May 5, 2019                Conversion                                            

         In our epistle lesson this morning, we hear the story of Saul of Tarsus. You see, Saul was a Jew, through and through, his parents were Jewish, he grew up in the synagogue and participated in all the right rituals, he had devoted his life to the law of God, and had become the chief priests top lawyer and investigator. Saul was blameless before the law, and a member of the Pharisees, a group that sought purity in faith and in practice.  

         Saul hated Christians. As he saw it, for these Christians to claim that Jesus was the Son of God was an attack on his religion, his faith, and family. And so Paul went around finding these Christians, driving them out of their homes and communities and attacking those who dared preach about this Jesus.

         Everyone’s life is driven by something. And Saul’s life was driven by his pride, pride in himself, pride in his religion, pride that led to anger, violence, suffering and death. But on that road to Damascus, God stops him dead in the road, and blinds his eyes, and changes his life. No longer will he be driven by this pride in himself, or his religion, but from now on, he will be driven by his desire to know Jesus Christ. As many of you know, Saul of Tarsus, becomes Paul, the great apostle of the early Christian church, and it is that same passion he had for persecuting Christians, that becomes the driving force in his bringing Christianity to all the world.

         What is the driving force in your life? In his book, the purpose driven life, Rick Warren picks out five of the most common things that drive human lives.

         Some people are driven by guilt, they spend their entire lives running from regrets or hiding their shame. Guilt driven people allow the memories of their past to control them. They always wonder what people are saying about them, and so they see conspiracies all around them.

         The problem with being driven by guilt is that we become prisoners to our past, always seeing ourselves from those one or two incidents that we allow to define us.

         But there is good news! God says we don’t need to be driven by guilt. God took a murderer Moses and made him a liberator. God took a coward named Gideon, and made him a hero. And God can help you to redefine your life, and free you from the guilt that keeps you a prisoner as well.  

         Some people are driven by resentment and anger. They hold onto hurts that happened to them long ago, they play them over and over in their minds, planning and plotting their revenge.

The problem with being driven by resentment and anger is that some people internalize it, allowing it to eat away at their lives and at those close to them. Others, allow it to take control of their lives, and in order to keep themselves safe, they strike out and seek to destroy anyone they feel threatened by.

But there is good news! Those who are driven by resentment and anger have been given in Jesus Christ, the power of forgiveness, by which they can let go of their hurt and their anger. The power to stop resentment from eating away at them. The power to no longer feel threatened and to end their endless and angry crusade against others.

         Some people are driven by Fear. Perhaps they had a tramatic experience as a child, or perhaps they lived in a relationship where mistakes were treated with overly harsh punishments.

The problem with being driven by fear, is that fear keeps us from reaching out, trying new things, taking some chances that might lead to a better life.  

         But there is good news! In Jesus Christ, God has shown us a life that trusts in God. A life that is not free of mistakes, or hurt, or punishment, but one that faces these with God present in our lives, so that we might bear these hardships and discover on the other side a new life.

         Some people are driven by material possessions. Some think that having more or living better than others makes them better than others. Others think that having more will give them greater security in life.

         The problem with this is that self-worth and net-worth are not the same, and the reality of wealth is that it can be won and lost through a number of uncontrollable factors.

         But there is good news! Real self-worth and security comes in realizing ourselves as children of God. Of having a relationship with God and with others that can never be shaken, or taken away by some market. True happiness is not a matter of bank accounts but of the peace and security that we find relationships of love and trust with God and one another.

         Some people are driven by a need for approval. They allow the expectations of others to control their lives.

The problem with those who are driven by a need for approval is that they often they find that in trying to please everyone, they please no one, and their lives seem hopelessly out of control. 

But there is good news!  God is not some human being who changes his mind repeatedly, who runs us round seeking one thing one moment and another the next. When we seek God’s approval, it is always the same, and God does not withhold his approval in order for us to satisfy our whims, God gives us his approval and makes good his promises to those who follow him.

        

         In our gospel lesson this morning, we find the disciples after the resurrection of Jesus. Their leader Peter is still bound by his sense of guilt over denying Jesus. So when he instructs the disciples to go fishing, he isn’t talking about fishing for men, but to return to the old life of catching fish.

But then Jesus appears on the beach and calls them to cast their nets anew, as he did when he called them to fish for men, and their nets were filled to overflowing.

In the conclusion of this scene, Jesus asks Peter three times, Do you love me – we can clearly see that this threefold question reminds Peter of his denial, but we can also see, that through it, the road is cleared for Peter to respond to Jesus final command, “follow me”

         So what drives your life? guilt, resentment, fear, possessions, approval, or is it something else that keeps you from realizing God’s glory in your life? The good news is that God in Jesus Christ has the power to overcome them all, and give you a new meaning and purpose for your life, if we are just willing to hear and respond to his command, “follow me!”

April 28, 2019      Not Doubting, But Believing                        

         This morning our John’s gospel tells us a story of the disciples on that first Easter evening and week. And while we celebrate Easter with joyful worship services, that was the last thing the disciples were doing.

         The disciples had locked themselves behind closed doors. They were afraid, Jesus had been crucified, and they were afraid that the Jewish leaders, and the Roman authorities would hunt down his disciples next. And to make matters worse, the women of their group had come to them with strange stories of Jesus being gone from the tomb. For as of yet, they did not believe their statements about his being risen.

         Yes, rather than joyously celebrating his resurrection, his disciples, the earliest of the early church were locked in a room, fearing for their lives, the gospel message silent, and them going nowhere. And the Risen Christ comes to them on that first Easter evening and gives them four statements that get the early church going!

The first thing Jesus says to them, is “Peace be with you!” In the midst of this fearful gathering he tells them to have peace. He shows them his hands and his side, he shows them that it is truly him, and that he has risen from the dead. In doing this he shows them that death no longer has power over him, – and so they need not be paralyzed by fear, afraid of the Jews or the Romans, for through faith in the resurrected Christ, they no longer need to fear death.  

Have Peace in Christ, is the first of these four statements for the early church, and for our churches today. In a world filled with hostility, anxiousness, alienation, violence, war and greed. Through the peace that Jesus resurrection gives to us, we can go forth to minister in this world without fear, we are freed to go forth into this world and proclaim the gospel of God’s love, which overcomes all these worldly powers.

The second thing Jesus says is “As the father has sent me, I send you.” This is Jesus commission to the early church. Jesus now sends them into world, just as he was sent, to proclaim God’s love that seeks to save us from these powers of sin and death, and to call others to join them in seeking God’s kingdom in our lives together.  

In my grandmother’s Evangelical catechism, published in 1906, the answer to the first question about what is the purpose of those who follow Jesus Christ. The answer had two parts. Give glory to God, and win new followers to Christ. In later printings of the Catechism, winning new followers to Christ, has been left out. And I wonder if that wasn’t a mistake, because being sent is who we are as followers of Christ – and if we don’t realize this, than religion becomes all about our personal salvation, rather than the salvation of the world.

         The third statement Jesus makes is, “Receive the Holy Spirit”. Jesus then breathes upon them the breath of God. It is this spirit that fills them with strength to go forth into the world and proclaim the gospel message.

         As I think of this statement, I think about Moses before the burning bush, asking God how he can make a difference in the face of Pharoah, and God tells him, not to worry, for God will go with him. And that is what Jesus promises to the disciples and to all of us who follow him. That God will be with us, in the form of the Holy Spirit, to both protect us, and to give us the strength we need to do the things that Jesus did. And so, Jesus doesn’t just send us into the world, but promises his presence in the form of the Holy Spirit.

Jesus final statement to the disciples as this meeting is this, “If you forgive sins, they are forgiven, if you refuse to forgive they are retained.” In the gospel of John, proclaiming God’s forgiveness in Jesus Christ is the work of his disciples. Over and over, the disciples have seen Jesus forgive sins, to overcome, blindness and illness, to call sinners to repentance, and to restore people to community. They have seen how the Jewish legal system of refusing forgiveness has oppressed and separated the people. And now they are called to do this work. And so are we.

Our world today has the same legalists and moralists. We have state and federal governments who administer the law. The world does not practice forgiveness. Nations are unforgiving, and Families are unforgiving. It is only through God’s forgiveness, that oppression and division ends, that sin and death are overcome. And this is not just blanket forgiveness, but the announcement of God’s forgiveness in Jesus Christ, those who accept it are forgiven and lead new lives, those who do not accept it, for themselves or for others, condemn themselves.

         And so on this first Easter evening, and on the following Sunday, Jesus comes to a fearful and silent church, and gives them these instructions. Have Peace through Christ, You are sent into the world, You will receive the Holy Spirit, and do the work of forgiveness that heals and overcomes the powers of sin and death. With these instructions, the church went forth into the world, and spread around the globe. And we are called as followers of Jesus Christ, to heed these instructions as well, so that we may be filled with the Holy Spirit, and continue to spread the gospel to all the world. Amen. 

April 21, 2019        We Are Witnesses                                

This past week, I read in my old church letter from Zion UCC, that Marcella Loekle had passed away. Marcella was a very special woman, a woman of faith, who you could say, was raised from the dead.

     At the age of 73, Marcella had a stroke, the kind of stroke that all of us fear, the kind that leaves the majority of our bodies paralyzed, and requires a feeding tube because we cannot speak or swallow food. For the first month, Marcella laid in her hospital bed, despondent, feeling that her life was over. One day, when the chaplain came to visit her, she wrote on a piece of paper with the one hand that she could still move, “How did I do, that God would do this to me?” And the chaplain replied, “O Marcella, This stroke wasn’t about how good or bad you have been in life, God sends both the rain and the sunshine upon all of us, the good news is that God gives us faith to help us rejoice in the good and cope with the bad.

And Marcella thought about this, She was not naive, she knew what it meant to believe in Jesus Christ, and the power of Christ’s spirit to heal and make new our lives,  but like many of us, she also had those prideful thoughts of growing up in the church, that her religion made her special, and that God would reward her by keeping her from harm. It was quite crushing to realize that this wasn’t the case, but she didn’t lose faith. Marcella looked past these ideas and saw how she had been blessed in her life, and so she decided to put her trust in God to help her cope with her stroke and she got down to work.  

For the next 5 months, Marcella struggled to retrain her muscles, the muscles that let her breathe, speak, eat, the muscles of her legs, her arms, her abdomen and back. Each day she would awake with the pain of atrophying muscles, but she would force them to work, and work, and work, until the day, six months after her stroke, when she was sent home with a walker, because she could take care of herself.

And from that moment on, whenever someone had a stroke, Marcella found someone to drive her to see them, and she would share her experience, and the faith that God had given her to day by day, step by step, recover control over her muscles.

As I read the scriptures for this Easter Sunday, my eyes caught upon the phrase, “We are witnesses”,  and “Chosen as witnesses” that Peter said before the crowd. Peter spoke about his experience of Jesus faith, and the miracles and wonders, and words that came from his faith, and he was sharing that faith now with others, bearing witness to how Jesus Christ had brought forth life from death, had given new life to those who were dying, and finally himself, came forth from the dead and was raised to life again.

Now I believe, that like Peter, and like Marcella, we have been called to be witnesses to the power of God in our lives. The power of God that has helped us to overcome the loss of a loved one. The power of God that has been there to help us through an illness. The power of God that has helped us through a time of trouble in our lives. The power of God that has given our lives meaning. Each of you, who is gathered here today, has a story about the power of God in your life, and so, you are witnesses, and you have a powerful witness, that can be shared with others.

That powerful witness, is rooted in the resurrection of Jesus Christ! To a faith in a God, who cares about those who are crucified by the world. To a faith in a God, who cares for the sinner, the lost, the stranger, the foreigner. To a faith in a God who stands on the side of those who are discounted, rejected, outcast, and enslave. To a faith in a God who loves each and every one of us. To a faith in a God who can raise from the dead, all who are persecuted and oppressed by the world. Throughout history, it is this faith, that those who believe in Jesus Christ, have had faith in, and God has been with them in their struggles, and brought them forth from their slavery and oppression.

So we are witnesses, called to share with others, the way in which our God has brought us forth from slavery and oppression, to the powers of sin and death in our life. We are witnesses to share with others who are experiencing sin and death in their lives, that there is hope for their lives. We are witnesses to those dead and dying, in our world today, to the new life and resurrection that we believe in, through faith in Jesus Christ. Be witnesses to the next person you meet, tell them about your faith, and invite them to come and worship with you. For what it means to have a resurrection faith, is to bear witness to the works of Jesus Christ, and the power of God in your life, that has made your life new! Happy Easter!!

April 14, 2019         Having the Mind of Christ                        

Last week, when Kris and Emily were home for a few days, Emily was talking about her goals for next two to three years, and of course, as her father, I was telling her that reaching those goals would require some hard work, steadfastness, and self-sacrifice. And of course, she laughed and said, “Oh Dad, you’re just so basic!”

Now, I don’t know if the slang term “basic” has reached Somonauk, IL, quite yet, so let me explain what it means, at least as I understand it. “Basic” means dull, boring, plain, going about your business, just another face in the crowd, or unremarkable. I suppose for young people, being “basic” could be considered a put down. Certainly, when I was a young person, being different, standing out from the crowd, getting recognized, winning prizes, being “cool”, was what life was all about.

Being “basic” when I was young, was what my parents did. Get up, go to work, pay the bills, take care of the kids. Teaching us to do what is right for all, even if no one is looking. Teaching us to tell the truth if we have done something wrong, accept the punishment and move on. Telling us that nothing really good or meaningful comes to us without hard work, steadfast effort, and personal sacrifice. I guess when I was young, my parents were dull and boring, but they built a life on that, and in their golden years, they could look back on all that a “basic” life built, for them and for their kids.

This week I read a commentary on our scripture lesson from Philippians this morning. What caught my attention was what the author said about the people of Philippi. It said that they had a special place in the Roman Empire, that Philippi was a capital city, that all it’s members were Roman citizens, not subject to taxes, and that the majority of people were involved in government work. Therefore, a big part of being a Philippian was about social climbing and status, being loyal to the emperor, and being recognized apart from the crowd.

The author went on to explain that the troubles the church at Philippi suffered from were directly related to this kind of life. That people came to church to be recognized, that their contributions were to be celebrated, that their social status needed to be recognized with positions of power and authority, that those who were slaves should serve them. And in response to this attitude, Paul writes for them a beautiful hymn about Jesus Christ, that is worth reading again!

Let the same mind be in you that was in Christ Jesus, who though he was in the form of God, did not regard equality with God as something to be exploited, but emptied himself, taking the form of a slave, and being born in human likeness, ….. humbled himself and became obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.                        Philippians 2:5-8

The message of course to the church members, was that as followers of Jesus Christ, they were called to be servants of one another. That while the world called for them to seek status, to be recognized for their social standing, and to Lord it over one another, that was not the way of Christ. The way of Christ, was the way of humility, obedience, and self-sacrifice.

I wonder, how the people of the church at Philippi received this hymn. I wonder if some of them didn’t react the way the rich young ruler reacted, when Jesus told him to give away his riches, and he walked away shaking his head, because he just couldn’t do it. I suspect that perhaps, that’s why a great many people today, especially young people, aren’t interested in the church. They live in a world that tells them, they need to be arrogant, prideful, and self-serving. That being anything less will cause them to lose out, be run over, or be taken advantage of. As I mentioned in our prayer of confession this morning, humility is not considered a virtue, and from the first part of my sermon, being “basic” is not considered a compliment. But that is the view from this side of the cross, the Palm Sunday side.

On Palm Sunday, Jesus rides into Jerusalem and the crowd lines the road, laying down their coats, waving palm branches, shouting Hosannas to the one they hope will throw out the romans, and give them status, power, privilege. Through the week, they will see Jesus arrested, suffer, and die, and even his closest disciples will desert him. The way of Jesus, is not their way, not the human way, not the worldly way. That is the view of Jesus from the Palm Sunday side of Easter.

But after Easter, that is not the view of Jesus that his followers have of him. After Easter, that view will change, much as our view of life changes, from being young to growing old. The view that being “basic” -  the hard work, steadfastness, and sacrifice over the years has resulted in giving life to us, to our children, and to others, is a productive way of life.  That view will change because of the resurrection, when we see at last, that the way of Christ Jesus is indeed the way of life! And that is the good news of Jesus Christ!! 

April 7, 2019                The Spirit of Giving                                 

This past week, I saw an old movie, “Babette’s Feast”. It’s the story of a small town of less than 20 people on the Netherlands coast. The story focuses on the lives of two elderly sisters, the daughters of the town’s pastor who served some 50 years, but had passed away. The two daughters keep the church alive by leading worship in their home.

One day, Babette is sent to them, by an old acquaintance of one of the sisters. It seems the revolution in France has caused her husband and son to be killed, and she had to flee for her life. So the sisters take Babette in, and she works as their maid and cook. Over the years, Babette, grows close to the two sisters, they help Babette to overcome her tragedies, and they become quite fond of her, despite being suspicious of her foreign ways.

Then the day comes, when Babette receives a letter saying that she has won the lottery, $10,000 francs. And in gratefulness for the sisters taking her in she asks to prepare a feast for the sisters and the church members. Babette takes a week to prepare the feast bringing in quail, snails, turtles, and fish. Making pastries, breads, soups, and stews. Buying wines, brandies and cordials.

The feast comes, and Babette serves the guests a spectacular 7 course meal. The church people, who live very austere lives, agreed to eat the meal, but not to let their souls be tarnished by enjoying such luxury. However, through the sharing of the meal, they open up, and overcome many of the hurts and sins they have committed against one another in their lives. At the end of the meal, they all go outside and gather in a circle singing praises to their heavenly father.

The next day, the sisters are ready to bid farewell to Babette, figuring that with her lottery winnings, she would be returning to France. But when they ask her about leaving, she says she is going nowhere. Why they ask, you have all your winnings. And Babette answers, “I have nothing, the feast cost $10,000 francs, I ask only to be allowed to stay in your service.” The sister’s are shocked at this, but happily agree for her to stay with them, as long as she likes.

Our Gospel reading this morning, tells the story of the woman who anointed Jesus at the home of Mary, Martha, and Lazarus, in Bethany. Most commentators, like to spend time talking about how Judas, questioned this lavish waste of perfume, and suggests it might have been sold to feed the poor – or more likely, to fill the money bag, from which Judas would steal. These commentaries speak of Judas representing our human selfishness and self-interest, while the woman’s lavish gift represents her love for Jesus, and what our love for Jesus should look like.

In short, our love for Jesus, should not have us counting the cost of ministry, but should call forth from each one of us an extravagance of giving, that makes a real difference in our church, our lives and in our world. That is, of course, why I chose to share the story of Babette’s feast today.

But I want to go beyond these commentaries as well. In seminary, one of the books we read was Stephen Dunn’s “The Spirit of God”. In it, he speaks about how human beings are torn between their physical lives and their spiritual lives. He speaks about how if we spend our lives counting the cost of everything, we would all end up misers, miserable and unhappy. On the other hand, if we live our lives more spiritually, giving of ourselves out of our love for God and for one another, we are more likely to find friendship, fellowship, peace and joy in life.

Dunn goes on to say, that Jesus gave to us the church, as the specific place in which we might practice and grow in our spiritual lives. A church that focuses solely on the costs of operation, struggles, a church that lives life in the spirit of God’s love, thrives. Every church, including Union Congregational has a little bit of both. We all focus on the budget and bills, because they have to be paid, sometimes we even complain about the work, and what it takes to keep a church running,…but we also have members, who live in the Spirit. Visiting shut-ins, making Christmas boxes, giving money to missions, gathering cans to sell and happy money for the Good Samaritan Fund, gathering for worship, gathering for fellowship, gathering bottle caps for the conference, going to Feed My Starving Children, funding a Youth Ministry, being there to comfort those who have lost loved ones, and look in on those who are sick and recovering, and praying for them in their times of trouble, and etc.  

It is this spirit, which gives us life, giving of ourselves to one another in love, even as Christ gave himself in love for us. Living in this love, rather than in our own self-interest, is what as Jesus says, “Makes his yoke light, and his burden easy.” Sometimes, in the church, I think we forget that, and we are tempted to be tired or to give up on our work together, but I think that if we rediscover that love for God, that is the foundation of our life together, than we will find the strength and the spirit to live forever. And that is the Good News of Jesus Christ. Amen.    

Mar. 31, 2019                Two Brothers                                      

Twenty years ago, I chaperoned a group of youth from the Illinois Conference as they went to a National Youth Event in Iowa. The youth gathered at Pilgrim Park, and the first day stayed at Pilgrim Park to go over a schedule  for the event and the rules that we needed them to agree to for their safety and for making the most of our time together.

Now one of these rules were that people did not wander off together during the evening events, which all the youth agreed would be a problem on a large college campus where we would be staying. But on that first night at pilgrim park, two of the youth, took a liking to one another and went for a walk.  When the other youth noticed them missing, they notified us, and we found them sitting on the creek bridge talking at 11 pm.

Now the other chaperone and myself, explained to them that the other youth were quite upset with them. They other youth had made a covenant with one another to follow the rules, and they had not wandered off, so we told them that they would need to apologize to the other youth. So in the morning, after breakfast, they apologized and the group was torn, some wanted to welcome them back, it was no big deal to them. Others, were upset, because they had wanted to go out that evening, but were told they had agreed to stay with the group. So they thought there should be some form of punishment for the two who left.

Now there was a rather wise older minister on the trip, (which leaves me out), who told the kids that he had a story for them, and he proceeded to tell them the story of the prodigal son. And he focused on the two brothers, how the one brother had gone astray, but was welcomed back by his loving father. And the other brother was angry that the younger brother should be welcomed back so lavishly, without any punishment. Now as Christians, the minister said, we all love that God welcomes us back, when we have gone astray – and we like to talk about the God whose forgiveness has no limits. But sometimes, when others have gone astray, we forget the story of the prodigal son, and we behave like the elder brother, unwilling to forgive, and unable to get over it, when they receive forgiveness and are welcomed back. And then the wise older minister made a point I like to remember. Not only was it important for the elder brother to welcome back the younger brother for the sake of the family, but also for his own sake, lest his unwillingness to forgive eat at him, and destroy his relationship with the family.

Well as usual, this didn’t immediately impress the kids who were upset, but they grudgingly agreed to abide by the rules they had agreed to together, and by the next day, it seemed the disagreement was over with, the group had a fine trip together, and got along quite well.  

Now some might say that this is silly Christian sentimentalism, how will people ever behave is there is no discipline, boundaries, or consequences. But the parable of the prodigal son is not about how to govern a society. Society has law and order, and there is punishment. But the parable of the prodigal is about how we live together beyond all of that. It’s about overcoming the worldly impulse we have to be unforgiving, and seeks for us to share a forgiveness that is not only good for our families and our communities, but is also good for us as well.

Mar 24, 2019         Bear the Fruit of Repentence                        

About  5 years ago, the Methodist Church in Jerseyville, hosted the winner of the toastmaster of the year award. If you don’t know, the toastmaster of the year award is given to the winner of a series of competitions designed to find the best public speaker. Five years ago that speaker was Rory Vaden, and his presentation that night was about his book “Take the Stairs”.

“Take the Stairs” is a book devoted to helping people to clear away the clutter of their lives, focus on what is important in their lives, and most importantly, address the issues in their lives that need to be addressed. Now many of you might say, that’s hardly anything new, everyone should be doing that, but unfortunately, many people don’t. Sometimes people are lazy and figure they can get around to things later. Sometimes people are afraid, and don’t confront their problems directly. Sometimes people find ways to keep themselves busy with all kinds of secondary issues, and convince themselves they can’t do it all.

Now I can’t say that what Mr Vaden wrote is groundbreaking and new, but for people who have trouble focusing on what they can control in their lives, or on what they should put as a priority in their lives, he does a fairly good job of helping people do that. And one of the things that he tells people about in taking control of one’s life, is that it is important to address the issues we avoid, solve them, get them out of the way, and keep moving on to the next issue in line.

For some people that might mean credit card debt, for others it might mean filling out their taxes, for others it might be dealing with addiction. For some it might mean being reconciled to a family member, or someone at work, for some it might mean doing work around the house, and for others it might mean, looking for a new job, or even going back to school. According to Mr. Vaden, it is human nature for us to avoid dealing with issues or situations we don’t like, and so in recognition of that, we need to intentionally seek to address them.

Now the purpose of my sermon today is not to give you a self-help lecture. No, the purpose of my sermon is to get at what Jesus is saying to the people in our gospel lesson this morning. This morning Jesus asks the people if they think that the Galileans who Pilate slaughtered for false worship, were worse than other Galileans. Or if   people who died when a water tower fell were worse people, or more to the point, if they were being punished by God.

And the difference between what Jesus is asking, and what Mr. Vaden is saying in his book “Take the Stairs”, is that the book infers that bad things happen to bad people, and that God is punishing us when bad things happen to us. In contrast to this, I believe Jesus is trying to move us beyond this way of thinking about the tragedies that happen around us in our lives.   

In fact I think that Jesus point is this, that when these tragedies occur  it is a waste of time for us to lay blame, and that we should always be seeking to live as a disciples of Jesus Christ now, growing in our relationship with God, and bearing the fruit of repentance with acts of mercy, and deeds of loving kindness, before it’s to late, and you don’t get the chance. 

  Which brings us to the parable of the fig tree. For three years the fig tree has just gone along, living but producing no figs. The owner of the vineyard says cut it down, but the servant says, let me dig around it, fertilize it, give it just one more season, one more chance for it to bear fruit. That is what Jesus seeks to do for us, and coincidentally what we are called to do for ourselves. To do the work faith in our lives, to bear the fruit of repentance/new life, because that’s what repentance really means, it means living a new life. So bear this fruit before it’s to late, and we are cut short in our lives. And that’s the Good News of Jesus Christ. Amen.