Today we will be looking at Luke 13:1-9.
No one likes to have bad things happen to themselves or their loved ones. When they do happen, we often try to make sense out of the events and can run into some pitfalls. Now the Bible gives us a strong framework upon which to understand bad things in our life and the Holy Spirit promises to give us wisdom regarding how to respond. So the question is, “Am I trusting in these two supports, or am I trusting something else?” When difficult times come, we need to take time to remind ourselves of the biblical truths involved and open ourselves up to what God may want to say to us.
In verse 1 we have some news of the day that is described to Jesus. In the manner of “did you hear about so and so,” the crowd wants to hear what Jesus has to say. This news event is about a situation where Pilate, the governor of Jerusalem and Judea, had killed some Galileans. We are told that he mixed their blood with their sacrifices. Several questions are not answered but are clearly implied. Pilate most likely sees these Galileans as part of one of the rebel groups that existed in those days. It also seems that he waited until they had entered the Temple to sacrifice their offerings before he killed them. Thus the picture of a group being slaughtered in the act of worshipping God is shown. Part of understanding the mindset of the people and why they are bringing this up to Jesus is to recognize their sense of judgment. Pilate was not a righteous and godly man. He mercilessly ruled Judea so as to keep Caesar happy and the Jews under control. Yet, the fact that they are killed while worshipping God sets up a shock scenario: shock that Pilate would defile the Temple in such a way, and shock that these Galileans were killed in such a horrendous manner. The whispers and “water cooler talk” would center around what God’s response would be. Would God kill Pilate or did the Galileans deserve such a horrible death? Was it a sign that God was about to remove Pilate (i.e. he has lost all restraint) or is it a sign that these Galileans were wicked and rejected by Him? What do you think Jesus?
Jesus offers a very different response to these questions. But, before we get into that, let’s look at the question of whether it was from God or not. When bad things happen, whether to us or to others, we ask the question why. Did God cause this, or is it just happenstance? There can be no hard fast answers. In fact part of the response Jesus gives is to point out another disaster that had happened recently and tie it together with this story. In it a tower falls and kills 18 people. Notice in the first story a wicked man kills some Galileans and in the second there is seemingly no one causing the tower to fall. One thing to keep in mind is that we live in a fallen world that is under a curse. Thus many things we call bad are a result of mankind’s choice to rebel against God. We suffer disease and death as a result of it. God is not necessarily directly causing our sickness and death. Often, it is just the result of man’s choice in the Garden of Eden. Also, much “bad” that occurs is a result of our own sin and the sin of others. God didn’t make us sinful. Sin is when we reject the directions of the One who created us. We do so at our own peril. In the midst of these two categories is the reality that some things are directly caused by God and some things are only indirectly allowed by him.
An example of direct involvement is when God pours out plagues upon Pharaoh in Egypt. God generally reveals His involvement in such events through His prophets by both predicting, warning and explaining. However, in the case of Job, we see that God is only indirectly involved. It is Satan who is directly causing the trouble, but for some reason God is allowing it.
In all of these things we have to exercise humility and caution in our judgments regarding the way in which God is involved. Our first premonitions and analysis are not always right. Even with a strong, biblical world-view and understanding of the above information, we can misjudge. Job’s friends were sure that he was guilty of secret sin because of the horrendous nature of the things happening to him. The Psalmist also recognizes that people looked upon his sickness as a judgment from God. It is also the case that, when bad things happen to me, my flesh is quick to be angry with God and give up. This fleshly dynamic is interesting to watch in others, but believe me, it is operating in you. We are quick to judge (and even relish) the misfortune of others as proof that God is against them and quick to be angry with God when bad happens to us. Jesus nips this in the bud in verse 2 with the words, “Do you suppose that these Galileans were worse sinners?” He even answers it, “No.” God is not operating a universe in which the worse things happen to the worse of sinners and by extension nothing bad happens to the best people, as much as we may wish it.
Jesus turns his hearers away from judging those in misfortune and back to themselves. When bad happens to others, I need to look at my own life. We need to take time and judge our own life with the same soul-searching that the Psalmist cries for in Psalm 139:23-24. “Search me, O God, and know my heart! Try me and know my thoughts! And, see if there is any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.”
The truth is that devastating events can teach us important truths. First, it teaches us the reality of our frail mortality. No matter how righteous and close to God we are, we are still frail and not guaranteed tomorrow. Second, it teaches us to not pride in our position whether with God or with the systems of this world. Such arrogant elitism can develop in the life of Christians as well as the lost. God does not always protect the righteous from physical harm and devastation. It keeps us humble and focused upon our true task, trusting God in a fallen world. Third, I must always be ready to stand before God and give account for my life (i.e. to meet my Maker). We can come up with many others such as how we come to see the reality behind why God has warned against sin and will judge sinners. It is in the “Bad” times that we often draw closer to understanding God and being more like Him.
In verses 6-9 Jesus gives a simple parable to drive this point home. To understand this parable let’s establish what the parts of the parable represent. The “certain man” who owns a vineyard is God himself and Jesus in particular. In this vineyard he has a certain tree that is not bearing fruit. This tree is the people of Israel. So what does the fruit represent? The fruit of any believer is those godly actions that come from a heart of faith. In fact, it might be good to point out that when the Bible speaks of the fruit of the Spirit being love, joy, peace etc. it is not talking about feelings in our heart as much as it is talking about faith in God (following the Spirit) expressing itself in actions of love, joy and peace etc. Jesus came looking for actions of repentance from sin, righteousness and mercy towards others. But the tree of Israel lacked fruit as a whole. So who are the caretakers here? This is less clear but it seems best to connect the caretaker with the prophets. The digging and fertilizing are those drastic events and the warnings of the prophets that could open the “roots” of people’s lives to God’s truth. The ground around our heart can be so hard that God’s Word is unable to penetrate and do us good. Jesus warns that though the tree be given one more year to bear fruit, it will be cut down if not. Cutting down here is a picture of final judgment. It is the loss of life and standing before God. Israel as a national vehicle of God speaking to the world was about to be cut off.
It is important to recognize that God periodically comes looking for fruit, whether in the Church, a nation, or an individual. Obviously He knows at all times how we are doing. But He works by seasons in our life. He breaks open our hardened ground and inserts His Word. He then gives that Word a season to grow and come to maturity. He then has an appointed time of harvest. This parable highlights the judgment upon those who do not respond well to His Word. We should not take for granted the goodness of God. Rather we should work to cooperate with it. When we trust Him, we believe that He will work all things to the good (even bad things). Why would we believe that? We believe it because we know that He loves us and has called us for His good purpose.
Yes, God is looking for fruit. But, that does not mean that all bad things are a sign of His final judgment upon us. God is not quick to cut people off. He is long-suffering and works continually even in the life of unbelievers in order to open their eyes to sin and to His purpose. He works with His people as a parent with little children. Most of the time, He is simply disciplining us in order to make us more like Him. He is trying to lift us up and not push us down. He knows that those things we often label as bad can work for our good. Thus He allows some. He knows that we need chastised for our sin from time to time. Thus He causes others. Even when God is punishing a nation, city, or an individual, the path of repentance is always open to them. Even the threat of final judgment can be the devastating thing that breaks through our hardness and gets the Truth down to our roots; like Nineveh.
We can change our mind and thus walk a different path. This is the beauty of God’s mercy. He desires us to come into fellowship with Him. Even the thief on the cross is welcomed into Paradise, though he lived a life of sin. In the end he had a change of heart and publicly declared the innocence of Jesus and begged his mercy. Such is the heart of God even in the midst of judgment. Let us search our hearts. But, even more important, we must allow the Holy Spirit to search our hearts and bring to our attention those things that keep us from bearing the fruitful actions of a heart of faith.