These days the news have carried several bad things that have happened. There have been news of flood, killing, death in one way or the other.
And each time one turns on, whether the TV or the radio, one is just bombarded with lots of news about bad things. And it reminds me of a time in the spirituality of Nigeria, and I don't know if it happens here, when it would appear that every bad thing that happens to someone is associated to one sin or the other that the person must have committed.
If you said you had a headache, the brethren would want to tell you, examine yourself, check, a child of God should not be ill, or a child of God shouldn't have any kind of ill health.
And we found that ridiculous because it didn't have a basis in scripture. It would appear in this passage also, Jesus was responding to such an assumption.
The people that were around him were trying to give the impression that the Galileans that died as a result of the massacre of Pilate, who came and surrounded them with soldiers and killed them and mixed their blood with those of their sacrifices, must have committed something heinous or terrible.
But that's because in the course of his ministry, they also wanted to give the impression they were very current people.
They knew what was going on.
And they prided themselves on getting or knowing the juicy details of everything that was happening.
In chapter 12, from verse 54 to 56, Jesus had to respond to this same knowledge that they claimed.
He said to the crowds, when you see a cloud rising in the west, you say at once, a shower is coming.
And so it happens.
And when you see the south wind blowing, you say, there will be scorching him.
And it happens.
You hypocrites, he said.
You know how to interpret the appearance of the earth and sky.
But why do you not know how to interpret the present time?
They were so good at predicting events and they would happen just as they predicted.
And yet it seems, when it came to the matter of the heart, that which should matter to their very existence, they were blind to it.
Since I came to this country, one of the things I found very interesting is the fact that every time I turn to BBC, it seems every 15 minutes, I am reminded of the weather.
I am told this is going to happen.
And in some channels, I get to have two versions of weather report.
At first, I just couldn't understand it.
I am still struggling to be able to discipline myself to get out of the house, checking first the weather report before I would step out.
But I found out it is useful.
And I seem to hear the Lord saying something to me.
How come you are able to, in this generation, you are able to predict the weather and it happens just like that with some level of accuracy.
And yet, in the matters that will determine our eternity, we are not able to predict them.
So for these people who rebel Jesus, it would appear, with news of their knowledge, their ability to interpret correctly that these brethren or these Jews who were killed must have done something wrong.
Or the Jews that found themselves on a tower that collapsed must have done something wrong.
If not, why should a terrible thing like that happen to good people?
Jesus chose to respond in a wonderful way.
And he said to them, the issue is not, it goes beyond why should it happen to these people.
It's wrong when we imagine that when bad things do not happen to us, it's because we are wonderful or we are so right or we are righteous or we are perfect.
Jesus didn't go into the theological discussion of arguing whether the people sinned or not.
That's not what matters.
Jesus, what matters is, any bad thing could happen to anyone and it does not have to be as a result of sin.
However, there is something that is critical and Jesus spoke with a harshness that I don't seem to see in the rest of his messages.
He said, except you repent, you will likewise perish.
And I'm caught by the fervency, the vehemence of that declaration by Jesus.
As though he was saying, while paying attention to the things that do not matter, there is something that should be most important to us.
The matter of repentance from our sins, making our ways right with God, else there is judgment.
There is a definite thing of perishing.
I'm concerned about this attitude of the presentation of the gospel because these days I seem to hear it less and less.
It would appear in our conversation with people in this generation, the emphasis is not necessarily on repentance, calling people to repentance because of the likelihood of perishing that is coming.
Yet, for Jesus, that was a message he had to present and he declared it very forcefully.
To those who thought they were knowledgeable, to those who thought they were in tune with the things that were happening, to those who thought they were right, his message to them was,
stop being judgmental, stop looking at what is happening to others.
And remember this, if you do not repent, if there is need for setting things right in your life and you do not repent,
what has happened to these people is only a reflection of what could happen to you and worse.
And it conveys to us a sense of urgency, doesn't it?
That we should not take life for granted.
We should not take the fact that we are hell and hurting now for granted.
We shouldn't take it for granted that things are going right.
Why? Because the pilgrims who were in Jerusalem at the time of the slaughter, none of them knew death was coming.
The people who were on the tower, maybe they were tourists, none of them knew that there was a possibility of facing the end of their very existence on that day.
And each day we get out of our beds and walk around and come even from healing lunchtime talk.
We are faced with this possibility that it could be our last trip also.
It could be our last outing.
Yes, the means of transport here is very safe.
Yes, everything seems to be understood we can predict.
But can we really predict when the end for us could come?
So Jesus turned.
And Jesus turned the attention of the people away from these disasters.
As though to look at the fact that those people who perish, no, no, no, it's their problem.
And he turned the focus of the speakers in words.
As though to say, if you were to face the prospect and the possibility of that death now,
are you sure that the end would not be one that would be described as perishing?
Or would your end be one that you have every confidence and joy that at departure now, I will be with Christ?
And this same attitude is what even the disciples of Jesus exhibited in John chapter 9,
when Jesus met the young man that had been born blind.
The question that the disciples were asking was, whose fault is it?
It's not normal that a young child should be born blind.
So who sinned?
And Jesus responded and told them, no, it's not a matter of sin.
No, God is safe.
But God allowed even this to happen to this young man so that he would be glorified.
However, to the person asking the question, Jesus leaves this response.
Unless you repent, you will also in likewise perish.
So for Jesus, the matter of repentance was a very serious issue.
He had come to this world to call people to repentance, to call people out of the darkness into light,
to call people into a relationship with God the Father,
to call people from the kingdom of the world into the kingdom of God,
so that they would have an assurance of eternity with him,
not only on this earth, where we will enjoy the presence of his kingdom,
but we will also be prepared for an eternity with him.
And the only way that could happen was first through repentance.
So he emphasized to them the possibility of the suddenness of death.
And it's a thing that we will do well to remember.
The end could come any moment.
On news, young people have been stopped.
Old people have been stopped.
These days, I thought it was only in Nigeria that I would need to walk and look back.
But I'm finding out that each time I'm in the evening,
and I'm passing through some particular areas, I like to be careful.
But there's no better way of being careful than to be ready to meet with the Lord in the hour of death.
That's why a man like Paul would be someone that would love to have the relationship with God that he has,
that he could say in Philippians 1, verse 21,
that for to me to live is Christ and to die is gain.
There is a man that won victory over the fear of death and the threat of death
because he was confident of the relationship he had with Christ Jesus.
So Jesus, in this passage, challenged the people first to be ready.
It could have been them.
We should stop this dichotomy of them versus us.
It could have been us.
And he goes on to give the parables.
And he gives the parable of the fig tree that was supposed to produce fruit,
and it did not bear fruit.
And for three years,
the owner of the fig tree kept coming
to see if he could get fruit from that tree,
and it yielded no fruit.
So the owner of the fig tree said,
Cut it down.
Why should it constitute a burden to the ground?
You know, each time I read this,
the first thing that comes to me is God saying,
I am expecting so much fruit from your life that if you do not produce fruit,
I will cut you down.
Yeah, that's threatening enough.
But I'm not sure that's what Jesus necessarily wanted to convey to the people.
Jesus wanted to just emphasize to them that God is such a compassionate Father.
He's a compassionate God that is not desirous of our end.
Instead, what will please him is a situation where,
even though we've not been fruitful,
he keeps giving us opportunity to be a fruit.
It's as though the Lord keeps coming to us in reminders,
and he comes to us in encouragement,
and he says,
Yes, you have not met my expectations.
You have not lived as I desire.
You have not obeyed me as I desire.
Maybe we have even judged ourselves,
and we have come to the end of our abilities.
Or we have been so concerned about our unfruitfulness.
But you know,
the good news for me here,
is that,
like the compassionate gardener,
he keeps pleading,
one more chance,
so that we will be fertilized again.
So that we will be watered again.
So that the fruit of repentance will begin to come forth.
So that what God desires to see,
he will find it.
I mean, God's desire is that
for each who has the privilege of coming to him,
we come into such a relationship with him
that the transformation in us
will cause us to bear fruit.
fruit that will abide.
So he pleads with us,
even today,
that we should open up to
the leading,
the yield,
the voice of the Spirit of the Lord.
to bear for fruit.
Because his desire is not to see,
to bring about the end of any life.
His desire is not to cut us down.
His desire is not to destroy us,
or to present himself as a God
whose heart is more in judging us
and in cutting us off.
No.
But you see,
in God we have a Father
whose love for us
is such that he would
keep extending mercy
so that we come
to fruitfulness.
We are not told
whether this tree
eventually bore fruit.
But it's also good
that we are not told that
because
we do not see
that the tree
itself was cut down.
Which means
the door of mercy
is kept open.
So that
we would come
to the repentance
that God desires.
This is what makes
the Christian faith
to me
such a unique faith.
Such a wonderful faith.
This is what makes
my God
such a loving
and compassionate God
because
he has not dealt
with me
as I ought
to be dealt with.
He has
gone beyond
my inabilities,
my failures,
and several times
I find myself
misusing his grace
upon my life.
Yet,
lovingly,
he comes again
drawing me
to repentance
so that
I will bear
forth fruit.
And in the end,
he
will be glorified.
I find that
God wants to
find joy
in our lives
and that joy
comes only
when we cooperate
with him
and we submit
to him
and we yield
to his gardening
through the
through his word
through opportunities
to hear him
speak to us
and encourage us
and call us
to himself
just like this.
Through opportunities
of fellowship
with other believers.
Through opportunities
of the
study of word
of prayer
of encouragement
and through
the ministry
of others
who lift us up
when we fall.
All of this
comes as the
loving work
of the gardener
whose desire
is to see that
we flourish,
we bear for fruit
to the glory
of his name
and his compassionate
and ever giving
of such opportunity.
it tells me
that I will
therefore
have no excuse
if in the end
I do not
bear fruit
because God
has provided
everything
necessary for
my help
and your help.
This is the God
we serve
and in the
Christian faith
this is the
love that
invites us
so that
he invites us
to open
our hearts
to him
to open
our hearts
to God
who will
walk in us
and walk
on us
to bring forth
the fruit
that will
honor his name.
I'm sure
these Galileans
who were feeling
very good
about themselves
that they did
not perish
because they
were righteous
people
didn't expect
this kind
of response
but
I'm sure
what God
would also
want
is for us
to look more
in words
and listen
to him
and open
ourselves
to the voice
of his spirit
as he calls
us
to repent
so that
what we hear
happening to others
does not happen
to us.
It's amazing
that Jesus
preached
in this
evangelical
and powerful
and strong
manner of
repent
or perish
but it is
critical
that that
be conveyed
because
it remains
the only way
we can enter
into the rest
that the Father
has prepared
for us.
His desire
is that we
would repent
and
for any
who
is seeking
to
get to know
the Lord
the more
the path
to rest
is to just
come to him
in repentance
in acknowledgement
of his
commitment
to our
welfare
and in
submission
to him
and we'll
find him
lifting us
up in mercy
and changing
our lives
and making
us fruitful
in a manner
that will
please him
alone.
Let's pray
together.