#88 Luke 13:1-9 Repent or Perish
On September 11, 2022 by Amy BurginJoy:
Episode #88 Luke 13:1-9
Welcome
Amy:
Welcome to The Christgazing Podcast. We are so glad you could make it. I’m Amy Burgin.
Joy:
I’m Joy Burgin.
Amy:
Christgazing, kind of like stargazing, is the act of looking steadily and intently at Jesus. This podcast makes room for just that. Amid a world of many words, we slow down here and make space for the God-breathed Words, the best words, the ones that rightly comfort, correct, and lead us. This is the kind of podcast I am in dire need of. Each week Joy reads a portion of scripture several times and creates stillness after each reading so we might also be still and know God more.
We are in a series that takes us through the book of Luke, focusing on the red-lettered words of Christ.
Pour Out Your Heart to God
Amy:
Before Joy reads today, take time to share your heart with God. We do this each week; we pour out our heart to God, so that He might fill us up with exactly what we need. So bring your nightmares, your daydreams, your grief, joy, anger, excitement, exhaustion, and thanksgiving to God in this next minute.
What Does This Passage Say About God?
Joy:
I’m going to read today’s text two times. As I read, consider the question, what does this tell us about God?
Luke 13:1-9 Now 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.’ ”
Again?
Luke 13:1-9 Now 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.’ ”
Take a minute to be still and know what this says about God.
[Pause and know]What Does This Passage Say About People?
Joy:
As I reread the passage, consider a different question. What does this tell us about people?
Luke 13:1-9 Now 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.’ ”
Take the next few moments to answer the question, what does this passage tell you about people?
[Pause and know]Lord, What Would You Have Me Know Or Do Today?
Joy:
As I read for the last time, ask God, “Lord, what would you have me know or do today in response to this passage?
Luke 13:1-9 Now 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.’ ”
Take the next minute to ask God, “Lord, what would you have me know or do today in response to this passage?”
[Pause and listen]Blessing
Joy:
Christgazer, the Lord bless you and keep you; the Lord make his face shine upon you and be gracious to you; the Lord turn his face toward you and give you peace. And may you turn your face toward Jesus today and know him more.
One Response
Amy:
We people have a tendency to divide ourselves in all sorts of ways. We make racial divisions, political divisions, intellectual divisions, and in today’s scripture, we are reminded of our tendency to divide each other into various levels of sin – some categorized as worse sinners than others. Jesus doesn’t see us this way. In Matthew 5:22, Jesus said, “You have heard it said that anyone who murders is subject to judgment, but I say anyone who calls another an idiot is subject to judgment.” According to Jesus, we are all sinners and subject to judgment. Some of us repent, turn to him and live, while others don’t and perish.
Since episode 86, Jesus has directed our gaze on the only division that matters between men – their response to him. In Luke 12:49-53, Jesus said, “Do you think I came to bring peace on earth? No, I tell you, but division.” Does this mean Jesus stirred up division, pitting groups of people against each other? No, when we look at his life, we see no evidence of this. What does it mean then that Jesus, also called the Prince of Peace in Isaiah 9:6, came to bring division on earth? It means HE is the dividing line. It is man’s response to him that will divide us in the end.
Like the fig tree, as long as we are alive, we have the opportunity to bear fruit, to repent, and not perish. And this is God’s desire. He’s the one who wants to wait and fertilize the soil of our hearts as spelled out in 2 Peter 2:9, which says, “The Lord is not slow to fulfill his promise as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance.”
Closing
You can find a transcript of this episode and all our episodes at amyburgin.com. Joy and I will be back again next week to go Christgazing together. Until then, don’t forget, when you put your trust in Christ, you are one in whom he dwells and delights, a dearly loved child of God. You are royalty in his strong and unshakeable kingdom. Though trouble abounds, Christ prevails, and so do you.
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