The Third Sunday in Lent

Article for March 23, 2025

Luke 13:1–2 1There were some present at that very time who told [Jesus] about the Galileans whose blood Pilate had mingled with their sacrifices. 2And he answered them, “Do you think that these Galileans were worse sinners than all the other Galileans, because they suffered in this way?

I hear a lot that our Lord is punishing those who do not believe or have turned their back on God.  It is the times, and the end is drawing near, so naturally God is punishing the sinful.  This is what is going on here as Jesus listened to the people who were insinuating that these Galileans whose blood was mingled with the sacrifice, they the Galileans had brought to the temple. 

As this act of mingling blood with the sacrifice would make the Galileans’ sacrifice unclean.  Then would this say that God did not like there sacrifices and punished them through Pilot because of it.  Jesus asks this question; do you think these Galileans are worse sinners than those who did not get killed by Pilot? 

We see and will see many things happen in our world and during our life span.  But not all of what we see makes those who suffer worse sinners than any of us.  God made it clear the punishment for all sin is death.  However, God also made it clear all may repent and receive God’s grace and mercy.

Luke 13:3-5 3No, I tell you; but unless you repent, you will all likewise perish. 4Or 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? 5No, I tell you; but unless you repent, you will all likewise perish.

It is not the time for the end, though it is always the time for repentance.  Jesus tells us to repent, or we will parish.  I will remind you; there is no one here that does not need to repent.  Self-righteousness does not get you into heaven.  Thinking you are not as bad as the sinner sitting next to you does not get you into heaven.  In fact, self-righteousness might be a stumbling block that keeps you from repenting.

Jesus gives us another example of another disaster where a tower fell on eighteen and killed them.  Were they worse sinners than those the tower missed?  Jesus says no!  We cannot take pride in what we do or don’t do because we cannot do enough to earn our way to heaven or put us in the front of the line of those going to heaven.  It is not for us to judge others, unless of course you want to be judged too.

Jesus is shaking His head at these people because they hear His words, but they interpret them as a license to condemn their neighbors.  Would we first look in the mirror of God’s law before we condemn others.  If you can’t see yourself in the mirror maybe you are already dead.  Jesus says accept what you see and turn and repent for we all fall short of the glory of God.

Luke 13:6-7 6And he told this parable: “A man had a fig tree planted in his vineyard, and he came seeking fruit on it and found none. 7And 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?’

We are like the owner of this fig tree.  We look for it to bare fruit and if it doesn’t, we are quick to cut it down.  We look at each other and judge who is more fruitful than others.  Then we bolster about our fruit and think we are better than others. 

So now the one who bolsters thinks they can justify and feel good about cutting down anyone who does not live up to their level of fruit baring.  This too is not being Christian like, but then all Christians are sinners and equal in their sinning.  Notice I said this is not Christian like, and notice I accuse all of us Christians as being sinners.  We are Christians and no one can prove different.

That I am a pastor does not make me closer to heaven or put me in front of the line.  I am Christian, and I am a sinner, and I try to ask for forgiveness from you and of course from God.  My hopes are that we can all knock ourselves off our own pedestal and repent and ask for forgiveness from each other and from God.  My hope is also that we can all forgive one another and know God forgives us each time we repent.  God is a God of grace and mercy; we should imitate God and be people of grace and mercy.

Luke 13:8–9 8And he (the vinedresser), answered him, ‘Sir, let it alone this year also, until I dig around it and put on manure. 9Then if it should bear fruit next year, well and good; but if not, you can cut it down.’”

Here the vinedresser is God who gives His word in word and promise.  We are therefore given God’s word to nourish us and help us to be firm in fertile ground, that we might bare good fruit.  We are all different and we have different talents that God has given us. 

We are not all the same, but we are all equally important to the body of Christ.  The body of Christ is the church, and the church is the temple of God.  We should treat the temple we live in and the temple we worship in as belonging not to us but belonging to God.

2 Peter 3:9 The Lord is not slow to fulfill his promise as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance. But the day of the Lord will come like a thief, and then the heavens will pass away with a roar, and the heavenly bodies will be burned up and dissolved, and the earth and the works that are done on it will be exposed.

      Remember judge not less you be judged.  We do not know when anything will happen, yet we should fear that it could happen any moment now.  But enough of the law.  Repent and know we have a God who loves us to life and our risen Lord Jesus Christ is living proof of it.  Jesus died for the sinner and believe-you-me the self-righteous are sinners too, and Jesus died for them and wants them to be saved too.  So let us all rejoice in the Lord who suffered, died, and was resurrected for our sake to give us who truly believe everlasting life.  Amen!

      Written by Pastor Curtis A. May