Peril of Not Changing

Peril of Not Changing Peril of Not Changing Michael Morse / General CrossFit / Repent; Fruit; Fair; Judgment; Mercy; God: Grace / Luke 13:1-9 Introduction 1. Almost everyone has a warped view of their own good health until they dont a. We ignore the signs of drifting to unhealthiness i. Extra inches - tight clothes ii. Easily tired from walking or moving short bursts b. Usually we are faced with it after our annual checkup and the doctor looks at us - you know the look disapprovingly i. They order blood tests and then gives the results ii. We have that sit down moment with them and they say - here is where you are at and the path you are on 1. Without changing your life will be cut short - you will experience debilitating effects a. You are headed for heart disease b. You are borderline diabetic c. etc 2. However with change we can mitigate this and even change your trajectory a. Make some dietary changes - Stop eating tacos b. Start exercising more and being more active c. We are faced with a choice and the chance for change i. Remember though the peril of remaining unchanged - you will head that way ii. The biggest peril is you dont know how long your window for change is open 1. There does come a time when you cannot change it 2. Or worse that its too late to change anything because you arent here anymore 2. Spiritual Crossfitness is the same - there is a peril of remaining unchanged a. In Luke we are going to see a warning that Jesus gives to the people concerning their urgent need for change b. There is a great danger in the refusal to change and we need to be aware of what that is and make sure we make the changes necessary spiritually. › SLIDE Luke 13:1-2 CSB 1 At that time, some people came and reported to him about the Galileans whose blood Pilate had mixed with their sacrifices. 2 And he responded to them, "Do you think that these Galileans were more sinful than all the other Galileans because they suffered these things? › SLIDE Luke 13:3-5 CSB 3 No, I tell you; but unless you repent, you will all perish as well. 4 Or those eighteen that the tower in Siloam fell on and killed-do you think they were more sinful than all the other people who live in Jerusalem? 5 No, I tell you; but unless you repent, you will all perish as well." › SLIDE Luke 13:6-7 CSB 6 And he told this parable: "A man had a fig tree that was planted in his vineyard. He came looking for fruit on it and found none. 7 He told the vineyard worker, 'Listen, for three years I have come looking for fruit on this fig tree and haven't found any. Cut it down! Why should it even waste the soil?' › SLIDE Luke 13:8-9 CSB 8 "But he replied to him, 'Sir, leave it this year also, until I dig around it and fertilize it. 9 Perhaps it will produce fruit next year, but if not, you can cut it down.' " › SLIDE You Perish Without Change › SLIDE Luke 13:1-2 CSB 1 At that time, some people came and reported to him about the Galileans whose blood Pilate had mixed with their sacrifices. 2 And he responded to them, "Do you think that these Galileans were more sinful than all the other Galileans because they suffered these things? › SLIDE Luke 13:3-5 CSB 3 No, I tell you; but unless you repent, you will all perish as well. 4 Or those eighteen that the tower in Siloam fell on and killed-do you think they were more sinful than all the other people who live in Jerusalem? 5 No, I tell you; but unless you repent, you will all perish as well." 1. Life is not fair or merciful › SLIDE Life is neither fair nor merciful a. Suffering does not mean one is sinful i. Some people come to Jesus here and bring a report of an incident concerning a group of Galileans and Pilate's rule 1. It would seem that this group of Galileans were in Jerusalem to worship and make atonement for sin. 2. It was a time of feasting and a time for sacrifice to be made and these Galileans had come to make their sacrifice before God but it seems that Pilate had ordered them to be slaughtered amidst their own sacrifices a. We dont have an exact record in secular history of what exactly happened. William Barclay in his commentary mentions a similar incident before the ministry of Jesus. Pilate wanted to build an aqueduct from the Pools of Solomon to the city of Jerusalem. To pay for it, he demanded money from the temple treasury, money that had been dedicated to God - and this outraged the priests and the people. When the Jews sent a delegation to beg for their money back, Pilate sent into the crowd soldiers dressed as common people, and at a certain signal they took out daggers and attacked the people asking for the money. b. This doesnt fit the incident here but shows the incident described in our passage is completely in alignment with the character of Pilate. ii. Jesus response to the recount of these events seems to indicate the attitude of the people was that these people got what they deserved - probably because they were excessively sinful 1. Jews rigidly connect sin and suffering. a. Job's friend Eliphaz showed this in his counseling of Job › SLIDE Job 4:7 CSB 7 Consider: Who has perished when he was innocent? Where have the honest been destroyed? b. A cruel doctrine to be sure - especially for us in light of the martyrs of the faith across Church history 2. Jesus asks a rhetorical question - "do you think these Galileans were more sinful than all other Galileans because they suffered these things? a. Sinful - hamartolos = sinner b. Was their sin greater - is it possible for ones sins to be greater? Is is possible to be a greater sinner than others? c. Jesus answers No - emphatically and adds to it - but I tell you unless you repent you will all perish as well i. Jesus I believe is not saying that the Galileans were innocent, He is simply saying their guilt of sin is no greater than anyone else. › SLIDE All WERE and all ARE GUILTY of sin. ii. Unless one repents they will likewise perish suffering 1. Sin doesnt always bring suffering - but it always brings death b. Tragedy does not mean one is sinful i. Jesus then continues on with the recounting of the tragedy that befell those in Jerusalem - where a tower fell on and killed 18 people tragically ii. Jesus response again here seems to indicate that the attitude of the people and the belief they had was if a catastrophe befell you it was a judgment from God for your sinfulness 1. Jews in addition to connecting suffering at the hands of men to sinfulness they also add tragedy to the proof of sin in your life being judged 2. Again Jesus asks the rhetorical question - do you think that they were more sinful than all of the other people who live in Jerusalem? a. Was their sinfulness - a new word here for sinful - opheiletes - debtor or in debt - were they a greater debtor was their debt greater than all others in Jerusalem? b. Jesus answer No - emphatically again and adds to it - but I tell you unless you repent you will all perish as well i. Unless one repents they will likewise perish tragically ii. Sin doesnt always bring tragedy - but it always brings death 2. God is either fair or merciful - the choice is yours to make › SLIDE God is either fair or merciful - the choice is yours to make a. Unfortunately the belief that suffering and tragedy - or sickness and hardtimes are a sign of judgment for sin is still alive and well today. Much the same if everything is going well it must be because God is pleased with you. i. We normally think of some people as good and some people as bad and it is easily to believe that fairness would be good things happen to good people, and bad things happen to bad people. 1. We know we are under this thinking when we are caught off guard when we see wicked prosper or the good suffer - we scream aloud or inside this isnt fair 2. Church history has taught us by example sometimes and more often than not - it is the greatest saints who often suffer the most. ii. Jesus is correcting this thinking - we must correct this thinking because the idea of fairness and what we deserve and all that is junk theology when we find ourselves in the midst of tragedy or suffering - we will lose our faith if we have this false idea › SLIDE Some people are not good or bad - all people are sinful b. We do not want fairness - because if we receive fairness - we all likewise will perish › SLIDE The wages of sin is death - Romans 6:23a i. Righteousness and unrighteousness is not indicated by what happens to you in this life - for this life is within the fallen world and corrupted by sin 1. Death at the hands of men and tragedy no indicator 2. Death is common to all who live ii. What did Jesus say - unless you repent you will likewise perish 1. Only repentance can bring life 2. Repentance - metanoeo - meta change noeo - mind - to change ones mind a. The hebrew word for repent is a change of action b. The Greek word is to change ones mind i. Both are needed and they indicate a one time and ongoing action of changing › SLIDE Romans 6:23 CSB 23 For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord. c. God is either fair or He is merciful you make the choice i. Fair is when you get what you deserve and mercy not getting what you deserve 1. You either repent and dont get what you deserve as a sinner or you dont repent and you will receive whats fair for a sinner › SLIDE You Are Unfruitful Without Change › SLIDE Luke 13:6-7 CSB 6 And he told this parable: "A man had a fig tree that was planted in his vineyard. He came looking for fruit on it and found none. 7 He told the vineyard worker, 'Listen, for three years I have come looking for fruit on this fig tree and haven't found any. Cut it down! Why should it even waste the soil?' 1. God is looking for fruit a. Jesus now speaks of a parable to illustrate the evidence of change i. The parable consists of a man with a fig tree in his vineyard and a vineyard worker 1. The man = God 2. The fig tree = Israel 3. God's Vineyard = World 4. Vinedresser = Lord Jesus ii. The man came looking for fruit on the fig tree and found none 1. This wasnt the first time he came looking either - he has been doing this for three years 2. Typically they say dont eat the fruit from a tree for three years, Jewish tradition then says the 4th year is the Lord's - so this man could have been waiting for fruit from this tree for up to seven years - but the length isnt important - it is to illustrate it was a reasonable amount of time iii. Upon not finding fruit the man said cut it down - for it is a waste 1. The tree is a waste for not being fruitful 2. The soil is wasted by the tree that isnt fruitful - the tree is just taking up space b. Jesus in this parable is speaking of the nation of Israel and their judgment for being fruitless - an unrepentant - but it also has lessons for us individually as well i. God expects fruit from those in his vineyard - He gives plenty of time for the fruit to appear also ii. What is fruit - well fruit is the works of obedience - but not in a works-righteousness 1. Fruit is not hard to have - it doesnt take effort to produce fruit - it happens naturally › SLIDE John 15:1-2 CSB 1 "I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener. 2 Every branch in me that does not produce fruit he removes, and he prunes every branch that produces fruit so that it will produce more fruit. › SLIDE John 15:4-5 CSB 4 Remain in me, and I in you. Just as a branch is unable to produce fruit by itself unless it remains on the vine, neither can you unless you remain in me. 5 I am the vine; you are the branches. The one who remains in me and I in him produces much fruit, because you can do nothing without me. iii. To be fruitless is to waste the time given 1. Uselessness invites disaster 2. Something that only takes, cannot survive - it must produce something 2. Fruit reveals the reality of change › SLIDE Repentance is evidenced by the fruit of repentance › SLIDE Matthew 3:8 CSB 8 Therefore produce fruit consistent with repentance. a. Fruit is visible evidence of a fruit tree - it reveals what the tree is - a tree cannot pretend to be anything else when the fruit comes › SLIDE Matthew 7:18-20 CSB 18 A good tree can't produce bad fruit; neither can a bad tree produce good fruit. 19 Every tree that doesn't produce good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. 20 So you'll recognize them by their fruit. i. A visible change must be seen in the life of one who claims to repent and believe in the Messiah. Someone who claims to have encountered God but remains unchanged is a liar. 1. God is so awesome and great that any who truly encounter Him are forever changed. › SLIDE Fruitless = unchanged and unchanged means unrepentant › SLIDE Time For Change Will Run Out › SLIDE Luke 13:8-9 CSB 8 "But he replied to him, 'Sir, leave it this year also, until I dig around it and fertilize it. 9 Perhaps it will produce fruit next year, but if not, you can cut it down.' " 1. The grace of God gives time for change a. The vineyard worker - Jesus - said leave it for one more year - the timing isnt significant it just represents a grace period to allow chance for the tree to change and produce i. Jesus went to Israel as their Messiah to give them the chance for being fruitful as they accept their Messiah - His ministry among them and the beginning of the church was significant ii. Jesus also came to save the Gentiles as Luke's Gospel continues to point us to b. Notice the desire for the fig tree to bear fruit i. Jesus desired for Israel to bear fruit and be fruitful in Him - so much that it drove Him to weep over Jerusalem › SLIDE Luke 19:41-42 CSB 41 As he approached and saw the city, he wept for it, 42 saying, "If you knew this day what would bring peace-but now it is hidden from your eyes. ii. Jesus interceded on Israel's and our behalf to give time for repentance › SLIDE Jesus desires that we would bear fruit, and goes to great length to care for and nourish the soil so that we might. 2. The time for change will eventually be gone a. Though Jesus interceded on our behalf and brought a period of mercy and longsuffering - eventually that time will come to an end when the Father comes looking for fruit again i. Even in delayed judgment there is a reckoning › SLIDE God's mercy and longsuffering is not indefinite b. Eventually you will reach your final chance i. God gives second chances yes but one day it will be the final chance Conclusion As we consider this passage before us this morning - let us move from the question of why these things happen - to asking what it means for us. Sudden death is a real possibility - no one is guaranteed tomorrow. Are you prepared for that, are you prepared to enter eternity? There is only one way to prepare for eternity - by changing. Changing who you are from sinner to saint - through repenting and believing in Jesus Christ for salvation through the forgiveness of your sins. Lack of judgment in the present, does not indicate that all is right. It is a sign of God's mercy not His approval. Israel was judged and the fig tree removed in 70 AD - 40 years after Jesus died God is seeking fruit. He will not accept any substitutes. Are we fruitful for the Lord or are we just using up resources and His gifts to us? Next time you read about a tragedy that claims many lives - instead asking why so many lives wasted - ask if you are wasting your life - your time God has given you. Are you taking up space or are you producing fruit? Each time we see or hear of someone dying we should be reminded to make the most of the time we have to be fruitful for God and to glorify God. Jesus left this parable open ended about the fig tree bearing fruit - because it must be applied personally and the question of fruitfulness answered individually - when the Lord comes looking for fruit will he find it or walk away empty-handed? The only way to become fruitful in this life - is first and foremost to repent of sin and believe in Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior - because it is only by abiding in Jesus - the true vine that we can be fruitful. We must be fruitful for the vineyard owner will cutdown unfruitful trees after an undefined amount of time. Why perish as unfruitful - give your life to Jesus now and begin bearing the fruit of repentance. If you feel barren after having give your life to Jesus before - I beg you come again and choose to abide in Him - He promises those who abide in Him and He in they - shall bear much fruit Unless you repent you shall too likewise perish - it is your choice Page . Exported from Logos Bible Software, 10:43 AM October 24, 2020.