In this passage, we see Jesus cast out a demon. The same demon that His disciples failed to expel from the body of a young boy. Then when questioned, He explained to his disciples that it was due to a lack of faith. He goes on to tell them of the great power they would possess if they just had faith the size of a mustard seed. What is great here is that we see the disciples reliance upon Jesus’s ability. They recognized that their authority came from God alone. Rather than having faith in our own abilities or the abilities of those around us, we should recognize that all authority and power comes from God. When we rely on Him, even with faith the size of a mustard seed, we can accomplish great things in the name of Jesus.
Matthew 17:14-37
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.”
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.
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.”
[ WHAT ] is this passage saying and what is a key truth or thought that we learn?
+ What does Jesus refer to when he says, “O faithless and twisted generation, how long am I to be with you? How long am I to bear with you?” [v.17]
+ In what manner did the disciple approach Jesus? How do they model our approach to God? [v.19]
+ How does Jesus describe the faith we must have? [v.20]
+ How did the disciples react to the reminder of Jesus’s fate? How does this reflect their understanding of the resurrection? [v.23]
+ How does Jesus describe his role in [v.25-26]? Who is the son and who is the king?
+ Who provided the shekel? [v.27]
[ HOW ] is the Lord calling me to action/obedience?
+ Is there a sin to confess or a next step to take? How has it gone since last time?
+ How do I approach God with my prayer and meditation?
+ Where have I been placing my faith when faced with challenges in my life?
[ WHO ] am I walking with and praying for to discover Jesus?
+ What is my next step?
+ Who in my life would benefit from hearing this message?
+How can I better intercede for those around me?