Luke 13:1-5
Tower of Siloam Tragedy
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.”
John 12:23-26
One Seed Can Turn To Much Fruit
23 Jesus replied, “The hour has come for the Son of Man to be glorified.24 Very truly I tell you, unless a kernel of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains only a single seed. But if it dies, it produces many seeds. 25 Anyone who loves their life will lose it, while anyone who hates their life in this world will keep it for eternal life. 26 Whoever serves me must follow me; and where I am, my servant also will be. My Father will honor the one who serves me.
Matthew 5:43-48
Love Your Enemies
43 “You have heard that it was said, ‘Love your neighbor[a] and hate your enemy.’ 44 But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, 45 that you may be children of your Father in heaven. He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous. 46 If you love those who love you, what reward will you get? Are not even the tax collectors doing that? 47 And if you greet only your own people, what are you doing more than others? Do not even pagans do that? 48 Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect.
If we read the news daily we often hear about a tragedy or many tragedies...When Jesus talks about the Tower of Siloam, He is talking about a tragedy that happened in Israel and eighteen innocent people got killed through no fault of their own...They just happened to be there and would die because a Tower had fallen...Tragedies happen and people suffer and others live on and through these instances...
Jesus throughout the gospels talks about His Father, who is God...He tries over and over to teach us to be more about faith, and to be a person of faith and to believe in Him and His Father, and to trust in Him and His Father...
Besides Jesus, I do not know of anyone who can talk about loving one’s enemies and forgiving them, and living with faith when tragedies happen...He has His Way to make sense of these things...When Jesus died and resurrected He bore more witnesses and He had more followers after His death...It was Jesus who said that unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains just a single grain; but if it dies, it bears much fruit...His death, that One death has harvested into the most dynamic and robust religion that the world knows...