Luke 13:1-9 12-9-12 A.M.
Have you ever stopped to think of what life would be like without Christ? Have you ever stopped to think of what life would be like if Jesus had never come? It s not our usual perspective.
Western History Books divide time into the things which happened B. C. - (Before Christ) came and A.D - (Anno Domini= [Latin] In the year of our Lord ) after [or since ] Christ came.
No churches of Christ without Christ.
No churches of Christ without Christ. We would have only half a Bible, if that. (Christ is the fulfillment).
No churches of Christ without Christ. We would have only half a Bible, if that. (Christ is the fulfillment). There could be no Christmas, no Christmas Carols or Hymns.
No churches of Christ without Christ. We would have only half a Bible, if that. (Christ is the fulfillment). There could be no Christmas, no Christmas Carols or Hymns. Can you imagine a world like that?
Matthew would still have been a traitor to his countrymen.
Matthew would still have been a traitor to his countrymen. Peter, James and John would likely have done nothing more with their lives than fish for a living.
Matthew would still have been a traitor to his countrymen. Peter, James and John would likely have done nothing more with their lives than fish for a living. Mary of Magdalene would have died in her sins.
Matthew would still have been a traitor to his countrymen. Peter, James and John would likely have done nothing more with their lives than fish for a living. Mary of Magdalene would have died in her sins. The Apostle Paul would never have been anything more than a cruel Pharisee steeped in legalism.
And all of the people who needed healing, during Christ s time on earth, would still have remained broken in body and spirit.
And all of the people who needed healing, during Christ s time on earth, would still have remained broken in body and spirit. The lame would still have been lame.
And all of the people who needed healing, during Christ s time on earth, would still have remained broken in body and spirit. The lame would still have been lame. The blind would have remained in their darkness.
And all of the people who needed healing, during Christ s time on earth, would still have remained broken in body and spirit. The lame would still have been lame. The blind would have remained in their darkness. The deaf would have still lived in silence.
For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whosoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him, (John 3:16-17).
Parables are earthly stories with Heavenly meanings. They are humanly relatable stories designed to offer a sound Biblical perspective on life.
A type of inside language deliberately hiding His message from the opposition; with the expressed goal of communicating God s wisdom, perspective, and grace into the hearts of the genuinely faithful. (Mt. 13:11; Lk. 18:34)
1 2 3 Now on the same occasion there were some present who reported to Him about the Galileans, whose blood Pilate had mingled with their sacrifices. And He answered and said to them, "Do you suppose that these Galileans were {greater} sinners than all {other} Galileans, because they suffered this {fate?} "I tell you, no, but unless you repent, you will all likewise perish.
4 5 "Or do you suppose that those eighteen on whom the tower in Siloam fell and killed them, were {worse} culprits [debtors] than all the men who live in Jerusalem? "I tell you, no, but unless you repent, you will all likewise perish."
Pilate, the Anti-Semitic Roman ruler
Pilate, the Anti-Semitic Roman ruler New Water Works for Jerusalem
Pilate, the Anti-Semitic Roman ruler New Water Works for Jerusalem *Funded with Temple taxes which he had confiscated from their treasury.
Pilate, the Anti-Semitic Roman ruler New Water Works for Jerusalem *Funded with Temple taxes which he had confiscated from their treasury. Zionistic Galilean nationalists outraged!
Pilate, the Anti-Semitic Roman ruler New Water Works for Jerusalem *Funded with Temple taxes which he had confiscated from their treasury. Zionistic Galilean nationalists outraged! March against Pilate.
Pilate, the Anti-Semitic Roman ruler New Water Works for Jerusalem *Funded with Temple taxes which he had confiscated from their treasury. Zionistic Galilean nationalists outraged! March against Pilate. His troops kill a fair number of Galileans.
Job 4:7 Who {ever} perished being innocent? Or where were the upright destroyed?
"Do you suppose that these Galileans were {greater} sinners than {all other} Galileans, because they suffered this fate? Perspective: Men die everyday. Is it always because of sin? "I tell you, no, but unless you repent, you will all likewise perish.
"Or do you suppose that those eighteen on whom the tower in Siloam fell and killed them, (an accident) were {worse} culprits (debtors) than all the men who live in Jerusalem? (Apparently, some of the workers were working for Pilate were killed during the construction of the waterworks.) Perspective: "I tell you, no, but unless you repent, you will all likewise perish."
Did you know 114 men died during the construction of Hoover Dam? It is estimated that some 12,000 American workers died during the construction of the Panama Canal and over 22,000 during the French effort to build it. (Most were due to disease, particularly yellow fever and malaria.)
Were they (greater) sinners than those who lived? Any greater than you? Verse 5 - "I tell you, no, but unless you repent, you will all likewise perish."
It is not that remarkable that men die; that the Zionists were killed by Pilate s troops or that a minority of workers died at Pilate s hands or in the accident at the Siloam Tower
What is remarkable is that God has been so gracious with you to allow you to live!
Because, if sin is the basis of calamity, then ALL MEN DESERVE CALAMITY. ALL MEN DESERVE TO DIE. To quote the Apostle Paul ; All have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God. (Rom. 3:23). (Rom 3:12b ) there is none that doeth good, no, not one, (KJV).
FUNDAMENTAL FACT = ALL SIN & ALL DIE. But the Key Question here is, What to do about it! KEY ANSWER: STAY FAITHFUL, PRODUCE FRUIT, DIE SAVED.
6 7 And Jesus {began} telling this parable: A certain man had a fig tree which He had been planted in His {own} vineyard; and He came looking for fruit on it, and did not find any. And He said to the Vineyard- Keeper, Behold, for three years I have come looking for fruit on this fig tree without finding any. Cut it down! Why does it even use up the ground?
8 And He answered and said to Him, Let it alone, Sir, for this year too, until I dig around it and I will put in fertilizer; 9 and if it does bears fruit next year, {fine;} but if not, {then you can still} cut it down.'"
If we won t, He will.
This fig tree was planted in God s Vineyard or orchard - by GOD. This fig tree is in the best soil, where it has the best care, from the best Vine-Dresser, (Jesus), which is totally different from those other fig-trees that commonly grew in the untended fields.
In Christ s time, the Fig Tree was the Children of Israel. Today, the churches of Christ are God s Fig Tree, distinguished from the world, fenced in by God s Saving Grace, (Isa. 5:1-2; Eph. 2:5-8). But in both cases - Israel and the church we are both God s trees.
And today, we Christian Fig-Trees (who were planted in God s vineyard at our baptism); and who are living today under the direct care of God s Vinedresser = Jesus Christ (Jn. 15:1), are expected to produce bring forth fruit.
Since God in Christ has planted us righteously, (Rom. 6:5). And since Christ cultivates us righteously, (Rom. 11:24). God in Christ THEN expects us to produce the fruit of His righteousness. In fact, The God of heaven has always required the fruit of repentance and righteousness from those of us whom He has planted in His orchard, (*added to His church : Acts 2:47).
Where is YOUR Fruit? Where is the Fruit (evidence) of YOUR true repentance and conversion? God has graciously postponed His Divine judgment for centuries, ultimately sending Jesus to cultivate and produce for us and in us a RIGHTEOUS HARVEST. Where is YOUR Fruit?
No Jesus = No Life. No Fruit = No Grace. No Obedience = No Heaven.
No Jesus = No Life. No Fruit = No Grace. No Obedience = No Heaven. And they will be Cut off from Him forever.
By God s Grace we are alive today. By God s Grace we are given the opportunity to obey His Gospel and be a part of His Vineyard, His church. By God s Grace we are given every opportunity to produce the fruit of His righteousness, the fruit of obedient faith.
But those who do not produce His fruit, HE WILL CUT DOWN! And these will stand alone, without HOPE, without GRACE, without CHRIST.
THE Good News is you can still repent today. You can begin to produce the fruit of righteousness today. CHRIST has not returned yet. You still have time to produce fruit. You don t have to be cut down and thrown into the fire, (Mt. 7:9; Lk. 3:9).
You can live forever in Heaven. If you obey Him and produce His fruit. You can also die forever in Hell. If you do not obey Him and do not produce His fruit.
Have you ever stopped to think of what life would be like without Christ? Ever stopped to think of what life would be like if Jesus had never come? That s what eternity will be like for those who forsake His Gospel You?