”About this time Jesus was informed that Pilate had murdered some people from Galilee as they were offering sacrifices at the Temple. “Do you think those Galileans were worse sinners than all the other people from Galilee?” Jesus asked. “Is that why they suffered? Not at all! And you will perish, too, unless you repent of your sins and turn to God. And what about the eighteen people who died when the tower in Siloam fell on them? Were they the worst sinners in Jerusalem? No, and I tell you again that unless you repent, you will perish, too.” 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. 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.’ “The gardener answered, ‘Sir, give it one more chance. Leave it another year, and I’ll give it special attention and plenty of fertilizer. If we get figs next year, fine. If not, then you can cut it down.’” One Sabbath day as Jesus was teaching in a synagogue, he saw a woman who had been crippled by an evil spirit. She had been bent double for eighteen years and was unable to stand up straight. When Jesus saw her, he called her over and said, “Dear woman, you are healed of your sickness!” Then he touched her, and instantly she could stand straight. How she praised God! But the leader in charge of the synagogue was indignant that Jesus had healed her on the Sabbath day. “There are six days of the week for working,” he said to the crowd. “Come on those days to be healed, not on the Sabbath.” But the Lord replied, “You hypocrites! Each of you works on the Sabbath day! Don’t you untie your ox or your donkey from its stall on the Sabbath and lead it out for water? This dear woman, a daughter of Abraham, has been held in bondage by Satan for eighteen years. Isn’t it right that she be released, even on the Sabbath?” This shamed his enemies, but all the people rejoiced at the wonderful things he did.“
Luke 13:1-17 NLT
Repentance is required. We all know we sin, but we sometimes live like we can skip repentance. To repent is to turn away from sin and turn towards the way of the Lord; it involves our will, emotions, mind, and choices. The point of the stories in verses 1-5 is not that everyone deserves to die but that these were tragedies, and a worse death awaits those who will not repent and follow Jesus. God expects our lives to be fruitful (vv.6-9), but that is only possible with Him (John 15:5). Part of the fruit is helping people be free from the burdens that bind them (vv.10-17).
Too many Christians have faith down to a (false) formula: “pray this prayer and that’s all you have to do.” Real faith is a relationship with Christ, trusting in Him every hour and with every breath. We are not saved by what we do but what we do is totally changed because we are saved. Jesus made it clear: if we want to live out the salvation He has given us, we have to make decisions—including hard decisions and even suffering—to be closer to Him and shine His hope to a world that so desperately needs Him.
How can you make repentance and confession a regular part of your faith? Who in your life needs some extra attention or help this week, and how can you help them?
