Day 13

Read Luke – Chapter 13

Think about…

In the first part of Luke 13, Jesus addresses a couple of incidents “ripped from the headlines” of that day and his teaching hits at the heart of the people’s thoughts about why bad things happen.

Pilate may have had the Galileans killed because they plotted against Rome. People who found their security in keeping peace with Rome would have been thinking that these men deserved their punishment for their rebellion which likely brought their area into the spotlight of Rome’s wrath.

On the other hand, the Jews who were killed in the incident with the falling tower may have been working on a Roman building project like the aqueducts. People who valued their independence as Jews would have looked at what happened as God’s judgment for cooperating with Rome. 

Jesus tells them (and us) that accidents and suffering brought on by the cruelty of others are not the judgment of God. We’re all sinners in need of repentance — and repentance has two parts: turning from our way that led us to sin and separation from God and turning toward God and his way.  

He continued by emphasizing that second part of repentance. When we turn toward God and choose his way, our lives change. We produce good fruit. 

Many people you bump into each day — at home, work, or at the store — are spiritually hungry. Would they be able to see your fruit and get a taste of life in God’s upside down Kingdom?

What is an area of your life where you have seen fruitfulness? Part of healthy growth is pruning: What area of your life needs to be pruned in order for growth and fruitfulness to occur?  

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