Luke explores Jesus’ challenge for us to grow in faith and in service of him (Luke 17.5-10).
Context
This week has seen political difficulties for political leaders in UK and USA alike.
We have also seen the beginnings of a new series of Strictly Come Dancing on the BBC, as well as drama in the Rugby World Cup.
And, we have an example of how Christians simply keeping their faith can impact on their communities and country.
Reflection
In both the USA and the UK, people are looking at politicians and debating what ‘faithful service’ should look like in those elected to public office. As impeachment proceedings are launched in America and UK politicians continue to argue over Brexit, it is appropriate to look again at our ideas of public service. We might feel that we are losing faith in those responsible for leading us. However, it is important to remember that we are called to have faith only in God. We may feel compelled to look at how we hold those in public office accountable, but we should remember we are also called always to pray for those in authority.
Thinking about how we grow in faith, it can be instructive (as well as entertaining) to watch the journey of a dozen(ish) celebrities on Strictly Come Dancing as another season begins. Fifteen people with varying degrees of experience and expertise (mostly none) learn from a professional dancer in the week before performing in front of the nation on Saturday evenings. The professional-celebrity relationship mirrors in part the relationship between Jesus and his disciples, or Paul and Timothy, that we see in Scripture. It is appropriate for us to reflect on how we are both learning in our own journeys following Jesus – as well as considering if we could be supporting those who are younger in faith than ourselves.
This year’s rugby world cup is happening in Japan for the first time. Kicking off on the 20th September and running until the final on November 2nd, this last week saw an unexpected shock as Japan beat Ireland (recently ranked as the best team in the world). The reaction among young Japanese fans showed that this result came out of the blue, but it means that faith in the current coach and squad is rising fast. Although we often talk about faith as ‘trust in things unseen’ it is also true that our faith grows fastest when we see tangible signs of God at work in our lives. The church has historically grown through the testimony and witness of those willing to share what they have seen God doing in their lives. Those stories of faith encourage others to take steps of faith themselves and, when God is encountered, that faith can multiply hugely. Often the fear of failure keeps us from taking risks and sharing our hopes with others, but God calls us to trust him and, by sharing stories of that trust, cause faith to grow in others as well as in ourselves.
Prayer
In your intercessions you might follow a pattern of thanking God for those who have encouraged your faith and praying for those whose faith is just beginning or is under attack. For example:
Father God, thank you for providing people who, by word and example, have nurtured and encouraged our faith. Thank you for their faithfulness and their openness, and the way we were able to see something of you through them. We pray, in turn, for those whose faith feels weak or vulnerable. Help us to encourage them and to demonstrate trust in you in the same way others have for us. We ask that, in all of us, you grow faith that stands out and makes a difference in the lives of those around us.
Amen.
Questions
- What do you do currently that causes your faith to grow?
- Who inspires you to grow in your faith?
- Is there anyone you learn about faith from?
- If you met someone who needed encouraging in their faith what story from your own life would you share with them?
All-age activity
Create a word search of no more than 10 words (or use the one supplied here). Before the service starts, give copies to two members of the congregation who would be willing to help later on, and ask them to complete it.
During the service ask for younger people who are good with words to volunteer for a competition. Give them a copy of the word search and start a stopwatch. After 30 seconds, ask if they would like some help or if they can go it alone. If they ask for help, invite the people who had already completed the word search to join them and assist them in finishing.
It should be much quicker when someone who has already completed the word search is working alongside them. One of the blessings of being a church family is that there is often someone who has faced a similar situation to us before. Our pride might sometimes get in the way, but we have a wealth of experience to draw on within our Christian family.
Click here to download the above image as a pdf.
Young people
Prepare some pictures of a range of famous people either cut from magazines and newspapers, or printed from online sources, or a sequence to be projected. Alternatively, ask people to suggest famous people known to them from a range of fields.
If you have the pictures physically present ask people to place them in order of longevity – i.e. those who have been famous for longest to those who have been in the spotlight for the shortest time. If using Otherwise write the sequence on a large sheet of paper. Invite people to look at the names and to reflect on what characteristics have enabled those who have endured to do so. The individual’s talent or background might be suggested, but hopefully the character of those discussed will ultimately come through – as would the question of whether someone has just looked out for themselves, or has looked to also serve the needs of others.
Steve Taylor is joint-vicar of St James Alperton (CofE) near Wembley. He shares the job with his wife, Ali, and shares his house with their two daughters, two cats, numerous fish and a new hamster.
KEY: icon indicates ways to connect faith with everyday life
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