Reminder and Promise

 

God’s grace, peace and mercy be with you. … My sermon is entitled Isaiah: Who, What, Why, and is based on our First Reading (Isaiah 43:16-21). Let us pray. Heavenly Father, the psalmist wrote, “I rejoiced when they said to me, ‘Let us go to the house of the Lord.’” Now that our feet are within your gates, we rejoice to hear your Word. As we listen, may your Spirit enlighten our minds and move our hearts to love deeply as Jesus loved. This we pray to you, Most Holy Trinity. Amen.

I attended Potter Township Elementary for eight years, and was a member of the last graduating class in 1971. It was a wonderful eight-year experience for me. It was the first time I was on television. On Junior High Quiz, our small class of eight defeated a much larger junior high school team before losing on our second appearance. One of the fondest memories I have was Mr. Reed’s English class. Mr. Reed did everything. He taught English and Gym. He ran the summer recreation program and gave golf lessons. And he sent us to the blackboard every day for two years so that we learned how to diagram sentences, because, as he said, “When you get to high school no one is going to teach you how to write.” And he was correct.

So, here’s an English lesson for you. Who, What and Why are pronouns. Who is a singular and plural nominative case interrogative pronoun. That’s a statement, not a question. An interrogative pronoun is used to ask the identity of someone. Interrogative is a combination of the Latin words inter meaning between and rogare meaning to question or cross-examine. In January 1969, local sportswriters asked, “Who is Joe Greene?” Today, we ask, Who is Isaiah? What was his message? Why is that important to us?

Who is Isaiah? Although he was one of the greatest writing prophets, the New Testament cites his book 68 times, not much is known about his personal life. He was the son of Amoz. His name means ‘The Lord saves’. He was a contemporary of Amos, Hosea and Micah, and began his ministry in 740 B.C., the year King Uzziah died. According to an unsubstantiated Jewish tradition, he was sawed in half during the reign of Manasseh.[1] Isaiah was married and had at least two sons, Shear-Jashub meaning ‘A Remnant Shall Return’ and Maher-Shalal-Hash-Baz meaning ‘Speed-Spoil-Hasten-Plunder’ which referred to the Assyrian invasion. He probably spent most of his life in Jerusalem, enjoying his greatest influence under King Hezekiah.[2] Isaiah is also credited with writing a history of the reign of King Uzziah.[3]

Many scholars today challenge the claim that Isaiah wrote the entire book that bears his name, but there is no convincing proof that the book was written by three different authors. His is the only name attached to it.[4] The strongest argument for the unity of Isaiah is the expression ‘the Holy One of Israel,’ a title for God that occurs 26 times throughout the entire book. There are also striking verbal parallels throughout and 25 Hebrew words or phrases that occur in no other prophetic writing. In my humble opinion, he alone wrote the longest prophetic book in the Bible.

Isaiah’s work influenced contemporary and later prophets. His life and writing affected Jesus, the Evangelists and Paul. Matthew wrote in chapter 12 that Jesus’ actions fulfilled what Isaiah prophesied.[5] Matthew and Luke cited Isaiah when they described John the Baptist.[6] John cited Isaiah when he wrote of how Jesus fulfilled the prophecy that people refused to believe in Jesus.[7] In writing to the Romans, Paul too spoke of people’s belief and unbelief in Christ.[8] Because Isaiah was so influential on Jesus and His followers, we studied many passages of his book in Sunday School several years ago.

We segue from who to what. What was Isaiah’s message? Isaiah wrote during Israel’s stormy period not long after the Kingdom’s tribes split into two. Ten of the tribes in the north are referred to as Israel; two of them in the south – Benjamin and Judah – are commonly known as Judah. This split occurred in 930 B.C. For 200 years before Isaiah appeared on the scene, these two kingdoms fought wars, battles and skirmishes against each other. In the meantime, the Assyrian empire – now known as Iraq – expanded while both the kingdoms of Israel and Judah declined.

Fearing annihilation, King Ahaz of Judah formed an alliance with Assyria, which then conquered the northern kingdom. This was politically and militarily prudent, but not wise and not what God wanted. It makes me wonder how astute or obtuse advisors were (and are). Eventually, Ahaz died, but like many others before and after him, not in God’s good graces.

The godly King Hezekiah who succeeded Ahaz prayed that God would save Judah from Assyria, which threatened to annihilate the nation. Hezekiah also sought the counsel of Isaiah, who predicted that God would force the Assyrians to withdraw from the city.[9] Nevertheless, Isaiah warned Judah that her sin would bring captivity at the hands of Babylon (also modern-day Iraq). Although this did not take place until after their death, Isaiah predicted both the destruction of Judah and the people’s exile, as well as its eventual restoration and the people’s return from captivity.[10]

Isaiah prophesied that God would redeem his people from Babylon just as he rescued them from Egypt. He predicted the rise of Cyrus the Persian (Iran), who conquered Babylon, and allowed the Jews to return home. This occurred in the years 538-537 B.C.

His passage today (43:16-21) is a reminder and a promise. It is a reminder of what God did in the past, specifically, the Exodus event. It is also a promise of what God will do in the future, a new thing, a new way in the wilderness and rivers in the desert, a new Exodus.

Folks, the past can teach but it must not bind. Understand that God is not predictable like the pagan gods. As Creator, God loves doing things in new ways. Therefore, the people’s gaze must always be forward to what God will yet do. It is not that the Lord would rewrite history but that His people should live in the present reality of their Deliverer, their Exodus God.[11]

The new thing God would do was deliverance from Babylon; a national liberation patterned on the Exodus. In v. 19, the word springs is like a seed that is germinated and its time has come. And in v. 20, we see how God would transform the whole world into harmony. As God’s people journey through the wilderness, they see that in this transformed world even wild animals enjoy it and are enjoyed by the faithful.

The passage concludes in v. 21, with “The people I formed for Myself will declare My praise.”[12] Here, the potter image is a way for Israel to understand that they can look with confidence at and through their impending troubles. The people who experienced God’s wrath[13], are touched by the potter’s hand as he perfects what he planned to create. The Babylonian exile and the ultimate return of people to their homeland through Cyrus the Persian King have their parts to play until the day comes when a perfected people will perfectly recount the praise of their Lord.[14]

Finally, why is this message important to us? Commenting on this passage, John Oswalt writes, “Remember the lessons of the past, but forget the methods. … Whenever we find something that works for us, we hang on to it with all the tenacity of a leech. … Maturation is the process of accumulating things that work and discarding those that do not. … But the great danger of maturation is calcification. We finally figured things out. We know what we want, and we know how to get it. The result is that we don’t need faith any more.”[15]

He says that the seven last words of any church are, “We’ve never done it that way before.” (That’s a play on Jesus’ last seven words before He died.) That doesn’t mean that every new thing is better. We don’t need to change Christ’s words when we baptize or celebrate Lord’s Supper. With all due respect to the talented musicians who identify as Christian, it’s tough to make the case that a church adopt their music and discard hymns like When I Survey the Wondrous Cross, Jesus Christ is Risen Today. Ode to Joy or A Mighty Fortress is Our God.

When we look back through history, we see what God did and how He did it when we read of the mighty deeds of creation and salvation in Genesis and Exodus. We see the strength of Samson; the victories of David; the wisdom of Solomon. We read the poetic wisdom of Psalms and Proverbs; how God protects Job and what it means to be faithful throughout trials and tragedies. We study the prophets to see how God acted through them to remind His people to return to the Covenant, to remember that He alone was their God and that they were His people. Elijah’s sacrifice on the mountain. Elisha raising to life the son of the Shunammite widow.

The Old Testament is filled with lessons to learn how to live a faithful life. When we get to the New Testament, we read about Jesus’ teachings and healings; how he mastered storms and demons; how he provided food and drink for people’s stomachs and souls; how he remained steadfast to His Father’s will despite inhumane insults, an unjust trial and torturous beatings before dying painfully as a condemned criminal, rejected by his people and abandoned by his friends. We know the Father’s love and power which raised a dead man to everlasting life; and the power of the Holy Spirit in the lives of Peter, Andrew, James, John, Paul, Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of Jesus, and many more. As faithful Christians, we know and have applied those lessons to our own lives.

Many of us have seen the work of the Holy Spirit in a vibrant church and in a faithful remnant. We have thanked God who pulled us through surgeries and sickness. We have reflected upon how the Holy Spirit initiated our relationships, friendships, marriages and families. God has protected our loved ones and ourselves from tragic accidents and violent acts, from natural disasters and manmade calamities. Christ’s power of love has saved us from Satan, sin and self. And when sickness and suffering, disease and death did strike us, we have seen the outpouring of love through other believers and at unexpected moments in solitude and silence, like a tiny whisper of the Father’s voice, a gentle breeze of the Holy Spirit, and the warmth of Jesus’ love.

So, what can we learn from Isaiah’s passage today? We take all of those memories and experiences, and forget about them. Remember not the former things, nor consider the things of old. Behold, I am doing a new thing; now it springs forth, do you not perceive it?

I started this sermon by telling you what I learned in elementary school and how that helped me in my life. When I stepped away from ministry in 2004, I started a successful career in fundraising. I wrote appeal letters and grants. I obtained funds to feed people in Pittsburgh. I secured grants to house homeless women and veterans in Berkeley (CA). I managed events to support church planters, awareness for people with autism, and agricultural programs in rural Africa, Asia and Latin America. God took what I learned at Potter Township Elementary School, and showed me a new way to serve Him. God formed me in my early years for Himself so that I might declare His praise. And now, I look for new ways that God works in my life as a husband, grandfather, man, neighbor and your pastor.

How God is working new things in my life is like watching an episode of Beat Bobby Flay. He takes a familiar dish and enhances it in ways he’s never served it before. He’s amazing. God is even more amazing. The people I formed for Myself will declare My praise.

So, what about you? How is our amazing God working new things in your life? My friends, take time today and share with others how God is working new things in your life. As you do, I pray that the peace of God that surpasses all understanding will keep your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus. Amen.

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[1] Hebrews 11:37.

[2] Isaiah 7:3; 8:3; 37:1-2.

[3] 2 Chronicles 26:22.

[4] Isaiah 1:1; 2:1; 13:1.

[5] Matthew 12:17-21; Isaiah 24:1-4.

[6] Matthew 3:3; Luke 3:4; Isaiah 40:3.

[7] John 12:38-41; Isaiah 53:1; 6:10.

[8] Romans 10:16,20; Isaiah 53:1; 65:1.

[9] Isaiah 37:6-7.

[10] Isaiah 40:2.

[11] J. Alec Motyer, The Prophecy of Isaiah: An Introduction and Commentary. Downers Grove IL, IVP Academic (1993), p. 337.

[12] This version is the Berean Study Bible which sometimes reads better than the ESV.

[13] Isaiah 42:25.

[14] Motyer, p. 337.

[15] John N. Oswalt, Isaiah: The NIV Application Commentary Grand Rapids, MI, Zondervan (2003), p. 497.

Jesus' People

 

God’s grace, peace and mercy be with you. … My sermon title is People: Audience, Parable and Present, and my focus is our Gospel (Luke 15:1-3, 11-32). Let us pray. Heavenly Father, the psalmist wrote, “I rejoiced when they said to me, ‘Let us go to the house of the Lord.’” Now that our feet are within your gates, we rejoice to hear your Word. As we listen, may your Spirit enlighten our minds and move our hearts to love deeply as Jesus loved. This we pray to you, Most Holy Trinity. Amen.

Several weeks ago, I opened my sermon with the first line of People from Funny Girl. As I was preparing for today’s sermon, I noticed that there are distinct groups of people present in Jesus’ original audience, in his parable and in His Church today. That prompted me to wonder how many times the word people appears in titles of songs or movies. The answer? Dozens.

Among songs, artists have recorded Everyday People, Short People, C’mon People, All God’s People, Lonely People, Shower the People, and even more I never heard of: Plastic People, Damaged People, Secondhand People and Broken People.

Directors and producers have given us Ruthless, Ordinary and Used People. There have been movies attributed to animals and people, such as Mole People, Cat People, Alligator and Bat People. Personality traits have been featured in such blockbusters as Secret People, Smart, Fierce, Crazy, Terrible, Superfluous, Civilized, Beautiful and Simple People.

We are extremely interested in people. Across all platforms, 98 million Americans read People magazine. Our fascination with people may explain why Luke recorded Jesus narrating a story about three people to men and women who were tax collectors and sinners while scribes and Pharisees grumbled. And so, I begin with my first point about people, the audience.

It is necessary to identify the people in the audience in order to understand properly the point Luke makes.[1] Luke recorded that tax collectors and sinners were drawing near to hear Jesus while Pharisees and scribes grumbled that He received sinners and ate with them. The mere fact that tax collectors and sinners approached Jesus provoked the scribes and Pharisees to complain.

This was not the first time these two audiences gathered around Jesus. We read in chapter five that Levi made him a great feast in his house, and there was a large company of tax collectors and others reclining at table with them. And the Pharisees and their scribes grumbled at his disciples, saying, “Why do you eat and drink with tax collectors and sinners?”[2]

Again, in chapter nineteen, when Jesus spotted Zacchaeus the tax collector, and informed him that he must stay at his house, he joyfully welcomed Jesus, which provoked them to grumble, “He has gone in to be the guest of a man who is a sinner.”[3]

Of course, Jesus was aware of what they were saying about him. In chapter seven, after the disciples of John the Baptist left, Jesus addressed the crowd on the response of scribes and Pharisees to both John and himself. He concluded by saying, “John the Baptist came eating no bread and drinking no wine, and you say, ‘He has a demon.’ The Son of Man has come eating and drinking, and you say, ‘Look at him! A glutton and a drunkard, a friend of tax collectors and sinners!’”[4]

How were gluttons and drunkards punished in his day? The answer is found in Deuteronomy. “If a man has a stubborn and rebellious son who will not obey the voice of his father or … mother, and, though they discipline him, will not listen to them, then his father and mother shall take hold of him and bring him to the elders of his city at the gate of the place where he lives, and they shall say to the elders of his city, ‘This our son is stubborn and rebellious; he will not obey our voice; he is a glutton and a drunkard.’ Then all the men of the city shall stone him to death with stones. So you shall purge the evil from your midst, and all Israel shall hear, and fear.

And if a man has committed a crime punishable by death and he is put to death, and you hang him on a tree, his body shall not remain all night on the tree, but you shall bury him the same day, for a hanged man is cursed by God. You shall not defile your land that the Lord your God is giving you for an inheritance.”[5]

With that in mind, Jesus sought table fellowship with sinners. Why? Because the end-time banquet in God’s Kingdom welcomed sinners who turned from their evil ways and towards God. So, while he is on his way to Jerusalem to be crucified on a tree, he is unconcerned about anything but people – tax collectors, prostitutes and sinners, that is, the poor, disabled, lame and blind.[6] They came to hear Jesus who said, “He who has ears to hear, let him hear.”[7]

Now, both groups of people heard the three parables which illustrated that the nature of the kingdom is joyous feasting with God. The illustration culminates in the parable of the two sons where the kingdom is a feast for sinners prepared by the Father himself. The older son drew near and heard the music and dancing of the messianic feast prepared for the prodigal son who repented. The older brother is like the Pharisees, who did not recognize the kingdom when they saw it.

The tax collectors and sinners drew near to Jesus, who received them, ate with them and told them a parable about rejoicing at the end-time feast. The parable’s older brother also drew near to the feast only to be scandalized, and rejected the meal, and the joy and mercy of his father – a reaction similar to the Pharisees’ rejection of Jesus. Thus, Jesus addressed both the Pharisees and scribes and the tax collectors and sinners simultaneously. His comforting revelation of the way of the kingdom is also a loving admonition to the scandalized to join the celebration through repentance.

Now that we recognize who’s who and their reasons for being there, we move from my first point, people in the audience, to my second point, people in the parable.

We are all familiar with the three people in the parable. There is the callous younger brother who demanded his share of the inheritance, squandered it in reckless living, and found himself starving amidst the squalor of pigs. He calculated he would have a better life serving his father as a day laborer and prepared a speech begging for forgiveness.

We do not know how he wasted his money. The older brother accused him of spending it on prostitutes, but we only know that he squandered it by living foolishly. The real fault is the irremediable loss of inheritance.

Did you know that his planned confession is in harmony with the rabbinic doctrine of repentance? He was required to admit his sin and name the offended person. Even Pharaoh asked forgiveness from Moses and his God when plagued by locusts: “Forgive my sin, please, only this once, and plead with the Lord your God only to remove this death from me.”[8] Later, in Malachi we read, “From the days of your fathers you have turned aside from my statutes and have not kept them. Return to me, and I will return to you, says the Lord of hosts.”[9]

In short, if the story ended here, it would be a good moralistic parable conforming to the Pharisees’ expectations about how outcasts should be restored to the community, but, and there is always a but, the Father is unpredictable.

His father saw him while he was still far away. His seeing is the real act that brought the son near. Now, some translations use the phrase but while he was a long way off. A better translation is the King James’ Bible, ‘yet’, for this indicates that the son could not really do anything on his own to reach his father.

The father’s heart went out to his son because he was filled with love and compassion. The father saved him while he was hopelessly lost. In other words, salvation comes from the father. The son is accepted with no further conditions to fulfill. He found the freedom in his father, which he thought he would find by leaving his father in the first place.[10]

We know what the father does next, but we should note that his compassion is not based on the son’s appeal. He had compassion while his son was still at a distance and hastened to greet him affectionately before he said a word. Just as Jesus received sinners and ate with them without first demanding signs of repentance, so the father accepted his son without waiting for him to first prove himself truly repentant and worthy.

Confronted by his father’s tenderness, which had already forgiven him before any confession of his fault, the son finally reached the point where he could forgo pride and accept the gracious love of his father. Nothing should be added after the words, “I am no longer worthy to be called your son.” He did not speak the last words of his speech because he accepted his father’s unconditional love.[11]

Before I comment on the older son’s role, let me say a word about a similar Buddhist story which begins like Luke’s parable. The boy in that story returns home and works off his guilt over a period of years. How the father in Jesus’ parable treats his son vis-à-vis the Buddhist father illustrates the difference between the principle of Karma and that of grace, free forgiveness and full restoration of one who is undoubtedly guilty. The reason for distinguishing the differences is that the Pharisees would have expected the son to work off his guilt as a common day laborer for the rest of his life. On the other hand, Jesus and his Father would not demand such servitude. Rather, our God offers grace, free forgiveness and the restoration of the guilty.

Now, let’s fast forward to the party. The older son’s journey from the fields parallels the younger son’s home-coming journey. The live music he heard signified meal preparations and the arrival of guests. As the oldest he would have been familiar with festive music, and had he been expecting a feast, he would not have gone to work in the fields because his role would be servant-host so that his father could mingle with guests. So, imagine his surprise!

Note that he did not run to the feast, but, oddly, questioned one of the servants and remained at a distance. In other words, he declined his role as the older son.

When his father approached and begged him to join the festivities, he humiliated him by quarrelling and insulting him in front of the village guests. The older son misunderstood his relationship with his father because he believed it to be based on merit and reward.

Like the younger son, whose sin was his prideful will to independence and denial of his own sonship, the older son’s sin was also rooted in pride. His prideful presumption was that sonship was earned, and so he refused to accept his brother because the younger did not “earn” sonship as he had.

Having heard the father’s plea to understand his offer of grace to both him and his younger brother, Luke leaves us wondering if the older son would share his father’s joy that one who was dead has been raised to life.

As I segue into my third point, let me summarize. The people in the parable symbolize the people in the audience. The younger son represents the tax collectors and the sinners; the older son, scribes and Pharisees; and the father, God. Now, Luke always wrote within a context, not a vacuum. He was always addressing an issue pressing upon his community. So, just as the three people in the parable represent the people in the audience, they also represent the people in the Church – then and today. Hence, my third point, people in His Church today.

A fundamental understanding of any New Testament letter or gospel is that the piece was written for the Church. As Church, the New Testament gave people the story of Jesus, but also instruction on how live as His disciples. Whether we turn to the first piece of New Testament literature, Paul’s Letter to the Thessalonians, where he wrote, “you became imitators of us and of the Lord, for you received the word in much affliction, with the joy of the Holy Spirit, so that you became an example to all the believers…”[12], or to our Gospel today, we are given instruction on how to live as the people of Christ’s Church.

That said, how do we apply today’s parable to our lives as Church? Specifically, how have we responded to reconciled sinners? How have we responded when flagrant sinners have turned to God seeking forgiveness and mercy through His Church? Have we responded like the older brother who distanced himself from the celebration of the younger brother’s return? Have we joined the celebration and joyfully embraced the repentant family members, in-law, neighbor or church member who has sinned against us and our families? How deeply have I expressed my joy on their return? In other words, the parable for people in the Church today is to celebrate joyfully the return of someone who wished us dead, separated himself from us, squandered our family’s fortune, and returned sinful, sorrowful, repentant and reconciled with the family, its matriarch or patriarch. Now, you and I are invited to join the celebration. And you already know that I have a question for you. But before I ask my question, I want to tell you something that happens to me almost every day.

When I return home, our Golden Retriever, Maggie, greets me with joyful abandonment. When I enter the house from the garage, she runs and gets a toy and brings it to me because when dad gets home the party starts. No matter what my mood, the joyful demeanor of our canine transforms crankiness to happiness, and weariness to wonder. She shows us how to respond to a prodigal person who is now returned and reconciled with the Church, with you and with me.

How do we respond? How have we responded? How should we respond? My friends, I will not leave you with a proper closed ending. Instead, I leave it to you to write your own ending. Will you join the celebration or distance yourself from God’s joyful banquet where He embraces and kisses those who offended Him but returned? Do you prefer Karma or Grace? Lifelong punishment or free forgiveness and reconciliation? Do you prefer to shun or embrace and kiss the sinner that God does, that is, you and me? Today or tomorrow, you can reflect on where you are as all are invited to God’s heavenly banquet. And if you choose to enter that banquet and embrace and be embraced by fellow sinners, may the peace of God that surpasses all understanding, keep your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus. Amen.

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[1] Arthur A. Just, Jr., Luke 9:51-24:53 (St. Louis: Concordia Publishing House, 1997), 586ff.

[2] Luke 5:29-30.

[3] Luke 19:1-10.

[4] Luke 7:18-35.

[5] Deuteronomy 21:22ff.

[6] Luke 14:13, 21.

[7] Luke 14:35.

[8] Exodus 10:16.

[9] Malachi 3:7ff.

[10] Herman Hendrickx, The Parables of Jesus: Studies in the Synoptic Gospels (London: Geoffrey Chapman/Harper and Row, 1986), 155.

[11] Ibid., 156.

[12] 1 Thessalonians 1:6-7.

Pontius Pilate

 

God’s grace, peace and mercy be with you. … My sermon is entitled Three P’s of Lent’s Third Sunday and my focus is our Gospel (Luke 13:1-9). Let us pray. Heavenly Father, the psalmist wrote, “I rejoiced when they said to me, ‘Let us go to the house of the Lord.’” Now that our feet are within your gates, we rejoice to hear your Word. As we listen, may your Spirit enlighten our minds and move our hearts to love deeply as Jesus loved. This we pray to you, Most Holy Trinity. Amen.

Three P’s stood out for me as I read this Gospel for the Third Sunday of Lent: Pilate, Parabolist and Practice. First, Pilate. Reading about Pilate reminded me of a conversation I had years ago with my friend, the late Richard Gottfried. Richard was a practicing Conservative Jew at New Light Congregation. He and his wife agreed to see Mel Gibson’s The Passion of the Christ with me and to present our views on it to a Catholic and Jewish audience. One of the remarks Richard made was that the characters of the high priest and others were flat. He wished Gibson would have further developed these people in the movie. I thought the same about Pilate as I prepared for this sermon. We do not know Pilate like we know Peter, Andrew, James and John. He is more like Judas Iscariot and Herod. But, since he is mentioned in our Nicene Creed, a word about Pilate.[1]

The Pontii family, from which the name Pontius is derived, lived in Southern Italy. Some think that Pilate was a freedman, and that his name came from the word pileus, a cap worn by freed men, but there is not enough evidence to prove this, and it is unlikely that a freedman would attain an important post. Pilate owed his appointment as Procurator to the influence of Sejanus, a former bodyguard and friend of the Roman Emperor, Tiberius.

A Procurator was like the rank of a Knight. Pilate had enough money to own a horse but was a member of the lower class of aristocrats in Ancient Rome. His official residence was the palace of Herod at Caesarea, where there was a military force of about 3,000 soldiers. This palace was on the coast of the Mediterranean Sea. He sent soldiers to Jerusalem at the time of the feasts when the city was full of strangers, and there was greater danger of disturbances. So, it makes sense that Pilate was in Jerusalem at the time of the Crucifixion, as well as the time when this event occurred in our Gospel.

During the time of Jesus, Judea, that is, the Southern Kingdom of Israel, was placed under the rule of a Roman procurator. Around 26 A.D., Pilate was appointed to this position and was given greater authority than most procurators in the Roman Empire. In addition to the ordinary duty of financial administration, he had supreme judicial power. His unusually prolonged period of office (A.D. 26-36) covered the whole period of active ministry of St. John the Baptist and Jesus.

Jews hated Pilate and his administration, because he was not only very severe, but also was inconsiderate to Jews and their lifestyles and customs. The incident mentioned in Luke 13:1, is not cited anywhere else in the Gospels, but it was in line with other authentic events of his rule. Pilate was also anxious that no hostile reports should be sent to the emperor concerning him, and so, this is why there is no mention in Roman archives.

Pilate was a worldly man, knowing what was right and was anxious to do it as far as it could be done without personal sacrifice, but yielding easily to pressure from those whose interest it was that he should act otherwise. He would gladly have acquitted Christ, and even made serious efforts in that direction, but gave way at once when his own position was threatened. If word got back to Rome that Jesus was known as King of the Jews, as the Sanhedrin labeled him, it would have been curtains for Pilate.

Anything else about Pilate would be apocryphal. We do not know why his rule ended or how he died. There are some who thought that Pilate eventually became a Christian, but again, there is no evidence for this. As a minor footnote, the Abyssinian (Baptist) Church in Harlem views him as a saint, and assigns June 25^th to him and his wife, Claudia Procula. For us, the important thing to remember is that he was not opposed to killing people to maintain rule, and that included Jesus, and those Galileans mentioned in our Gospel today.

And so, we move from Pilate to the Parabolist. I thought of this word because Jesus tells so many parables, like the one we heard today. Parabolist sounds intriguing. It reminds me of a gentleman I interviewed for a security clearance. He retired from the FBI where he administered polygraph tests. He went on to work for a private government contractor as a polygrapher. Introduce yourself to someone with that title and you are sure to get attention.

A parabolist is simply one who narrates or tells parables, and Jesus was the Master Parabolist. Responding to the report that Pilate had slaughtered Galileans who were at the Temple for sacrifice, Jesus immediately turned the subject to repentance. In fact, just before He heard this report, Jesus was speaking of the need to settle with your opponent lest he drag you before the judge who will sentence you to prison.

The offer of repentance and the forgiveness of sins is a major theme throughout Luke. In fact, some of the last words Jesus spoke to his disciples were, “repentance for the forgiveness of sins should be proclaimed in his name to all nations.”[2] God is the judge of our behavior and yet God offers to all of us the opportunity for repentance.[3] He is severe or gracious, but not a mixture of both.

Our passage has two distinct parts. The first part (vv. 1-5) recalls the tragic events: a bloody vengeful act by Pontius Pilate against worshippers and the collapse of a tower near the pool of Siloam. The first is an act of human evil and the second an act of natural evil. Each ends with Jesus warning his audience, “I tell you; … unless you repent, you will all likewise perish.”[4]

The question addressing both is the same one we ask today: Why did this tragedy happen to these people? To grasp a better understand of this, we turn to John 9:2, where the disciples ask Jesus about the man born blind from birth whom they passed on their journey, “Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?” You could read further into this question by reflecting upon Psalm 37, Psalm 73, and the Book of Job. The question assumes a direct correlation between suffering and sin. Yet, Jesus suffered the most through his tragic, painful death. Jeered and spat upon. Flesh whipped away. Head pierced by thorns. Thrust through with a spear. All at the hands of lawless men. Still, Jesus was sinless. And still, people came to this sinless Jesus for an answer regarding this tragedy.

I think that the blunt, harsh, prose words of John the Baptist would have sufficed for the people to repent, but no.[5] Here, in the second part of our passage (vv. 6-9), Jesus answers not as John did, but with the Parable of the Fig Tree Still, an answer as blunt and harsh as John’s. Figs and grapes have been and still are two of the most prized fruits of Israel. Personally, I love figs and grapes. I have visited vineyards in the valleys of Napa, Livermore, and San Luis Obispo in California. I have been to vineyards in Pennsylvania, New York, Virginia and Ontario. This much I know, I have never seen a fig tree planted in a vineyard. No one would do that because the tree would shade the vines and take nutrients from the soil. And yet, Jesus opened this parable by telling his listeners that a man planted a fig tree in his vineyard.

Jesus meant this parable for the religious establishment of his day. Luke meant it for the church, and it is meant for us today. Jesus’ words are not about Israel’s stubbornness or Pilate’s arrogance. It is not even about the relationship between individual sin and punishment. Jesus addressed sin and judgment for all humanity as a way of explaining how we should properly understand God’s mercy. Jesus called for repentance and revealed God’s merciful patience during a critical time. The parable’s point: anyone who does not repent will perish.

The Gospel of the forgiveness of sins through the blood of Jesus Christ is for anyone and everyone.[6] The Gospel offers comfort and hope even when God’s justice remains hidden in a world of sin, suffering and death. We must examine during the critical time that we are going before the judge with our neighbor to see that judgment is imminent and flee through repentance into the kingdom that is coming through Christ’s Paschal Mystery – his suffering, death, resurrection and ascension. We must view human massacres and natural accidents from the perspective of the Cross.

Friends, the forgiveness of sins is present in the Risen Christ who remains present in his Church through the proclamation of the Word and the administration of the Sacraments. It is here, in this Divine Service, that you – the suffering Christian – meet the suffering Christ and see in those sufferings your own comfort, peace, redemption and life everlasting after your release from every pain in this world.

God has delayed the Day of the Lord to give more people the opportunity to repent and avoid the final terror of judgment. There is time for repentance before judgment, but we must take both seriously.

And that brings me to Practice. By Practice, I mean your Lenten Practice. As I sat at my kitchen table eating lunch on Ash Wednesday, I looked at the title for the day’s meditation in Portals of Prayer. It was entitled “Practice.”

That meditation reminds us that it is not that we practice virtues hoping to become like Jesus, pinning our hopes for salvation on how well we have modeled our lives after Him. Rather, confessing faith in Christ alone, we are free from sin and free to make every effort with the help of the Holy Spirit to practice virtues that will draw us closer to Jesus Christ.

Jesus has done everything for us. His death on the cross ensures forgiveness. His resurrection promises everlasting life. Without the pressure of required perfection, the daily practice of our faith can and should be joyful.[7]

We are approaching Lent’s halftime. How is it going for you? Is your Lenten practice joyful or joyless? Does your practice involve prayer? How about fasting? Almsgiving?

Does your Lent involve practicing repentance? Does it involve mercy without measure to those who have offended, slighted or harmed you? I gained some insight recently on this parable and the mercy of God through another article I recently read. “The landowner wants to cut down his fig tree because it bears no fruit. The gardener asks for mercy – one more year of careful tending might be exactly what the tree needs. God is like that gardener. He sees the ways we are not fruitful. He sees our sin more clearly than we do. And he shows us mercy. He cares for us, feeds us, protects us, and cultivates our soil. Like the gardener, he offers us another chance to bear good fruit.”[8]

And while God offers other chances, society and self may not. Certainly, Satan offers no second chance. “A common fallacy the devil likes to promote is that once you and I have fallen into a state of sin there is no opportunity for mercy and redemption. The parable of the Prodigal Son, which we will hear next week, refutes the devil’s proposition because it demonstrates the infinite power of God’s mercy toward His children. As Luke tells us, the son freely chose to leave his household, squander his inheritance and seek an alternate life than the one provided by his father. … Luke again reminds us that the merciful love of God Has no limits or conditions. Our spiritual commission to sin no more relies on a trustful desire to seek reconciliation with Jesus Christ. When we seek mercy and forgiveness, we acknowledge our past offenses against Jesus Christ. In acknowledging our sinful state, we begin to understand the saving power of Jesus Christ and why he offered himself in death on a cross to save us from the evils of sin and death.”[9]

Friends, our God is not a God who acts like Pilate or any other tyrant in our world. Our God is not one who relishes in the destruction of life by natural or manufactured disasters. God does not seek death for his children in the womb, on death row or a nursing home bed. Our God seeks a loving relationship and righteous living for us, and it all begins in Christ. Jesus Christ is here among us in Word and Sacrament. He is present to you and yours. All He asks us to do today is to repent and rely upon Father, Son and Spirit to bestow graciously forgiveness of sins. All I ask you to do is to practice that response to God’s grace daily. Practice responding to God’s grace, and when you do, may the peace of God that surpasses all understanding keep your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus. Amen.

 

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[1] if you are really interested in Pilate, I suggest you read the book by Pastor Paul Maier.

[2] Luke 24:47.

[3] Craddock, 167.

[4] Luke 13:3, 5.

[5] Luke 3:8-9.

[6] Just, 536f.

[7] Caitlin M. Dinger, Portals of Prayer. Concordia Publishing House, St. Louis. Vol 85, No. 454.

[8] Daily Meditation on Luke 13:1-9, The Word Among Us, at https://wau.org/meditations/2022/03/20/334334/

[9] Marlon De La Torre, “The devil offers no one mercy, Jesus remedies this through the sacrament of penance,” KnowingIsDoing.org, February 14, 2022.