Second Chances
Today's reading contains two examples of sudden death happening to people. The people question why did this happen to them? Are they worse sinners than others? Jesus discounts the idea that God caused the deaths to punish sin and that those people were any worse than others.
In fact, Jesus doesn’t even try to explain why bad things happen. Jesus doesn’t explain why people die but rather why we are given life! We are given life to bear fruit! Jesus tells a parable about a fig tree that is not bearing fruit. The owner wants to cut it down but the Gardner wants to try to give it another year and let him fertilize it and dig around the roots.
The idea is that time is running out on those who have not committed themselves to serving Jesus. Judgment is coming. But Jesus puts Himself between us and that judgment and asks for second chances. Join us as we look at our gracious Savior in action!
~ Pastor Dave Weber
Holy Gospel Luke 13:1-9 Parable of the fig tree. 1Now there were some present at that time who told Jesus about the Galileans whose blood Pilate had mixed with their sacrifices. 2 Jesus answered, “Do you think that these Galileans were worse sinners than all the other Galileans because they suffered this way? 3 I tell you, no! But unless you repent, you too will all perish. 4 Or those eighteen who died when the tower in Siloam fell on them—do you think they were more guilty than all the others living in Jerusalem? 5 I tell you, no! But unless you repent, you too will all perish.”6 Then he told this parable: “A man had a fig tree growing in his vineyard, and he went to look for fruit on it but did not find any. 7 So he said to the man who took care of the vineyard, ‘For three years now I’ve been coming to look for fruit on this fig tree and haven’t found any. Cut it down! Why should it use up the soil?’ 8 “‘Sir,’ the man replied, ‘leave it alone for one more year, and I’ll dig around it and fertilize it. 9 If it bears fruit next year, fine! If not, then cut it down.’”
