Proper 22 - 2025
Sermon for Proper 22, Year C
St. Paul's Episcopal Church
The Rev. Andrew McLarty
When reading the Gospel of Luke for today’s sermon, I was confused by this selection’s weirdness. Whenever this happens, it always helps me to widen my scope and read the whole chapter. If we begin with v1 instead of v5, we see that Jesus is giving us four quick sayings, bits of wisdom that don’t quite fit anywhere else.
But Luke puts them together to paint a picture of what faithful living really looks like.
First, Jesus says, “Woe to the one who causes another to stumble.”
Second, “If someone sins, rebuke them; and if they repent, forgive them.”
Third comes the mustard seed, “If you had faith the size of a mustard seed…”
And finally, fourth, “When you’ve done all that was expected, say, ‘We’re just servants; we’ve only done our duty.’”
All together, those don’t sound like they belong together. But bear with me, they do.
Jesus starts with this warning about causing others to stumble. Opportunities to sin abound, so do not tempt one another into sin. Our choices affect each other’s faith. The way we speak, the way we act, the way we react to the small stuff — all of it either helps someone stand a little taller in faith or trips them up. Jesus is alerting our awareness: don’t be the reason someone else loses heart.
Then he moves straight into #2 forgiveness: “If another sins, rebuke them, and if they repent, forgive them — even seven times a day.” Jesus is using hyperbole here, he’s saying forgiveness doesn’t have limits. When the sin from #1 comes, rebuke and restore.
And that’s when the disciples throw up their hands and say, “Lord, increase our faith!” Translation: “We can’t do this. We don’t have enough faith for that.”
And Jesus basically says, “You already do.” “If you had faith the size of a mustard seed, you could tell that mulberry tree to get up and move.” Again, I think this is Jesus’ hyperbole.
Because let’s be honest: forgiving someone who’s hurt you feels harder than moving a tree. Speaking truth in love feels harder than working a miracle. Letting go of resentment feels downright impossible sometimes. But Jesus says even the tiniest bit of faith — a seed’s worth — is enough to start. Faith isn’t something you measure or stockpile. It’s something you live. And when we live it, even imperfectly, God can do the impossible through us.
Then Jesus adds that last part, about the servant doing what’s expected. It sounds harsh at first, but it’s actually freeing. He’s saying: Don’t overthink it. You don’t need to be a superhero of faith. You don’t need medals for forgiveness or trophies for humility. Just do what’s expected. Live as God calls you to live.
Forgive, tell the truth, care for one another — not for reward, not for applause, but because that’s what God’s people do.
This is what living in faith, living in God looks like…
It looks like refusing to be the cause of someone else’s fall. It looks like speaking truth, even when it’s awkward. It looks like forgiving, again and again, until peace finally takes root. And when you live that way, even just a little, joy sneaks in. The quiet kind of joy that reminds you:
- God is still here.
- God is still working.
- God is still growing something beautiful out of this tiny seed of faith.
You don’t need more faith. You just need to use what you’ve already got.
And that, that little bit, can move trees and mountains.
Amen.
