{"id":3130,"date":"2016-10-02T09:30:41","date_gmt":"2016-10-02T14:30:41","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.stjohnsonthegreen.org\/?p=3130"},"modified":"2017-12-26T16:53:13","modified_gmt":"2017-12-26T21:53:13","slug":"if-you-had-faith-the-size-of-a-mustard-seed","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.stjohnsonthegreen.org\/?p=3130","title":{"rendered":"If you had faith the size of a mustard seed"},"content":{"rendered":"

Sermon for October 2, 2016 (20th Sunday after Pentecost \u2013 Proper 22)
\nDr. Steven Minkler<\/strong><\/p>\n

To listen to this sermon, click here<\/a>\u00a0to begin playing the audio file.<\/em><\/p>\n

Good morning! Before I begin \u2013 I know what you\u2019re thinking. You\u2019re thinking, \u201cIsn\u2019t Steve usually over there, at the piano? What is he doing at the pulpit, at this point in the service?\u201d I admit, it\u2019s a little strange to me, too. I\u2019d like to thank Fr. Armando, Fr. Mike, and our Senior Warden, Jay Anthony, for asking me to share my reflections on the lessons today, as part of the service.<\/p>\n

A couple of weeks ago, I brought my car to the Toyota dealer on Straits Turnpike in Watertown. It was time for the car to get an oil change \u2013 regular maintenance that you have to take care of every couple of months. They changed the oil and checked the car to make sure I didn\u2019t need anything else such as a new battery or a wheel alignment. They also looked in their computer to see if the car needed a recall service covered by the warranty. No worries, just an oil change, the car was in great shape. Everyone at the dealership was pleasant \u2013 when they were done, I picked up the car, and was on my way.<\/p>\n

By the time I got home, I had received an email from Toyota Corporation. They asked me to fill out a survey about my experience that day with the dealership. Oh, no, another survey, I said to myself. I don\u2019t need this. I deleted it. The next day, I noticed a text message on my phone, from Toyota. Please fill out the survey, it said. I deleted it, too. The very next day, I received a phone call from the gentleman who helped me the day I brought my car in for the oil change. He said he really wanted me to fill out that survey because it was important to him and the company\u2026 and, by the way, they are hoping for nothing less than the top rating I could give. I admit, it was a little creepy \u2013 how did he know I didn\u2019t do the survey? He said he\u2019d email me a new copy of the survey, and I said that would be fine.<\/p>\n

Based on your reaction, I can tell you\u2019ve seen these kinds of surveys, right? Toyota wanted to know things like, \u201cHow do you rate your level of satisfaction with the dealership\u2026 Please use the scale 1 – 5 for your answer where 1 = very poor; 2 = fair; 3 = good; 4 = very good; and 5 = excellent.\u201d They also had a place where I could write in any answer I wanted, to the question, \u201cHow could we make your experience with us any better?\u201d Well, I figure they are just doing their job and there really wasn\u2019t much more they could do except make sure they don\u2019t mess up my car!<\/p>\n

So, let\u2019s imagine for a moment that you, or I, one day, open the mail \u2013 or get an email, or a text message \u2013 from the Home Office upstairs. Jesus writes, \u201cWe\u2019d like you to take a few minutes to complete a \u2018customer faith survey.\u2019 Your responses are important to us.\u201d You notice there are two questions. They are not asking about your satisfaction with God, or with Jesus. That would be ridiculous, in my opinion. Instead, the first question asks, \u201cPlease rate your faith using the scale 1-5, where your answer is 1 = very small; 2 = small; 3 = medium; 4 = large; and 5 = very large.\u201d How many of you would really be confused as to how to answer this question? Me too.<\/p>\n

The second question is, \u201cIs it important at all for you to increase your faith? If so, how would you do that?\u201d I\u2019m not sure I\u2019d know how to answer that question, either.<\/p>\n

In today\u2019s Gospel lesson, the disciples seem to be telling Jesus they think their faith is a \u201cone\u201d on a scale of 1 to 5 \u2013 very small. They say, \u201cIncrease our faith!\u201d They are hoping a higher level of faith would be pleasing to Jesus. Jesus doesn\u2019t say, \u201cSure, no problem \u2013 here you go.\u201d Jesus also doesn\u2019t say, \u201cWell, if you\u2019re not convinced by now, here\u2019s another miracle to show you I will love you no matter what.\u201d<\/p>\n

Instead, Jesus scolds them for lacking even mustard seed-sized faith and suggests they should not expect reward or praise for their service. Perhaps there is more to the story. When Jesus\u2019 followers \u2013 the disciples, and you, and me \u2013 ask for faith, what do we want? Some of us might desire a faith that brings a kind of certainty, perhaps even superiority. If you gave a 4 or a 5 on the survey, you might think \u201cI\u2019m more faithful than my neighbor.\u201d Faith, then, becomes an accomplishment. Some seek a mystical experience, a faith that works like a tonic and helps us get through life’s ordinary challenges. Some aspire to faith as an antidote to struggle. We tend to look for more faith when times are tough, not when they are ordinary.<\/p>\n

The request to increase our faith, and the belief that if I had more faith things would be different, reveals, at best, a misunderstanding of faith itself and, at worst, demonstrates our own unfaithfulness. Jesus is very clear that faithfulness is not about size or quantity. He says, \u201cIf you had faith the size of a mustard seed, you could say to this mulberry tree, \u2018Be uprooted and planted in the sea,\u2019 and it would obey you.\u201d<\/p>\n

The answer is not how much faith we have but, rather, how we are living the faith we do have. How is our faith, our relationship with Jesus, changing our lives, changing our relationships, and changing the lives of others? If it is not, more of the same will not make any difference. The mustard seed of faith is already planted within us. It may be small \u2013 but it\u2019s everything we need. If planted, it will grow. The \u201cmustard seed of faith\u201d is Christ himself. He has withheld from us nothing. We already have enough. We already are enough. We do not need more faith. We need more response to the faith, the Christ, the mustard seed, the relationship we already have.<\/p>\n

As one of your musicians, I sat down earlier this week to contemplate what these lessons meant. I first turned to song lyrics. Not hymns \u2013 those would be a little too obvious. I looked at contemporary songs to see how the authors talked about faith and our relationship with God. Most such songs seek a greater faith in times of trouble \u2013 you can imagine a whole list of Country Western songs with titles like \u201cJesus may love you, but I don\u2019t.\u201d<\/p>\n

It struck me that we often ask for increased faith in times of trouble, but we rarely recognize our faith when things are going well \u2013 in the ordinary day to day lives with our families, our friends, our co-workers, and the people across the counter at a grocery store or Toyota dealer.<\/p>\n

If you didn\u2019t already know this, my \u201cday job\u201d is that of Academic Dean at Middlesex Community College in Middletown. I\u2019ve had the privilege of working with community college students for nearly 30 years. Every day, I am inspired by their stories of perseverance \u2013 their faith that they can overcome obstacles and struggles such as working while in school, raising a family, and the simple act of getting to college. I take it very seriously that our students put their faith in their faculty and me to help them get an education, prepare them for their future, and live the lives that God intended for them. My job is not just a job \u2013 it\u2019s one way I live out my faith on a daily basis to help other people.<\/p>\n

I am inspired by students who helped create what we call the Magic Food Bus, a school bus we converted to a food pantry to help those students with food insecurity and who may not be able to have a good breakfast before coming to class. I\u2019m inspired by students who participate in Courageous Conversations, gatherings of faculty, staff, students, and community members that are not \u201cinstructional,\u201d but are honest and open discussions about overcoming racism and intolerance, addressing social justice, and topics such as mental health, free speech, and being fully engaged members of our community. Finally, I\u2019m inspired by students who are active in an organization called Students Promoting Equality, Awareness, and Knowledge \u2013 SPEAK \u2013 students who themselves are gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgendered, along with LGBT+ allies \u2013 to educate one another about being looked at as \u201cdifferent\u201d in a society that doesn\u2019t yet appreciate all differences among God\u2019s children.<\/p>\n

So\u2026 getting back to Jesus\u2019s \u201ccustomer faith survey.\u201d His question, \u201cPlease rate your faith using the scale 1-5\u201d is really a trick question. The best answer is \u201call of the above.\u201d As long as it\u2019s the size of a mustard seed, we\u2019re OK.<\/p>\n

I did find some song lyrics I thought to share with you. I\u2019ll leave you with the words sung by Faith Hill \u2013 and maybe we\u2019ll sing them one day here at St. John\u2019s:<\/p>\n

It’s not easy trying to understand
\nHow the world can be so cold, stealing the souls of man
\nCloudy skies rain down on all your dreams
\nYou wrestle with the fear and doubt
\nSometimes it’s hard but you gotta believe<\/i><\/p>\n

There’s a better place, where our Father waits
\nAnd every tear He’ll wipe away
\nThe darkness will be gone, the weak shall be strong
\nHold on to your faith \u2013 There will come a day.<\/p>\n

The song will ring out, down those golden streets
\nThe voices of earth with the angels will sing
\nIn the glory of His amazing grace
\nEvery knee will bow, sin will have no trace<\/p>\n

There’s a better place, where our Father waits
\nAnd every tear He’ll wipe away
\nThe darkness will be gone, the weak shall be strong
\nHold on to your faith \u2013 There will come a day.<\/p>\n

Amen.<\/p>\n

“There Will Come a Day” written by Chris Lindsey, Aimee Mayo \u2022 Copyright \u00a9 Warner\/Chappell Music, Inc, Universal Music Publishing Group, Reservoir One Music, Reservoir Media Management Inc.<\/i><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Sermon for October 2, 2016 (20th Sunday after Pentecost \u2013 Proper 22)
Dr. Steven Minkler<\/strong><\/p>\n

To listen to this sermon, click here<\/a>\u00a0to begin playing the audio file.<\/em><\/p>\n

Good morning! Before I begin \u2013 I know what you\u2019re thinking. You\u2019re thinking, \u201cIsn\u2019t Steve usually over there, at the piano? What is he doing at the pulpit, at this point in the service?\u201d I admit, it\u2019s a little strange to me, too. I\u2019d like to thank Fr. Armando, Fr. Mike, and our Senior Warden, Jay Anthony, for asking me to share my reflections on the lessons today, as part of the service. Read More <\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":3132,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[274],"tags":[106,161,107,104,195,105],"class_list":["post-3130","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-sermons","tag-episcopal","tag-pentecost","tag-sermon","tag-st-johns","tag-steven-minkler","tag-waterbury"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.stjohnsonthegreen.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3130","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.stjohnsonthegreen.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.stjohnsonthegreen.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.stjohnsonthegreen.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.stjohnsonthegreen.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=3130"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/www.stjohnsonthegreen.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3130\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":4967,"href":"https:\/\/www.stjohnsonthegreen.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3130\/revisions\/4967"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.stjohnsonthegreen.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/3132"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.stjohnsonthegreen.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=3130"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.stjohnsonthegreen.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=3130"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.stjohnsonthegreen.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=3130"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}