Feb 8, 2023
In Luke 13:1-9, God calls us to dig deep! The devil wants us to skim the surface of God’s teaching, infusing us with self-righteousness and greed. But God has so much more for us! He has fruit, just waiting to blossom on our branches – don’t miss out!
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Welcome to Walking in the Word – the biblical teaching arm of the Women World Leaders’ podcast. My name is Julie Jenkins, and it is my joy to walk through scripture with you each week as we ask God what He wants to teach us today.
Women World Leaders is busy doing all the many things God has called us to! Our next edition of Voice of Truth magazine is scheduled to come out in March – just a few weeks away! If you are not on our mailing list for Voice of Truth, you can sign up on the contact form on our website, womenworldleaders.com, to receive a free digital version of the magazine. We also send a physical copy of the magazine as a thank you to each of our monthly donors! And while your donation puts Voice of Truth in YOUR hands, it actually does far more than that! Donations like yours are what allows Women World Leaders to keep going! We stepped out as a volunteer army about four years ago as God birthed this ministry, determined to do whatever He called us to; and now we offer podcasts, daily devotions, a place to pray and receive prayer, books that proclaim the gospel…the list goes on! And although SO many freely pour their time and gifting into this ministry – INCLUDING ALL the writers and contributors to Voice of Truth, it still takes money to keep the ministry running. So, if you are a regular donor – thank you!! We simply couldn’t walk in OUR God-given purpose without your support!
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Let’s turn to the Word, shall we? Our scripture today, as we continue our walk through the gospels, is Luke, chapter 13, verses 1-9…but before we begin, let’s pray…
Dear Most Holy God – we come before you today, humbled at your greatness. Father, you are so magnificent, so worthy, so righteous…and yet you call US to be your own. Thank you for meeting us again and again where we are – for teaching us, leading us, guiding us, and simply loving us! We give you these next few minutes as we delve into your Word – and we ask that, through your Holy Spirit, we may walk away from today’s teaching changed – looking a little bit more like you! In Jesus’ name, I pray. Amen.
Last week we focused on the fact that Jesus has called us to stand strong for Him, even in the midst of those who may disagree with us. We learned that we are to go to God and allow Him to teach us directly, and then we are to take those teachings and, trusting His wisdom, walk boldly where He calls us.
Today, as we continue studying Luke, we come to chapter 13, verses 1-9. In these verses, Jesus continues teaching the crowd – still exclaiming that we are to follow Him and His ways. Once again, as we’ve seen in the past, some people shout out controversial questions. And whether they were confused or trying to trap Jesus, we have to remind ourselves today that much of what Jesus taught went against the norm of society.
Luke 13, as written in the New Living Translation, begins…
About this time Jesus was informed that Pilate had murdered some people from Galilee as they were offering sacrifices at the Temple.
Bringing up this topic placed Jesus in a precarious position. Although it is not known what historical event the crowd was referring to, it is widely known that the Roman governor, Pontius Pilate, was an instigator of trouble between the Romans and the Jewish people. There are several recorded instances of Pilate killing Jews in unorthodox ways – for various reasons that amounted to simple unwarranted brutality. Everybody knew it, but bringing up this topic put Jesus in the hot seat – if he refused to address the issue, He could be accused of being pro-Roman, but if He defended the Jews, He would be in trouble with the Romans.
So the crowd asks Jesus, in essence, whose side are you on? The widely held belief was that any personal tragedy was an act of God that came about as a direct result of sin – so, wasn’t it clear that those who were killed sinful? And wasn’t Pilate doing God’s work, punishing them for their sin?
Jesus replies – and, like always, directs the people to think more deeply.
You’ve heard it said that God’s ways and thoughts are higher than ours? God clearly taught that in His own words in Isaiah 55:8-9 –
“My thoughts are nothing
like your thoughts,” says the Lord.
“And my ways are far beyond anything you
could imagine.
9 For just as the heavens are
higher than the earth,
so my ways are higher than your ways
and my thoughts higher than your
thoughts.
I would encourage you to really rest in that scripture for a moment. God’s thoughts are NOTHING like our thoughts – and God’s ways are beyond anything we can imagine.
And not only are God’s thoughts HIGHER than ours, they are also SO much DEEPER than ours!
And…we are called to become more and more LIKE God as we walk through this life. So…doesn’t it follow that WE should ask God to HELP US think more deeply?
Our default, as humans, is to think on the surface. Maybe this is because it is easier to accept what we are taught than to seek to understand the issues for ourselves. Or maybe, we are just too busy to think INTO an issue. Or perhaps we are so simply unaware of just how deep our thoughts can go.
Probably the reasoning behind our shallow thinking – is a combination of all of these things! But we are not called to be shallow thinkers! And if we follow Jesus’ example, we will begin to realize that every surface issue goes deeper than we usually care to address.
Jesus knows this…so Jesus goes there!
He recognizes that the issue at hand is deeper than the Romans vs the Jews. And He also recognizes that the lesson here is more about what we each WILL face than about what the poor souls who were killed by Pontius Pilate had already faced.
So Jesus says, in Luke 13, verse 2…
2 “Do you think those Galileans were worse sinners than all the other people from Galilee?” Jesus asked. “Is that why they suffered? 3 Not at all!
He asks…were the people killed the ONLY sinners around? Obviously, they weren’t – we all sin. So, by the people’s own rationale, EVERYONE in Galilee should have been killed. Therefore, thinking deeply, the victims who were brutally killed were not being punished by God’s hand. And yet – there is a lesson to be learned in their untimely death. Jesus continues…
And you will perish, too, unless you repent of your sins and turn to God.
There’s the deep thought…we are ALL called to repent of our sins and turn to God. Without His grace, we are all doomed.
Jesus goes on…
4 And what about the eighteen people who died when the tower in Siloam fell on them? Were they the worst sinners in Jerusalem?
Jesus’ expands the lesson. The crowd asked Him about the death of those at someone else’s hand. Jesus responds, what about death that comes about by way of an accident? Does THAT kind of death point to horrific sin?
Jesus answers His own question…no…Reminding them that every single human being will die a physical death – no one can escape it.
And He repeats the DEEPER lesson! Verse 5…
I tell you again that unless you repent, you will perish, too.”
We are ALL sinners – and whether our sins are big or small, they all move us away from God. Each sin puts a barrier between us and God that we simply can’t overcome.
Instead of looking at others in judgment, which can be oh-so-easy to do, Jesus wants us to look at ourselves and our own relationship with God. He wants us to go deep with Him.
What if, this week, each time a judgmental thought about someone else crosses your mind, you grab that shovel and dig deep into that thought – pushing the judgment away and asking God to show you your own sin of pride, greed, selfishness, anger, or frustration? Ask God to unearth what it is that is driving you to judge someone else. Ask Him, as you dig, to fertilize YOUR soil with truth, love, grace, mercy, forgiveness, and even joy.
Then Jesus turns to an illustration…the Parable of the Barren Fig Tree
Verse 8…
6 Then Jesus told this story: “A man planted a fig tree in his garden and came again and again to see if there was any fruit on it, but he was always disappointed. 7 Finally, he said to his gardener, ‘I’ve waited three years, and there hasn’t been a single fig! Cut it down. It’s just taking up space in the garden.’
8 “The gardener answered, ‘Sir, give it one more chance. Leave it another year, and I’ll give it special attention and plenty of fertilizer. 9 If we get figs next year, fine. If not, then you can cut it down.’”
Many theologians will point to this story as a picture of Israel – the fig tree was not growing fruit, just as the nation of Israel was not turning to God. Yet we see God’s patience, that has endured even until today, though not without a rocky history for sure.
But, as we dig deep personally, we can also look at the fig tree as a picture of our lives. We each need to ask, does the figurative tree of my life grow fruit for Jesus?
Jesus spoke earlier of our repentance, which is necessary to allow us to scale the barrier of sin between us and God. And then He spoke of our personal responsibility to continue growing in Him. But now, He admonishes that a fully grown tree is just the beginning – our purpose is to bear fruit.
A fig tree took several years to grow mature enough to bear fruit. And the man in the story patiently awaited the fruit. But when the branches grew strong and there was still no fruit, he recognized that there was a problem. And he told the gardener that it was time for the tree to go.
God has given each of us so much! He planted us in His rich soil, and He feeds and waters us with His Word and truth. He provides for us and showers us with love. With all of that, growing fruit should be natural for each of us. And the fruit grown on the branches of our lives is meant to help others grow and thrive. If we aren’t naturally growing fruit, it can only be because we are somehow blocking God’s nutrients within us, keeping His power in our lives from doing the work it was intended to do.
Let’s face it…A tree can’t do much to create its own fruit. But by doing exactly what it was created for, God ensures the growth of fruit.
You and I are called to submit to God’s nourishment, and allow His growth to take place in our lives. We can and will grow fruit on His behalf if we are obedient to His call at each step.
So how can you be obedient today? Simply by listening to and responding to that still, small voice.
Is the Holy Spirit telling you to get out of bed and read your Bible? Do it!
Is He encouraging you to serve on a ministry team? Go for it!
Is He guiding you to listen instead of stating your case to someone you don’t agree with? Then shut your mouth and REALLY open your ears!
Is the Holy Spirit giving you a platform to share your God-story? Be brave and step out!
I guarrantee you, someone else needs the fruit God is trying to grow in your life!
Returning to the parable…We really don’t know the end of the story of the tree. Scripture simply says…
Sir, give it one more chance. Leave it another year, and I’ll give it special attention and plenty of fertilizer. 9 If we get figs next year, fine. If not, then you can cut it down.’”
Maybe this is YOUR “one more chance.” Your reminder that your fruit matters.
We serve a gracious God who will wait for us, but He won’t wait forever!
If you haven’t repented, please do so today so you can spend eternity with God in heaven.
But even if you have repented, I encourage you to dig deep into your soil and check on how your fruit is growing. Because THIS life is a unique opportunity for us to grow fruit for others who need it! Please don’t miss out on this amazing opportunity!
Let’s pray…
Dear Most Holy God – we WANT to grow – and we know that in order to grow, we need to care for our personal relationship with you. We have to dig – and ask you to fertilize and weed us with your Word and your love. God, we ask for strength and courage and wisdom to obey you, so that we, like the healthiest of fig trees, can grow ripe, luscious fruit that is suitable for feeding and nourishing others. What an amazing gift you’ve given us to serve you and serve each other. Let us NEVER take that for granted. In Jesus’ name, I pray. Amen.