Asking for Faith

Can’t tell you enough how much I want you to be here in worship next Saturday. It’s gonna be a special day . . . our 11th Anniversary, and there’s gonna be wonderful things happening. I just can’t describe it. I can’t explain it. But I’ll tell you, if you can be here, invite a friend and be with us next Saturday, the 18th. Okay?

Luke 17:5
“The apostles said to the Lord, “Increase our faith.” Now, I want you to read that with me. The apostles said to the Lord, “Increase our faith; Increase our faith.”

I wanted to thank David for sharing his song about faith and Landon’s music about our faith. So what is faith? We use that word in church all the time, don’t we? And we use it in life lots of days when we’re not even thinking about it. Because the Bible says, “Without faith, it is impossible to please the Lord.” And that one song that I heard a moment ago, it mentioned that finally, “when these feet have reached the city of gold, when these eyes have seen the King in all his glory, and we’re in that place forever called home in the presence of the Father, there won’t be any more need for faith.” Because then our earthly faith will have become reality. But until then, we need faith every day. So inquiring minds do want to know . . . Is it a feeling? Is it positive vibes? Is it church affiliation? What about the word confidence or hope?

Because the Bible does say, “Now dwell these three, faith, hope, and love.” So what is faith? It’s all those things that I just mentioned, but so much more. The writer in Hebrews describes it this way, “Now” faith. We could say yesterday’s faith and we could say tomorrow’s faith, but we’re living in the now. So, “Now” faith is the substance of things hoped for and the evidence of things that we cannot see. So we’re gonna try to identify faith today.

Let me add that if it has anything to do with knowing and pleasing our Lord more, then I want more of it. How about you? How many of you feel as though you have enough faith? How many of you feel like you don’t have enough faith? How many of you are like me and you just say, “I want more of it.” Amen? A little more trust that God’s really is in control of this world, in spite of what we see raging around us. A little more belief that everything’s going be all right anyway. We just have to have faith. Every one of us who’s here today, has at least a little faith. The Bible says, “It has been given to every person by the Lord, the measure of faith.” But if you ever wished you had more, you’re not alone. That’s my desire daily.

In this gospel reading today from Luke 17:5, it is Jesus’ apostles who are asking for more faith. It’s those who have walked with Him for countless hours and many miles, over the mountains and through the valleys, and even upon the Sea of Galilee, one or two walking on the water. And yet, among all of those who knew Him best . . . they were the ones who said, “Lord, increase my faith.” Sometimes they struggled. They struggled in believing Jesus as their Leader, their Rabbi, their Teacher, because after all, they’re the ones who initially had left everything to follow Jesus.

Remember, He appeared on the scene after His baptism by John, after He’d been in the wilderness fasting and praying, and then He went down and His earthly ministry began and He found fishermen cleaning their nets. He found tax collectors, who, by the way, were some of the most hated people in the area at that time. And yet, Jesus was no respecter of persons. He saw possibilities in everyone whose name he called. Last week I read a verse that said, “Many are called but few are chosen.” And what that really boils down to, is God is calling every one of us. God is calling you. He’s calling me. But sometimes we’re so busy in doing our own thing and wrapped up in trying to make a living in life, that we just don’t hear the voice clearly. And yet, Jesus often said, “Whoever has an ear, let that person hear what the Spirit is saying to the churches.” And these disciples had left everything, and they had been listening to His teachings.

And we’ve been going through Luke all through the summer months. It’s been quite a few months now that we’ve been doing these stories from Luke. And in the beginning, it was sounds so much more pleasant and easy to follow Jesus. But all of a sudden, as he is moving ever so closer to the time of his crucifixion and his departure from them, he began telling him some of those hard stories that we’ve talked about recently, like, “Leave your father and your mother and your sister and your brother”. And even if everyone deserts you, “still trust me.” He began telling them that sometimes life is not going to be a bed of roses. There’s going be a lot of thorns in the roses. And so we’ve been hearing a lot of these stories recently. In this chapter today, Luke 17, this is what Jesus said to them when they said, “Lord, increase my faith.” Jesus said to His disciples, “It is inevitable that stumbling blocks will come, but woe to the one through whom they come!” It would be better for you if a millstone were hung around your neck and you were thrown into the sea, than for you to cause one of these little ones to stumble. So be on your guard. If another disciple sins, you must rebuke the offender, and if there is repentance, you must forgive. And if that same person sins against you seven times in one day, and turns back to you seven more times and says, I repent, then you’re still going have to forgive again.” This thing of forgiveness kind of hangs a lot of people up, doesn’t it?

It’s not easy. We need to pray as we prayed in the Lord’s prayer, “Forgive us our trespasses, as we’re willing to forgive others.” I’ve often said that folks in the church love it, and they expect that God to give them a gallon of mercy when they need it and forgiveness. But when it comes time for those same people to forgive someone in the church or someone in the world who has hurt their feelings or sinned against them or offended them in some way, they’re only willing to give a teaspoon in exchange for that gallon that they had received.

I hope you understand what I’m trying to say. So the disciple said, “Lord, increase our faith. Help my faith to grow.” And their honest request should bring comfort to anybody who has ever wished for that same thing to be true in your life. A little more faith, a little more trust, and everything’s gonna be okay, that God is in control, God does care about you. He cares about the least of us among us. Perhaps we just need to do like the disciples and say, “Lord, increase my faith. Not my brother, not my sister, but me, oh Lord, standing in the need of prayer.” So at least I think about this idea of faith. How much faith is enough? The disciples felt as though they needed more faith to face the challenges that Jesus placed before them.

If they’re going do everything that Jesus asked them to do, then they’re certainly going to need that faith, right? Because faith begets works, and we can’t do all of these works that Jesus calls us to do without having faith that he’s going to give us the strength to do it, right? We cannot do this in our own strength. Please understand that today. We are going to need more faith.

When the apostles asked Jesus to increase their faith, he offers a very famous response. He talks about that little mustard seed. Now, I used to hear… talk about the mustard seed, and then I realized when I looked through the kitchen cabinets, I had a whole jar full. Right? How many of you ever use the mustard seeds when you’re baking or cooking or whatever? I still am not sure what purpose they serve, but they must bring some flavor of sorts and add something to the recipe. They’re tiny, tiny seeds. And Jesus said one time that even though they are the tiny microscopic seeds that you can view, they grow into a mighty plant, a tree, a shrub, that even the birds of the air can come and sit in them and build a nest. The disciples understood what a mustard seed was, maybe more than we do today. And Jesus said, “If you have faith the size of that tiny mustard seed, then you have more than enough faith.” So, have you ever heard the old cliché, “If you don’t use it, you lose it”?

That could go true with a whole lot of things in life, right? If we don’t use it, we lose it. Our muscle mass, for example. You know, if we don’t walk a lot, we end up losing strength. If we don’t, you know, do a lot of things in life, we end up losing some of the energy and the strength. So the disciples are saying, “Lord, I don’t want to lose ground, I want to gain ground.” Let me relook at it. That means they have some faith.

They say, “Lord, I do have faith, but I need you to increase the amount that I have.” And Jesus said faith the size of a mustard seed is enough. Tiny. It’s not a question, then, of how much faith we have, it’s a question of what do we do with the faith we have, and who we put our faith in. Right? Yes. To be put another way, faith is not about believing in something or someone without ever having some doubts. We all have doubts. Life is filled with a series of questions, and there are things we don’t understand. And the Bible says, “The rain falls on the just and the unjust,” and problems come. As Landon sang the song, “Problems come, and I don’t have an answer in myself.” But we understand that Jesus is the answer.

I remember a name from my days in studying at Duke Divinity School, Paul Tillich. He’s a professor, a theologian, who’s written a lot of books. But he says, “Doubt is not the opposite of faith. It is one element of faith.” Look at it that way. It’s okay to doubt. The disciples doubted. Simon Peter doubted. We all doubt. I would think that every one of us at some point, even though we’re only into the 11th hour of this new day that the Lord has made, has had some kind of doubt at some point in some way. Just think about it. We grow through our doubts, because that’s where we learn to trust God more. Right? Don’t we? Anne Lamont wrote these words about faith: “Faith includes noticing the mess, the emptiness, and the discomfort, and letting it be there until the light returns.” Now, how many of you, how many times have I been in a mess of life? Just make a mess out of things, because I get in the way. You know, often I refer to a song that I hear Landon sing once in a while, that says something to the effect, “Lord, help me to stay in your will and stay out of your way.” I found out often that I am my own worst problem, because I know me better than I know you. I think everybody in here is a saint. You’re so much more perfect than I.

And I think we have to feel that way. We have to realize that we all have to do something more to attain the goal that God has set before us. We still have some miles to travel, to notice the mess that we’re in, then wait for the light to shine, to trust him, even when the way seems so very dark, to hold onto our mustard-size faith. But if you’re like me, and your hand trembles just a little, that little mustard seed’s gonna roll right out and roll right down on the floor, right? And then you’re gonna be down there crawling around on your hands and knees and saying, “Lord, help me to find my faith one more time.” Anybody ever done that? That’s reality of it. Who are we placing our faith in Him as children of God?

Jesus, in this 17th chapter of the Gospel of Luke, talks about the mustard seed with a strange example involving a servant doing what he is commanded to do. It reminds us that we are not the one in charge. We need someone to guide us, to show us the way, and that is the Holy Spirit. Jesus, in all of these scriptures going through the Gospel of Luke, getting closer to the date of his departure and his crucifixion, from his disciples, he’s saying, “I cannot send the spirit of truth to you unless I first go away from you. But if I go, then I will send that Comforter to you, and he will be the Holy Spirit, and he will guide you every day in every way.” We can’t do it ourselves; but we know a Man who can.

Some of you have been here from day one, some of you have been here just a short time. But I’ve been with all of you enough to know that there is brokenness in our hearts and in our minds and in our souls and in our lives, because we’re human. “Lord, I’m only human, and humans forget. So remind me, remind me, dear Lord, that I’m not in charge. I have to simply trust the one who is.”

Link to YouTube Video – Luke Chapter 16:1-13

Luke 16-1-13

Shades of Grace offers memorial services at no cost to any family in grief. A certified counselor is available on site upon request, and a Parents of Addicted Loved One group/peer support meets each Sunday at 4:00 p.m. There is no financial cost to any thing we offer. If you’re unable to attend in person, all services are available online and are listed in our archives. There is also a way for you to contribute financially by a secure giving site listed on our Facebook page. We want you to claim a place with this congregation. All are welcome regardless of status, race, gender or any other “label”. God loves you.

We have friends who sleep in the streets, abandoned buildings and automobiles. Yes,
these include children and women. Our facilities offer meals five days a week to anyone hungry from the broader community, hot showers, birth certificates, mail service, emergency clothing and groceries.

For many who die alone and unclaimed, we help provide cremation and a final resting place. All services are free and without any strings attached. Many churches, caring citizens and civic organizations make this all happen.

Our Mission Statement is “Making disciples of Jesus Christ for transformation of the world.” Many thanks to all who join hands and hearts in unity as together the work of the “Church” is carried out.

We are zero tolerance when safety issues arise. Our goal is to make every worshiper, guests, and volunteers experience an atmosphere of security at all times. We are serving a unique sector of the city’s residents. East Sullivan Street is a safer place and the United Methodist Church is a positive permanent presence there.

Yes, we pay for extra security service, as all other similar organizations are required to do. We are doing our part of building healthy relationships and faithfully follow God’s call to reach the last, least, lost and lonely of our works.

NEWS AT SHADES OF GRACE:
Pastor Regina and/or Dr. Smiddy holds Bible Study, Wednesdays at 1:00 p.m.

PAL – A group that is being formed for support parents of children with addiction.

Sunday is my true time of Sabbath, and I am grateful to be scattering gospel seeds along my path.

One of the vital services performed by Shades is the purchase of birth certificates for anyone who needs it. These documents are necessary for housing, jobs and many other reasons. Many of those who come to us are homeless and alienated from any family connection. So they don’t have access to this information, Jimmy secures the document and keeps a duplicate on file.

On July 1, 2014, I was appointed by the United Methodist Bishop to serve the streets of Kingsport, Tennessee.

As we prepare to begin our 10th year of ministry, we offer thanks and praise to God for more miracles than we could ever imagine. We are equally grateful for all our partners and friends who helped the ministry be where we are today. I look forward to sharing many more stories with you and experiencing many more virtual worship services. God be with you all.

Shades of Grace: A United Methodist Congregation is living proof of our living God who loves each one unconditionally and gives us all a reason to keep pushing forward in faith.

Join us online Sunday and revisit this very unique and enlightening worship event. And invite a friend to tune in too! I believe you will be inspired.

Ministry at God’s Living Room is a most life changing and rewarding experience. It is at times the most difficult and heart wrenching experiences. Only the Lord knows the true impact on lives of the least of these. There aren’t enough words to describe this storefront house of worship.

The one thing that has never changed in our ever evolving congregation is the acceptance of ALL people. I have said many times if everyone is not welcome, then no one is welcome. It’s all or nothing. I firmly believe this commitment of caring for the least of these is the reason for our miraculous success and growth in the city. I’m thankful to represent Jesus in the United Methodist Church.

We formerly live-streamed at 4:00 p.m. Sundays in real time. We continue streaming at that same time by edit\redaction and upload of previous Saturday service. Through it all, no aspect of our outreach and ministry ceased. We remain strong and vibrant as we seek to live into the vision of making disciples of Jesus Christ for transformation of our world. We are a safe sanctuary that welcomes and embraces ALL persons in the name of Jesus!

People come to the doors of Shades of Grace at all hours. People come in every size, shape, color, condition, circumstance, and unimaginable lifestyles. They come unhappy, high, hungover, ill, angry, rejected, dissatisfied, lonely, confused, unloved and feeling unworthy.

When they come, we do not ask them to answer questions or try to determine whether or not they are worthy.They simply come because the word ‘Church’ is on our windows. And Jesus says “Come.” We feed them, clothe them, give hot showers, medicines, and pray with those who are open to it. But all is done in Jesus’ Name. They know we will meet them where they are and not necessarily where we want them to be. A song we sing simply says, “People need the Lord. At the end of broken dreams, Christ is the open door.”

God loves all people. We are called to love all people. God is love. We’re simply scattering seeds and the Holy Spirit helps them grow. The end result belongs to God. We will continue to welcome, accept and embrace all people in the Name of Jesus Christ. We are the Church. We are the people of God. This is the Kingdom of God. It’s where I desire to be. Grateful for a storefront house of worship called Shades of Grace: A United Methodist Congregation. It is called God’s Living Room.

“Shades” began in October, 2014 as a new Church start of Holston Conference. Due to the nature of ministry with the least of these, there is no membership available. Anyone who claims a place here is accepted and given opportunities to be fully included in ministry. We offer sacrament of holy communion and baptism upon profession of faith. Worship is non traditional in many ways, but solidly grounded in Wesleyan Theology. We offer some of the very best music and worship to be found anywhere.

The ministry is active Monday through Saturdays every week, and closed on Sundays. We feed hundreds of meals to our community friends who are homeless and in need each week and provide hot showers for men and women. We furnish a clothing closet. We provide many funerals for homeless unclaimed in partnership with a local funeral home and Immanuel Lutheran Church.

Please share this ministry. It doesn’t matter where you live, who you love, car you drive (or not), live in a house or cardboard box, attire, piercings or tattoos. God loves ALL. As Oscar often says, “Pray for all who deal with addiction and depression. The world needs a lot more love. So, let it go; let it go.”

Challenging all to exercise and walk. Keeping up my steps. Staying healthy as possible to serve and witness for the Lord…Let’s get it done! Keep moving.

May eternal flames of the CHRIST candle continue to light our path as we “walk each other home”. My prayer is that not one of God’s little ones will ever be made to stumble because of my sincere efforts to fully follow the LORD. Thy will be done, LORD!

You can now listen to Shades of Grace on the Radio – FM 92.1

Everyone continue to pray for all who are feeling hopeless and helpless.

Link to YouTube Video – “I Know a Man Who Can”

Luke 10:27 “And he answering said, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy strength, and with all thy mind; and thy neighbour as thyself.”

It’s amazing how so many wandering souls make their way to our doors every day. Lord, May we be faithful to your call.

Serving the Last, Lost, Least and Lonely:
Hebrews 13:2 “Be not forgetful to entertain strangers: for thereby some have entertained angels unawares.”

FYI – Coming Events

Wednesday at 1:00 – 2:00 p.m. – Bible Study with Pastor Regina Shelton, Will Shewey and Dr. Joe Smiddy
Recovery at Shades: Recovery meeting for ALL on Monday at 5:00 p.m. at 313 E. Sullivan St. Meetings will continue each Monday. Led by our Shades of Grace folk.

Would you like to share cards of encouragement with local persons in Recovery? Please write a note inside and drop them off at Shades of Grace at 313 E Sullivan Street anytime this week. Thank you friends!

“Link to YouTube Video – Watch Pastor Michele Beck’s Words of Inspiration

You Can Also Watch the Video of Sunday’s Service on the Shades of Grace UMC Facebook Page
We Have Provided a Donate Button for an Opportunity to Give. You will also be able to add prayer requests