Luke 13:1-9
[3rd Sunday in Lent]
Pastor Ron Koehler
Grace—Benson/Vail, AZ
March 24, 2019
In the name of our Savior Jesus, dear friends,
I’m betting that if I say “March Madness,” most of you immediately think of the NCAA Basketball Tournament which just started this week. This captures the nation’s attention this time of year, although some of you might be a little less interested since Arizona didn’t make it this time around. Or maybe “March Madness” makes you think of the crazy items dominating the news this month, like politicians fighting and sniping at each other, or the insanity of terrorists gunning down people at mosques. Or maybe it’s the news of those wacky winter storms that just keep nailing the Midwest and the East Coast while we enjoy sunny days. Many things in the news catch our attention and get our minds thinking and our hearts feeling. Well, I guarantee that if Jesus were here preaching and teaching, he would make use of stories like these to help people understand God and things spiritual. Why do I think that? Look at our lesson for today! Jesus could have just as easily pulled out the Galilean Gazette and pointed to the news items he speaks about in our lesson from Luke’s gospel. He was on his way up to Jerusalem for the last time. He would make headlines himself as he would go to trial and be given the death penalty there and then shock everyone with his glorious resurrection. While on the way, he continued to teach the people, even using current events, news items, to get his message across. And this was his message: REPENT OR PERISH! 1. REPENTANCE IS NECESSARY (1-5)
2. TIME IS RUNNING OUT (8-9)
3. SHOW GOD YOU MEAN IT (6-7)
Jesus wanted the people to know that REPENTANCE IS NECESSARY. He made the point as they discussed that first news item. Roman Governor Pontius Pilate had a number of Galileans murdered while they were worshiping! What an awful, tragic event! Either Jesus knew what they were thinking or they said it outright: perhaps these Galileans had committed some terrible sin, so they brought down judgment and suffering upon themselves. The Lord responded with an emphatic “NO!” We can relate to the thoughts of those people though, can’t we? Don’t we sometimes think like that? I know we do! And it’s a strange thing. Sometimes, when terrible things happen to others, our hearts go out to them; we’re sympathetic. At other times, we act just like those people gathered around the Savior, suggesting that the victim must have done something awful to deserve his fate. When it happens to us, we sometimes think and even say to others, “I must have done something terrible for God to let this happen to me.” Or “God is punishing me for something I did.” But did you hear Jesus’ comforting answer? “Do you think that these Galileans were worse sinners than all the other Galileans because they suffered these things? I tell you, no. Victims of tragedy and those experiencing difficult times are not automatically to be assumed more deserving of trial and misfortune—definitely not! So don’t look at others that way. Don’t look at yourself that way. Remember the Apostle Paul’s thorn in his side? Three times he pleaded with God to remove whatever that was. God said “No”. Why? Because God wanted his glory to show through the
weakness of his messenger. The trial that Paul went through wasn’t about Paul at all— it was about God’s glory! Or what about the one blind man Jesus healed? The disciples wanted to know if the man was born blind because of his own sin or because his parents had sinned. Jesus’ answer to them was “Neither one!” He said, It was not that this man sinned, or his parents, but that God’s works might be revealed in connection with him (John 9:3). God’s glory was going to be shown in that man’s life. It wasn’t about the blind man; it was about God’s glory! So you see, it’s not always even about us! It is hard not to be self-focused when difficult things happen to us, but open your eyes to the possibility that it might be about God and the honor and glory that is due him and that it might be somehow seen through your difficulty. Jesus then gave a stern warning, But unless you repent, you will all perish too. We need to be really clear about what God means by ‘repent’. He’s not just talking about feeling guilty. He’s not just talking about feeling sorry that you got caught or sorry that you did something wrong. Repentance means “to change your mind”. It means that you know you are guilty, you are sorry for your sin, AND that you have a real desire NOT to sin like that anymore. Repentance is a change of attitude—a change of heart— and an effort to make a change in your life. Your Savior could not make it any simpler: no repentance, no eternal life. God says that sin damns a person. Everyone sins, so everyone deserves to be kept separate from a perfect, righteous, and holy God both now and eternally. The person who understands their sin, repents of it, and believes in Jesus as the Savior who paid for sin, has forgiveness and the assurance that God forgives and forgets our sin. The second news item that the Savior used to teach the people was something that happened in Jerusalem. Jesus told them, Or those eighteen who were killed when the tower in Siloam fell on them—do you think that they were worse sinners than all the people living in Jerusalem? This was not a violent, mass murder, but an accident. The tower was in the southeast section of Jerusalem’s wall and, interestingly enough, it was in the shadow of that tower where Jesus healed the man born blind that I mentioned a moment ago! The same thoughts might have been expressed about the victims of this tragedy too—that they somehow deserved this. But Jesus’ response to this kind of tragedy is the same. There was no particular sin that brought this on those people either. Jesus is warning us NOT to make that judgment. We cannot tie difficulty or trial or tragedy to our specific sins or anyone else’s, unless there is obvious proof. Now, certainly we do bring trouble on ourselves by things that we do. There are often consequences to sinful actions. For example, a person steals a car and the cops take them to jail. But be careful. Sinful behavior often brings trouble, but you cannot say that every bad thing that happens is tied to a particular sin. Jesus warns against that here. You cannot discount the sinfulness of people that will affect you and others and, as we’ve already seen, sometimes difficult things happen so that God’s glory can be seen more brightly. In fact, think of Jesus. He committed NO sin as he lived in this world as our Savior, yet he was unfairly treated and tried and killed.
After referencing this second tragedy, Jesus gave the warning again: everyone needs to repent of their own sins. The time spent trying to judge people’s hearts and actions and trying to figure out why God allows this or that to happen would be better spent considering our own sins and vowing—with God’s help—to overcome our sinful way of life, because Jesus says, Unless you repent, you will all perish too. Don’t mess around either—your own sin needs to be addressed and dealt with NOW! Why? Because TIME IS RUNNING OUT! The great Teacher told a story about a fig tree that was planted 3 years prior, but was not bearing any fruit. That would be the purpose of a fig tree—to bear figs! The owner had every right to expect figs from that tree! Well, it wasn’t bearing fruit so he was ready to get rid of it. Time had run out for the tree. But a mediator stepped up! The worker of the vineyard pleaded for the tree, saying that he would do whatever was necessary to save the tree. He would dig and cultivate and fertilize in order to extend the tree’s life and get it to produce. He asked for one year of patience. If there was no fruit after all that work and special attention, he agreed that it could then be cut down. Jesus does not give the explanation of the parable, but its meaning is clear. The Owner is God. The worker is Jesus. The fig tree is the individual sinner. In justice and holiness God can demand that the sinner be separated from him in hell. The Savior intercedes, asking for the Father to extend his grace a while longer as HE does the work of “digging”, “cultivating” and “fertilizing” the soul. If the sinner rejects the saving work and efforts of Christ and his love for him, then judgment will most certainly come. So, where are you, as far as your time to repent? Life is a funny thing. Those news items Jesus spoke of revealed how quickly life can come to an end. Terrorist killings are like that purposeful murder which Pilate’s soldiers committed. Your pastors have done funerals, not just for older people who have lived long lives, but for people in their 20s and 30s and even an 8-day-old baby. You don’t expect life to end so quickly, just like those dozen and a half who were crushed under that Siloam tower. How long will your life be? Have you considered that? Will you live to graduate from high school? Will you live to feel the pride of receiving your college degree? Will you see your children reach those ages? Will you celebrate your 10th wedding anniversary? Your 25th? Your 50th? Will you live to make the trip back to the Midwest? Will you be able to take the vacation you have planned for this summer? Will you even celebrate Easter in a few weeks or complete the tasks you’ve penciled into your schedule for this week? I don’t mean to be morbid, but this is precisely Jesus’ point: TIME IS RUNNING OUT and you and I don’t know how long our life will be.
Life is fragile. Our sinfulness proves that death is a certainty. It’s only a matter of time. Only God knows the length of your days, but this is certain: TIME IS RUNNING OUT. The clock is ticking. When will the alarm sound and you draw your last breath? I’m only being as blunt as Jesus was with his warnings to repent and his story about the fig tree. None of us can afford to sit around and say, “I’ll take sin seriously later.” There may not be a later. God does not, however, only give us the gloomy warning. He is equally open with his feelings of love. Listen to these three passages. (God) wants all people to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth (1 Timothy 2:4). Or this one: ‘As surely as I live,’ declares the Sovereign Lord, ‘I take no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but rather that they turn from their ways and live (Ezekiel 33:11). Or this one: (God) is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance (2 Peter 3:9). God loves you and he knows that TIME IS RUNNING OUT. Repent and turn back to God. And SHOW GOD THAT YOU MEAN IT. There is no question that we are NOT saved by our works, by doing all the things that make God happy and avoiding the things that anger him. We are saved only by faith in Christ. Believe that Jesus lived and died for you and paid for all your sins. And then show your love for him in your life. The fig tree owner wanted to see figs on that tree. That wasn’t unreasonable, was it? If you plant a tomato plant and you get no tomatoes and only those big fat ugly green tomato worms and that odd tomato plant smell—well, that’s not what you expected! If you plant an orange tree and get no oranges, just a lot of work—well, that’s not what you expected either. All that work to tend to those plants and trees and nothing! In a tiny way then, you can see how God must feel about us. We rebel against him and sin and do NOT show that we are thankful and that we love him. And all that after he created us, cares for us, feeds us with His Word, and gives us a Savior, his only Son. Now, you’re here today, so that’s something, isn’t it? Worshiping God is an act of faith. Encouraging one another is a fruit of faith. Preaching God’s Word is a witness to faith. Teaching and attending Bible Class or Sunday School or Confirmation Class—all testimony to our faith. Those are all good things that we do out of faith & love for God. But taking the necessary steps to stop sinful behavior is also what God is looking for. Quitting sin and taking action to stop it shows God that we have faith in Jesus and that we’re as serious about sin as he is—that we are repentant! That’s what God has every right to expect to see from us—outward expressions and evidence of repentant hearts! That’s what a Christian does. That’s what the Holy Spirit who lives in us moves us to do! We can do and say things that SHOW GOD THAT WE MEAN IT when we are truly repentant! The word of our Savior has come to you this day. Take it to heart. “REPENT OR PERISH!” he says. By God’s grace you are spiritually smart—so repent, be confident of your forgiveness in Jesus, and live! Amen. Now the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus. Amen.