“Thinking Differently” (Luke 13:1-9)

It seems like such an innocent act . . . a peaceful act . . . to gather together for prayer.  Such was the situation on a Friday at two mosques in Christchurch, New Zealand . . . people gathering for prayer.  I imagine that the prayers that were being lifted up were no different than the prayers that we shared earlier in our worship service.  Prayers for healing . . . prayers of thanksgiving . . . prayers of understanding . . . prayers of peace . . . prayers spoken and unspoken.  People—a faithful people, gathered to offer prayer.  Something we have all done.

 

In a matter of moments, the prayers were interrupted . . . pierced by the sound of semi-automatic weapon fire . . . bullets flying everywhere.  When it was all said and done, fifty people were dead and a like number were wounded.  Screams and cries broke the silence of prayer.  The prayers were now cries for mercy . . . cries for survival . . . prayers of desperation.  In the chaos and its aftermath, people wondered why . . . why were innocent people so senselessly slaughtered?

Does this sound familiar?

When I think of the states of Nebraska, Iowa, Wisconsin, Minnesota, and South Dakota I do not think of them as places of immorality and sinfulness.  In my mind these states are the epitome of Mayberry . . . good, down-to-earth, moral, upstanding places.  Yet, this week, these good people were in the wrong place at the wrong time as a “bomb cyclone” swept through the Midwest causing billions of dollars of damage.  In Nebraska, a place I love dearly and hold close to my heart, three-fourths of its 93 counties have been declared disaster areas.  In Nebraska alone there has been $49 million in damage to roads, levees and other infrastructure . . . $440 million in crop losses . . . $400 million in cattle losses.  More than 2,000 homes and 340 businesses were damaged or destroyed at a cost of $85 million.  And, that is just Nebraska.

Think of the devastation . . . homes lost . . . businesses lost . . . livelihoods erased . . . lives gone.  What did these people do to deserve such havoc, chaos, and suffering placed upon them?  Prayers are lifted up . . . prayers searching for understanding . . . prayers wondering why?

Does this sound familiar?

It should.  We just heard it in our scripture reading.  There were some in the group that was listening to Jesus teach who told him of an immoral act that had taken place . . . where the Roman leader, Pilate, had mixed the blood of innocent Galileans in a sacrifice . . . they wanted to know why?  Jesus wants to know whether or not those whose blood had been mixed in the sacrifice were worse sinners than others . . . did they think they got what they deserved?  And, he presses the point as he shares the news of those who were killed when a tower in Siloam fell killing 18.  He asks, “ . . . do you think that they were more guilty than all the others living in Jerusalem?”  

I think that that is the toughest part of faith . . . accepting the mystery . . . especially the mystery of why bad things happen.  As human beings were cannot just accept things . . . no, we have to have answers . . . explanations.  We have to have a reason for why things happen the way that they do.  We cannot accept the fact that sometimes, bad things happen.  We all know the famous twelve-step motto . . . poop happens.  Thus, it should come as no surprise when Jesus answers his own question to the people . . . NO!

No, those Galileans were not worse sinners.  They were no more sinful than anyone else, for all are sinners.  No, those killed by the tower fall were not worse sinners than all the others living in Jerusalem . . . they were all sinners.  The bottom line is that bad things happen . . . innocent people are killed . . . their blood is mixed in the sacrifice.  Innocent people gathered in prayers are mowed down in a hail of bullets.  Devastating natural disaster flood the land . . . innocent people are hurt . . . lose their homes, businesses, and livelihood.  None of them did anything to deserve what happened to them . . . they were not any worse sinners than anyone.  In fact, they were just like you and me . . . children of God.  As it was in Jesus’ time, so it is in our time . . . there are no answers.

And, yet, we must go on.

It is kind of shocking then that Jesus also tells those who are listening that in light of these sad situations that they all must repent.  So often we think of that word—“repent”—as a word that means that we are to quit something that we shouldn’t be doing.  Repentance, though, is more than giving something up . . . quitting something.  Repentance, as Jesus uses it, does mean “to change” . . . in particular, he uses it to mean that the change comes in the way that one thinks.  When Jesus calls for repentance, Jesus calls for a change in the way that people think.

To change one’s thinking takes time.  With that in mind, Jesus tells a parable . . . the parable of the fig tree.  A man has a fig tree that hasn’t produced fruit in three years.  He tells his gardener to chop it down . . . it is worthless.  But the gardener pleas with the man to give the tree some time.  With a little help the gardener is certain that the tree will produce . . . it just needs time and attention.  Jesus understands that change does not happen over-night, especially when it comes to how people think.  It takes time, and God is a patient God . . . a patient God who seeks people to change the way that they see and understand God . . . to change the way that they see their relationship with God . . . to see the inter-connectedness of God’s ways with their ways.  So, Jesus says, repent!  Think differently . . . think like God.  God will wait.

Bad things happen.  Things that we cannot explain . . . things that we cannot understand.  And, yet, life goes on.  How do we respond?  Do we question why bad things happen?  Or, do we respond when bad things happen.  Jesus tells us to think differently.  Instead of asking why and trying to understand something we may never know or understand, Jesus tells us to think differently.  Instead of why . . . we need to ask how.

How do we wipe the tears away of those whose loved ones and friends were senselessly shot down while in prayer?  How do we provide comfort to those who lay in the hospital from their wounds?  How do we embrace those who are shocked and devastated in the senselessness of it all?  How do we represent the love and the grace . . . the compassion . . . of Jesus to all those touched by such pointless acts of violence witnessed in New Zealand and across the world?  How do we think like Jesus?

How do we respond to those whose land has been flooded?  How do we ease the pain of loss . . . loss of life, home, livelihood?  How do we reach out and touch another’s live in such desperate times?  How do we become Jesus to others in their time of need?

We begin by thinking differently.  Jesus thought differently.  He often floored those who listened to him as he turned their world and understanding upside down.  He called the people to think like God.  He demonstrated through his words and actions how this thinking differently looked.  He walked the talk.  Surprisingly, his words still shake us up today . . . to repent . . . to think differently.  That is what we are called to do as the followers of Jesus.

We are getting well into the season of Lent.  Lent is a season that is grounded in thinking differently.  It is a season in which we are called upon to think differently about how we see ourselves in light of God’s love and grace . . . how we see ourselves in relation to God . . . and, how we see ourselves in relation with others.  That is the work of Lent . . . to think differently.  To think like God.  God’s ways are not the way of the world . . . they are different.  They are better.

Repenting . . . thinking differently . . . is hard work, especially when it is in our deepest fiber to wonder why.  To wonder why when bad things happen like in New Zealand . . . like in the Midwest.  But there really is no comfort in such thinking . . . just more questions.  The comfort comes when we quit asking why and begin responding as Jesus would respond . . . showing grace and love . . . to ourselves, to God, and to others.  It all comes down to how we relate . . . to ourselves, God, and others.  In such thinking, we are never alone for God is with us.  We are all in this together and it is going to all of us to get out of here.  We can’t do it alone.  Who would have thought!  That is thinking different.  Amen.

“A Matter of Perspective” (Luke 13:1-9)

Jesus tells a parable about an unresponsive fig tree in a man’s vineyard.  Seeing that the tree has never produced any fruit in the past three years, the man tells the caretaker to cut it down.  It is worthless and is taking up ground that could be used for something else.  Cut it down, he tells the caretaker.  But the caretaker pleads with the man to give the tree one more year . . . he will give it some extra tender loving care . . . give it more fertilizer; then, after a year, if it is still not bearing any fruit . . . then cut it down.

Now this is an interesting parable that Jesus is sharing . . . interesting because it comes at the end of a discussion about some pretty horrific things that have taken place.  In one, we hear a story how Pilate has sent his soldiers into the Temple, attacked a group of Galilean pilgrims as they are worshipping and offering their sacrifices to God . . . murder them all.  The writer of the Gospel of Luke tells us that their blood was mixed with their sacrifices.  A horrible and sacrilegious act on the part of Pilate upon innocent people.  Then the second, is a story about some innocent bystanders who are standing by a tower when it falls down . . . kills 18 people.  They are just standing there, going about their business, when the tower suddenly falls down and smashes them flat.

Of course, from those who shared the story of the Galileans killed by Pilate, the question is why did this happen . . . why do “bad” things seem to happen to “good” people?  In Jesus sharing the story of the tower falling on innocent people who just happened to be in the wrong spot at the wrong time . . . the same question is being thought . . . why do “bad” things happen to “good” people?

So, the question is “why?”

The prevalent view point in Jesus’ time was that bad things happened to bad people.  The story of Job is a good example of this thinking.  Remember how Job’s wife and friends urged him to step up and admit his sin to end his suffering?  They just assumed that Job had committed some horrendous sin deserving of the way his life had gone down the tubes.  But, Job was spotless . . . even God had said that he was the best and most faithful.  But, the prevalent point of view was that “bad” things happen to “bad” people. 

The problem with this view point is that it doesn’t always fit.  This is what makes those sharing the story of what happened to their friends at the hands of Pilate so frustrated . . . that makes them so angry.  Their friends were good and faithful people . . . they were killed in the Temple worshipping.  This just doesn’t make sense or fit.

Of course Jesus doesn’t feed into their anger.  Instead he presents them with the situation of the tower falling down and killing 18 individuals.  Again, when viewed in the formula of cause and effect . . . of “bad” things happening to “bad” people . . . it doesn’t make any sense.  So Jesus tells asks them, “. . . do you think they were more guilty than all the others living in Jerusalem?”  Of course not!  These people were just innocent bystanders in the wrong place at the wrong time.

Most twelve step groups, like Alcoholics Anonymous, have that popular saying, “Poop happens!”  And, that is true.  The belief that “good” things happen only to those who are “good”, and “bad” things only happen to those who are “bad” . . . it just doesn’t stand up to experience.  All of us can share stories that fly in the face of this belief; yet, it is still a pretty prevalent understanding of faith.  The truth is that fate plays no favorites . . . “good” and “bad” things happen on both sides of the fence to both “good” and “bad” people.

Jesus doesn’t even go there.

Instead, after each of the two stories, Jesus hits his listeners up with the statement: “But unless you repent, you too will all perish.”  Jesus is not going to get into this game, instead he gives a stern warning with a clear call to repentance . . . he calls upon his listeners to change direction.  Now, remember, to “repent” is to turn and change direction.  Jesus is not going to get into this idea of “cause and effect” nature of sin.  This is not a matter of sin, if it were . . . well, we’d all be dead . . . after all, we are all sinners.

Here is Jesus issuing a call to all those who are listening to change directions in life . . . to change directions in life before it is too late.  Since Jesus issues that call to change twice, I would think that this is probably an important point that he is trying to make.  Yet, there is that lingering question . . . that prevalent idea of “good” and “bad” . . . that just won’t go away.  The focus is there . . . and, because the focus is there, we are missing the point.

I’m going to hand out a picture for you to look at.  (Look at the picture at the top of this page.)  Take a moment to look at the picture and tell me what you see . . . some of you saw a young woman . . . some of you saw an old woman.  Which is it?  Well, it comes down to perspectives . . . comes down to what you think you see.  With those who shared the story of Pilate’s killing of the Galileans in the Temple, there was only one perspective; and, because of that one perspective there were conflicting feelings . . . these were good people that did nothing to deserve what had happened to them.  Same for those who were killed when the tower fell down . . . they did not deserve what had happened to them.  That is all that anyone could see.

Yet Jesus sees it differently.  For Jesus this is not a matter of whether or not they deserved it because “bad” things happen all the time . . . sometimes they happen to “good” people, sometimes they happen to “bad” people.  They just happen and when they happen that is it . . . it is done . . . there is no going back to fix things or change things . . . there is no chance of going forward and changing things.  It is done.  More upsetting to Jesus is the idea of whether or not these people had repented . . . whether or not they had changed their course in life . . . before they had died.

Thus he warns them . . . “But unless you repent, you too will all perish.”  And, remember, he issues this warning not once, but twice.  This is what he wants . . . he wants people to change course . . . to get into relationship with God . . . to love God completely . . . and, in a like manner to love others.

Which brings us back to that parable.  What does this parable mean?  What does it mean in light of the previous discussion of the “cause and effect” of sin?

Simply put, the man who owns the vineyard has a “cause and effect” view of the trees in his vineyard.  If it is producing . . . it gets to live; if it is not producing . . . chop it down.  But the caretaker steps in for the unproductive tree . . . tells the owner that he will give it some special tender loving care . . . give it extra fertilizer . . . then if it does not produce fruit at the end of the year, he will cut it down.  It is a moment of grace as the owner allows the caretaker to step in with the offer.  In the year to come, the tree survives on grace . . . it is given another chance.

On one hand this parable tells us that we . . . who are still alive despite all the things that have happened in our lives . . . are still here because of the grace of God, and that our purpose is to bear fruit for God.  Especially if we view ourselves . . . in the abundance we have, as being among those who are blessed.  After all, we are “good” people.  Thank goodness for grace.

On the other hand . . . another perspective . . . is that maybe, “cause and effect” has nothing to do with it.  Maybe, just maybe, we are that unproductive tree in the vineyard who has been given all this extra special care because we do have a difficult time producing fruit for God.  Maybe it is not a matter of blessing as much as it is a matter of needing extra time and help to get it right.  In hearing the parable, which tree in the vineyard would you have identified with?  I imagine that most of us would have chosen one of the trees that were producing fruit . . . we would never chose to be identified with the unproductive tree.  And, yet, we very well could be that tree.  It is a matter of perspective . . . ours or God’s.

So, in the end it all comes down to repentance.  We are to turn around.  We are to change the course of our lives.  We are to get in line with Jesus and his ways.  That is what Jesus wants from us.  And, maybe we ought to seriously consider this call to repentance . . . you never know what is going to happen when it comes to life . . . one day we are here, the next we might be gone.  Each day is a day of grace . . . miraculous grace.  Once again, God has decided to give us one more chance.  Amen.