Luke 13:1-9  " Now on the same occasion there were some present who reported to Him about the Galileans, whose blood  Pilate had mingled with their sacrifices."  

Tragedy. Horror. Grief. It is all around the world.  It has always been since the first murder when Cain killed his own brother.  It was very much a part of the Roman empire.  Jesus was well aware. But, His reply to this report is not what we would expect.. 

Perhaps those who reported this tragedy to Jesus expected Him to take action.. to avenge these deaths or to step up to the role that they wanted.. A Warrior King.. . who would defeat the Romans.  That is not what Jesus wanted them to learn. "Do you suppose that these Galileans were greater sinners than all other Galileans, because they suffered this fate?" He asked them.  Was suffering caused by sinfulness?  This is what the Jewish leaders taught.  Is this what He believed too?

Suffering is connected to sin.. because sin caused the curse to afflict all of mankind. Jesus tells His listeners that the only hope anyone has.. suffering or not.. is to "Repent.."  People will suffer.. and die. All of us are in the same situation as the those killed by Pilate or those who died when a tower fell on them. We do not know when or how we might suffer or die.  We do not know the hour or day.  But.. we can be ready.. if we have repented of our sin and are following Jesus. 

The parable that Jesus uses here puzzles me a bit.. What does an unproductive tree have to do with this? For three years the owner had watched this tree and no fruit had been produced. It was useless and he was ready to cut it down.  For three years Jesus had preached to the nation of Israel.. and as a whole there were no changes.  Israel was fruitless and useless.  The time of judgement was coming.  The vine keeper in the parable asked for one more year.. one more chance for the tree to become productive.  The Lord would give Israel one more chance too... In fact He has given them 2000 years to become a nation under God that would produce the fruit of righteousness.. time is running out. 

But.. there are some who repented.. some who did not perish but have everlasting life!  They became followers of Jesus. They have borne righteous fruit. They abided in the True Vine and God pruned them and they bore much fruit through the life of Jesus Christ in them.  

Sometimes suffering and death sneaks up on us.. sometimes it is a long, slow process that leads us to our Heavenly Home. What is most important.. no matter what.. is that we have repented of our sin and have received the glorious salvation that Jesus purchased for us by His own blood and death on a cross.  He lives and He gives Life!  Hallelujah! What a Savior!

Father in heaven, we are so grateful for the Savior who came to bring salvation.. forgiving our sin and giving us new life in Him.  Jesus is the True Vine and we are the branches.. You are the One who prunes us and sometimes this hurts.. a lot.. But we are not cut off.. in fact we are made more fruitful.. and for this we give You thanks and praise. Keep us faithful Lord Jesus that we might bear the fruit of righteousness to the glory of God and to the praise of Your Holy Name. Amen