In Luke 13:1–9, Jesus responds to news of two tragedies—the Galileans killed by Pilate and the people crushed when the tower of Siloam fell—by rejecting the idea that their suffering was God’s punishment. He reminds us that tragedy isn’t always tied to sin; sometimes bad things just happen in a broken world. Then Jesus tells a parable about a fig tree that hasn’t borne fruit, but instead of cutting it down, the gardener pleads for more time and care. That’s the heart of God—patient, merciful, always giving us another chance to repent and grow. Repentance isn’t about guilt; it’s about grace and the opportunity to start fresh. Today, let’s take that chance—to turn back to God, bear good fruit, and live in the joy of His mercy and love.

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Well, good morning. It’s good to be with you on this Wednesday morning as we continue our time together in Luke’s gospel. Today we’re in Luke 13, looking at verses 1 through 9.

This passage starts off with one of my favorite little snippets of Jesus’ ministry—it’s got a lot packed into it. It helps explain some things about how we understand tragedy, and then it moves into a teaching on repentance and grace.

Let’s read Luke 13:1–9 (NRSV):

At that very time there were some present who told him about the Galileans whose blood Pilate had mingled with their sacrifices. He asked them, “Do you think that because these Galileans suffered in this way they were worse sinners than all other Galileans? No, I tell you; but unless you repent, you will all perish as they did.

Or those eighteen who were killed when the tower of Siloam fell on them—do you think that they were worse offenders than all the others living in Jerusalem? No, I tell you; but unless you repent, you will all perish just as they did.”

Then he told this parable: “A man had a fig tree planted in his vineyard; and he came looking for fruit on it and found none. So he said to the gardener, ‘See here! For three years I have come looking for fruit on this fig tree, and still I find none. Cut it down! Why should it be wasting the soil?’

He replied, ‘Sir, let it alone for one more year, until I dig around it and put manure on it. If it bears fruit next year, well and good; but if not, you can cut it down.’”

Alright—so, there are a few little verses of Scripture that, while we shouldn’t build our whole theology around them, give us unique insight into the heart of God. This passage is one of those for me.

Jesus brings up two tragedies his audience would’ve known well. First, the Galileans who were killed while offering their sacrifices—Pilate had them killed, and their blood was mixed with their offerings. Then, the tower of Siloam that collapsed and killed eighteen people.

The people around Jesus assumed these tragedies must’ve happened because those folks were worse sinners. That was the common “folk theology” of the day—if something bad happens to you, you must’ve done something wrong.

You see this same thinking in John’s Gospel, when the disciples see a man born blind and ask Jesus, “Who sinned—this man or his parents—that he was born blind?” They just assumed somebody had to be to blame.

But Jesus says no—that’s not it. These folks weren’t worse sinners than anyone else. And unless you repent, you’ll perish too.

Now, Jesus isn’t saying God’s out here zapping people at random. What he’s doing is dismantling the idea that tragedy equals punishment. God isn’t a divine scorekeeper in heaven keeping tally marks—“Oh, you’ve got three sins today, better drop a tower on you.” That’s not who God is.

We live in a fallen world, and bad things happen. Sometimes there’s no rhyme or reason to it.

I remember after Hurricane Katrina, hearing people say the flooding in New Orleans was God’s judgment on the city’s wickedness. But the neighborhoods that flooded worst were the poorest areas—the Lower Ninth Ward—while places like the French Quarter stayed dry. So, if that were “God’s punishment,” then apparently He punished the poor and spared Bourbon Street? That doesn’t sound like God to me.

God isn’t sitting in heaven waiting to smite us when we mess up. And that’s where the parable of the fig tree comes in. The landowner wants to cut it down—it’s not producing fruit. But the gardener says, “Wait—give it one more year. Let me dig around it, put some manure on it, and see if it produces fruit.”

That’s the heart of God right there. Patient. Kind. Always giving another chance.

God is not in a hurry to condemn us. God’s not out to get you. If we’re breathing today—if we’re looking down at the flowers instead of up at them—God’s giving us another chance to repent, to turn back, to experience His mercy.

Now, repentance isn’t a guilt trip—it’s a gift. It’s the chance to start over. To let the Holy Spirit examine our hearts and say, “Lord, show me where I’m off track. Help me bear fruit.”

So, don’t waste that chance today. God’s giving you this very moment to turn toward Him again.

God isn’t the divine scorekeeper—He’s the loving Father, running down the road to embrace you.

So today, let’s live in that hope. Let’s live in the joy that comes from being children of the King.

Thanks for being with me this morning. We’ll pick up tomorrow with Luke 13:10. Have a great day.