Turn Before it is too Late

2/22/10 Luke 13

Turn Before it is too Late

In Luke 12 Jesus has been teaching a huge crowd of people some commentators estimate the crowd over ten thousand (Lk 12:1). Chapter thirteen is liked because of the words “Now on the same occasion” in verse 1.  Jesus has just charged the crowd with hypocrisy at the end of chapter 12 so some in the crowd raise an issue of the Galileans whose blood Pilate had mingled with their sacrifices.  First century Jews widely held a view that anyone’s life that was cut short was an act of divine retribution.  They must have been living sinfully and God has taken their lives. So they bring up the issue of these Galileans, who were probably insurrectionists against the occupying Romans, as being the really bad people.  Without using words they are saying if we are “hypocrites” and God is displeased with us, then why do we not suffer the same fate.  Jesus challenges their logic and states that the Galilean’s lives were not cut short, because they were greater sinners than other Galileans and then adds the incident where the tower of Siloam fell and killed eighteen.  Most in the crowd would have recognized the tower incident as accidental and therefore must admit their faulty view of divine retribution.

Jesus goes on to tell a parable about a fig tree that had been planted but after three years it still had not produced any fruit.   This parable is unique to Luke and the point of the parable is that God gives an undetermined amount of time for fruit to be produced, but after this judgment.  

What this means for individuals is that each person is responsible on their own to repent or to turn from their ways and their sins to God’s ways.  A person repents by acknowledging his sins to God and his inability to do anything where God would forgive him.  So he asks for God to forgive him based on the person and work of Jesus Christ.  Jesus is the perfect and only sacrifice that the Father deems acceptable.  These beginning verses state that apart from genuine heartfelt repentance all will perish.  It also states that apart from a genuine repentance we are incapable of living a fruitful life. 

The time to repent is now, because no one is guaranteed tomorrow.  Jesus is making that point here to the crowd; life is a gift and not a right.  In a quick moment anyone could find themselves in eternity and facing judgment.  I am sure someone woke up today to do their daily routine and did not return home, because their life ended because of an accident.  Those who have not repented are living under God’s common grace.  Those who have repented are living in God’s particular grace.