How do we respond when disasters strike someone else? Do we look away? Do we make excuses? Do we cast blame? Alongside these options, Jesus’ response in this week’s scripture may seem harsh to our ears: “unless you repent, you will all perish as they did.” But is Jesus really using someone else’s tragedy as a threat for his listeners? How can we uncover God’s love in this teaching?

Scriptures:

• Isaiah 55:1-9
• Psalm 63:1-8
• 1 Corinthians 10:1-13
• Luke 13:1-9

Luke 13:1-9

Repent or Perish
At that very time there were some present who told him about the Galileans whose blood Pilate had mingled with their sacrifices. He asked them, ‘Do you think that because these Galileans suffered in this way they were worse sinners than all other Galileans? No, I tell you; but unless you repent, you will all perish as they did. Or those eighteen who were killed when the tower of Siloam fell on them—do you think that they were worse offenders than all the others living in Jerusalem? No, I tell you; but unless you repent, you will all perish just as they did.’

The Parable of the Barren Fig Tree
Then he told this parable: ‘A man had a fig tree planted in his vineyard; and he came looking for fruit on it and found none. So he said to the gardener, “See here! For three years I have come looking for fruit on this fig tree, and still I find none. Cut it down! Why should it be wasting the soil?” He replied, “Sir, let it alone for one more year, until I dig round it and put manure on it. If it bears fruit next year, well and good; but if not, you can cut it down.” ’