I love you, Lord, and I lift my voice
To worship you, Oh my soul rejoice!
Take joy, my King, in what you hear
May it be a sweet, sweet sound in your ear
Scripture Reflections Luke 13:1-9
1Now there were some present at that time who told Jesus about the Galileans whose blood Pilate had mixed with their sacrifices. 2Jesus answered, "Do you think that these Galileans were worse sinners than all the other Galileans because they suffered this way? 3I tell you, no! But unless you repent, you too will all perish. 4Or 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? 5I tell you, no! But unless you repent, you too will all perish."
The political situations of your day Lord Jesus were as difficult as it is today. Interesting that you did not take time to comment except as it related to the deeper issues of life.
No demonstrations...no time for that kind of activity...somehow I don't think you would be demonstrating for political change. The issue of sin is the same in everyone...even those who died in the middle of worship.
Nor did the falling of the tower of Siloam give you cause to question the mercies of God. You put this natural disaster in the same category...death is result of sin...this incident of gratuitous loss of life instead pushed you to see the need for repentance and being open to the call of grace.
Our end can come to us in so many ways. A bridge falling, a Twin Tower falling, a plane falling from the sky can all happen in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye our lives can end or alter beyond our ability to recognize.
The ultimate result, the only thing that matters is that you are King of my heart and life...that your amazing love is alive in my heart. The only thing that matters is...at the end of each day that I can say that You are Lord and that in this day I have loved You with all my heart, soul and strength and that I have loved my neighbor as myself.
6Then he told this parable: "A man had a fig tree, planted in his vineyard, and he went to look for fruit on it, but did not find any. 7So 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. 9If it bears fruit next year, fine! If not, then cut it down.' "
The hope of harvest is the reason for all the time, energy and investment in your work Lord Jesus. If the fig tree does not produce fruit...there is no purpose for it. It is beyond the place where there is help for it. There is no other use for it other than to be cut down and become fuel for those still alive.
So what are the fruit that we should expect?
The political situations of your day Lord Jesus were as difficult as it is today. Interesting that you did not take time to comment except as it related to the deeper issues of life.
No demonstrations...no time for that kind of activity...somehow I don't think you would be demonstrating for political change. The issue of sin is the same in everyone...even those who died in the middle of worship.
Nor did the falling of the tower of Siloam give you cause to question the mercies of God. You put this natural disaster in the same category...death is result of sin...this incident of gratuitous loss of life instead pushed you to see the need for repentance and being open to the call of grace.
Our end can come to us in so many ways. A bridge falling, a Twin Tower falling, a plane falling from the sky can all happen in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye our lives can end or alter beyond our ability to recognize.
The ultimate result, the only thing that matters is that you are King of my heart and life...that your amazing love is alive in my heart. The only thing that matters is...at the end of each day that I can say that You are Lord and that in this day I have loved You with all my heart, soul and strength and that I have loved my neighbor as myself.
6Then he told this parable: "A man had a fig tree, planted in his vineyard, and he went to look for fruit on it, but did not find any. 7So 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. 9If it bears fruit next year, fine! If not, then cut it down.' "
The hope of harvest is the reason for all the time, energy and investment in your work Lord Jesus. If the fig tree does not produce fruit...there is no purpose for it. It is beyond the place where there is help for it. There is no other use for it other than to be cut down and become fuel for those still alive.
So what are the fruit that we should expect?
There should be intensive growth which should result in increased measures of patience, endurance, peace...the fruits of the Spirit. There should be extensive growth...more people coming to a saving knowledge of Jesus Christ...not the forward movement of a political agenda or the discussion of the reason why bad things happen in the world.
Lord Jesus harvest time is what I am always thinking about these days...to see those who have been far away brought close to your side. Lord Jesus teach the ways of the harvest to this group of people who you are assembling called Living Springs Church.
Lord Jesus harvest time is what I am always thinking about these days...to see those who have been far away brought close to your side. Lord Jesus teach the ways of the harvest to this group of people who you are assembling called Living Springs Church.
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