Grow UpSample
Showing up very soon after Jesus’ enlightening Sermon on the Mount, this is a very well-known account of Jesus telling the elements to calm down. Immediately before speaking the Sea of Galilee into stillness, Matthew’s gospel records Jesus healing a leper’s sickness (8:1-4), a centurion’s servant (5-13) and many people at Capernaum (14-17).
Quite the undeniable display of God power. Yet notice what Jesus observes within the question he asks of his fearful disciples in the boat on the stormy sea: they have little faith. Small. Despite having witnessed what he can do, his closest followers have faith in him of an immature size.
I think there’s a suggestion in Jesus’s interaction that the growth of faith, into something greater, is possible. As you or I travel through the gospels with the disciples – and further into the New Testament - we see such maturing through right response to the power and strength of Jesus Christ.
QUESTION: If we believe we have “little faith” in Jesus, what approach can we take to expanding it?
Scripture
About this Plan
A lot of emphasis is placed upon making the leap from childhood into adulthood. At some point, it’s going to seem weird or juvenile if we haven’t “grown up”. The Christian faith shares this element of maturing and developing. A steady yet sometimes overlooked part of our Christian faith is “growing up” – and it’s not just a solo pursuit. Christians are called to help each other in maturity.
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