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Luke 13:1-5

Sunday Morning Bible Study

June 5, 2016

Introduction

Do people see Jesus? Is the gospel preached? Does it address the person who is: Empty, lonely, guilty, or afraid to die?  Does it speak to the broken hearted? Does it build up the church? Milk – Meat – Manna Preach for a decision Is the church loved? Regular:  2900 words    Communion: 2500 words  Video=75wpm

We’ve set up a Truth Project page on the church website.

On the church website find “Media” and then “Truth Project”.  Or click on the Truth Project slide when if first loads.

From our page, you can go to the registration page for the Truth Project itself, sign up, and get access to all kinds of materials.  It’s free.

Part of the value of the Truth Project comes with the discussions – and we are putting our discussions live on the church’s Facebook page each Thursday.

On our page we are also giving you links to the handouts for each week – if you want to download the outline and key terms pdfs each week on your iPad, it’s pretty cool.

This Thursday Night – The Truth Project – Teaser Trailer for #2 – Philosophy and Ethics

Luke was a doctor and a traveling companion of the apostle Paul.

He wrote this book while Paul was in prison.

In writing this book about Jesus, Luke made use of other older documents like the Gospel of Mark, as well as extensive eyewitness accounts.

Illustration

There once was a man named Fred, who inherited 10 million dollars, but there were some catches, he had to make some choices, and he made the wrong ones. The will provided that he had to accept the 10 million either in Brazil or in Chile. Well, he chose Brazil, unfortunately it turned out that in Chile he would have received his inheritance in land on which uranium, gold and silver had just been discovered. Once in Brazil he had to choose between receiving his inheritance in coffee or nuts. Well, he chose the nuts. And that was too bad, because the bottom fell out of the nut market, but coffee went up to 5.34 a pound wholesale. And poor Fred lost everything he had to his name, he went out and sold his gold watch for money, and he did that so that he could get enough money to fly home. It seems that he had enough money to buy a ticket to either New York or Boston. He chose Boston. When the plane for New York taxied up, he noticed that it was a brand new super 777 jet with red carpet and cool people and wine popping hostesses. The plane for Boston arrived and it was a 1928 Ford tri motor with a swayback, it took a full day to get off the ground. And it was filled with crying children and tethered goats. Well, over the Andes, one of the engines fell off. Our man Fred made his way up to the cockpit and captain and said, “Look I’m a jinx on this plane, let me out if you want to save your lives, give me a parachute”. And the pilot agreed and looking at him said, Okay, but on this plane, anybody who bales out must wear two chutes. And so Fred jumped out of the plane whirling through the air, trying to make up his mind, which ripcord to pull. Finally, he chose the one on the left, it was rusty and the wire pulled loose. So he pulled the other handle, the parachute opened but the shroud lines snapped. In desperation, the poor fellow cried out, “St. Francis, save me!!” A large hand reached out of Heaven and seized the poor fellow by the wrist and let him dangle in mid-air. And a gentle but inquisitive voice asked, “St. Francis of Xavier or St. Francis of Assisi?”

Sometimes it seems that our lives sound an awful lot like that.  It seems like we’re constantly facing choices and constantly making the wrong ones.
When things seem to go from bad to worse, we can find ourselves asking, “What did I do to deserve this?”

Why do things happen? Is it my bad choices?

Jesus’ ministry is well under way, and the people have been amazed not just at the things He’s been teaching, but the things He’s been doing.

13:1-5 Tragedies

:1 There were present at that season some who told Him about the Galileans whose blood Pilate had mingled with their sacrifices.

were presentpareimi – to be by, be at hand, to have arrived, to be present; to be ready, in store, at command

seasonkairos – due measure; opportune or seasonable time

Galileans were people who lived in the northern part of Israel.

mingledmignumi – to mix, mingle

:1 some who told Him about the Galileans

told Him apaggello – to bring tidings (from a person or a thing), bring word, report; to proclaim

They are not just speaking words at Jesus.

These folks are giving Jesus an important news update.
Video:  NBC Nightly News on 9/11/01

Keep in mind, Jesus is being perceived as a leader, and He as well as most of His followers are also from Galilee.

It reminds me of some of the press conferences given by a political candidate where they are being asked about their take on some big news item of the day.
It’s possible that these people are trying to warn Jesus, but I wonder if they aren’t also trying to scare Him a little as well since He too was from Galilee.

:1 whose blood Pilate had mingled with their sacrifices

We do not have any other historical account of this incident other than Luke’s record, but we do know that Pontius Pilate was a ruthless man and caused lots of trouble with the Jews.

Josephus records an event when Pilate thought he’d move his troops from Caesarea to Jerusalem for the winter, along with all their pagan images that accompanied each of the legions.
The Jews in Jerusalem did not like Pilate bringing idolatrous images into Jerusalem and they brought protests against Pilate in Caesarea.
After several days of protest, Pilate had some of his soldiers dress up like Jews and infiltrate the crowd.
When the protest began, Pilate warned the people that if they continued to protest, he would have them all killed.
At that point, all the protesters threw themselves on the ground with their necks bared, daring Pilate to have them all killed.
Pilate realized he was dealing with a fanatical people.
But now Pilate, the procurator of Judea, removed the army from Cesarea to Jerusalem, to take their winter quarters there, in order to abolish the Jewish laws. So he introduced Caesar’s effigies, which were upon the ensigns, and brought them into the city; whereas our law forbids us the very making of images; (56) on which account the former procurators were wont to make their entry into the city with such ensigns as had not those ornaments. Pilate was the first who brought those images to Jerusalem, and set them up there; which was done without the knowledge of the people, because it was done in the nighttime; (57) but as soon as they knew it, they came in multitudes to Cesarea, and interceded with Pilate many days, that he would remove the images; and when he would not grant their requests, because it would tend to the injury of Caesar, while yet they persevered in their request, on the sixth day he ordered his soldiers to have their weapons privately, while he came and sat upon his judgment seat, which seat was so prepared in the open place of the city, that it concealed the army that lay ready to oppress them: (58) and when the Jews petitioned him again, he gave a signal to the soldiers to encompass them round, and threatened that their punishment should be no less than immediate death, unless they would leave off disturbing him, and go their ways home. (59) But they threw themselves upon the ground, and laid their necks bare, and said they would take their death very willingly, rather than the wisdom of their laws should be transgressed; upon which Pilate was deeply affected with their firm resolution to keep their laws inviolable, and presently commanded the images to be carried back from Jerusalem to Cesarea. [1]
Pilate would also have run ins with the Samaritans, and it was his rough handling and the killing of some of the Samaritans that led to his eventual removal as governor and being sent back to Rome.
2. (88) But when this tumult was appeased, the Samaritan senate sent an embassy to Vitellius, a man that had been consul, and who was now president of Syria, and accused Pilate of the murder of those that were killed; for that they did not go to Tirathaba in order to revolt from the Romans, but to escape the violence of Pilate. (89) So Vitellius sent Marcellus, a friend of his, to take care of the affairs of Judea, and ordered Pilate to go to Rome, to answer before the emperor to the accusation of the Jews. So Pilate, when he had tarried ten years in Judea, made haste to Rome, and this in obedience to the orders of Vitellius, which he durst not contradict; but before he could get to Rome, Tiberius was dead. [2]

It sounds as if the specific news item being shared with Jesus may have had something to do with Galileans from the northern part of Israel going on pilgrimage to Jerusalem in the south, and while there they were put to death on Pilate’s orders.

:2 And Jesus answered and said to them, “Do you suppose that these Galileans were worse sinners than all other Galileans, because they suffered such things?

Do you supposedokeo – to be of opinion, think, suppose; to seem, to be accounted, reputed

sufferedpascho – to be affected or have been affected, to feel, have a sensible experience, to undergo; in a bad sense, to suffer sadly, be in a bad plight

:2 were worse sinners than …

I think that Jesus is asking this question because this is exactly how these people were thinking.

They want to know if these people died because they were worse sinners than others.

sinnershamartolos – devoted to sin, a sinner

It comes from hamartano – to miss the mark; to miss or wander from the path of uprightness

:3 I tell you, no; but unless you repent you will all likewise perish.

repent metanoeo – to change one’s mind, i.e. to repent; to change one’s mind for better, heartily to amend with abhorrence of one’s past sins

likewisehosautos – in like manner, likewise

perishapollumi – to destroy; to put out of the way entirely, abolish, put an end to ruin; to kill; metaph. to devote or give over to eternal misery in hell; to perish, to be lost, ruined, destroyed

Future indicative

:3 you will all likewise perish

Some have suggested that Jesus was hinting prophetically at the coming destruction of Jerusalem in AD 70.

Jesus is using their arguments and bringing them to their logical conclusion.

If these people from Galilee perished because of their sin, then all of the people standing before Jesus are in trouble because they too are sinners.

:4 Or those eighteen on whom the tower in Siloam fell and killed them, do you think that they were worse sinners than all other men who dwelt in Jerusalem?

towerpurgos – a tower; a fortified structure rising to a considerable height, to repel a hostile attack or to enable a watchman to see in every direction

do you thinkdokeo – to be of opinion, think, suppose; to seem, to be accounted, reputed

:4 the tower in Siloam fell

This is another historical incident that only Luke records.

Siloam was an area in Jerusalem south of the Temple mount.  There was a pool there supplied by the water from Hezekiah’s tunnel.  Apparently there was also a tower at one time.

Jesus is mentioning it because it’s obviously another event that a lot of people remembered and had talked about.

This is kind of like 9/11

Whose fault was it that the towers fell?
After 9/11 there were a lot of voices telling us why this tragedy hit America.
There were preachers saying that it was a sign of God’s judgment on us because of our wickedness.
That may have been the case, but I’d be reluctant to preach that unless God told me specifically that it was so.
I’d prefer to think that until we know something different, that the towers fell because wicked men flew planes into them.

:4 do you think that they were worse sinners …

Jesus uses a different than the word for “sinner” than in vs. 2 (“missing the mark”)

sinners opheiletes – one who owes another, a debtor; one who has not yet made amends to whom he has injured; one who owes God penalty or whom God can demand punishment as something due

It’s basically the same word used in the prayer that Jesus taught:
(Matthew 6:12 NKJV) And forgive us our debts, As we forgive our debtors.
Here the emphasis is on the fact that as a “sinner”, a debt has been acquired.  There is something owed to God.  A price needs to be paid.

The problem with thinking that the Twin Towers fell because of our sin is that we are faced with a parallel question:  Were the people in the towers worse sinners than those of us not in the towers?  I’m not sure that’s the case.

:5 I tell you, no; but unless you repent you will all likewise perish.”

repentmetanoeo – to change one’s mind, i.e. to repent; to change one’s mind for better, heartily to amend with abhorrence of one’s past sins

likewisehosautos – in like manner, likewise

perishapollumi – to destroy; to put out of the way entirely, abolish, put an end to ruin; to kill; metaph. to devote or give over to eternal misery in hell; to perish, to be lost, ruined, destroyed

:5 I tell you, no

Lesson

Why things happen

Sometimes things in life go wrong and we ask the question why?
Video:  Pink Panther – Clouseau tries to get into castle
Here’s a confession I have to make.  I had that very same theme song playing in my head on Wednesday morning when I was coming down from the sanctuary attic.  I did a “Clouseau” and had quite a fall.  The ER says I didn’t break anything.

I guess in years past I would ask, “Why did this happen?”  Now I’m willing to acknowledge it’s just because I’m a klutz.

Most of us have this underlying idea in our heads that good things happen to good people, and bad things happen to bad people.
Something good happens to someone and we silently wonder, “What did they do to deserve that?”
Something bad happens to someone and we ask the parallel question, “What did they do to deserve that?”
There is an ultimate truth in the idea that good results in rewards and evil results in punishment, but only in the sense of when we stand ultimately before God at the end of our lives, people will receive what is due them.
For now, while we’re still alive, it’s not that simple.
Sometimes God allows good things to happen as a result of our good actions.
Jesus said,

(Luke 6:38 NKJV) Give, and it will be given to you: good measure, pressed down, shaken together, and running over will be put into your bosom. For with the same measure that you use, it will be measured back to you.”

But sometimes good things happen just because God is being gracious.

(Matthew 5:44–45 NKJV) —44 But I say to you, love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you, 45 that you may be sons of your Father in heaven; for He makes His sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust.

God is actually kind and good to people who are “evil” and “unjust”.  That’s grace.

On the bad side … Sometimes bad things happen because we did something bad.  Even as believers, we might be “chastened” or “spanked” for our disobedience.
(Hebrews 12:5–6 NKJV) —5 And you have forgotten the exhortation which speaks to you as to sons: “My son, do not despise the chastening of the Lord, Nor be discouraged when you are rebuked by Him; 6 For whom the Lord loves He chastens, And scourges every son whom He receives.”

Yet even at times like this, chastening doesn’t come because God hates us, but because He loves us.

The truth is, God doesn’t “spank” us every time we ought to be spanked.

(Psalm 103:10 NKJV) He has not dealt with us according to our sins, Nor punished us according to our iniquities.

Sometimes bad things happen so God can display His glory
(John 9:1–3 NKJV) —1 Now as Jesus passed by, He saw a man who was blind from birth. 2 And His disciples asked Him, saying, “Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?” 3 Jesus answered, “Neither this man nor his parents sinned, but that the works of God should be revealed in him.

Jesus would then go on to display God’s power and heal this blind man.

Sometimes bad things happen so we will mature.
Peter wrote,

(1 Peter 1:6–7 NKJV) —6 In this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while, if need be, you have been grieved by various trials, 7 that the genuineness of your faith, being much more precious than gold that perishes, though it is tested by fire, may be found to praise, honor, and glory at the revelation of Jesus Christ,

Our faith is refined and purified through trials like gold is refined in the fire.  Faith becomes better with more heat.

This is from the Streams in the Desert devotional, June 2:

A gentleman once asked the famous George Mueller (a man known for his great faith) the best way to have strong faith.

“The only way,” replied the patriarch of faith, “to learn strong faith is to endure great trials. I have learned my faith by standing firm amid severe testings.”

This is very true. The time to trust is when all else fails.

Dear one, you scarcely realize the value of your present opportunity; if you are passing through great afflictions you are in the very soul of the strongest faith, and if you will only let go, He will teach you in these hours the mightiest hold upon His throne which you can ever know.

“Be not afraid, only believe.” And if you are afraid, just look up and say, “What time I am afraid I will trust in thee,” and you will yet thank God for the school of sorrow which was to you the school of faith.

--A. B. Simpson

“Great faith must have great trials.”

Sometimes bad things happen because God trusts us.
He is confident that we will be a testimony to the world that when a good person suffers, they will turn to God.
That was the case with Job.

(Job 1:8 NKJV) Then the Lord said to Satan, “Have you considered My servant Job, that there is none like him on the earth, a blameless and upright man, one who fears God and shuns evil?”

God didn’t Satan to test Job because Job did something bad to deserve it, but because God wanted to show the world how a righteous man could trust God.

Be careful of thinking you understand why a person is going through either a good or a difficult time.

:5 you will all likewise perish

Jesus has reiterated this phrase twice.

Lesson

We are all sinners

I think Jesus is trying to make a point to the people in front of Him is that the people who perished in these disasters were no different than they were.
We somehow want to be thought of as being “better” than others, but the truth is …
We are all sinners.
(Romans 3:23 NKJV) for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,
(Romans 3:10–11 NKJV) —10 As it is written: “There is none righteous, no, not one; 11 There is none who understands; There is none who seeks after God.
(Romans 7:18–19 NKJV) —18 For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh) nothing good dwells; for to will is present with me, but how to perform what is good I do not find. 19 For the good that I will to do, I do not do; but the evil I will not to do, that I practice.
There is no place for boasting that we are any better than anyone else.
We are all sinners in need of God’s mercy and grace.
Illustration
Pastor Don Meyer writes,

Years ago I traveled to Ecuador and spent a couple of weeks traveling in the mountains. The Quechua Indian people I met there lived amidst the most mind-numbing squalor. The disease and disfigured bodies were heartbreaking. The bugs and stench were everywhere. People were living in a hole in the ground and calling it a house. They were feeding on rotten food and prizing garbage as possessions. But they didn't know it. Why? Because everyone lived that way. They had never been given a picture of what it means to be a genuinely healthy human being. They did not know what an abundant life truly looked like.

That is our problem, too. It's the reason we think of ourselves as largely innocent people—people who have little to do with bringing about the Cross of Christ. We don't get how sick and undeveloped we are spiritually. In Psalm 14, David says that the one fully-healthy Being in the universe views the human race as we might view those Quechua villagers—only the gap between his life and that of our village is so much larger. "The Lord looks down from heaven on the sons of men to see if there are any who understand, any who seek God. But all have turned aside. They have together become corrupt. There is no one who does good, not even one." In other words, we are condemned, and we don't even know it.

Dan Meyer, in his sermon "Why Remember the Passion?" www.ccobtv.org (4-9-04)

:5 unless you repent

repentmetanoeo – to change one’s mind

Even though repentance is based in the “mind”, it shows itself by a person’s actions.

Lesson

Turn It Around

That’s what the word “repent” means.  Turn your life around.
Instead of walking away from God, walk towards God.
Jesus is trying to get these folks before Him to take these bad things in the news and let them affect their behavior.
Jesus said,
(Matthew 7:1–5 NLT) —1 “Do not judge others, and you will not be judged. 2 For you will be treated as you treat others. The standard you use in judging is the standard by which you will be judged. 3 “And why worry about a speck in your friend’s eye when you have a log in your own? 4 How can you think of saying to your friend, ‘Let me help you get rid of that speck in your eye,’ when you can’t see past the log in your own eye? 5 Hypocrite! First get rid of the log in your own eye; then you will see well enough to deal with the speck in your friend’s eye.

If you see a difficulty in some other person’s life, instead of instantly working to condemn them, perhaps we ought to stop and take time to look in the mirror at ourselves.

Illustration
From time to time I will hear about a person in ministry who has become caught in some sin.  I heard of another pastor arrested last week for molesting a minor.
Years ago I would hear about one of the televangelists who had fallen and would respond in disgust, thinking that they had it coming. 
The older I get, the less I think that way.  I now realize that it’s only too easy for any of us to fall.
It’s my goal now when I hear about a person caught in a sin, that I look at my own life to make sure that I am not leaving myself open to temptation.  I think it’s a healthy exercise to put yourself in the fallen one’s shoes and think of the implications of what would happen if you gave in to a certain temptation. 
I need to think of the people I’d disappoint, of the devastation that would come to my family, and especially the grief I would cause God.
David wrote,

(Psalm 69:6 NLT) Don’t let those who trust in you be ashamed because of me, O Sovereign Lord of Heaven’s Armies. Don’t let me cause them to be humiliated, O God of Israel.

When you are caught in a sin and you begin to feel conviction, don’t run from God, run TO God.  The Bible says,
(1 John 1:9 NKJV) If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

The word “confess” means to “agree with”.  If I confess my sins, I am coming to the point where I am agreeing with God over my sins. 

That means that I need to agree with God that my sin is wrong. 

I need to agree with God that Jesus’ death on the cross is able to pay for my sin.

I need to agree with God that my life needs to change. 

And when I “agree with” God concerning my sin, I will find forgiveness.

Our eternal salvation doesn’t happen by the action of repenting, but we are saved by our faith.
(Ephesians 2:8–9 NKJV) —8 For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, 9 not of works, lest anyone should boast.
Our faith is in God’s grace, in what Jesus did when He died on the cross.

He died to pay for our sins.

Yet if our faith is genuine, then it will affect the way we act.
We talked on Thursday night at the Truth Project about how you can test what you really believe by looking at your actions.

Your actions betray what you really believe.

Video:  Truth Project – Do you really believe that…

Your actions, like praying, will give you a hint as to whether you really believe what you believe.

Genuine faith results in genuine change in behavior.



[1] Josephus, F., & Whiston, W. (1987). The works of Josephus: complete and unabridged. Peabody: Hendrickson.

[2] Josephus, F., & Whiston, W. (1987). The works of Josephus: complete and unabridged. Peabody: Hendrickson.