Sometimes I have an appointment scheduled with a member of the church with a very unclear agenda. When the person arrives there is a time of awkward silence and minimal conversation. I am rather unclear as to where the conversation is going. Then, suddenly, the real agenda emerges. The person says, “I think what I really need is more faith.” 

Almost always this is a fairly active church member. It is someone who is in worship regularly, who is close to the resources of faith and is part of the community of faith. “I really think what I need most right now is more faith.”  

This past week a group of us finished a book study on Marcus Borg’s newest book entitled The Heart of Christianity. The subtitle of his book is this: “How We Can Be More Passionate Believers Today.” That is the mission of Marcus Borg. He wants people who are in the church and who want to believe and who want a stronger faith to have a more passionate faith. 

That is probably the setting of the Scripture story for today. These are the disciples of Jesus. These people are a part of the inner circle. They are men and women who have been with Jesus for about three years. Yet they recognize the inadequacy and lingering uncertainty of their faith. So they say to Jesus, “Lord, increase our faith.” In other words, they are saying, “Lord, we want to have a more passionate faith.” 

To be sure, not all of you are in that position this morning. Not all of you are asking the question. But most of you understand the need that is expressed in the question. If you are not there now, there has been a time or two when the question has arisen. There are times when you know that your faith is not always what you’d like it to be. You and I know the inadequacy and the incompleteness of our situation. 

I had a friend years ago in my first year. He was a brilliant scientist, working in the area of nuclear energy. He and his wife were faithful in worship. They were happily married. They had a good income. He had a disability from childhood, but it did not slow him down much. 

We became friends. I soon learned that he had lots of questions. He seemed unable to reconcile faith and science, or faith and life, or faith and life experiences. He felt he had a very inadequate faith. 

When my pastoral appointment changed, I lost most of my contact with him. One day, about ten years ago, word came of his death. I found out too late to get to the funeral service, but I did get to the interment out here at Jefferson Cemetery. As I stood beside his wife at the graveside, I wondered. I wondered about him. I did not wonder as to whether or not he got into heaven. I wondered whether or not he had found faith. Did God increase his faith? Did God ever give him a more passionate faith? Did God give him a faith to live with, to live by? 

Ah, we know the question, do we not? “Lord, increase our faith.” 

Today we receive 41 Confirmands into full membership here. You youth are offering your first public “yes” to faith in God—your first public confidence in Jesus as the center of life—your first public promise to live the Christian life. 

I wish I could wave a magic wand and give you faith. But your journey will be your own. I can only give you some images and suggestions. 

WHAT IS FAITH? 

The first question might be “What is faith?” I have a couple of definitions I found in various places. One says, “Faith is betting your life on the unseen realities.” Another says, “Faith is the invisible energy that produces visible results.” A third says, “Faith is believing in things when common sense tells you not to.” 

I can’t really define faith, so let me try an image. One minister starts his Confirmation class with a jar full of beans. He asks the youth a question: “How many beans are in the jar? Write it down. Take a guess.”

After they’ve done that he says, “Now make a list of your favorite songs.” The youth are much more energetic and quick to respond to that question. When the two lists are complete, he reveals the number of beans in the jar. He asks the question, “Who has the closest number to what the actual number is?” Then he asks this question: “Which song is the closest to being right?” 

The response is always, “There is no right song. It’s a matter of personal taste.” 

The minister then asks, “When you make a decision for faith, is it more like the right number of beans, or more like a favorite song?” He always gets the same answer: “Life is like choosing your favorite song.” 

Faith is not a guessing game, or a shot in the dark at an answer. Faith is more like your favorite song. When I walk in the morning during the spring and summer season, I am out early enough when the only other creatures around are the ducks flying overhead and some rabbits foraging for food. I sing some favorite songs quietly.

I serve a risen Savior; he’s in the world today.

I know that he is living, whatever others may say. 

All hail the power of Jesus’ name, let angels prostrate fall.

Bring forth the royal diadem, and crown Him Lord of all. 

Love divine, all loves excelling, joy of heaven to earth come

  down,

Fix in me your humble dwelling, all your faithful mercies

  crown. 

Faith is not always quantifiable. Faith is a song we sing. 

WHERE DOES FAITH COME FROM? 

You might ask, “Where does faith come from? Where do I get my faith?” About 15 years ago there was an extensive study done on faith development in the American people. They were asked the question, “What is the most significant influence on your faith?” Regardless of age, or sex, or denomination, the most common answer was, “My mother.” (Makes us stop and think about the importance of Mother’s Day, does it not?) 

Where does your faith come from? Last October I was often asked about an article that appeared in “Time” magazine. The cover story was entitled, “Is God in our Genes?” In other words, is faith in God hereditary? 

I read the article. I found it more speculative than definitive. I tend to think that faith is not genetic. I tend to agree with the Book of Ecclesiastes where it says, “God has set eternity in the hearts of all human beings.” I tend to agree with St. Augustine in the 4^th century who said, “The human heart is restless until it rests in God.” 

I tend to have an appreciation for Quaker theology, which says, “Every human being has a divine spark, ready to be ignited into flame.” 

I don’t think faith is simply hereditary or in the genes. I do believe that some of you have the spiritual gift of “faith.” That’s quite different. Some of you have this gift. It doesn’t mean that others have more faith, or no faith. What it means is that some people have a stronger connectivity to God. Some people seem to be wired differently. I believe that some people have a deeper spirituality than others. But faith in God is not simply evolutionary or genetic. 

Faith is a gift of God planted in every heart to be cultivated. 

HOW DO I INCREASE MY FAITH? 

So how do I increase my faith? How do I allow God to increase my faith?  

You can simply live the faith. You can live it as if you really believe it. A story is recorded by John Wesley in his journal about a time when he was crossing the Atlantic Ocean. A huge storm arose and it appeared as though the ship might sink. On the ship were a number of Moravians led by a man by the name of Peter Boehler. When the storm subsided, Wesley asked Peter Boehler how the Moravian people had kept themselves so calm and serene during the storm. Peter Boehler replied, “Mr. Wesley, preach faith until you have it; then you will preach faith because you have it.” 

If I could just transpose those words a little bit, I would say, “Live faith until you have it; then you will live it because you have it.” 

You can also place yourself in the presence of faith resources. You can be in worship. You can read Scripture. You can read books of prayers. If we get sloppy about these things, especially in easy times, we are without resources when the tough times come along. If we resource ourselves daily and weekly and regularly, faith is sustained and grows. 

There is a story from the life of the late Henri Nouwen, while he was in Peru ministering to the very poor there. He happened to be in a place where there was a lot of violence, and death was fairly common. He offered Mass every evening. Many times he offered a special invitation to those who had just lost a loved one. 

One night a mother who had just lost her 18-year-old son in a shooting was at the Mass. After Mass Nouwen went over to comfort her. He wrote in his journal, “I looked up and saw her standing very strong with all of her children around her, a family circle. And then she said, ‘Father, don’t be so sad. I thank you for celebrating Mass with us. It was a wonderful Mass. But don’t you know God loves us all? We are mourning, but we also know that God is with us, and so we trust.” 

This woman had placed herself amidst the time-honored resources of faith. As a result her faith grew strong and vibrant. When you use the resources of faith, you move toward an exciting wholeness in Jesus Christ. 

YOU DO NOT NEED A HUGE INFLUX OF FAITH 

Please note that you do not need a huge influx of faith. There are a large number of so-called “power drinks” on the market today to infuse people with energy. They have interesting names like “Jolt” or “Red Bull” or Blue Ox” or “Power Ade.” I saw one advertised on television just the other day called “Thunder Punch.” They have colorful names, and they are colorful words. What they provide is a huge infusion of sugar and caffeine. Such infusion is not applicable to finding faith. Jesus said, “If you have faith the size of a mustard seed, you are on the right road.” A mustard seed was a small seed, but visible to the naked eye. 

A disciple does not need faith the size of an acorn. We don’t even need faith the size of a potato. If a small seed of faith is present, faith will grow and achieve its intended purpose. That is the promise of Jesus. That is the promise of God. 

May the mustard seed of faith begin to germinate in you. May it begin to germinate in all of you who choose to worship in this hour. And may it germinate especially in you Confirmands today. 

If you pray earnestly and faithfully, “Increase my faith,” and if you live as a believer, and if you put yourself in the midst of faith resources, God will answer that prayer, ignite the spark that is in you. The spark will burst into a flame that will endure throughout your lifetime.