“At that very time there were some present who told him about the Galileans whose blood Pilate had mingled with their sacrifices. He asked them, “Do you think that because these Galileans suffered in this way they were worse sinners than all other Galileans? No, I tell you; but unless you repent, you will all perish as they did. Or those eighteen who were killed when the tower of Siloam fell on them—do you think that they were worse offenders than all the others living in Jerusalem? No, I tell you; but unless you repent, you will all perish just as they did.” Then he told this parable: “A man had a fig tree planted in his vineyard; and he came looking for fruit on it and found none. So he said to the gardener, ‘See here! For three years I have come looking for fruit on this fig tree, and still I find none. Cut it down! Why should it be wasting the soil?’ He replied, ‘Sir, let it alone for one more year, until I dig around it and put manure on it. If it bears fruit next year, well and good; but if not, you can cut it down.’” Luke 13:1-9

“The skeletons of the past must not hold back the dream of a new life, even though fear and regret, guilt and remorse may unsettle us during the effort to give our future a new home.” (Erik Pevernagie, Into a New Life)

Is it enough to just have remorse for sin? Is it enough to feel bad about what we have done, and plan to never do it again? Jesus says, Repent, or you will perish. To me that sounds like it isn’t enough to just be remorseful, but that we must turn (for repentance means to turn around) from the ways of our sinfulness and find a different path. Even Paul says that we should not continue to sin even if we have this thing called salvation by Grace through faith.

Jesus tells the parable of the fig tree – one of the parables that I think most clearly defines Grace…where we are always given another chance to be “fertilized” by our encounters with the risen Lord – which hopefully will bring us to bear fruit – fruit being love for G-d and each other. Repent – turn from your sinful ways – again and again we have the opportunity to repent and bear fruit because that is what the Grace of Jesus is all about.

We will never know what year, or moment, or day, or the hour that we may lose our battle with this world. We don’t know…we don’t know. Repent – and bear fruit.

Pastor Dave

“Be dressed for action and have your lamps lit; be like those who are waiting for their master to return from the wedding banquet, so that they may open the door for him as soon as hecomes and knocks. Blessed are those slaves whom the master finds alert when he comes; truly I tell you, he will fasten his belt and have them sit down to eat, and he will come and servethem. If he comes during the middle of the night, or near dawn, and finds them so, blessed are those slaves. “But know this: if the owner of the house had known at what hour the thief was coming, he would not have let his house be broken into. You also must be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an unexpected hour.” Luke 12:35-40

“Whether we’re eating or working or meditating or listening or talking, the reason that we’re here in this world at all is to study ourselves. In fact, it has been said that studying ourselves provides all the books we need.”(Pema Chödrön, When Things Fall Apart: Heart Advice for Difficult Times)

Attentiveness and watchfulness can be dangerous when applied to our faith. How is that for a statement. Let me explain. If we are not watchful, and we focus on earthly things instead of heavenly things, we may find ourselves missing the very presence of G-d in our midst. So if we are being watchful, looking for Jesus and the Holy Spirit in our midst, we are going to see thepresence of G-d every day.

It is so easy to get bogged down in our problems. We cannot ignore the injustices and atrocities that occur around us or we are no better than the drowning man who waves the rescue boat away claiming that G-d will save him. We cannot save ourselves. We need to be able to recognize the presence of G-d and to interpret both the here and now, and the times that are to come – both require a faith that puts us to work to fight for justice and peace, and prepares us for that hour when Christ will come.

Pastor Dave