In Conclusion…Repent or Perish!
The Son: Meeting Jesus through Luke • Sermon • Submitted • Presented
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Opening Comments:
Opening Comments:
Please make your way to Luke 13:1-9 in your copy of God’s Word. If you do not own a copy or have one with you, you can find your place in one of our church Bibles on pg. 819 and onto pg.820. This is the word of the Lord.
1 There were some present at that very time who told him about the Galileans whose blood Pilate had mingled with their sacrifices.
2 And he answered them, “Do you think that these Galileans were worse sinners than all the other Galileans, because they suffered in this way?
3 No, I tell you; but unless you repent, you will all likewise perish.
4 Or those eighteen on whom the tower in Siloam fell and killed them: do you think that they were worse offenders than all the others who lived in Jerusalem?
5 No, I tell you; but unless you repent, you will all likewise perish.”
6 And he told this parable: “A man had a fig tree planted in his vineyard, and he came seeking fruit on it and found none.
7 And he said to the vinedresser, ‘Look, for three years now I have come seeking fruit on this fig tree, and I find none. Cut it down. Why should it use up the ground?’
8 And he answered him, ‘Sir, let it alone this year also, until I dig around it and put on manure.
9 Then if it should bear fruit next year, well and good; but if not, you can cut it down.’ ”
Prayer:
Prayer:
Father,
As we approach the exposition of your Holy Word this morning in Luke 13:1-9 we ask that your Holy Spirit illuminate the truth of the text before us.
Drive home to our hearts that we are all sinners in need of repentance. That you are patient in Mercy but that your merciful patience reaches an end. Lord, I pray if there is anyone in our midst this morning playing the game of “pretend christian” that today’s text would drive them to you in genuine repentance before it is too late.
We pray this in the name of Jesus, Amen.
Introduction
Introduction
Our passage before us this morning here is Luke 13:1-9 is actually the conclusion of Jesus teaching to his followers with occasional diversions to the crowd who was traveling along with them toward Jerusalem.
The phrase “at that very time” is what connects it to Luke 12 and the Lord’s extended discourse where he has been talking about Judgement. This represents the third time that Jesus has been interrupted during his sermon which began in 12:1. Previously he was interrupted in 12:13 by a man wanting Jesus to make his brother give him a share of the inheritance from their father and again in 12:31 by Peter looking for some explanation of the parable Jesus was telling regarding a returning master and faithful and unfaithful slaves.
Jesus teaching about coming judgement and the need to repent and make things right with God before they stand before him in judgement had butted up against some “bad theology” held by the people at that time.
The Jewish people overwhelmingly believed that the explanation of why bad things happen to people was because they harbored some sin and God was judging them.
The Old Testament account of Job is a great example of this poor theology as his “friends” continually accused Job of hidden sin and his need to confess it.
We get the idea that Jesus teaching about Judgement hit up against this because of the interruption that he gets.
About a recent incident of violence as if to say, these guys deserved judgement. Jesus turns their interruption around by bringing up another incident to prove that all of humanity face the inevitability of death; because of this, there is a necessary and urgent need of repentance.
To understand this passage better, we’re going to break down Jesus conclusion into two parts:
The necessity of repentance. (v.1-5)
An illustration of repentance. (v.6-9)
1.) The necessity of repentance. (v.1-5)
1.) The necessity of repentance. (v.1-5)
A.) Violent death at the Temple. (v.1)
1 There were some present at that very time who told him about the Galileans whose blood Pilate had mingled with their sacrifices.
Pontius Pilate was the fifth Roman governor of Judea and came into office around A.D. 26 and was removed from office around A.D. 36. He was a proud and arrogant man, known for being cynical and at the same time weak and vacillating. (That will be demonstrated in the death of Christ.) Though, Luke is the only one to convey this event (and the one mentioned in v.2-5) it is pretty typical of the types of tings Pilate would do.
The Jewish historian Josephus records several events where Pilates actions caused uprisings and severe reprisals by the people in his work (Jewish Antiquities) as well does Philo in his work (On the Embassy to Gaius)
Galileans were not under the rule of Pilate but this incident seems to have occurred at the Temple in Jerusalem, perhaps while these men were in town for some sort of Jewish festival offering sacrifices.
It’s possible that these men mentioned here were involved in some act of sedition against the Romans. We don’t know for sure. All we know is that Pilate sent his soldiers into the place of sacrifice and slaughtered these men so violently that there blood mixed with the blood of the sacrifice upon the altar.
This act put the people into a sort of ethical dilemma that their poor theology couldn't answer. If it were true these men were allowed to be slaughtered because of secret sin that had they have confessed would have been forgiven. Then why were they killed in the very act of repenting and bringing sacrifice in obedience to God’s law?
Jesus knew they were having this dilemma so he asked them
2 And he answered them, “Do you think that these Galileans were worse sinners than all the other Galileans, because they suffered in this way?
This is exactly what they thought! These must have been bad people and on top of that, they were Galileans (country bumpkins) who the people of Jerusalem looked down on.
But Jesus response throws them
3 No, I tell you; but unless you repent, you will all likewise perish.
Jesus, just broke apart their theology.
While it is true that sometimes God brings immediate judgement upon people for specific sin, not all tragedy is due to sin in the life of those who who face it.
The reality is that Death happens. Tragedy comes upon everyone. Sometimes unthinkable things happen to the most godly people.
Those who die under awful circumstances are no worse of sinners than those who survive them.
Matthew 5:45 (ESV)
45 …For he makes his sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust.
God uses tragedy to remind all of us that death is imminent, sometimes it comes upon us when we least expect it, so we need to be prepared and ready.
B.) The tower of Siloam accident.
4 Or those eighteen on whom the tower in Siloam fell and killed them: do you think that they were worse offenders than all the others who lived in Jerusalem?
This is another event that is only recorded for us here in Luke with no other reference to it inside or outside the Bible.
Siloam was a section of Jerusalem that is near the southeast corner of the city wall. Water from the Gihon spring in the Kidron Valley flowed into the pool of Siloam through a tunnel built by King Hezekiah (2 Kings 20:20). The Pool was rediscovered in 2004 by archeologist.
Apparently there was a tower there, it’s possible it was built in connection with the construction of a Roman aqueduct in the area, or that it was a part of the wall. Whichever it was, it fell, unexpectedly and killed 18 innocent people.
These weren’t known criminals or known “bad” people, just innocent bystanders. We know this because Jesus tells us they weren’t “worse offenders” than the men killed at the temple.
Offenders- Literally debtors either financially or in a moral or social sense (one who fails in a duty).
These people weren’t awful people, they were just normal everyday sinners like you and me.
Jesus here is again driving home the point, that bad things happen all of the time.
We live in a sin cursed world, when death comes, we die. Regardless of the circumstances, we will all face death and what comes after it. We must be prepared.
27 And just as it is appointed for man to die once, and after that comes judgment,
We don’t want to lose the thread here, Jesus has been speaking of final judgement before God. We’re all going to die and we’re all going to stand before our maker, because we are all sinners. There may be differences in degrees between us as sinners, but we are all sinners!
23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,
We’re all guilty, we’re all deserving of death and judgement.
C.) If we don’t repent, we will perish for all eternity.
5 No, I tell you; but unless you repent, you will all likewise perish.”
Following the Lord’s previous point at the end of ch.12, we must settle our case before we face the judge of the universe.
The jewish people were living in a works-righteousness system that pushed people into a superficial idea that they were “good” based on their selective adherence to their laws and conditions. Because of this, they refused to see themselves as sinners. They were self-righteous. Which is why Jesus constantly called them to repentance.
A.) What is repentance
It is far more than just an emotional experience that you’ve been manipulated into by music or a riveting sermon.
Neither is it a ritual of penance where you “confess” and then do some mechanical exercise like paying restitution or doing some sort of act as payment for your sin.
It is a change of mind about our sinfulness that brings a change of actions that affirm Jesus as their only Lord and Savior. Not a change of mind in the sense that you can change it again but in a permanent sense. It is both intentional and volitional (maybe emotional). It is a real turn around of a persons life in respect to their sinful conduct. It is not just turning from sin, but it is turning to Christ.
This must happen in our souls, or we will perish in judgement.
Hear me today, If Jesus has not changed your conduct and if he is not continually changing your conduct, it is very likely that you do not have genuine faith in Christ.
Repentance is not an option it is a must.
True christianity is marked by repentance both at the start and ongoing through life.
19 Repent therefore, and turn back, that your sins may be blotted out,
22 Repent, therefore, of this wickedness of yours, and pray to the Lord that, if possible, the intent of your heart may be forgiven you.
30 The times of ignorance God overlooked, but now he commands all people everywhere to repent,
2.) An illustration of repentance. (v.6-9)
2.) An illustration of repentance. (v.6-9)
Jesus being the monumental preacher that he was (Spurgeon has nothing on Jesus) ends his sermon with an illustration.
6 And he told this parable: “A man had a fig tree planted in his vineyard, and he came seeking fruit on it and found none.
7 And he said to the vinedresser, ‘Look, for three years now I have come seeking fruit on this fig tree, and I find none. Cut it down. Why should it use up the ground?’
8 And he answered him, ‘Sir, let it alone this year also, until I dig around it and put on manure.
9 Then if it should bear fruit next year, well and good; but if not, you can cut it down.’ ”
Jesus parable here is a simple and straightforward analogy meant to shed light on his point that we must repent or perish.
The parable is of a man who has a fig tree that has been planted in his vineyard. The fig tree had been there for 3 years at this point, but when the owner of the vineyard came looking for figs every year, he finds none. So, he expresses his frustration to the to the keeper of the vineyard and instructs him to cut it down because it’s sucking vital nutrients from the soil but producing zero fruit.
The keeper of the vineyard then pleads with the owner to give the tree one more year to produce fruit. That in that time he will cultivate the roots, give it and give more fertilizer. The owner, says “fine, but if it doesn't produce fruit next season, we’re going to cut it down.”
A.) The parable explained
While Jesus crowd would have understood the general point of the parable, the symbolism would have been lost on them.
Jesus told this parable to show the people that while God is gracious in giving people time to repent, that patients will not go on forever. Jesus had come to the nation of Israel and the time for repentance had come. Yet they still continue to bear no fruit. So God, the ever gracious owner of the garden, held back his judgment for a season. But if they don't repent, the end would come. The tree would be cut down and God would give them no more chances. His mercy and patience would end and judgement would come.
The owner- God
The Fig tree- Israel/the world
The vine dresser- Jesus
Friends, the mercy and patience of God reaches and end. God only allows so much time for a person to repent until they are judged for their rejection of Jesus.
That’s why the Bible declares
6 “Seek the Lord while he may be found; call upon him while he is near;
1 Working together with him, then, we appeal to you not to receive the grace of God in vain.
2 For he says, “In a favorable time I listened to you, and in a day of salvation I have helped you.” Behold, now is the favorable time; behold, now is the day of salvation.
That day is coming sooner than we think, and if you do not repent and turn to Christ in this life, you will perish.
Repentance is nothing less than a life that has been radically changed. A life that has intellectually and volitionally turned from sin and turned to Jesus.
Friends, Don’t presume upon the mercy of God. Repent or Perish!
Conclusion
Conclusion
Jesus' teaching pierces our souls: repentance is not optional, but essential.
"Repentance is urgent!
Jesus' parable warns: God's mercy has limits. Don't gamble with eternity; surrender to Christ's transformation.
Turn from sin, cling to Christ, and live! Don't deceive yourself; genuine faith transforms lives.
