Proper 22: October 3, 2004.

Habakkuk 1:1-4; 2:1-4

Psalm 37:1-10 (37:1-9 NRSV)

2 Timothy 1:1-14

Luke 17:5-10

Habakkuk, the eighth of the twelve minor prophets, is merely three chapters long but powerful in its theology. Similar to the book of Job, Habakkuk is a dialogue with God, packed full of questions, complaints, and concerns over the seeming lack of God's presence in a world filled with violence and evil, a world bent on its own destruction. "How long, LORD?" the prophet cries, and "Why?" In verse 4, he concludes the first segment with the certainty that "The wicked surround the righteous."

But that is only one of the realities of his Babylonian world and our post-9/11 times. The other is that God listens and answers. Habakkuk did not understand why God waited so long to destroy the Babylonians; he may not even have lived to see that day. Neither do we understand the terror and injustice that exist in our time, but God does listen and answer.

And there, embedded in the LORD's answer, is the mustard seed, the small kernel that not only brought hope to Habakkuk but caught the ear of St. Paul (Gal 3:11) and inspired Martin Luther (Rom 1:17), "the righteous live by their faith" (2:4b). The deeds of the wicked, the slackness of the law, the spirit of the proud--they will not prevail. God will. At the appointed time, God will fulfill the prophecy.

"Write the vision," the LORD says. Get indelible markers and print it on tablets the size of the banners at the Boston Marathon so that the heralds and proclaimers like St. Paul, and us, don't lose sight of it as they zoom through their ministries.

The prophet concludes with a beautiful and stirring hymn, "though the fig tree does not blossom, and no fruit is on the vines ... yet I will rejoice in the LORD ... GOD, the Lord, is my strength!" (3:17-19) Faith, in spite of the evils that surround us. Faith, whether God appears present or not. The time has been appointed. The righteousness is sure, and worth waiting for.

2 Timothy holds a kernel, as well--a personal mustard seed that spoke to me of faith well before being called to the ministry, when I was raising my daughter alone after being divorced. I can't remember the author or book, but it was so powerful and surprising at the time that I have kept it with me, moving the tiny piece of paper with the quote on it from bulletin board to bulletin board for the last 25 years:

He looked at her with a gentle frankness, "As Paul wrote to Timothy,
'God has not given us the spirit of fear, but of power, and of love, and
of a sound mind.'"

This faith of which Paul writes flourishes through the generations. It may shrink to mustard-seed size from time to time. We may fear it lost, but it only needs rekindling, for the flame, the spirit, the gift of God, given before the ages began, is always with us. And we are reminded that faith is a holy calling accomplished not through our works but through grace given by Christ Jesus.

Faith is what Jesus wishes for his disciples. Jesus doesn't command or expect faith like that exhibited in Habakkuk, merely faith the size of a mustard seed, and we all know how little that is! The black mustard plant had the smallest seed of any plant then cultivated, and Jesus contrasts this tiniest of beginnings with a full-grown tree. Some scholars translate sykamino as "mulberry," which was distinctive for its widespread root system, others as "sycamore," which grew over 60 feet tall. Either way works. A tree transplanting itself from land to sea is beyond the possibility of the disciples, something only God could do.

In last week's Gospel we heard that it was too late, not only for the rich man in agony and flames but for his five living brothers: "If they do not listen to Moses and the prophets, neither will they be convinced if someone rises from the dead" (16:31). Jesus immediately follows that prophecy with "Occasions for stumbling are bound to come, but woe to anyone by whom they come!" (17:1) When the disciples say to Jesus, "Add to us faith!" (prosthes) they are looking for more faith, or for stronger faith, or are they just plain scared after all they have heard?

And what does Jesus' response mean? A seed and a tree. A simple seemingly insignificant seed vs. a full-blown, full-grown tree with root and vascular systems, bark, branches, leaves. A tree able to provide food and shade, not only comforting and life-giving but able to transport itself to wherever it is needed.

Is it Jesus' intent to rebuke the disciples or to comfort them with these sayings? Is this a reprimand because their faith is not yet even the size of a mustard seed? Or is this a teaching that their faith, no matter the size, is sufficient? It's probably some of each. Most important, it's the promise that in God the tiniest seeds become the largest, most active trees. One could argue that our mission as Christians is exactly that, to plant and water seeds that God will develop into full-grown forests.

How is the second part of the Gospel related to the first? These three questions about how a master would act with his slave would have been shocking in Jesus' day. No! A slave would never come home to find dinner prepared and a place ready at the master's table. Yes! A slave would be expected, after a long day's work in the field, to immediately cook for and serve the master. No! A slave would not be thanked for his or her labor. There is no dialogue in this text; there are no named characters, no colorful adjectives. Its starkness underlines its message. The three questions are issued in boot-camp-like manner, the answers to be immediate, loud and clear. It's all about obedience. We are to work hard and expect no reward. We are to move from field to table, from workplace to workplace, always serving.

Some scholars would have us notice that in v. 10 achreioi, translated "worth-less," does not mean "of no value" but "to whom nothing is owed." We are not useless, but we will not be praised or paid for our works, nor are we to boast or count our accomplishments. From our obedience, from small, repetitive, constant acts of faithful service, God grows groves of trees. RKB