Sermon – A Proper Response To War And The Tragedies Of Life

Sermon – A Proper Response to War and the Tragedies of Life

Sermon: Luke 13:1-9 “About this time Jesus was informed that Pilate had murdered some people from Galilee as they were offering sacrifices at the Temple. “Do you think those Galileans were worse sinners than all the other people from Galilee?” Jesus asked. “Is that why they suffered? Not at all! And you will perish, too, unless you repent of your sins and turn to God. And what about the eighteen people who died when the tower in Siloam fell on them? Were they the worst sinners in Jerusalem? No, and I tell you again that unless you repent, you will perish, too.”

Then Jesus told this story: “A man planted a fig tree in his garden and came again and again to see if there was any fruit on it, but he was always disappointed. Finally, he said to his gardener, ‘I’ve waited three years, and there hasn’t been a single fig! Cut it down. It’s just taking up space in the garden.” “The gardener answered, ‘Sir, give it one more chance. Leave it another year, and I’ll give it special attention and plenty of fertilizer. If we get figs next year, fine. If not, then you can cut it down.”

Introduction: What causes wars to erupt? What causes markets to fall, tragic accidents to happen, projects to fail and political candidates to disappoint us? Have you ever asked yourself, ‘What is going on?’ or ‘Why is this happening to me now?’ I’m a great believer that, just as there are seasons in nature, we also experience different seasons in our own individual lives. I hope the message will help you in understanding the seasons and how to respond. Now, during the Fall season, our surroundings are changing, the leaves are turning, nights are drawing in and colder weather, frosty morning and perhaps snow and ice is coming. ! It’s a new season of football, or Basketball, or a new political season. May be we must face career changes or health challenges or the change could be spiritual, emotional, and physical all bringing us to a different season in life.

Hosea 10:12-13, suggest that we, ‘Plant the good seeds of righteousness, and you will harvest a crop of love. Plough up the hard ground of your hearts, for now is the time to seek the LORD, that he may come and shower righteousness upon you.”

There are clearly different seasons: Spring: for planting and cultivating. Summer: for watering and feeding. Autumn: for harvest and reaping & then ploughing. Winter: the ground is left bare, and nothing appears to be happening. We cannot control the seasons, but we recognize that seasons are a part of God’s plan. “There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under the heavens.” (Ecclesiastes 3:1)

In thinking about a proper response to the seasons of life, the bible does not give us a reason for seasons changing. The Bible does not explain why violence and tragedies are a part of our world. We are not told why there was a serpent in the garden of Eden. We never told why bad things happen to good people. Yet men often speculate about the subject and are often wrong in their conclusions. Jesus in the text teaches that a proper response to the challenges of life should be self-examination. The uncertainty of life, unexpected suffering and trial should be a call to repentance and drawing closer to God. Jesus follows this conversation with a parable of the barren fig tree to teach of us that there is an expectation and a day of accountability.

Jesus was responding to a season of tragedy, people are murdered, towers fall, and people are killed. Jesus mentions the tower in Siloam in the context of answering a question about a recent tragedy in Jerusalem. Some people told Jesus about a group of Galileans who had come to the temple to sacrifice, and Pontius Pilate slaughtered them, probably due to a public disturbance the Galileans were causing (Luke 13:1). The men who related this story to Jesus may have been trying to lure Him into taking sides, either for or against Pilate, or they may have simply been curious about Jesus’ reaction to the massacre. Whatever their motivation, Jesus’ response is sobering: “Do you think that these Galileans were worse sinners than all the other Galileans because they suffered this way? I tell you, no! But unless you repent, you too will all perish” (verses 2–3).

Jesus continues the conversation by mentioning another current event, this one involving the tower of Siloam: “Or those 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? I tell you, no! But unless you repent, you too will all perish” (Luke 13:4–5).