Reflection on Luke 13

Throughout this next year, my brother Michael will be adding periodic blogs to my blog when he writes deep and profound things. This is his first contribution..... Enjoy!

Over the last week, I have been struck with an overwhelming sense of urgency to be a better Christian. I must note, however, that I use the word “better” specifically within the context of sanctification. I do not wish to add anything human, or otherwise, to the fact that I am counted as righteous by the efforts of Christ alone. That being said, I think I oftentimes think, even if at a subconscious level, that I will live forever. The terrible things that happen in the news, the stories I hear from people telling me about their aunt who is suffering from breast cancer, or countless other tragedies seem a long way off. They don’t seem very real to me. I live like I have plenty of time to get my act together; plenty of time to stop my perpetual sin cycle; plenty of time to stick my neck out in the world for the sake of Christ. For now, I say to myself, I will go with the flow and play it safe. I mean after all, I am sure that one day I will sell out for Jesus. Maybe once I graduate from seminary really understanding things then I will consider everything a loss for the surpassing greatness of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. Sure, I do sin. But my sin isn’t nearly as bad as that person’s. Unfortunately, each time I say “one day”, or “next time”, another day goes by wasted.

The sense of urgency that I alluded to above struck me as I read Luke 13:1-5. It reads, “There were some present at that very time who told him about the Galileans whose blood Pilate had mingled with their sacrifices. And he answered them, ‘Do you think that these Galileans were worse sinners than all the other Galileans, because they suffered in this way? No, I tell you; but unless you repent, you will all likewise perish. Or those eighteen on whom the tower in Siloam fell and killed them: do you think that they were worse offenders than all the others who lived in Jerusalem? No, I tell you; but unless you repent, you will all likewise perish.’” I think the point that Jesus is making here is that everyone is a sinner and everyone deserves to be on that bridge in Minnesota as it collapsed. All of us deserve to be living in the trenches in Iraq watching as stray bullets kill our family members. We all deserve to be on the coast in New Orleans as the high waters wash everything that we call home away. The only reason any of us have not been faced with such a tragedy is because of the mercy of God. My point is that we are all going to die. It may be tomorrow, or it may be fifty years from now. You may die peacefully in your sleep or perhaps you will suffer greatly through a long battle with cancer. Each day that we continue living is nothing but a mercy granted by God for His purpose, not our own.

Therefore, I believe that we should urgently repent of all our half-heartedness and wavering commitments and with great joy say, “The Lord reigns; let the earth rejoice; let the many coastlands be glad! (Ps. 97:1). Let the peoples praise you, O God; let all the peoples praise you! Let the nations be glad and sing for joy! (Ps. 67:3-4). Let the oppressed see it and be glad; you who seek God, let your hearts revive” (Ps. 69:32). May all who seek you rejoice and be glad in you! May those who love your salvation say evermore, God is great! (Ps. 70:4). If we don’t finally “…consider everything a loss” (Philippians 3:8) , then the day of tragedy will eventually come and we will meet our Savior face to face and have nothing but broken promises and wavering commitments to offer Him. It is so easy to get caught up in the affairs of the world. But let us be able to say, as Jesus did, “…for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God” (Hebrews 12:2). The greatest possible joy in this life is found in living a life of utter subjection to Jesus. I hope you can find a sense of urgency, as I have, in becoming the person that you were born to be. The person that Jesus died to liberate for the sake of the good news of Jesus Christ!

Feel free to comment should you be interested.

Kind Regards,
Michael