Go and Do Likewise

"When the Son of Man comes, will He really find faith on the earth?"

That question from Luke 18 pierced my soul to the core. What a question to ask the Church! "Is there faith on the earth?" Of course there is! There is the Church, right?

But does it follow that because the Church exists there is faith in it?

The heartbreaking answer is no.

In Luke 17, the disciples say to Jesus, "Increase our faith." So Jesus tells them a parable of a servant and a master.

"Suppose one of you has a servant who comes in from plowing the field or tending the sheep. Would you take his coat, set the table, and say, 'Sit down and eat'? Wouldn't you be more likely to say, 'Prepare dinner; change your clothes and wait table for me until I've finished my coffee; then go to the kitchen and have your supper'? Does the servant get special thanks for doing what's expected of him? It's the same with you. When you've done everything expected of you, be matter-of-fact and say, 'The work is done. What we were told to do, we did.'"

I thought for a long time about that parable and how it possibly applied to the increase of faith. How could I take this teaching of Jesus and apply it with effectiveness to my life? I think the key of this parable is the expectation of the master.

The Master expects that the servant will be busy doing the work the Master instructed him to do, whether it is plowing the field, tending sheep, or waiting on the Master during dinner. The Master expects the servant to fulfill his wishes without being told over and over again.

So what does that mean for me? Go back to the Gospels and read what Jesus expects us to do.        "Forgive your brother seven times seventy."

"Love God with all your heart, soul, mind and strength."

"Ask in faith and it shall be done for you."

"Bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you."

"Believe in God, believe also in Me."

"Come to Me to find your rest."

"Be salt. Be light. And don't hide it."

On and on the list could run. There are so many verses that are treated like a "Get Well Soon" card. "Read these when you're having a hard day. Read these when you're tired. Read these when you're angry..." yadi yada.... But read them closely. 

{They are instructions.}

What does ask God of you? What does Jesus expect of you? To forgive. To love Him above all else. To petition Him in faith. To bless those who hurt you... you can finish the list.

And that is what Jesus told His disciples to do to increase their faith.

 Do what He has already instructed. 

There is some interesting wording in the last sentence of that parable. It says (in the NLT), "We are unworthy servants who have simply done our duty."  The word "unworthy" is also translated "unprofitable." The Greek word used is achreios and it's a play on words, a little Greek hyperbole. It gives the sense of self-deprecating piety, as if the servant is only worthy to call himself "worthy" if he goes beyond what is expected of him in his duty. 

In that sense, we all unworthy servants because we constantly fall short of our duty, fall short of what He has explicitly instructed us to do. We fall short every time we judge fellow Believer. Every time we parade our good deeds so that others might see them. Every time we come to His presence carrying a grudge against someone. 

"When the Son of Man comes, will He really find faith on the earth?" 

Fellow servants, we have a duty to perform. We have instructions from the Master. Stop chasing elusive definitions of faith and lofty systematic steps to increasing your faith. 

Go and do. 

That ultimate expression of faith- to ACT on the words of One in whom you have faith.