In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

     Let's talk today, about "more". Often today, the talk is about "my": as in "MYspace"; "MYmusic", and yes, even "MYPhilLongFord". But "more" is closely related to "my", and they both reflect something about the modern psyche. We are all about "my" money, and "my" stuff, and "my" wants and desires-"my" drives my life, much more than "you", or "yours". And since it's all about "my" life-what "I" usually want, is "MORE"! I want more from my job-more money, more retirement contributions, more from my health insurance plan. But I also want more time away from my job-more vacation time, more time to play golf, more time with my family. And then, many of us want more house-even though we have a perfectly fine home already-there is this sense that more house, signifies not just more room, but more status, more impressive neighbors, a more prestigious neighborhood. And then, we want more from our spouses: husbands want more from their wives (you can figure out more what); while wives want more from their husbands-wives tend to want more sharing, more emotion, more consideration, more involvement, more emotional availability; and parents want more from their kids-we don't necessarily want more kids, but we want them to do more in school, do more extracurricular activities, care more, respect their elders more, be more, the kids we were. And that doesn't end when our kids become adults-then, we parents want them to call more, and be more responsible, and then, care more for us in our old age. And kids want more, too! More allowance money, more freedom, more independence, and then, more video games, more clothes, more time to hang with friends-and, well, you get the idea. Most people today see life as an upward struggle toward "more"-everything in life-and not only do we want more, and not only do we work to get more-but we have come to expect, more, from life! So that one might conclude, life in America today is all about "more"!

     But it's not just life in America that is like that-just look at the disciples in our gospel lesson for today. What were they asking Jesus for-but "MORE"! Now, you might not think of folks in Biblical times as being so conditioned for more, as we are-and yet, in the disciple's defense, they weren't asking, in this instance, for more possessions, or more in the way of material blessings-they wanted more-FAITH! Interestingly, what Jesus had just been talking with the disciples about, was forgiveness. He had just said to them, "take heed to yourselves, if your brother sins, rebuke him, and if he repents, forgive him; and if he sins against you seven times in the day, and turns to you seven times and says, 'I repent', you must forgive him." And then it is, that the disciples conclude they just don't have enough faith for that! The rabbis taught you were required to forgive, only three times, the fourth time, they said, there is no forgiveness. But Jesus says we are to forgive seven times-in one day? For that, the disciples said to Jesus-for that, we would need more faith. So, Lord, increase our faith! Give us more!

     And that sure seems, honorable, doesn't it? That seems an honest and godly request. What's wrong with someone wanting more faith? Oh, that all people in the world today wanted more faith. Right? Jesus says, wrong. Without a doubt, there are unbelievers who need faith, and we ought to pray for them. There are evil people in the world who would do well to have faith in God-we are right in asking God to give them faith. But these who were already Jesus' disciples-these Jesus says, already have sufficient faith to do all that He has commanded! In fact, Jesus says, "with just faith the size of a mustard seed, you could say to a mulberry tree, 'be uprooted and planted in the sea', and it would obey you." What is needed, says Jesus, is not "MORE faith"-what is needed is that you use the faith you have-that you do what is your duty, and quit whining about needing more, more, more. And that, kind of strikes home, doesn't it? Who among us, hasn't felt, at times, that we need more faith? Which one of us, in times of illness, grief, uncertainty and trial, haven't, ourselves, cried out, "Lord, to get through this, I'm going to need more faith-so, please, increase my faith!" And do we feel a little convicted, by Jesus in this account, who says we don't need more-that faith the size of a mustard seed is sufficient to do wonders and miracles. And what is faith the size of a mustard seed? Maybe we don't have even that much? Maybe that's our problem. Which is surely why Jesus chose the example of the mustard seed-because it was known as the smallest of all seeds-in Israel at that time, there was no smaller seed-which means, the disciples had, at least that much faith-there was no smaller amount-which means, for us, of course we have that much faith! Sure we have, at least, faith the size of a mustard seed. Our failure, if there is a failure here, is not that we have no faith, or have not sufficient faith-our difficulty is that we fail to appreciate the power and the strength and the magnitude of this faith that God has given us! We fail to trust the faith that is in us-so, we sit and wring our hands and feel defeated and cry, "Oh, Lord, if only you would increase my faith, I could do what you ask-I could serve you more!" But Jesus will have none of that-because faith, is the gift of God-and God's gift, even in the smallest measure possible, works wonders, and brings miracles. Which is why St. Paul was reminding Timothy, to rekindle the gift of God that is within him through the laying on of hands-for God did not give us a spirit of cowardice, but rather a spirit of power, and of love, and of self-discipline! And just so, Jesus is saying to all his disciples today, you don't need more faith, you simply need to rekindle the gift of God that is already within you, through the laying on of hands in Baptism-for God gave to you, not a spirit of cowardice and weakness and timidity-but a spirit of power and love and self-control! Why, if you would only look around you, and look at your life, you would see how the gift of God has been at work in you, working miracles and wonders as mighty as the uprooting of a tree, and the planting of it in the sea! For example, marriage-for a husband and a wife to remain faithfully married for, 20 or 30 years, is in itself a miracle of faith-a miraculous accomplishment that is a sign of the spirit of power and love and self-discipline. For example, any parents who raise children to be healthy, productive, faithful adults, have worked a miracle of faith far greater than uprooting a tree and planting it in the sea! And recovery from illness, and moving out of addiction into sobriety, and healing after grief and loss, and recovery from abuse, and yes, forgiveness and reconciliation-are all examples of miracles of faith, worked by the gift of God within us-the gift of God that has been given us, through the laying on of hands, at our Baptisms! And this is evidence, not of a spirit of cowardice and fear and weakness, but of power, and of love, and of self-control! And these miracles happen on a daily basis-because of the faith that is in us! And, Jesus says, we don't need more faith-God has given us faith, and sufficient faith-all who are baptized in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, have been given the gift of God that is faith-now, we are to do our duty-to do what we ought to do! We have tasks and responsibilities as disciples, as servants, yes, Jesus says, as slaves. We are to do what we have been commanded, and ordered to do. God has given us the faith to do it, now, we are to get 'er done! That's what Jesus told the apostles, and that's what Jesus says to us, today.

     And let me add, briefly, that we will have the opportunity, as a congregation, to do what is our duty, as well, especially with regard to our stewardship in the coming year. When we began the current building program, it seemed as monumental as uprooting a tree and planting it in the sea. Did we have enough faith to get the building started; to have a successful capital campaign, to get the plans done and get under construction? There were indeed times when we were praying, "increase our faith, Lord!" But now, God is giving us MORE. More space, more rooms for childcare, more indoor space where the day care children can play and exercise in bad weather, more accessibility with the elevator, more room for our Sunday School, and for our youth.look out the window and you see how much more God is giving us. But on October 14th, our Stewardship information Sunday, we will talk about what more is needed from us. Not more faith. We have all the faith that we need-as a gift from God, to empower us, and to encourage us and strengthen us. Now, we just need to do more, in our stewardship response. We will be asked, in 2008, to give more, to support our expanded ministry and our expanded building, and yes, our expanded mortgage. And we may think we need more personal income, and more individual resources and more faith to be able to give what is required and to do what is needed. But, Jesus says, you have the faith-you have the spirit of power and love and self-discipline. Now, do what is your duty! Now, do what you ought to do.we have the faith to do miraculous things-as we have done in the past, so now we can do miracles in the present! So let us accomplish great things in our stewardship, by faith! Let us fulfill our responsibility as stewards of the gifts God has given us. Let us trust the faith we have, and not ask for more, but GIVE more-for the sake of Christ and His Church, in this place!

     In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.