Sunday 1st September
Matthew 6:28-30
“‘And why do you worry about clothes? See how the flowers of the field grow. They do not labour or spin. 29 Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendour was dressed like one of these. 30 If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you – you of little faith?” (NIVUK)
We come to consider Jesus’ final phrase – what does it mean to be of ‘little faith’ (v30c)? Jesus is not speaking to those who don’t follow Him. They would have no faith. Clearly it is possible to have faith, but in small measure. Dr Martin Lloyd-Jones suggests that having ‘little faith’ could describe someone who ‘believes on Jesus but does not believe Jesus’. It describes people who are willing to accept that Jesus has done what is necessary to save them personally but are unwilling to believe any of the extensive promises He makes to those who trust Him.
The context suggests this might be the case. Jesus is critical of those who don’t trust that God will feed and clothe those who follow Him. God might save them but day-to-day life has to be handled personally. The small first step, accepting that one needs to be saved, they have made. The next step, to believe all the promises the One in whom you trust has made, is a step too far.
Perhaps this lack of personal trust in Jesus’ words is what diminishes faith. One of the more famous statements in the gospels concerns Jesus’ closest disciples and their ‘little faith’. When a father brings his son to them to be healed and they fail, Jesus is as disappointed as He is with those who worry about food and clothes. The disciples came to Him and asked why they could not heal the boy (Matthew 17:19) and ‘He replied, ‘Because you have so little faith. Truly I tell you, if you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, “Move from here to there,” and it will move. Nothing will be impossible for you.’’(Matthew 17:20-21) (NIVUK). Faith is believing the promises of Jesus fully. How faithful are you in practice?
