Luke 13: 1-9
"At that very time there were some present who told him about the Galileans whose blood Pilate had mingled with their sacrifices. He asked them, "Do you think that because these Galileans suffered in this way they were worse sinners than all other Galileans? No, I tell you; but unless you repent, you will all perish as they did. Or those eighteen who were killed when the tower of Siloam fell on them — do you think that they were worse offenders than all the others living in Jerusalem? No, I tell you; but unless you repent, you will all perish just as they did." Then he told this parable: "A man had a fig tree planted in his vineyard; and he came looking for fruit on it and found none. So he said to the gardener, 'See here! For three years I have come looking for fruit on this fig tree, and still I find none. Cut it down! Why should it be wasting the soil?' He replied, 'Sir, let it alone for one more year, until I dig around it and put manure on it. If it bears fruit next year, well and good; but if not, you can cut it down.'"
This is an intriguing text.
Judgment and grace. Both.
An under-performing fig tree in a bull market. The threat of removal.
Another year asked for and granted.
'Sir, let it alone for one more year. . . If it bears fruit next year, well and good..."
Grace.
"...but if not, you can cut it down.'"
doh!
I have learned to say that the questions we ask are quite important. If you ask bad questions, it is hard to come up with good answers.
“How is your life different since you decided to put God first in your life?”
Well. . . . . . I did? Its supposed to be different? Different than what?
It seems an interesting dance, this suggestion that those who suffered from the earthquakes in Chile or Haiti were not any different than us. And seeing their plight, you should repent.
I would not go there.
Yet, Jesus did.
Charged right off that cliff.
The Vicar of Vice had a good entry for this text three years ago.
He quoted from The Parables of Grace by Robert Capon
“The world lives, as the fig tree lives, under the rubric of forgiveness. The world, of course, thinks otherwise. In it’s blind wisdom, it thinks it lives by merit and reward.” (pg. 97)
Inspired by PayNoToll’s comments, (again- 3 years ago) I note that we live under God’s word of grace. I might well note that I am currently living in that “one more year” that the gardener had negotiated for me. Honesty will force me to further note that I’ve had that year extended nigh unto 50 times.
Yikes!
What time is it?
Time to repent, to turn to this one who does not keep score, but simply loves.
Look with his eyes to those who suffered in Galilee, in Haiti, in. . . in. . . in. . . and there see brothers and sisters, fellow forgiven ones, called to life with God and with me.
Time is short.
Very short.
Let’s reach out in love.
3 comments:
I like this from Mary Hinkle Shore
"Jesus rejects retribution and yet calls for repentance. The fact that some of us (I speak for myself here) find our brains taxed when we try to hold these two thoughts together may indicate just how tied into retribution we still are. "If punishment is not directly related to sin, then - explain it to me again - why should I repent?" Luke might say simply, "It is necessary." "
the whole post is good:
http://maryhinkle.typepad.com/pilgrim_preaching/2004/03/repent_or_peris.html
this is good too
Sin is the best news there is .... Because with sin there’s a way out.... You can’t repent of confusion or psychological flaws inflicted by your parents - you’re stuck with them. But you can repent of sin. Sin and repentance are the only grounds for hope and joy, the grounds for reconciled, joyful relationships.
John Alexander in The Other Side
From Barbara Lundblad...
"Jesus, the gardener, wants us to live. His passion marked for us by great urgency--don't wait! Look at your life and dare to ask the hard questions: Am I stingy in my love for others? Am I withholding forgiveness for old wrongs? Do I refuse to believe that I can be forgiven, carrying from year to year a growing burden of guilt? Am I so busy making a living that I've forgotten to make a life? Jesus digs at us with questions like these. Jesus digs at our hearts in the outstretched hand of every homeless beggar on the streets, of every child not fed. "What have you done?" Jesus asks, and "What have you left undone?" Such questions, like the parable of the fig tree, move us toward repentance, a word that means to turn around, to believe things can be different, to trust that the one who calls us to turn around will be there even when we fail."
When we may want to say that the year is up, you have failed in repenting, Jesus calls us forth and says, "maybe this is the year for fruit."
Grace comes even when there is great urgency.
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