The Time Is Now

September 18, 2022

Luke 13:1-9

¹ Now there were some present at that time who told Jesus about the Galileans whose blood Pilate had mixed with their sacrifices. ² Jesus answered, “Do you think that these Galileans were worse sinners than all the other Galileans because they suffered this way? ³ I tell you, no! But unless you repent, you too will all perish. ⁴ Or those eighteen who died when the tower in Siloam fell on them—do you think they were more guilty than all the others living in Jerusalem? ⁵ I tell you, no! But unless you repent, you too will all perish.”

⁶ Then he told this parable: “A man had a fig tree growing in his vineyard, and he went to look for fruit on it but did not find any. ⁷ So he said to the man who took care of the vineyard, ‘For three years now I’ve been coming to look for fruit on this fig tree and haven’t found any. Cut it down! Why should it use up the soil?’

⁸ “‘Sir,’ the man replied, ‘leave it alone for one more year, and I’ll dig around it and fertilize it. ⁹ If it bears fruit next year, fine! If not, then cut it down.’”

Read Luke 13:1-5

1. How do these verses confront the idea that tragedy and suffering are God’s punishment on people who deserve it?
2. Is the idea of bad things happening to decent, normal people troubling to you? How do you personally make sense of those things when you see them happen or experience them yourself.
3. In verse 5 Jesus pivots the conversation as if to say, “those people who suffered those circumstances were not necessarily being punished for sin. HOWEVER, you have sin, and you need to repent, for your sin requires God’s judgment.” What repentance is needed in your own life? How do you personally express repentance?

Read Luke 13:6-7

1. How do these verses compare with Matthew 7:19? What about Luke 3:8-9? John 15?
2. It is clear Jesus expects his followers to life a life that produces fruit. Describe the fruit that our lives ought to be producing? If possible, support your description with a passage from scripture.
3. If misread, this parable might suggest that unless we live a certain way, God will not love us and will simply reject us. How do we know that this passage does not mean that we have to earn our way into God’s favor?

Read Luke 13:8-9

1. How do these verses compare with 2 Peter 3:9
2. These verses suggest that despite God’s longstanding mercy, there will come a time when the opportunity to repent for sin will have passed. How does that strike you? Does that impact your motivation to reach lost people with the gospel?
3. What is one thing you will commit to doing this week in view of these verses?