Luke 13:1-9
Unless We Repent, We Will Perish
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, planted 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.’”
Isaiah 55:6-7
Seek the LORD While He May Be Found
6 Seek the LORD while he may be found;
call on him while he is near.
7 Let the wicked forsake his way
and the evil man his thoughts.
Let him turn to the LORD, and he will have mercy on him,
and to our God, for he will freely pardon.
Jesus would be on earth for three years, preaching a new message...God was here in the flesh...Jesus had preached the good news for three years now...He was still waiting for the nation of Israel to repent...The nation had time to seek Jesus, and they had time to find Him and listen to His teachings...The nation had time to change...In this parable God is the Vineyard Owner of the fig tree...The man who took care of he fig tree and vineyard was the nation of Israel...The Vineyard Owner was disappointed to find that still after three years the tree had not produced figs or any fruit...The Vineyard Owner was upset that the tree was not fruitful...God, like the Vineyard Owner, was disappointed that after three years of listening to His Son preach the Good News, the nation of God's People, still has not repented to His Son's teachings and Ways...The man who took care of the fig tree ask the LORD to give him one more year...
God gives us so much time on earth...We live on His time...We all seem to want more time, and do things on our time...We all want one more year...We think many times on those type of terms, I will do that tomorrow -or next year...When He is ready to call us home, He will call us home...God's patience may last, only each individual man's lifetime...During this time, we must be seeking the LORD, while we have time to find Him...After we are dead, it is too late...We need to call on the LORD while He is near, not after we have died...When we turn to the LORD, He will have mercy on us...He is full of grace...When we confess to Him that we have sinned against heaven and Him, and tell Him that we are not fit to be called His son, He will have mercy on us and pardon us...He will celebrate with us, when we confess that to Him (Luke 15:21-24)...
Like the tragedy of the Siloam Tower and the eighteen Galileans who were killed suddenly when the Tower fell on them, our time on earth is limited...We must not be late...It is better sooner than later on believing and repenting to God...Repentance give us the figs...It give us the fruit, the very reward we want...We have been already give the Golden Key...His name is Jesus...He came, He taught, He died, He was resurrected...The Kingdom of God is at hand... Repentance is effected by God's great forgiveness and His Almighty grace..
Judgment is coming...Eternal life is to know Him...He loves each one of us that He gives eternal life to those who believe in Him and the One He sent...God is waiting...Waiting to run to us...