Living in God's Purpose
Sermon Text for March 11:
Luke 13:1-9
What do you think about the Anna Nichole Smith story? It’s kind of disgusting in an irresistible way isn’t it? Even those of us who are not celebrity watchers were still drawn toward it for its lurid details. For weeks we wondered what juicy tidbit would be coming next. How did she juggle that many lovers? Did they know about each other? In the end of the day who is going to turn out to be the baby’s father? And just what killed her?
This story draws us because of what I call the “ick” factor. We read it and say to ourselves, “Ooh ick! What kind of person is she?” But “ick” sells, so several magazines are in print just to keep us in the know about people like Anna Nichole, even if we don’t really care. If there is an “ick factor” we want to read it, if only surreptitiously in the grocery line. And this has probably been going on forever. Our gospel lesson proves that.
One day some people approached Jesus with a horrifying story about devout believers whom Pilate killed as they were offering sacrifices to God. It was said that the blood of the worshippers mingled with the blood of their animal sacrifice and ran down the altar.
The story brought revulsion and disbelief. But it was the kind of story that people loved to repeat. How could God allow a sacred moment to be marred by something so terrible? The only way first century believers could make sense out of it was to conclude that the worshippers must have been terribly sinful.
But when Jesus heard the story, he turned it around on them so the focus was not on those who died but rather on those who told him the story. Instead of judging others, they were forced to examine their own lives. When told about the worshippers whom Pilate murdered He said, “Do you think that these Galileans were worse sinners than all of the other Galileans because they suffered this way?” There was no question in the peoples’ minds, “Of course they were terrible sinners, perhaps the worst sinners. What other explanation could there be for what happened?” But Jesus had a different perspective, and turned the question around so that the gossips were invited to examine themselves. “No I tell you, they were not worse sinners, but unless you repent you will all likewise perish.”
Then to emphasize his point Jesus reminded them of another unbelievable tragedy. He said “Do you remember those eighteen upon whom the Tower of Siloam fell and killed them, do you suppose that they were worse sinners than all the other who lived in Jerusalem? No I tell you but unless you repent you will all likewise perish.”
So Jesus denounces the common idea that there is a relationship between sin and tragedy, but at the same time accentuates the need for all of us to repent. And there is a warning in his teaching that might have made his first century audience squirm. “Just because nothing tragic has befallen you, do not become complacent. Do not assume that everything is alright between you and God. Recognize your own need to repent!”
The word “repent” literally means to turn around and go a different direction, or to change one’s mind. In the faith context it means to turn from the attitudes and values of our culture and toward the perspective of the kingdom of heaven. So Jesus says to us as we journey into Lent, “Turn around and go a different direction! Turn from the path you are following and come toward me.”
To help the disciples understand this teaching he told the story about a fig tree that was planted in a vineyard that never bore fruit. After watching this worthless tree for years the owner of the vineyard ordered the tree cut down because it was wasting good soil. But the gardener argued for a reprieve saying, “Let’s wait a year and let me dig around it and fertilize it. If it bears fruit after that then well and good. If not then we can remove it.”
In ancient Judaism the vineyard is always the symbol for the community of faith – the chosen people. Sometimes God is depicted as the owner of the vineyard and sometimes as the gardener. In this parable God is the owner of the vineyard who is growing more and more impatient as he waits for the tree to bear fruit. The gardener talks the owner into one more year of life for the tree as he gives it special attention.
The message is clear. God wants us to bear fruit, to be productive. It is not enough for us to be simply taking up space, marking time, or passing along juicy stories. We are called to be productive citizens of the Kingdom of God.
As we move through Lent let us repent of judging others as being more or less sinful than we are. Let us repent of taking up space in God’s garden while not being productive. And let us welcome the Savior’s nurture and care as he prepares us to live up to our purpose in life. Jesus wants us to live as if we are on borrowed time. It is time we have been given to bear fruit for the kingdom of God.
Copyright © 2007 by Dwight R. Blackstock
Luke 13:1-9
What do you think about the Anna Nichole Smith story? It’s kind of disgusting in an irresistible way isn’t it? Even those of us who are not celebrity watchers were still drawn toward it for its lurid details. For weeks we wondered what juicy tidbit would be coming next. How did she juggle that many lovers? Did they know about each other? In the end of the day who is going to turn out to be the baby’s father? And just what killed her?
This story draws us because of what I call the “ick” factor. We read it and say to ourselves, “Ooh ick! What kind of person is she?” But “ick” sells, so several magazines are in print just to keep us in the know about people like Anna Nichole, even if we don’t really care. If there is an “ick factor” we want to read it, if only surreptitiously in the grocery line. And this has probably been going on forever. Our gospel lesson proves that.
One day some people approached Jesus with a horrifying story about devout believers whom Pilate killed as they were offering sacrifices to God. It was said that the blood of the worshippers mingled with the blood of their animal sacrifice and ran down the altar.
The story brought revulsion and disbelief. But it was the kind of story that people loved to repeat. How could God allow a sacred moment to be marred by something so terrible? The only way first century believers could make sense out of it was to conclude that the worshippers must have been terribly sinful.
But when Jesus heard the story, he turned it around on them so the focus was not on those who died but rather on those who told him the story. Instead of judging others, they were forced to examine their own lives. When told about the worshippers whom Pilate murdered He said, “Do you think that these Galileans were worse sinners than all of the other Galileans because they suffered this way?” There was no question in the peoples’ minds, “Of course they were terrible sinners, perhaps the worst sinners. What other explanation could there be for what happened?” But Jesus had a different perspective, and turned the question around so that the gossips were invited to examine themselves. “No I tell you, they were not worse sinners, but unless you repent you will all likewise perish.”
Then to emphasize his point Jesus reminded them of another unbelievable tragedy. He said “Do you remember those eighteen upon whom the Tower of Siloam fell and killed them, do you suppose that they were worse sinners than all the other who lived in Jerusalem? No I tell you but unless you repent you will all likewise perish.”
So Jesus denounces the common idea that there is a relationship between sin and tragedy, but at the same time accentuates the need for all of us to repent. And there is a warning in his teaching that might have made his first century audience squirm. “Just because nothing tragic has befallen you, do not become complacent. Do not assume that everything is alright between you and God. Recognize your own need to repent!”
The word “repent” literally means to turn around and go a different direction, or to change one’s mind. In the faith context it means to turn from the attitudes and values of our culture and toward the perspective of the kingdom of heaven. So Jesus says to us as we journey into Lent, “Turn around and go a different direction! Turn from the path you are following and come toward me.”
To help the disciples understand this teaching he told the story about a fig tree that was planted in a vineyard that never bore fruit. After watching this worthless tree for years the owner of the vineyard ordered the tree cut down because it was wasting good soil. But the gardener argued for a reprieve saying, “Let’s wait a year and let me dig around it and fertilize it. If it bears fruit after that then well and good. If not then we can remove it.”
In ancient Judaism the vineyard is always the symbol for the community of faith – the chosen people. Sometimes God is depicted as the owner of the vineyard and sometimes as the gardener. In this parable God is the owner of the vineyard who is growing more and more impatient as he waits for the tree to bear fruit. The gardener talks the owner into one more year of life for the tree as he gives it special attention.
The message is clear. God wants us to bear fruit, to be productive. It is not enough for us to be simply taking up space, marking time, or passing along juicy stories. We are called to be productive citizens of the Kingdom of God.
As we move through Lent let us repent of judging others as being more or less sinful than we are. Let us repent of taking up space in God’s garden while not being productive. And let us welcome the Savior’s nurture and care as he prepares us to live up to our purpose in life. Jesus wants us to live as if we are on borrowed time. It is time we have been given to bear fruit for the kingdom of God.
Copyright © 2007 by Dwight R. Blackstock
posted by Dwight Blackstock | 6:06 PM
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