Have you repented properly?

Scripture Lessons

Ezekiel 33:7-20

Psalm 85

1 Corinthians 10:1-13

Luke 13:1-9

Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

In the passage that precedes this gospel lesson, from Luke 12, Jesus admonished the people to pay attention to the signs of the present time. That means, the time of fulfillment in which the long-awaited and promised Messiah had come. But they didn’t seem to understand that aspect of the time. Perhaps they were thinking about that when they asked about the “Galileans whose blood Pilate had mingled with their sacrifices.” In other words, was that a sign from God? Is that a sign of the present time that Jesus had said they need to watch for?

John the baptizer called for repentance. Jesus also called for repentance. But people typically hear a call to repent and look around to see who the call is being sent to. “Surely not me, I’m not a wicked sinner like that guy over there.” So, when Jesus called the people to repent, to watch for signs of God’s work, you can understand why they would look at this recent and violent episode. Galileans had come to the temple at Passover, the high holy time of the year, and had been slaughtered at Pilate’s orders and their blood mixed with the blood of the sacrifices. A terrible sight.

According to human reasoning, surely there must have been something that the Galileans had done to instigate this judgment. After all, this is how the law works, when you violate the law, you suffer the consequences. In a way, that brings comfort to people because they think, “as long as I stay on the straight path, I will be ok.” Let me give some examples of how this plays out in our own experience. When we hear of a person diagnosed with cancer… “did they smoke?” Someone had a heart attack… “they had a terrible diet and didn’t exercise enough.” A person is mugged… “were they out late at night? in a dark alley? being somewhere they should not have been?” A woman is assaulted… “she always dresses in a provocative way.”

According to the law, and our reason, bad things don’t just randomly happen. A person surely must have done something to bring condemnation down upon themselves. We’re simply not comfortable with a world in which we may inexplicably suffer. Unfortunately, that is the world in which we live, a world that is marred by the effects of sin. If you have any doubts that a good and righteous person can suffer, look at Job…then look at Jesus…then look back at all the prophets. Suffering can certainly be brought on by our own actions, but it is not always self-inflicted. It is not always a result of a specific sin that we committed.

Jesus responded directly to that notion. “Do you think that these Galileans were worse sinners than all the other Galileans, because they suffered this way? No, I tell you; but unless you repent, you will all likewise perish.” No! They didn’t suffer for any specific sin. All sinners are subject to a similar fate, which includes you and me. Jesus gave another example which was a tower that fell. In the case of the Galileans, their death could be blamed on someone…Pilate. In the case of a tower falling and killing 18 people, the cause is more random. There’s nobody to blame for that. Thus, Jesus is making the point that condemnation is universal. Ultimately, all sinners are subject to the same fate.

So, why then don’t all people suffer from calamity? Sure, we all will die at some point, but many people live nice long lives and others die tragically or have their lives cut short at a young age. Why is this so? Jesus did not answer this question directly, so the question of “why?” when it comes to tragic circumstances will have to be answered on the other side of eternity. Nevertheless, we can glean some wisdom from the parable of the fig tree.

A man had a barren fig tree. “Cut it down” he cried, “it’s not producing.” But the vinedresser asked for more time, so that he may tend it and it may yet bear fruit. But if it doesn’t bear fruit, then indeed, “cut it down.” This is a not so subtle image of Israel. The fruit that they should bear is the fruit of repentance. That is to say confessing their sins and begging for God’s mercy. God has been patient and even now the vinedresser, Jesus Himself, is continuing to tend Israel in the hope that they would bear the fruit of repentance. But if Israel does not bear the fruit of repentance, they will be removed.

This parable is not just for Israel, but for all people. Just as the condemnation of sinners is universal, since all people are sinners, the patience and mercy of God are universal, since God loves you and all people. As long as you still have breath in you, you are called to bear fruit, that is to repent and beg for God’s mercy. This is an urgent and immediate call to repentance. You do not know the measure of your days. You do not know when tragedy will strike. Therefore, now is the time to repent and receive God’s mercy.

The very first of Luther’s famous ninety-five theses is this: “When our Lord and Master, Jesus Christ, said ‘Repent,’ He called for the entire life of believers to be one of penitence.” Jesus has called for your entire life to be one of penitence. As the small catechism says, “[Baptizing with water] indicates that the Old Adam in us should by daily contrition and repentance be drowned and die with all sins and evil desires, and that a new man should daily emerge and arise to live before God in righteousness and purity forever.”

You may feel like your life of daily repentance falls short of God’s expectations. You’re right I’m sure. The late Dr. Rod Rosenbladt, Professor at Concordia Irvine, host of the White Horse Inn, and so forth, is oft quoted because he had a great way of distilling theology and presenting the crushing weight of the law and redemption through the Gospel. Here’s one attributed to him in regards to repentance. “All our repentance is half-hearted.” [sometimes reported as “half-assed”] The fuller quote: “Our repentance is always imperfect and always half-hearted. . . This is preparation for believing the gospel promise... and we do that half-heartedly, too. But God saves us in Jesus anyway.” [1]

Yes. As you and I are simul justus et peccator (simultaneously saint and sinner), “our” repentance will fall short of perfection. But if repentance is wrought by the law, that is God’s law, then the Holy Spirit is granting us repentance. In other words, just like you can’t take credit for “making a decision for Christ,” you can’t take credit for repenting. It’s better understood as God repenting you. And to what end? Because God likes to scold His children? No, of course not. It’s because repentance points you back to the cross, to the suffering death of Jesus Christ in your place for your sins. He even suffered and died for your lack of repentance. Thanks be to God.

The peace of God, which passes all understanding, keep your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus. Amen.

[1] https://capthk.com/2009/02/06/dad-rod-on-repentance/