Lesson 427: Matthew 17:20
Matthew 17:20
The Blueprint — The Verse
He replied, “Because you have so little faith. Truly I tell you, if you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move. Nothing will be impossible for you.”
Memorization Practice
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Scripture quotations marked NIV are from THE HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®, NIV® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
The Context — The History
Jesus had just come down from the mountain where He was transfigured. A man brought his demon-possessed son whom the disciples could not heal, exposing the limits of faith without dependence on Christ.
The Narrative — The Lead-Up
Jesus rebuked the demon and healed the boy. When disciples asked why they failed, Jesus pointed to little faith. He said faith even as small as a mustard seed could move mountains — nothing would be impossible.
The Echo — Follow-on Verses
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Matthew 17:19
19Then the disciples came to Jesus in private and asked, “Why couldn’t we drive it out?”
Read the verse immediately before this lesson (Matthew 17:19) to hear the lead-in to the passage.
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Matthew 17:21
21
Read the verse immediately after this lesson (Matthew 17:21) to continue the passage.
Discussion
- What 'mountain' in your life feels immovable?
- How is mustard-seed faith different from self-confidence?
- Why did the disciples' failure lead to a lesson about trust rather than technique?