Jesus taught that faith the size of a mustard seed was sufficient to move mountains. Many will say they lack that much faith as they have never moved a mountain. Others will spiritualize it to make it more palatable than “mountains” refers figuratively to obstacles in one’s life. Both interpretations fall short of a satisfactory explanation of this passage.
Observing a mustard seed, one can see this little round seed. It has substance. It is a physical tangible object. It is a seed that grows into one of the largest of garden plants. Hebrews 11:1 says that “faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things unseen.” Thus, faith itself is a substance. More than that, it is a substance of things hoped for. Colossians 1:27 says that “Christ in us, is the hope of glory.” If Christ in believers is the hope of glory, then that substance of things hoped for is Christ in the believer. Therefore, the substance is of Christ himself.
Now think about this. If Christians only have just a mustard seed of his substance, they have the faith to move mountains. If believers have only the minutest amount of the substance of Christ, they can do the impossible feat of moving a mountain. How much more so when they have all of Christ in all believers, as is the promise of the new covenant?
When the woman with the issue of blood touched the hem of his garment, she was healed. She came into real tangible contact with Jesus for only a moment as she touched the hem of his garment and supernatural healing took place. How much more so when Christians, who are born of him, have a habitation in him and he in them?
Jesus wasn’t stopping at the feat of moving mountains.
He was explaining to them that faith, the substance of hope which comes from Christ in believers, was so very powerful that only a mustard seed of that true reality was enough to move a mountain.
How much less have Christians been walking in, since there are no reports of any geological transformation of that magnitude? Chances are they have no need to move a physical mountain, but they do have the power to heal the sick and raise the dead. This is the mission Jesus sent the disciples out to do. It is written that even Peter’s shadow falling upon the sick brought healing. There was such a tangible connectedness to the glory of Jesus that resonated within him, it manifested with great power, bringing love and healing with the message of the Kingdom.
If that little mustard seed grows up into a large plant, how much more will believers grow up into him who is the True Life? Christians do not need to muster up wishful thinking and call it faith. They need the substance of Christ in them, and then they have all the faith they need for all that God has called them to set their hands to. The Kingdom of God is at hand. The sky is not the limit, but heaven is the standard.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ako377VbsPU
