Sermons

CHRIST COLLIDES WITH OUR CONDEMNATION

Have you ever read a story, and realized you weren’t entirely sure of its point? Some Bible stories are so familiar that they’ve worked their way into everyday language. When an underdog faces a powerhouse team, it’s called a David vs. Goliath matchup. Last week, we heard about the Good Samaritan, a parable that practically preaches itself—a call to love our neighbour, even when it’s inconvenient. But this passage? It’s less well-known, yet no less significant. Jesus is asked to comment on two breaking news stories—a government-sanctioned massacre and a workplace accident. People debated these events, asking, ‘Why did this happen?” But instead of reaffirming their assumptions, Jesus tells a parable about a fruitless fig tree—and just leaves it there. No explanation. No tidy conclusion. That’s striking because Jesus often explained His parables. With the Parable of the Sower, He sat His disciples down and explained what the different soils represented. But here? Nothing. It's just a story about a fig tree running out of time. Maybe that’s why this passage feels unsettling. We gravitate toward stories with clear heroes and villains, easy application, and satisfying endings. Instead of answering speculation, He turns the question back on them: "Are you ready to stand before your Maker?" And that’s the question before us today: What happens when Christ collides with our condemnation? What happens when Christ collides with our assumptions about life?

Breaking Down Luke 13:1-5 – Christ Collides with Our Condemnation

• The Galileans Slaughtered by Pilate (Luke 13:1)

Luke 13 opens with a reference to a horrific event: “Now there were some present at that time who told Jesus about the Galileans whose blood Pilate had mixed with their sacrifices.” This specific event—the massacre of Galileans in the Temple—isn’t recorded in any historical sources outside the Bible. However, the Jewish historian Flavius Josephus (c. 37–100 AD) repeatedly describes Pilate as a ruthless governor who had no problem spilling Jewish blood when it suited his agenda. As a historian writing for a Roman audience, Josephus offers valuable insight into the turbulent relationship between Rome and the Jewish people. His work Antiquities of the Jews (c. 93 AD) confirms that Pilate often used violence to suppress dissent. We know of at least three major incidents where Pilate brutally clashed with the Jewish people:

18. A) The Standards Controversy: Pilate brought Roman military standards with the emperor’s image into Jerusalem. Jews protested, and Pilate threatened them with death. When they refused to back down, he relented (Antiquities 18.3.1).
19. B) The Temple Treasury & The Aqueduct: Pilate took money from the Temple treasury to build an aqueduct. When people protested, he had soldiers blend into the crowd in disguise, and then violently attack them, killing many (Antiquities 18.3.2).
20. C) The Samaritan Massacre: A group of Samaritans gathered on Mount Gerizim, believing they would find sacred artifacts left by Moses. Gearing rebellion Pilate sent in troops and slaughtered them. The Roman governor of Syria was so disturbed by this that Pilate was recalled to Rome and removed from his position (Antiquities 18.4.1).

In other words, Pilate had a history of violently suppressing Jewish people, so it is entirely plausible that he had Galilean pilgrims killed in the Temple itself. And that’s where things get even more interesting—because Jesus Himself was a Galilean. It wasn’t just anyone who was slaughtered. This wasn’t some abstract theological discussion for Jesus. These were His people. Several of Jesus' closest disciples were Galileans. This is why, during Jesus' trial, Peter is recognized as one of His followers: “Certainly this man was with Him, for he too is a Galilean” (Luke 22:59). So, when Jesus hears this report, you might expect Him to condemn Pilate or call for political action. Instead, He does something shocking—He turns the conversation around.

Jesus’ Rhetorical Strategy in Luke 13:2-3

 

“Do you think that these Galileans were worse sinners than all the other Galileans because they suffered this way? I tell you, no! But unless you repent, you too will all perish.” Jesus asks, ‘Were these Galileans worse sinners?’ The assumed answer was yes—people linked suffering to divine punishment. But Jesus rejects this thinking. But Jesus flips the script: “I tell you, no! But unless you repent, you too will all perish.” Instead of blaming Pilate, Jesus challenges His audience to examine their own hearts.

• The Tower of Siloam – A Seemingly Random Disaster (Luke 13:4-5)

Jesus points to another tragedy: 'What about the eighteen crushed by the Tower of Siloam? Were they more guilty than others in Jerusalem?' Unlike the Galilean massacre, this was a random accident.

Underlying Theological Assumption: Do Only People Suffer Because of Sin?

Jesus is not just addressing two tragic events—He is confronting the deeply held cultural belief of the day that suffering is always the result of sin. Two key distinctions:

1. A) Some suffering is a direct consequence of sin or folly: Break trust, and you might lose relationships. As a kid, if I went to work with my dad, I earned spending money, but if I skipped or slept in, I was broke.
2. B) Some suffering is seemingly unexplainable: A natural disaster, a sudden illness, a tragic accident—these are not the result of personal sin.

Jesus here rejects simplistic theology that says, “bad things only happen to bad people” or “good things always happen to good people.” The reality is that life is unpredictable, and tragedy can touch anyone. And Jesus says, the real question isn’t “Why did tragedy happen?” but “Are you ready if your tragedy touches your life?” In verse 5, Jesus repeats the same statement He made in verse 3: “But unless you repent, you too will all perish.” Repetition in Jewish teaching is a way to emphasize what truly matters. Instead of discussing who deserved what, Jesus calls for repentance. Instead of feeding speculation, He urges preparation. Instead of answering why suffering happens, Jesus asks: what are you doing with the time you have? Jesus isn’t just responding to historical events—He’s confronting the way we think about life, God and suffering. Life is unpredictable, but grace is available.

The Parable of the Fig Tree: An Illumination of the Issue

Jesus often used parables to illustrate deep spiritual truths, wrapping them in imagery that was both familiar and thought-provoking. Jesus doesn’t explain the Parable of the Fig Tree, and that means we must carefully reflect on its meaning. Throughout church history, one of the primary ways Christians have understood parables without explicit explanations is through the allegorical method—a practice used by the Church Fathers to uncover spiritual meaning in the text. Last week, when we looked at the Good Samaritan, we saw how early Christian interpreters understood it allegorically:

• The wounded man represents humanity—broken and left for dead by sin.
• The Good Samaritan is Jesus—the outsider who rescues and restores us.
• The inn represents the Church—the place where the wounded find healing.

So what happens when we apply this same approach to the Parable of the Fig Tree? “Then he told this parable: ‘A man had a fig tree growing in his vineyard, and he went to look for fruit on it but did not find any. 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?” “Sir,” the man replied, “leave it alone for one more year, and I’ll dig around it and fertilize it. If it bears fruit next year, fine! If not, then cut it down.”

At first glance, it’s an agricultural story, but in context, it’s Jesus’ response to the tragedies. If we use an allegorical lens, here’s what emerges:

• The fig tree represents God’s people—who hear Jesus’ message.
• The owner of the vineyard represents God, who expects fruitfulness.
• The gardener interceding for the tree represents Jesus, who pleads for time.
• The one-year extension represents God’s patience but coming judgment.

This parable is not just about agriculture—it’s about grace. Just as the Galileans didn’t know their time was up and the eighteen people crushed by the tower had no warning, so too does this fig tree not realize how close it is to being cut down. But here’s the key difference: The fig tree is given another chance. This is where Jesus wants His audience to examine their fruitfulness. And that leads us to ask: What about us?

The Message for Us: Personal and Corporate Reflection

As we move from Jesus’ world to our own, we need to ask: What does this parable mean for us today? Individually, this parable is an invitation. If you’ve been waiting to take your spiritual life seriously, the time is now. If you’ve been assuming you have lots of time to decide. The Vinedresser is pleading: the call to repentance isn’t about fear—it’s about embracing the life God has for us today. Corporately, this parable challenges us as a church to consider our fruitfulness. We are a small congregation, part of a historic Anabaptist tradition, and many people here have been faithful for many years. But Jesus’ question still stands: Are we still bearing fruit? Are we a fig tree that looks healthy but is barren? Not measured by activity, but by embodying the values of God’s kingdom—extending hospitality, loving our neighbours, deepening in faith? Do we need some TLC from Christ the Vinedresser or perhaps a little fertilizer to help us recover our fruitfulness?

Jesus’ Lament and the Call to the Table

Jesus’ lament over Jerusalem in Luke 13:34-35 is not just the cry of another rejected prophet—it is the sorrow of the Messiah over a city that was running out of time: "Jerusalem, Jerusalem, you who kill the prophets and stone those sent to you, how often I have longed to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, and you were not willing!"(Luke 13:34).

Throughout Israel’s history, prophet after prophet had been sent to call God’s people back, yet time and time again, they were ignored, resisted, or even killed. Jesus was not just a prophet—He was the Christ. The city that rejected Him was where He would lay down His life as the Lamb who takes away sin. Yet, His warning was not empty. Within a generation, in AD 70, Jerusalem was destroyed by the Romans under Emperor Titus. The city that had refused to be gathered under His wings was left desolate. What Jesus spoke was not only a spiritual warning—it was a prophecy of judgment that came to pass. But even in judgment, there was still an invitation. The table was still set. The invitation still stands. When we come to the Lord’s Table, we remember that Jesus is not just the gardener pleading for more time—He is the vine, the bread of life, the Lamb who was slain, the only one who can make us fruitful. Communion is not just a ritual; it is the place where we stop delaying, stop making excuses, and come to Jesus as we are. It is where we remember that the call to repent is not about fear—it is about embracing the “yes” God has for us.

So, as we come to the table, let’s reflect:

• Where is Jesus calling you to abide in Him and bear fruit?
• Where do you need to surrender to His grace and be gathered under His wings?
• Will you come to Him today—not just in word, but with your whole heart?

We are given Jesus Himself. What will you do with Him?