Disaster is Always a Call to Repentance

 

Luke 12:49–13:9

Introduction

Catastrophic earthquake, tsunami and the radiation leak of nuclear power plants In March 2011 have caused Japan to be plagued by the severest disaster of the age. Some perceive it to be the retribution of Japanese atrocities of the second world war. However, was it really the case?

The coup in Libya caused death to countless number of people, and their neighboring countries like Yemen Syria, Bahrain also underwent coups too. Are they more problematic or sinful than the rest of the other countries?

Covid-19 began in Wuhan in December 2019, and it has surprised everyone by spreading all over the world. Now it is still rampantly spreading and causing severe damages to both human lives and their possessions. Whose fault is this?

Natural calamities and man-made disasters are often caused by many factors. Some are avoidable while some are beyond our control. We ought to look into the matter for remedy and accountability purpose. However, how does the Lord Jesus look at these natural and man-made disasters?

Christ’s Urgent Call to Repentance

Now there were some present at that time who told Jesus about the Galileans whose blood Pilate had mixed with their sacrifices (Luke 13:1-5). 

Jesus answered, “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. 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? I tell you, no! But unless you repent, you too will all perish.”

The Galileans were killed by Pilate when the Jews were making their sacrifices in the temple, and their blood was mixed with the sacrifices of the Jews. This raised a question for the Jews: Was it that these Galileans were so sinful that God punished them in such a way?

The Siloam tower fell on those eighteen people, and they died. Why these eighteen ones? Were they more guilty than the others? Both these incidents have caused many to ask: Does God give men their reserved retribution in their lifetimes? Whose fault is it indeed?

Natural and man-made disasters do inform us a fact, that all people are destined to die once, and their times are not predictable. An end shall come to all men, and physical death is the end of all things in our lives. However, “repentance” is the main point in this passage.

“But unless you repent, you too will all perish.” (Luke 13:3,5)

The Lord Jesus did not make clear the reasons of those natural and man-made disasters, and He also did not hold any person responsible for them. But He turned the issue of physical death in sufferings to the issue of eternity. Death brings men before God, and it ends the problem of sin once and for all.

“And I saw the dead, great and small, standing before the throne, and books were opened. Another book was opened, which is the book of life. The dead were judged according to what they had done as recorded in the books.” (Rev 20:12)

Therefore, it is the grace of God when man is given a choice and opportunity to repent while he still lives.

Do Not Consume All the Grace of God

Subsequently, Jesus uses a parable to explain the importance of repentance and the limitation of grace (Luke 13:6-9).

“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.’”

It was something special for a fig tree to be planted in the vineyard. The soil in the vineyard was better and the fig tree did not need such good soil to live on. Therefore, the fig tree was under grace. With such a good environment, it should yield a better harvest.

Nevertheless, the master waited patiently for three years, but he still could not find a good fruit from it. No wonder the master was so angry that he wanted to cut off the fig tree.

By using this illustration, the Lord Jesus warned the Jews of His day not to abuse or consume God’s grace, but to live out a godly life. John Baptist also issued a warning to the Pharisees who came for baptism, and he said, “Produce fruit in keeping with repentance.” (Luke 3:8)

If one truly believes in God, his faith would carry an attitude of “repentance”. Similarly, if one is to truly repent, this repentance must also be built upon the foundation of “faith”.

“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.’”.

The request and aid of the gardener were in fact, extra grace given. However, the extension would only last for another year. In another word, grace also has an expiry date!

Even though God has eternal love and grace, man’s life is limited, and the intervention of death is unexpected. If we did not repent and be saved on time, it would be too late for us to do so when death looms.

In Romans 11:21-22, when Apostle Paul talks about salvation that has come upon the non-Jews, he uses the wild olive branch which is grafted into the natural olive tree to illustrate the saving grace that is freely received by the Gentiles.

Here, he warns the Gentile Christians that since God did not spare the fallen Jews, He would not spare the fallen Gentiles either. Therefore, we are not to neglect both God’s kindness and harshness.

Why Would People Despise God’s Grace?

God’s mercy and righteousness are not to be overlooked or taken lightly. What causes one to despise and overlook this great salvation? In the teachings of Jesus found in Luke 12:49-59, we can observe three reasons:

1. A Wrong Interpretation of Gospel

“I have come to bring fire on the earth, and how I wish it were already kindled! But I have a baptism to undergo, and what constraint I am under until it is completed! Do you think I came to bring peace on earth? No, I tell you, but division. From now on there will be five in one family divided against each other, three against two and two against three. They will be divided, father against son and son against father, mother against daughter and daughter against mother, mother-in-law against daughter-in-law and daughter-in-law against mother-in-law.” （Luke 12:49-53）

John Baptist introduced the Lord Jesus and said, “He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire.” (Luke 3:16). “Fire” represents judgment, and God once said, “I will make my words in your mouth a fire and these people the wood it consumes.” (Jeremiah 5:14)

The Lord Jesus came to preach the message of judgment, and that caused many to confess their sins and repent. However, His action offended the religious leaders of the day, and they conspired to put Him to death.

Modern day culture depicts Jesus as someone who would pursue peace at all cost, and he is someone who holds himself aloof from the world, and he never talks about judgment.

However, real peace is not about compromising, giving in, accommodating to the general interest of all, etc. Real peace is built upon confession, repentance and reconciliation with God (1 John 1:3).

The Gospel of Christ carries with it the message of judgment, and it leads people to repentance and reconciliation with God. The gospel of the Lord Jesus demands people to make a choice by either receiving or rejecting it, and hence, it causes family conflicts (Luke 12:52-53).

2. Refuse to discern the Truth

Jesus said to the crowd: “When you see a cloud rising in the west, immediately you say, ‘It’s going to rain,’ and it does. And when the south wind blows, you say, ‘It’s going to be hot,’ and it is. Hypocrites! You know how to interpret the appearance of the earth and the sky. How is it that you don’t know how to interpret this present time? (Luke 12:54-56)

What the Lord Jesus meant is very clear. It is not that they were unable to discern but were unwilling to. They might have to pay a price if they were serious in discerning truth from falsehood. Not being discreet when challenged by God’s truth looked like the wisest choice to them.

Nevertheless, biblical truth is to be accepted and obeyed by faith, and it is not to be interpreted according to our own intention or to be used as an application by our own choices!

3. Take the Impending Judgment Lightly

“Why don’t you judge for yourselves what is right? As you are going with your adversary to the magistrate, try hard to be reconciled on the way, or your adversary may drag you off to the judge, and the judge turn you over to the officer, and the officer throw you into prison. I tell you; you will not get out until you have paid the last penny.” (12: 57-59）

“Try hard to be reconciled on the way” is an opportunity and a grace that would rescue oneself from an inevitable severe punishment.

The Lord Jesus reminds us that everyone of us should be responsible for the task we assume. Be it a small or a big task, God’s judgment is never slack! “How much more severely do you think someone deserves to be punished who has trampled the Son of God underfoot, who has treated as an unholy thing the blood of the covenant that sanctified them, and who has insulted the Spirit of grace?” (Hebrews 10:29)

Conclusion

“Repentance” is the greatest grace given by God to all living men, so that men could receive the joy of salvation. Submit to the leading of the Holy Spirit always, and to be set apart in our daily life through the truth that is given by God. This is something that we should do now.