100:00:00,000 –> 00:00:10,060If the Apostles asked Jesus to increase their faith, how much more should we be asking of200:00:10,060 –> 00:00:16,139the Lord Jesus that He would increase ours? Now here’s the question that gives us the300:00:16,139 –> 00:00:23,820trajectory for the message today. What was it that caused the disciples to ask Jesus400:00:23,820 –> 00:00:26,820to increase their faith?500:00:26,820 –> 00:00:31,240Welcome to Open The Bible with Pastor Colin Smith. I’m David Pick, glad you could join600:00:31,240 –> 00:00:33,980us today. And Colin, let’s answer that question straight700:00:33,980 –> 00:00:38,400away. Why did the Apostles ask Jesus to increase their faith?800:00:38,400 –> 00:00:44,320Well, in the passage of the Bible where this question occurs, Jesus has been speaking to900:00:44,320 –> 00:00:50,000them about temptation, he’s been speaking to them about the command to forgive. These1000:00:50,000 –> 00:00:55,980things are big issues, and it’s later in the same chapter that the disciples say,1100:00:56,200 –> 00:01:00,980Lord, increase our faith. What we’re going to look at particularly today is that the1200:01:00,980 –> 00:01:06,800disciples experienced failure, as we do. And when you experience failure, you find1300:01:06,800 –> 00:01:11,580yourself saying, Lord, I need more faith here because I’ve not done well. And then1400:01:11,580 –> 00:01:17,379sometimes we’re put in a situation where we’re battling our own unbelief and our1500:01:17,379 –> 00:01:22,279own doubts and our own questions. And that’s a great place to pray this prayer.1600:01:22,279 –> 00:01:25,820Lord, increase our faith. That’s what we’re looking at today.1700:01:25,820 –> 00:01:29,980So join us today if you can in Luke Chapter 17. As we1800:01:29,980 –> 00:01:33,919continue the message, Growing Faith. Here is Pastor Colin.1900:01:33,919 –> 00:01:42,760God says, you shall not hate your brother in your heart, but you shall reason2000:01:42,800 –> 00:01:53,680frankly with your neighbour lest you incur sin because of him. Now what is2100:01:53,680 –> 00:02:00,440this saying? Well, when a brother or a sister wrongs you, you will often find2200:02:00,440 –> 00:02:06,059that you are simply able to pass over it and to move on, and if that is the case2300:02:06,099 –> 00:02:15,619thank God for that. But sometimes if the wound is deep, you may find in your own2400:02:15,619 –> 00:02:19,960heart that you’re beginning to struggle with resentment towards the person who2500:02:19,960 –> 00:02:26,039has hurt you. Now notice the logic of this verse that speaks to that situation.2600:02:26,039 –> 00:02:33,279God says, you shall not hate your brother in your heart. You must not allow your2700:02:33,919 –> 00:02:40,479heart to go there. That’s not an option that is open for you as a believer. So if2800:02:40,479 –> 00:02:45,559you find resentment towards a brother rising in your heart, what should you do?2900:02:45,559 –> 00:02:53,779Well, you should go and you should reason with him or with her frankly. Why? Lest3000:02:53,779 –> 00:03:02,820you incur sin because of him or her. In other words, lest the wrong that he or3100:03:03,179 –> 00:03:10,320she has done leads you into the sin of hating them. Now the aim then of this3200:03:10,320 –> 00:03:16,740honest conversation, this confrontation that takes place here, is that help will3300:03:16,740 –> 00:03:22,500come both to the person who has caused the offence, and to the person who has3400:03:22,500 –> 00:03:27,360been offended. And that surely is why Jesus tells us that this is something3500:03:27,960 –> 00:03:37,220that in these circumstances we should do. If your brother sins, rebuke him. But then3600:03:37,220 –> 00:03:44,520notice that Jesus says, giving a second charge to all who are his disciples, and3700:03:44,520 –> 00:03:53,320if he repents, forgive him. And then he says and if he sins against you, seven3800:03:53,419 –> 00:04:01,320times in a day, seven times in one day, and then turns to you seven times in the3900:04:01,320 –> 00:04:08,059same day and says, I repent, well then you must forgive him.4000:04:08,059 –> 00:04:14,740And when the disciples heard these words they said, Lord increase our faith! You see4100:04:14,740 –> 00:04:21,140the point? They’ve realized that the life to which the Lord Jesus Christ is calling4200:04:21,299 –> 00:04:25,179them is so far beyond them that they cannot do it in their own strength. They4300:04:25,179 –> 00:04:33,100cannot do it in their own power. Lord, increase our faith. Lord, if this is what4400:04:33,100 –> 00:04:41,739you are calling us to do, you are going to have to give us the strength to do it.4500:04:41,739 –> 00:04:46,200Now here’s the principle and it’s a very important one that we’re learning from4600:04:46,299 –> 00:04:52,859the Bible here today. When you see the sheer difficulty of the life that the4700:04:52,859 –> 00:04:58,380Lord Jesus Christ calls you to, then you will ask Him to increase your faith.4800:04:58,380 –> 00:05:04,660That’s what we learn here. And I want you to think about this. What is the life to4900:05:04,660 –> 00:05:13,940which we are called? Brother, sister, Christ calls you to love God with all5000:05:13,940 –> 00:05:21,920your heart and soul and mind and strength. Christ calls you to love your5100:05:21,920 –> 00:05:36,320neighbor as yourself. Christ calls you to be holy as God himself is Holy. Christ5200:05:36,500 –> 00:05:44,559calls you not to be overcome by evil but to overcome evil with good. Christ calls5300:05:44,559 –> 00:05:55,239us to rejoice always. And Christ says to his disciples be perfect as your father5400:05:55,239 –> 00:06:03,059in heaven is perfect. You read these words, you hear these words of Jesus, you5500:06:03,100 –> 00:06:08,140really take in the Holy life to which you’re called. Well then you’re going to5600:06:08,140 –> 00:06:16,019say Lord increase my faith because I’m not going to be able even to pursue this5700:06:16,019 –> 00:06:22,440kind of a life unless you give to me what I do not have.5800:06:22,440 –> 00:06:28,899C. S. Lewis expresses this wonderfully well in his book Mere Christianity. He5900:06:28,940 –> 00:06:39,779says there, no man knows how bad he is until he has tried very hard to be good.6000:06:39,779 –> 00:06:48,779No one knows how bad he or she is until they have tried very hard to be good. Why6100:06:48,779 –> 00:06:52,500does he underline this point about very hard? Well, he says a little later6200:06:53,100 –> 00:07:01,260unless we really try, well, it will always be in the back of our minds, that if we6300:07:01,260 –> 00:07:09,140tried harder next time we could really be completely good. Faith grows when you6400:07:09,140 –> 00:07:16,859come to the place of seeing that a holy life is beyond the capacity of your6500:07:16,859 –> 00:07:23,179flesh and of your nature and you come to the place of saying Lord increase my6600:07:23,179 –> 00:07:32,619faith, Lord give me what I do not have because Lord this is beyond me and I can6700:07:32,619 –> 00:07:41,940only do this if you give to me what it’s gonna take and you know that really is6800:07:42,019 –> 00:07:49,040the very heart of what brings us to Christ what causes us to trust Christ6900:07:49,040 –> 00:07:55,660and depend on Christ and to look to Christ which is the very heart of the7000:07:55,660 –> 00:08:04,839Christian life, so we’re looking at how faith grows and we’re looking at when we7100:08:04,839 –> 00:08:13,000need to ask our Lord Jesus to increase our faith we need to ask Him for this7200:08:13,000 –> 00:08:19,559because we ourselves are tempted we need to ask him because we are called to a7300:08:19,559 –> 00:08:28,359holy life and then thirdly ask the Lord to increase your faith because you will7400:08:28,579 –> 00:08:36,460encounter great evil now I want you to notice here that in Luke 17 we have a7500:08:36,460 –> 00:08:43,719record of the words of Jesus but Luke does not tell us here when and where7600:08:43,719 –> 00:08:48,299these words were spoken in fact if you look at this whole section of Luke’s7700:08:48,299 –> 00:08:54,559Gospel you’ll see that these verses are part of a long section in which Luke7800:08:54,559 –> 00:09:00,020has really gathered together teaching of Jesus that would have been given on7900:09:00,020 –> 00:09:06,159several different occasions now of course God has given to us in the Bible8000:09:06,159 –> 00:09:12,320four Gospels and sometimes when you put the different Gospels side-by-side you8100:09:12,320 –> 00:09:19,099can see some connections that at least suggest where and when the various words8200:09:19,099 –> 00:09:25,479of Jesus were spoken now notice that Luke tells us that when the disciples8300:09:25,479 –> 00:09:31,559asked Jesus to increase their faith our Lord responded first six by saying if8400:09:31,559 –> 00:09:38,340you had face as a grain of mustard seed you could say to this mulberry tree be8500:09:38,340 –> 00:09:47,539uprooted and planted in the sea and it would obey you now you may recognize8600:09:48,119 –> 00:09:53,859that these words are almost identical to the words that the Lord Jesus spoke in8700:09:53,859 –> 00:09:58,400the story we looked at last week the story about the boy who was oppressed by8800:09:58,400 –> 00:10:04,000an evil spirit and Jesus wonderfully wonderfully delivered him8900:10:04,000 –> 00:10:08,700remember Jesus had gone up the mountain with Peter and James and John the other9000:10:08,700 –> 00:10:11,900disciples were at the bottom of the mountain the father of the boy asked the9100:10:12,039 –> 00:10:21,880disciples to help they tried and they failed and then we read in Matthew’s9200:10:21,880 –> 00:10:27,119gospel the Jesus came down the mountain and he delivered the boy from the evil9300:10:27,119 –> 00:10:32,640power that had afflicted him and then the disciples asked him privately well9400:10:32,640 –> 00:10:41,239why could we not cast it out and then Jesus said oh you of little faith then9500:10:41,239 –> 00:10:47,859he said for truly I say to you if you have faith like a grain of mustard seed9600:10:47,859 –> 00:10:54,039you will see to this mountain move from here to there and it will move and9700:10:54,039 –> 00:11:03,760nothing will be impossible for you so these words are so similar that it is9800:11:03,760 –> 00:11:11,099very reasonable to think that the disciples would have responded to Jesus9900:11:11,099 –> 00:11:19,539on this occasion by saying Lord increase our faith and because Jesus was the10000:11:19,539 –> 00:11:24,179master teacher it would have been very natural for him at that point to then10100:11:24,179 –> 00:11:28,659change the analogy and repeat the same point again and the words that we have10200:11:28,659 –> 00:11:33,380in Lucas chapter 17 having spoken about the mountain and then the disciple sang10300:11:33,380 –> 00:11:38,020Oh increase our faith it’s very reasonable to think that Jesus would10400:11:38,020 –> 00:11:42,380then say if you had faith as a grain of mustard seed you could say to this10500:11:42,380 –> 00:11:50,900mulberry tree be uprooted and planted in the sea and it would obey you.10600:11:50,900 –> 00:11:56,919Now it seems to me very likely then that the disciples asked Jesus to increase10700:11:56,919 –> 00:12:01,659their faith when they had been confronted by this great darkness at the10800:12:01,719 –> 00:12:06,840bottom of the mountain and found themselves absolutely powerless to face10900:12:06,840 –> 00:12:13,280it. And Jesus said to them you couldn’t cast it out because of your little faith11000:12:13,280 –> 00:12:24,020that’s a problem and they feel their need to grow in faith. When you encounter11100:12:24,020 –> 00:12:31,059great evil when you find yourself facing great darkness ask the Lord to increase11200:12:31,099 –> 00:12:40,400Your Faith. The Apostle writes we do not wrestle against flesh and blood but11300:12:40,400 –> 00:12:48,080against the spiritual forces of evil in Heavenly places therefore take up the11400:12:48,080 –> 00:12:52,739whole armour of God which of course includes the shield of faith that you11500:12:52,780 –> 00:13:01,260may be able to withstand the evil day when you face a struggle that seems11600:13:01,260 –> 00:13:09,280beyond you when you’re confronted by your own failure when you find yourself11700:13:09,280 –> 00:13:14,900surrounded by great darkness and evil ask the Lord to Increase11800:13:14,900 –> 00:13:19,580your faith great challenge there from Pastor Colin11900:13:20,219 –> 00:13:23,799and there are times in our life when that’s a prayer we all need to pray12000:13:23,799 –> 00:13:28,599Lord increase my faith you’re listening to Open the Bible with Pastor Colin12100:13:28,599 –> 00:13:31,820Smith and we’ve got a pause the message briefly but we’ll be back very shortly12200:13:31,820 –> 00:13:36,599so do stay with us messages called growing faith and it’s part of the12300:13:36,599 –> 00:13:42,359series called grow in faith today’s message is based on Luke chapter 17 so12400:13:42,359 –> 00:13:46,900join us it in there if you can if you ever miss one of our messages you can12500:13:47,539 –> 00:13:52,099or go back and listen again by coming online to our website12600:13:52,099 –> 00:13:57,219openthebible.org.uk or find us as a podcast all the main podcast sites12700:13:57,219 –> 00:14:04,340carry the program and you can find it by searching for open the Bible UK back to12800:14:04,340 –> 00:14:09,320the message now here again is Pastor Colin. we ask the Lord to increase our12900:14:09,320 –> 00:14:13,520faith because we’re tempted we ask him to increase our faith because13000:14:13,599 –> 00:14:19,340we’re called to holy lives we ask our Lord to increase our faith because we do13100:14:19,340 –> 00:14:25,340encounter great evil and we often fail and we ask the Lord to increase our13200:14:25,340 –> 00:14:36,099faith forthly because we all battle with unbelief now it’s Marc who tells us in13300:14:36,099 –> 00:14:41,479his account of this same story of the father who brought the afflicted boy to13400:14:41,479 –> 00:14:48,400Jesus that he said to the Lord if you can do anything have compassion on us13500:14:48,400 –> 00:14:55,960and help us,’ the man had been disappointed by the disciples in ability13600:14:55,960 –> 00:15:00,159to help him but notice this that though the man had been disappointed by the13700:15:00,159 –> 00:15:06,520disciples he was still drawn to Jesus, if you can do anything have compassion on13800:15:06,659 –> 00:15:16,859us and help us don’t let the failure of other Christians keep you from13900:15:16,859 –> 00:15:20,979discovering what the Lord can do for you that’s what we learn here from this man14000:15:20,979 –> 00:15:28,080in this story. Don’t let the discouragement of what you14100:15:28,080 –> 00:15:34,539may have been disappointed in in other Christians keep you from discovering14200:15:34,619 –> 00:15:42,940what Jesus Christ is able to do for you. When this man came and asked Jesus14300:15:42,940 –> 00:15:48,979directly for help Jesus said to him and this is Mark chapter 9 in verse 23 all14400:15:48,979 –> 00:15:55,299things are possible for one who believes and then this man said to Jesus some14500:15:55,299 –> 00:16:04,340very famous words I believe help my unbelief and for 2,000 years Christians14600:16:04,460 –> 00:16:08,859have been deeply grateful to this man who spoke these words we relate to them14700:16:08,859 –> 00:16:18,619Lord I believe help me with my um believe and then we’re told that Jesus14800:16:18,619 –> 00:16:26,340delivered the afflicted boy from the evil spirit the disciples saw Jesus do14900:16:26,340 –> 00:16:33,500what they had been unable to do and seeing the miracle they say increase our15000:16:33,580 –> 00:16:39,739faith. Lord we believe but like the father of this boy what he just said is15100:16:39,739 –> 00:16:49,679also true of us. We also battle on belief ourselves Lord increase our faith. Faith15200:16:49,679 –> 00:16:59,099lives with unanswered questions faith is often afflicted by many doubts no one15300:16:59,099 –> 00:17:06,060has a perfect faith however much we grow in the Christian life we struggle with15400:17:06,060 –> 00:17:14,680doubt and unbelief and many fears remain I’ve been greatly helped on this by some15500:17:14,680 –> 00:17:20,939words from John Calvin that I want to quote to you he says this the Godly15600:17:20,939 –> 00:17:26,699Heart and I want to underline that the Godly Heart the heart of a Godly person15700:17:26,699 –> 00:17:34,060this is how he describes the Godly Heart the Godly Heart feels in itself a15800:17:34,060 –> 00:17:41,859division because it is partly imbued with sweetness from the recognition of15900:17:41,859 –> 00:17:47,140the divine goodness that is it has a comfort of believing that God is good16000:17:47,140 –> 00:17:54,339and yet partly grieves in bitterness from its own calamity the Godly Heart16100:17:54,380 –> 00:18:00,780looks at itself and says oh there’s so much here that’s not as it needs to be16200:18:00,780 –> 00:18:09,020it partly rests on the promise of the gospel partly trembles at the evidence16300:18:09,020 –> 00:18:17,300of its own iniquity partly rejoices in the expectation of life and partly16400:18:17,300 –> 00:18:26,180shudders at the thought of death now it says Calvin this variation arises from16500:18:26,180 –> 00:18:32,280the imperfection of faith since in the course of this present life it never16600:18:32,280 –> 00:18:38,819goes so well with us that we are wholly cured from the disease of unbelief and16700:18:39,459 –> 00:18:49,040filled and possessed by faith now you see that is why the Scriptures repeatedly16800:18:49,040 –> 00:18:55,319use language that calls us to grow in faith we’re always in need of our faith16900:18:55,319 –> 00:19:01,140growing we’re always in the place of saying Lord increase our faith listen to17000:19:01,140 –> 00:19:07,760the language of Scripture we are to pursue faith. That’s 2nd Timothy Chapter17100:19:07,819 –> 00:19:14,5602 in verse 22 Scripture speaks about us being strengthened in faith that’s17200:19:14,560 –> 00:19:21,280Colossians Chapter 2 in verse 7 it speaks about putting on faith as a17300:19:21,280 –> 00:19:26,479breastplate 1st Thessalonians Chapter 5 in verse 10. it speaks about faith17400:19:26,479 –> 00:19:31,560growing more and more that’s 2nd Thessalonians Chapter 1 in verse 317500:19:31,560 –> 00:19:36,079it speaks about being encouraged in faith that’s 1st Thessalonians Chapter17600:19:36,439 –> 00:19:41,4003 in verse 2 and Paul speaks on one occasion about supplying what is lacking17700:19:41,400 –> 00:19:47,800in your faith that is 1st Thessalonians Chapter 3 in verse 10 so we have every17800:19:47,800 –> 00:19:56,079reason to join unashamedly with the disciples in saying to our Lord increase17900:19:56,079 –> 00:20:06,800our faith and faith grows as we ask of Jesus18000:20:06,800 –> 00:20:16,280so ask the Lord to increase your faith are you tempted do you feel the18100:20:16,280 –> 00:20:23,000weakness and the vulnerability of your own flesh ask Jesus to increase your18200:20:23,219 –> 00:20:31,699faith have you seen that the life to which you’re called the Holy life to18300:20:31,699 –> 00:20:39,739which Jesus calls you is beyond the range of what you can do ask Jesus to18400:20:39,739 –> 00:20:48,199increase your faith do you find yourself surrounded by great darkness do you find18500:20:48,199 –> 00:20:56,880yourself grieving over your own failure do you find yourself confronting some18600:20:56,880 –> 00:21:04,920great evil ask the Lord Jesus Christ to increase your faith do you find18700:21:04,920 –> 00:21:11,319yourself struggling with doubts with fears do you find yourself in a battle18800:21:11,420 –> 00:21:20,140times with unbelief ask the Lord Jesus to increase your faith and pursue all18900:21:20,140 –> 00:21:25,099the things that we’ve seen in this series already that are the means by19000:21:25,099 –> 00:21:28,900which faith grows and we’ll be coming back to more God willing in the weeks19100:21:28,900 –> 00:21:39,219that lie ahead listen to the promise of Jesus all things are possible for one19200:21:39,640 –> 00:21:49,920believes in Christ you will have all that you need for all that you face in19300:21:49,920 –> 00:21:57,400every circumstance of your life grow in faith and by God’s grace you will be19400:21:57,400 –> 00:22:05,839able to say with the Apostle Paul I can do all things through Christ who gives19500:22:06,839 –> 00:22:11,260you’ve been listening to Open the Bible with pastor Colin Smith and a message19600:22:11,260 –> 00:22:16,439called growing faith part of our longer series grow in faith and if you’ve19700:22:16,439 –> 00:22:20,219missed any of the parts in the series then you can easily catch up and go back19800:22:20,219 –> 00:22:25,839and listen again by coming online to our website open the Bible dot org dot UK or19900:22:25,839 –> 00:22:30,800you can find Pastor Colin as a podcast those are on all the main podcast sites20000:22:30,800 –> 00:22:35,900and you can find them by searching for open the Bible UK or following the link20100:22:35,900 –> 00:22:40,479from our website just a reminder that pastor Collins teaching is also20200:22:40,479 –> 00:22:44,579available in the form of daily reflections read specially in the uk20300:22:44,579 –> 00:22:50,099it’s called open the Bible daily and you’ll find that on our website and as a20400:22:50,099 –> 00:22:55,300podcast open the Bible daily open the Bible is supported by our listeners and20500:22:55,300 –> 00:22:59,859we’re very grateful for the support we receive so if you already give to20600:22:59,859 –> 00:23:04,819support open the Bible thank you so much if you’re considering beginning to20700:23:04,819 –> 00:23:09,260support open the Bible this month we’d like to thank you by sending you a free20800:23:09,260 –> 00:23:13,719gift here’s open the Bible’s Amanda Cunningham to tell us about it20900:23:13,719 –> 00:23:17,939Hi David thanks so much for having me. This May we’re really pleased21000:23:17,939 –> 00:23:23,219to be giving away a beautifully encouraging book called I’m praying for21100:23:23,219 –> 00:23:27,359you by Nancy Guthrie when we hear that a friend is struggling21200:23:27,420 –> 00:23:32,959it’s often easy to say I’m praying for you but sometimes much harder to know21300:23:32,959 –> 00:23:38,660what to actually pray and that’s exactly where this book is so helpful through21400:23:38,660 –> 00:23:43,92040 carefully chosen scripture passages Nancy Guthrie shows us how the Bible21500:23:43,920 –> 00:23:49,099provides us with a vocabulary for prayer that enables us to ask God to achieve21600:23:49,099 –> 00:23:54,599what he intends in and through suffering. Nancy teaches us to see how God’s21700:23:55,199 –> 00:24:00,800are revealed even in our darkest days and encourages us to pray for his will21800:24:00,800 –> 00:24:06,800to be done in difficult situations each chapter includes a short Bible passage, a21900:24:06,800 –> 00:24:11,920clear explanation, and a prayer you can use for a friend. And there’s also a22000:24:11,920 –> 00:24:17,300really thoughtful feature a QR code that allows you to send a message to let22100:24:17,300 –> 00:24:20,920someone know not just that you’re praying for them but exactly what22200:24:21,199 –> 00:24:26,619It’s practical deeply rooted in Scripture and a wonderful way to care22300:24:26,619 –> 00:24:31,819for others more intentionally. We would love to send you a copy as a thank-you22400:24:31,819 –> 00:24:37,739when you give a one-off gift of £60 or set up a new monthly direct debit22500:24:37,739 –> 00:24:42,079of £5.00. Just please remember to leave your name and address when you22600:24:42,079 –> 00:24:47,319donate so that we can send you your gift. So Nancy Guthrie’s book I Am Praying for22700:24:47,339 –> 00:24:52,020you is our gift to you when you begin to support Open the Bible financially this22800:24:52,020 –> 00:24:57,000month. Full terms and conditions are on our website at openthebible.org.uk22900:24:57,000 –> 00:25:02,479and you can give online and as Amanda says please don’t forget to23000:25:02,479 –> 00:25:06,900leave your full name and address for Open the Bible and Pastor Colin Smith.23100:25:06,900 –> 00:25:11,420Thanks for being with us today and I hope you’ll join us again next time.23200:25:18,020 –> 00:25:25,619It might sound like an obvious question but what is faith? Find out next time on23300:25:25,619 –> 00:25:28,400Open the Bible.