First Thoughts: This teaching by Jesus is so familiar, but also so difficult for us to accept. Often it seems things don't go the way we want in life -- even our own actions seem to be opposed to our desires. Surely we can understand the disciples' request here. "Give us more faith!" we beg, thinking that faith is our poverty. But Jesus tells us that it isn't the amount of faith that's our problem; even a mustard seeds' worth is sufficient for us to do mighty works. What is our problem then, if it isn't lack of faith? Maybe it's that we don't really know how to use our faith. Maybe we think of ourselves as the slaves mentioned in the rest of this passage, following orders given by God, making due with what we've got, and adapting to the things we don't really want. Maybe we don't understand that God does not intend for us to be slaves but instead has in mind that we ourselves will be giving orders. The question is: Are we ready to accept our role as co-creators with God? Will we spend time looking into the depths of our heart to see what it is we really want? Do we trust ourselves to claim the power that is ours, to begin to shape our world to be more loving, more peaceful, and more just? It's understandable if we're not ready and/or willing to take on this power, since it also carries with it a great responsibility. But it's important for us to see that our difficulty doesn't come from a lack of faith, but rather a lack of courage.
Teaching On Your Own: (looks discouraged) Hey everybody. How's it going? I'm a little down right now. See, I'm learning how to bake bread, but it's just not turning out right. I've made three loaves so far, and all of them are as flat as a pancake. I think I need more yeast. (holds out the packet) This is what I have right now. It is just a little packet. Do you think I need more? Well, what do you think is going wrong? Three loaves and none of them worked. (See if children correct you. If not, look at the label more carefully.) Hey, wait a minute. This label says that I'm supposed to put the yeast in the dough. Oh! No wonder it hasn't been working. I don't need more yeast. I just need to use the yeast correctly.
This reminds me of our lesson today. Jesus' disciples came to him and asked him to increase their faith. See, they felt like they didn't really have any power to do anything important. But Jesus told them that even if they had just a tiny bit of faith, the amount in a tiny mustard seed, they would be able to move mountains. You only need a bit of faith, but you need to know how to use it! So how do you guys think we can use our faith? Really it is the same way you use the yeast. We have to mix it into our lives by praying and listening to our hearts, and allowing our hearts to guide our actions. We have to learn how to let go of our fear, so that faith is free to grow. Sounds simple, right? It is simple, but it's not always easy. It doesn't take much for fear to creep into our lives, or for us to get too busy to listen to our hearts. It takes time for faith to really work its way through us, but once it does things begin to change, like using this yeast. (reads the label) All I have to do is dissolve it in warm water, add it to the dough, and then let it sit in a warm place. If I let it get cold, the yeast might not be able to work. So maybe faith is like that. If we can keep our hearts in a warm place, in God's love and care, our faith will work in the same way.
Teaching As A Team:
(Leader 2 has packet of yeast in his hand, looks discouraged)
Leader 1: Hey (name), you look like something's bothering you. What's wrong?
Leader 2: I'm learning how to bake bread, but it's just not turning out right. I've made three loaves so far, and all of them are as flat as a pancake. I think I need more yeast.
Leader 1: More yeast? But how much do you have right now?
Leader 2: (shows packet) This much, but it is just a little packet. I need more!
Leader 1: Wait a minute. Do you mean to say that this is all the yeast you have? And you've made three loaves?
Leader 2: Yeah.
Leader 1: So you didn't actually put the yeast in the bread dough? Well, that's your problem then. You don't need more yeast. You just need to use the yeast correctly.
Leader 2: Oh! Well, that makes more sense.
Leader 1: It reminds me of our lesson today. Jesus' disciples came to him and asked him to increase their faith. See, they felt like they didn't really have any power to do anything important. But Jesus told them that even if they had just a tiny bit of faith, the amount in a tiny mustard seed, they would be able to move mountains. You only need a bit of faith, but you need to know how to use it!
Leader 2: Oh? How do you use your faith?
Leader 1: The same way you use the yeast. You have to mix it into your life by praying and listening to your heart, and allowing your heart to guide your actions. You have to learn how to let go of your fear, so the faith is free to grow.
Leader 2: It is really that simple?
Leader 1: Well, it's simple, but it's not always easy. It doesn't take much for fear to creep into our lives, or for us to get too busy to listen to our hearts. It takes time for faith to really work its way through us, but once it does things begin to change.
Leader 2: Like using this yeast. (reads the label) All I have to do is dissolve it in warm water, add it to the dough, and then let it sit in a warm place. If I let it get cold, the yeast might not be able to work.
Leader 1: Right. If we can keep our hearts in a warm place, in God's love and care, our faith will work in the same way.
Closing Prayer: God, thank you for the power of faith you have given us. Help us to use that faith courageously and wisely, creating a better world for ourselves and for the people around us. In Christ's name we pray, Amen.
Follow-Up Lesson: To reinforce this message in a home or classroom environment, revisit the lesson about the bread. Ask the children if they've ever helped make bread before. What are the steps? You dissolve the yeast in warm water, let it sit a few minutes, mix up the dough, add the yeast, allow it to rest for a few hours in a warm place to rise, then bake it. What happens if the dough is disturbed while it is rising? It can fall, and the bread comes out flat. We have to guard that bread dough while it is rising, to make sure it rises the way we want. How does that apply to our faith? When we want to use our faith to do something, we have to mix it with prayer and love. We have to ask our hearts to support us and to lead us, so we know what we really want to work for. Then we have to guard the work against fear. Fear and faith work against each other. Sometimes fear can feel like anger or confusion or sadness. We can bring all of these feelings to God, to ask for help. One way we can do this is through a prayer practice in which we use our imaginations to look at our hearts. You can lead the children on this exercise. Ask them to take a few deep breaths, and then imagine they can see their hearts. Ask them to describe their hearts -- the shape, the color, the sound, how the heart feels, anything unusual about it. You might even give them a chance to draw what they see. Explain to them that when we pay close attention to our heart like we're doing now, our hearts can tell us important things. Now invite the children to ask God's light to come into their heart, so they can see it more clearly. They can take several deep breaths to bring a sense of that light in. Now they can ask God questions about the heart's appearance. Why is it that color, why does it feel that way, what does the sound mean? Take time with each child, if possible, prompting questions and helping them come up with answers that seem true to them. In this exercise, God can let them know what their heart needs and how to free themselves from whatever is causing anger, fear, or confusion.
For a craft idea provide each child with a few mustard seeds and small round washers (found in hardware stores). Give each child a bit of clear-drying glue to put on the washers and allow them to place a few mustard seeds in the glue. Allow the glue to dry and provide the children with a piece of yarn to string through the middle of the washer to create a necklace or bracelet. Now when the children feel they aren't strong enough or powerful enough to do something big, they can simply touch the mustard-seed pendant around their necks or wrists to remember that God has planted the power within them. Close with prayer.
