Look Again

Luke 13:1 There were present at that season some who told Him about the Galileans whose blood Pilate had mingled with their sacrifices. 2 And Jesus answered and said to them, "Do you suppose that these Galileans were worse sinners than all other Galileans, because they suffered such things? 3 I tell you, no; but unless you repent you will all likewise perish. 4 Or those eighteen on whom the tower in Siloam fell and killed them, do you think that they were worse sinners than all other men who dwelt in Jerusalem? 5 I tell you, no; but unless you repent you will all likewise perish."

If you were to be judged based upon your life so far, would you merit heaven? On what basis?

Jesus is getting at that fundamental question as He addresses His disciples in Luke 13. The perspective of the question is the key. Who is doing the judging? We spend so much time judging others and making determinations about their eternal destiny while doing so little time judging ourselves. Jesus tells us to stop spending so much time looking outside ourselves, and start spending a lot more time looking inside ourselves.

Did those Galileans deserve death? And if they deserved death – did they merit eternal death? What about those 18 people by the pool of Siloam that were killed when the tower fell. Did they deserve death? Was there something so terrible in their lives that made death their providential fate?

Those are the kinds of questions that swirl around in our minds when we see great tragedy - epic depictions of death – the kind that make you remember where you were when you heard the news. 9/11. The Tsunami in Thailand. And then we see the great theologians gathered around on ‘The Larry King Show’ to discuss the question Larry King always seems to seek to have answered: “How could a loving God allow such a thing to happen?”

How could He…God that is…Allow such horrific tragedy, (knowing He alone could have prevented it.) Did those people deserve to die? Hmmm…I wonder…Deep thoughts and deeper controversy.

But Jesus says all of this overlooks a Godly perspective, allowing ourselves entry into judging those situations ourselves – as if we were God. But we aren’t. Jesus tells us instead to place ourselves in the position of those who died. If you had died, on what basis would you be worthy of eternal life in the Kingdom of Heaven? Unless YOU repent, you will likewise perish. Nothing else matters.

- Pastor Bill