Embracing Mustard Seed Faith for Lasting Change

1) "Now, what's been so stunning about Jesus, and if you know anything about the Christian movement, it didn't start with just this massive crowd that gathered, heard Jesus. It received tons of miracles, and all of a sudden, it blew up into this big movement. It actually started with a small group of folks from this no-name town called, no, from Nazareth. And so, from this small, no-name, kind of country town called Nazareth, Jesus, and this is what we explored last week. We explored last week how Jesus started with these 12 disciples, and somehow, it's grown into a movement that today we stand or sit in this room, and we're exploring the ways of Jesus from a Korean-American guy who grew up in Los Angeles, talking to Shea who grew up in Florida, and here we are, and all because of this movement that started so small and seemingly insignificant." [04:30] (56 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)


2) "In today's world, what we're looking for is the viral moment, that get big quick moment. In fact, in today's culture, this is what we applaud, don't we? We applaud something that can grow quickly and the younger the founder is or the younger this movement is, the stronger and more powerful it grows viral. That is what is of value. And yet Jesus talks about something way different. He has a different subversive way about talking about growth and mission. He says, you know what it's like? It's starting with this small moment or this small way of faithfulness, much like a little mustard seed. And then it grows into this magnificent tree where birds can find shade and covering." [07:10] (42 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)


3) "You will often overestimate what you can do in the short run because i remember we started with a group of like 15 to 20 people like just starting gathering and me dressed in a suit and tie and just thinking oh my goodness i hope after like a few months we could just maybe have 20 people you know like this was like that was the dream and here's what walter says is we can often overestimate what you can do in the short run but we vastly underestimate what god can do through a lifetime of faithfulness and many ways this quote actually illustrates what mustard seed multiplication looks like that somehow it's the faithfulness the simple small faithfulness that actually makes a significant difference." [10:34] (44 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)


4) "In the face of incredible persecution and bloodshed, in the year 40 AD, it's estimated there's 1,000 Christians. And historians, non-Christian historians, talk about how these Christians were this ragtag bunch. And yet, somehow, look at what happens. In just a few years, by 100 AD, that number had grown to 7,000 to 10,000. Even though Rome, with all of its power, was trying to snuff out this movement. Now, that was 60 years. Well, check this out. From 40 to 200, so 160 years later, that number actually grows to 200,000. Now, in the midst of continued persecution of the Christian movement, it's not cool or hip to be Christian. In fact, it could cost you your life. And yet, somehow, there's something about what the Spirit does, about what God does to enliven the hearts of these Christians, that this movement would actually not get snuffed out, but it would actually grow." [19:52] (53 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)


5) "What does mustard seed faith look like, right? It's the small insignificant things that we believe that somehow God does something enormous out of something so small. What does that mean? You know, in Alcoholics Anonymous, which I talk about regularly, in the 12-step movement, you know, when people relapse or when we might fall into addiction and we're apt to keep stumbling back, right? When it's three steps forward and two steps back. And even if you haven't been to a 12-step meeting, you've probably known that experience of how hard change and transformation can be. How difficult it can be, especially when life is difficult and hard." [28:15] (37 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)


6) "You know what's so stunning is in the Old Testament, there's the gift of manna that's given from heaven from God. The Israelites are wandering. the desert, and they're wondering, where's food going to come from? And one of the things that God does is God says, I will provide you with manna from heaven, bread from heaven. But here's the thing about this manna from heaven. You only get it each day. You know, when I read that passage, I'm like, come on, God, each day? First of all, it's just bread. Can you give some filet mignon or something else, you know? Or at least give them enough bread for at least like six months, or maybe a year. That way they know, they know, okay, God is really for us. But there's something about the most stressful time that the Israelites find themselves in, that God actually provides manna for just a day." [29:26] (43 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)


7) "What if each of us could just as a way of life, just one day at a time, God. God, I realize I want to figure out all the mysteries of the future. And what if the invitation for me and for you when it comes to mustard seed multiplication, just be faithful with the little that God has given to us. We've been talking about the great commandment. Here's the little that God has given to us. Here's the invitation. The invitation is to love God and to love others. That's the invitation. What if each day, our aim and our invitation and our heart was, God, help me to love you more." [31:52] (34 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)