1. Name & Context
The apostles, Jesus’ closest followers, had already witnessed countless miracles — healing the sick, walking on water, feeding thousands.
Yet when Jesus taught them about forgiving others repeatedly, they felt the task was beyond their strength.
📖 Luke 17:3–4 (NKJV)
“If your brother sins against you, rebuke him; and if he repents, forgive him.
And if he sins against you seven times in a day, and seven times in a day returns to you, saying, ‘I repent,’ you shall forgive him.”
The disciples realised this command required a heart of faith that could trust God’s justice and mercy even when others failed.
2. How They Asked for Faith
📖 Luke 17:5 (NIV)
“The apostles said to the Lord, ‘Increase our faith!’”
They asked directly and collectively — not for miracles, wisdom, or power, but for faith itself.
Their request was humble, recognising that faith is not self-produced but divinely granted (Ephesians 2:8).
3. How God Responded
📖 Luke 17:6 (NIV)
“He replied, ‘If you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mulberry tree, “Be uprooted and planted in the sea,” and it will obey you.’”
Instead of increasing their faith instantly, Jesus reframed their understanding.
He taught that:
- Faith’s power lies not in its quantity, but in its quality and focus — who the faith is in.
- Even a tiny, sincere faith in God can achieve impossible things when aligned with His will.
4. How They Received or Grew in Faith
Faith grew gradually through:
- Obedience to Jesus’ commands (Luke 17:10).
- Experience of His resurrection and the indwelling of the Holy Spirit (Acts 2:4).
- Teaching, prayer, and community (Acts 2:42).
📖 Romans 10:17
“So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of Christ.”
They learned faith was cultivated through hearing, acting, and trusting — not by passive waiting.
5. How Faith Was Tested or Refined
The apostles’ faith faced deep testing:
- Storms on the sea (Matthew 8:26).
- Fear of persecution (John 20:19).
- Failure to stand firm, such as Peter’s denial (Luke 22:61).
- Waiting in confusion after Jesus’ death (Luke 24:21).
Each failure became a refining fire. After the resurrection and Pentecost, their faith matured from fear to boldness.
📖 1 Peter 1:6–7
“You have been grieved by various trials, that the genuineness of your faith… may be found to praise, honour, and glory at the revelation of Jesus Christ.”
6. Results or Outcomes
- After the Holy Spirit came (Acts 2), they demonstrated unshakable faith — preaching fearlessly, healing the sick, enduring persecution.
- Their faith multiplied in others, laying the foundation of the Church.
- Their testimonies and writings became the New Testament record of living faith.
📖 Acts 4:13
“When they saw the boldness of Peter and John… they marvelled, and realised that they had been with Jesus.”
7. Key Verses Summary
- Luke 17:5–6 — The prayer for faith and Jesus’ response.
- Romans 10:17 — Faith through hearing Christ’s word.
- Acts 2:4; 4:13 — Faith empowered by the Spirit.
- 1 Peter 1:6–7 — Faith refined by trials.
8. Faith Insight / Lesson
The apostles remind us that spiritual maturity begins with recognising our insufficiency.
They didn’t say “We already believe enough,” but “Increase our faith.”
Christ’s reply shows that faith is powerful not by size but by sincerity — it’s effective when rooted in obedience and dependence on God.
Their journey from fear to fearless witness illustrates that God increases faith through practice, not by magic — through obedience, testing, and the presence of the Spirit.
💬 “Faith grows when exercised; it dies when stored.”