God is Patient (thankfully)

This past Sunday I attended my own church in the morning and a friend’s church in the evening. Interestingly while the sermon focus was totally different at each church, Luke 13:1-9 was a scripture cited/read in both services and therefore, it would seem that the ‘message’ God wanted me to hear. This blog instead of being about the differences between the two churches (worship styles, backgrounds or sermons) is about this text. At my church the scripture above was referenced in the context of ‘producing fruit and at my friend’s church it was mentioned in the sense that thirst we have can only be fulfill by God. 

Luke 13:1-4: There were some present at that time that told Jesus about the Galileans whose blood Pilate had mixed with their sacrifices. Jesus answered, “Do you think that these Galileans were worse sinners than all the other Galileans because they suffered this way? Or the 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?”

Had I been one of those present at the time Jesus spoke this, I might have thought that he could read my mind-meaning I probably would have assumed that those who experienced these circumstances were in some way at fault and therefore deserving of assumed divine judgment.  However, Jesus challenges this sort of thinking when he asks the question about who is ‘more guilty’- which in another con(text) might have been Jesus saying ‘if any of you are without sin-be the first to cast the stone’ (John 8:7). I can only imagine that those hearing him this day, were not prepared for what he said next:

Luke 13:5: “I tell you, no! But unless you repent, you too will all perish.”

Jesus told them all too plainly that they were at risk of “perishing” unless they repented. I do not take this to mean that Jesus was saying that the former experienced such tragedies as they had because they did not repent-but rather that unless his listeners repented (turned from) their sin, there could be no ‘right’ relationship between themselves and God. This is in keeping with what John the Baptist initially preached and Jesus continued (Matthew 3:2, & 4:17; Mark 1:15). Next Jesus told them a parable.

Luke 13: 6-9: 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.  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?’ “ ‘Sir,’ the man replied, ‘leave it alone for one more year, and I’ll dig around it and fertilize it.  If it bears fruit next year, fine! If not, then cut it down.’ ”

One commentary I read said that the barren fig-tree is" the symbol of a fruitless profession of godliness"; and the delay represents “the forbearance “of God in allowing more time for repentance. This fits with my understanding of God, consider the following verses:

I Timothy 3b & 4: “…God our Savior, who wants all people to be saved and to come to knowledge of the truth.”

II Peter 3:9: “The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. Instead he is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance.”

Thankfully God is patient! Once we repent-let us not waste any time in drawing near to him and ‘producing fruit in keeping with repentance’ (Matthew 3:8). This is what I heard this past Sunday as I 'listened'. Amen!