7 Mar 2010 - "The Call to repentance"

Diane Whittaker - St Mary's
Luke 13 v1-9

Thousands of Haitians suffered in the earthquake.

What did these people do to deserve this?

Hundreds suffered in the Chilean earthquake.

What did these people do to deserve this?

Millions starve each year, others die of Aids

What did these people do to deserve this?

Pilate kills a group of Galilean pilgrims as they make their offerings in the Temple.

A tower falls at Siloam killing 18 Jerusalemites.

The people ask Jesus – what did these people do to deserve this?

It’s so tempting to look for a reason for these disasters….

Were these countries worse than any other?

Did these people deserve to die?

Children die early

Adults suffer horribly with cancer, with Aids, with MS, with dementia - with any number of wretched conditions

Why? Do they deserve to die in this way?

Is it down to sin?

God’s capricious nature?

Why?

Society in Jesus time expected there to be a link between sin and punishment. In a way, we still expect that link today – there were reports on the Haiti earthquake for example that pointed to ‘corrupt society’ and ‘voodoo religion’ – not quite saying ‘it’s their fault’ but almost implying it…

Jesus has to tackle these questions – and does so in no uncertain terms –

“Do you think that because these Galileans suffered in this way they were worse sinners than all other Galileans? ³No, I tell you; but unless you repent, you will all perish as they did. ⁴Or 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? ⁵No, I tell you; but unless you repent, you will all perish just as they did.’

How do we begin to work out how to react to this teaching of Jesus?

People are not killed because they are especially wicked – God does not pass judgement in that way. BUT Repent or you will die like them – ouch!

Jesus’ call to repentance is aimed at those in his time who were determined to march in a collision course with the invading Romans. They were so fixated on the presence of aliens in their country, so fixated on drawing boundaries around those who were ‘in’ and those who were ‘out’ that they had forgotten God’s call to love – to act as witnesses to God’s love to the nations around them. Isaiah’s prophecy had a vision of Israel as the nation to which all others would flock to learn of God’s love – but they didn’t seem to get it. (Isaiah 55:1-9)

In the end they didn’t repent and the Romans sacked Jerusalem and burned down the Temple in AD70. Jesus prophecy of disaster came true for them.

Rolling the clock forwards 2000 years –

How does Jesus call to repentance affect us here and now?

Life is fragile. Death could come at any time. Are we ready?

This passage is a real call to attention.

No – those who died early in Israel 2000 years ago were not especially bad people, those who die early in disasters now aren’t particularly bad people – they were just in the wrong place at the wrong time - but many of those lives were cut short with no warning.

We, however, have got time – we have at least this day – this moment - this is where the parable of the fig tree comes in to its own.

The owner of the vineyard has lost patience with the tree; it’s failing to bear fruit and wants it down immediately. The gardener pleads for some more time to give it some TLC. This resonates so much with my gardening experience – I’m reluctant to get rid of something until it proves absolutely necessary – but the time must come when unproductive plants must go.

Jesus is using this parable to serve warning to his listeners – you have time to repent – to turn around and do as God wishes – are you going to do so?

How do we see that parable now?

We have been assured of forgiveness through the actions of Christ on the cross reconciling the world with God – but do we turn and march in the opposite direction to the one that God wants us to go in?

As Paul said in his letter to the Romans – you cannot just rely on being a part of Christ’s body for salvation – you need to live the life.

The death he died, he died to sin, once for all; but the life he lives, he lives to God. ¹¹So you also must consider yourselves dead to sin and alive to God in Christ Jesus.

12Therefore, do not let sin exercise dominion in your mortal bodies, to make you obey their passions. Romans 6:10-12

What then? Should we sin because we are not under law but under grace? By no means! ¹⁶Do you not know that if you present yourselves to anyone as obedient slaves, you are slaves of the one whom you obey, either of sin, which leads to death, or of obedience, which leads to righteousness? 17Romans 6 15-16

Are we following in the footsteps of Christ with all that entails for the way in which we live our lives?

Are we in need of repentance ourselves? To repent means to turn – do we need to turn around and follow Christ once more?

I know for myself that I need to constantly examine my life to make sure that I am going in the right direction.

That is why the Lords Prayer is so precious to me – I need God’s help on a daily basis to continue in my walk of faith - it puts everything into the right context.

First we put God where he belongs and give him the praise due to him –

Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name,

Then we pray for his work on earth to be accomplished –

your kingdom come, your will be done on earth as it is in heaven

We pray for ourselves -

Give us today our daily bread

Forgive us our sins as we forgive those who sin against us

Lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.

If we pray no other prayer but this – and mean every word of it, then we will be walking more closely in the footsteps of Christ.