August 4

Luke 13:1-9 (Click to see scripture)

Bible in One Year Passages:

Journal Entry

Scripture

5 No, I tell you; but unless you repent, you will all likewise perish.”
6 And he told this parable: “A man had a fig tree planted in his vineyard, and he came seeking fruit on it and found none. 7 And he said to the vinedresser, ‘Look, for three years now I have come seeking fruit on this fig tree, and I find none. Cut it down. Why should it use up the ground?’ 8 And he answered him, ‘Sir, let it alone this year also, until I dig around it and put on manure. 9 Then if it should bear fruit next year, well and good; but if not, you can cut it down.’”

Observation

The Jews believed that the people who die tragically are due to the degree of sin they committed. But Jesus turns this wrong assumption into a teaching moment to get the Jews not to think of "those" people who died at the hands of political tyrants or in uncontrollable disasters but to think of their own sinful state. It is not when or how one dies, the real tragedy would be for anyone who would not repent because they will all end with the same fate. Only repentance can turn the tragedy of death into new life.

Then Jesus goes on to apply this to the nation of Israel. The fig tree may represent the nation of Israel which was unfruitful for God therefore ready to be cut down and destroyed but God in His grace had provided a way of repentance and another chance to bear fruit through Jesus Christ. It shows God's patience to wait.

Application

There is no degree of sin. Sin is sin—white lies are same as murder---they are both sin. Without repentance and acceptance of Jesus Christ as our Savior, we will die in sin.
Have we accepted the way of repentance God provided through Jesus Christ? Have we received nourishment from Jesus? What are we doing about it? Are we bearing the fruits of the Spirit? Or are we testing God’s patience?
God is Holy and Righteous and will not tolerate sin but He did not leave me, a sinner, to destruction but gave me a way of salvation through His one and only Son, Jesus Christ. All I had to do was to repent and receive Jesus as my Savior. How simple.

Prayer

Dear Holy and Righteous God,
Thank you for your patience. Thank you for your Son. Thank you for my salvation. Help me to bear fruit in keeping with my salvation. In Jesus’ name I pray, amen.

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