IIT UBF - University Bible Fellowship at IIT

Daily Bread

Faith As Small As a Mustard Seed

Date: Jul. 19, 2021

Passage

Matthew 17:14-27

Jesus Heals a Boy with a Demon

14 And when they came to the crowd, a man came up to him and, kneeling before him, 15 said, “Lord, have mercy on my son, for he has seizures and he suffers terribly. For often he falls into the fire, and often into the water. 16 And I brought him to your disciples, and they could not heal him.” 17 And Jesus answered, “O faithless and twisted generation, how long am I to be with you? How long am I to bear with you? Bring him here to me.” 18 And Jesus rebuked the demon, and it came out of him, and the boy was healed instantly. 19 Then the disciples came to Jesus privately and said, “Why could we not cast it out?” 20 He said to them, “Because of your little faith. For truly, I say to you, if you have faith like a grain of mustard seed, you will say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move, and nothing will be impossible for you.”

Jesus Again Foretells Death, Resurrection

22 As they were gathering in Galilee, Jesus said to them, “The Son of Man is about to be delivered into the hands of men, 23 and they will kill him, and he will be raised on the third day.” And they were greatly distressed.

The Temple Tax

24 When they came to Capernaum, the collectors of the two-drachma tax went up to Peter and said, “Does your teacher not pay the tax?” 25 He said, “Yes.” And when he came into the house, Jesus spoke to him first, saying, “What do you think, Simon? From whom do kings of the earth take toll or tax? From their sons or from others?” 26 And when he said, “From others,” Jesus said to him, “Then the sons are free. 27 However, not to give offense to them, go to the sea and cast a hook and take the first fish that comes up, and when you open its mouth you will find a shekel. Take that and give it to them for me and for yourself.”

Daily Bread

Key Verse: Matthew 17:20

He said to them, “Because of your little faith. For truly, I say to you, if you have faith like a grain of mustard seed, you will say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move, and nothing will be impossible for you.”

First, when Jesus came down the mountain, he found a helpless, demon-possessed boy and his pleading father. They were desperate after the disciples, who had remained there, failed to drive out the demon. What a contrast this was compared to the glorious transfiguration just experienced. There are no highs without the lows. There is no salvation without the need for a savior. Likewise, there is no need for faith without the presence of doubt and despair. But Jesus said that faith, even as small as a mustard seed, can move mountains.

Second, Jesus predicted his death a second time, that he would be killed, and on the third day he would be raised to life. Again, the disciples were filled with grief at the thought of death. But Jesus did not plant a feel-good faith of only good things to come. He gave hope of a life that comes after death.

Third, although Jesus never backed down from challenging established ways, he also chose his battles and did not stir unnecessary waters. When it came to the temple tax, although he was exempt as the Son of God, he did not exercise his privilege. God provided the means for their temple tax.

Prayer: Prayer: Lord, thank you for planting faith and hope to a world in pain.

One Word: One Word: Mustard seed faith

Daily Bread

We Are Your Sheep, Lord

Psalm 79:1-13

Key Verse: 79:13

But we your people, the sheep of your pasture,
will give thanks to you forever;
from generation to generation we will recount your praise.

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