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The apostles said to the Lord, “Increase our faith!

And the Lord answered, “If you have faith the size of a mustard seed, you can say to this mulberry tree, ‘Be uprooted and planted in the sea, and it will obey you. 

Luke 17:5-6

It was not for the sake of working miracles that the apostles sought increased faith; it was not in order to bear their present or future trials; neither was it to enable them to receive some mysterious article of the faith; but their prayer referred to a common everyday duty enjoined by the gospel — the forgiving those who do us wrong.

I. LET US CONSIDER THE PRAYER ITSELF. Notice what this prayer confesses.

1. It confesses that they had faith.
2. It confesses that while they had faith, they had not enough of it.
3. That they could not increase their own faith.
4. That the Lord Jesus can increase faith.

II. I want to show now THE INCREASE OF FAITH BEARS UPON OUR POWER TO FORGIVE OTHERS.

1. Faith increases our confidence in Jesus, so that we shall not suspect Him of setting us an impracticable task.
2. Between faith and forgiveness a very close connection will be seen if we inquire what is the foundation of faith. The mercy of God.
3. The joy of faith is a wonderful help to forgiveness.
4. A spirit of rest is created by faith, which greatly aids the gentle spirit.

5. Faith, when it is strong, has a high expectancy about it, which helps it to bear with the assaults of men of the world. A man readily puts up with the inconvenience of the present, when he has great joys in store for the future.

III. Notice HOW THE LORD JESUS CHRIST ANSWERED THE PRAYER FOR INCREASED FAITH.

1. By assuring them that faith can do anything.
2. By teaching them humility.

Faith is not a weed to grow upon every dunghill, without care or culture: it is a plant of heavenly growth, and requires Divine watching and watering,

(C. H. Spurgeon.)