seek Jesus’ word here for yourself in your situation. What kind of help do you want with your own Christian faith, your confidence in Jesus, your abilities to follow and follow through? You might desire the kind of faith that gives you new hope for the world and your part in it. You might want faith to face some personal hardships. You could need faith for getting out of some trouble that keeps dogging you. You might seek faith that helps guide your decisions and plans.

I wonder what those disciples were thinking when they said to the Master, ‘Increase our faith’? Glance at the start of this chapter in Luke and see what’s there. Jesus speaks of not causing someone else to stumble. Then teaches: forgive - forgive seven times a day, when necessary. The next thing is this request for a faith increase. 

Faith enough not to cause someone to stumble. Faith enough to forgive someone who comes back again again to repent. Faith for the sake of others. Faith in God. Faith in what’s possible. Faith in what we can do, in Jesus’ name, to bless someone else. 

We sang ‘Great Is Thy Faithfulness’ earlier, which is now a century old. The author did not claim any special story about the writing of this lyric, but it clearly takes phrases right out of Lamentations chapter 3. God’s mercies never come to an end;

they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness.

Lamentations - literally, a collection of laments. These songs or poems of complaining and being sad about what’s going on. Here in this Bible book, five laments. Traditionally, they were thought to have been composed by Jeremiah, in that time when the Israelite people were conquered by the Babylonian empire. How sad that time was for them. But here, in the middle of these laments, in the centre, are these words of hope. 

The steadfast love of the LORD never ceases, 

his mercies never come to an end. 

they are new every morning;

great is your faithfulness.

At the worst moments, even in the long years of disaster and pain for the people, God was their hope. They understood God to be faithful, faithful to them, faithful to God’s good promises, faithful to God’s steadfast love, faithful forever. 

Oh to have faith in… in the faithfulness of God. 

The song, “God of the Mountain” has been very popular in places I’ve lived. Certainly around Digby it was loved by church people. The author was a man named Tracy Dartt. It was in 1974 that Dartt went into partnership with a friend building swimming pools at homes up in the high desert of California. The summer season was great, but when fall came, and construction ended, financial problems reared their ugly head. Tracy’s business partner finally gave up, handed the books over to Tracy, and quit. He was burnt out. 

Everything was a mess, and it looked like they would be $22,000 in the hole - and remember, this was 1974.

We talk of faith when we're up on the mountain

But talk comes so easy when life's at its best

But in the valley of trials and temptations

That's when faith is really put to the test

Tracy and his wife had a gospel band, and they prayed hard before they declared bankruptcy. One restless night, he woke up and this tune was starting in his head. He began writing the words. ‘Life is easy when you’re up on the mountain…’

The next day, the phone rang, "Mr. Dartt, could you please help us?" He grabbed my brief case and went to see the people who had called. Their son was a gifted athlete, but had been in a motorcycle accident and was paralyzed from the waist down. His doctor had recommended a swimming pool for the therapy the young man needed in order to walk again. Tracy began the process of designing and building a pool for them. A few days later, another call came, "Mr. Dartt could you come talk to me about a pool?" Business picked up, and the business didn’t fail. And the song Tracy and his wife Sharon produced became a hit. The Gaithers, Guy Penrod, and Lynda Randal have kept it popular.

And the God on the mountain is still God in the valley

When things go wrong, He'll make them right

And the God of the good times is still God in the bad times

The God of the day is still God in the night

The seed of faith grows as people discover God is in the dark valley of life. Like Julian of Norwich’s vision of God’s love and care when she was so very ill, people discover God’s faithfulness. 

For thousands of years now, the songs in the book of Lamentations have connected suffering people with their God who suffers with them, understands them, stays with them, walks the whole way. The God of the good times is still God in the bad times. 

For two millenia, believers have found in Christ One who bends down to serve, like the slaves in the households of old. At His final Passover with His disciples, He washed their feet. He told them He did not call them servants or slaves, He called them friends. And, “I am among you as one who serves.” (L 22:27)

This is the One who has planted a seed of faith in you. You may know it has grown and at times flourished. You have helped people. You have been forgiving. You have walked a journey with others. 

Or, you might sense the seed is barely emerging, maybe got stalled or stunted. Other times, we feel we don't know if our little seed of faith is still viable: can it live, sprout and grow with a little water and warmth? Stretch up towards the light?

The growth of our goodness can keep happening, amid the falls and winters, springs and summers of life. The Spirit has planted the seed of faith. Small as it is, it is a beautiful thing. You are a beautiful thing, the beloved of God. And all those around us… also becoming something beautiful for God.