There have been numerous times when I have struggled with a sermon, and a few days or hours later I had an “a-ha I wish I would have said that” moment.  This is not one of those weeks. 

Sunday I talked about the “BIBLICAL PROPORTIONS” Jesus gave for faith.   In Mathew 17,  When Jesus’ disciples couldn’t heal a demon possessed boy, He publicly complained about their lack of faith and privately said to  them: “I tell you the truth, 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.”  Not exactly an encouraging pep-talk after their public failure.

I’m still struggling with this story that is repeated in three of the four Gospels.  In it, Jesus seems more like Chef Gordon Ramsay yelling at his apprentice chefs on Hell’s Kitchen than the meek and mild, peace-loving, hippy dude that he is most often portrayed as.  In this story Jesus seems less “impressed” with our small acts of faith we take to follow him, and more irritated and insulted that we don’t fully tap in to the power that is available to us through faith.  The idea of “mustard seed faith” has become much less something I think we should aspire too…and much more something we need to grow out of.

It’s Tuesday, and I still don’t have an “ending” that will make those words of Jesus comfortable or easy to deal with.  I just know that as someone who follows Jesus, the last thing I want to do is dissappoint and insult the one who gave me life.  I would much rather bring a poorly cooked beef wellington to Chef Ramsey, than fail to act in faith as Jesus taught to serve and heal others. 

As a church we are facing a tremendous opportunity to impact York County with the good news of Jesus.   Moving from Club 19 to Queensgate Theatres is a huge leap from relative obscurity to a marketplace hub with the ability to tell thousands of theatre goers each week about a place where they can find love, acceptance, and purpose for their lives.  The possibilities are huge.  We are moving very quickly on very limited information.  We are operating beyond anything we have ever attempted as a group of volunteers.  Without God’s guidance and favor we will surely fail.   …so we’re going for it.

 Thats what Faith “looks like” to me. 

…and if I’ve learned anything about Jesus and Chef Gordon Ramsay over the years, both would much prefer that their followers leap into action and push forward to feed the hungry, than stand around in indecision in the kitchen.