A Fresh Start

March 24^th, 2019          “A Fresh Start”     Rev. Heather Jepsen

Luke 13:1-9 with Isaiah 55:1-9

         “O Jesus, why did those people suffer?”  That is the question that appears to have been brought to our Lord this morning.  And I am afraid to say that Jesus does not give us an answer to this age old question of humankind.  Instead he reminds us that our time is short, and that we should be ready for our own end at any time.  It is a dark picture that offers little comfort – but nonetheless is suited to our season of Lenten repentance.

         Some from the crowd approach Jesus telling him about some Galileans who were killed by Pilate in the temple.  Their very own blood even mixed with the blood of the sacrifices they were offering, a very grave insult.  In this time, and sometimes even in ours, people assumed that those who suffered did so because of something they had done wrong.  It is not as big of a leap as it seems at first.  Surely God would not let the innocent suffer; therefore those who suffer must have committed some sin.  From Job to Jerusalem, from Biblical times to now we still struggle with this question. 

         If the suffering of others is caused by their sin then it becomes temptingly easy for us who have not suffered to lift ourselves up.  I am certain that some who gathered around Jesus that day were thinking pretty highly of themselves.  “I have been to the temple many a time and have nary a scratch on me, God must like me better.  What a good person I am.”  It is so much easier for us to examine and point out the sin of others rather than our own sins. 

In his book Mere Christianity, CS Lewis writes that

“The sins of the flesh are bad, but they are the least bad of all sins.  All the worst pleasures are purely spiritual: the pleasure of putting other people in the wrong, of bossing and patronizing and spoiling sport, and back-biting; the pleasures of power, of hatred.  For there are two things inside me, competing with the human self which I must try to become.  They are the Animal self, and the Diabolical self.  The Diabolical self is the worse of the two.”

In our story for today, Jesus’ reply offers little comfort to those asking about suffering.  But he does point out that no one should be thinking that they are a better person than any who have suffered.  Jesus says, “Were these people worse sinners than you, I don’t think so.”  He also brings in another incident, a natural disaster of sorts, when a tower fell near the pool of Siloam and killed some people there.   Jesus points out that suffering that appears to be caused by man, the political suffering of war, is no different than that caused by no one, simply a falling tower.  His hearers may have been able to point out some fault of the Galileans in the temple, who were killed by Pilate, but no one can find fault with those killed by the falling tower of Siloam, they were simply in the wrong place at the wrong time.

         I am afraid that in our text, Jesus gives no answer to the suffering of those in our world, other than to say that their actions have not caused it.  No one is more deserving of suffering than another and we all stand as sinners before God.  Not only that, but our death can come at any moment and we better hope that we are ready.  Jesus is reminding his listeners that while they have been busy judging others they themselves have fallen short of God’s glory.  That is why he calls them to repentance, to turn around and make a fresh start.

         Jesus goes on to tell the crowd the parable of the fig tree that does not produce.  At this time in the scriptures and in some places even now land was really at a premium.  No one could afford a non-producing fig tree.  The tree should be torn out, for it is using resources that can be given to a tree which will produce fruit.  The master comes and demands that the tree be removed but the gardener replies, “Let me give it extra attention, please give the tree just one more year.”

         Here we have a contrast of messages.  Jesus’ first message says repent now, for who knows when you will perish.  The second message says repent, and by God’s grace you may have yet one more year.  God is a merciful and gracious master, who will tend to us diligently in the hopes that we will finally bear fruit.  It is a message of hope; there is yet time to turn and be saved.  There is still time to make a fresh start.

         Another important part of the fig tree parable is that it is in suffering that the fig tree produces.  The soil around the tree is disturbed, perhaps cutting into some of the tender roots.  Then the tree is doused in manure.  I know that when I am in deep poop is when I often learn my best lessons.  Hardship and suffering in the fig tree parable are all about new growth and new life.  Like the fig tree, when we suffer we grow and when we suffer we are reminded of our need for God.

         In our Old Testament reading this morning from Isaiah we also find a call to repentance.  The question is simple “Why do you spend your money for that which is not bread, and your labor for that which does not satisfy?”  The answer is “Seek the Lord while he may be found, call upon him while he is near; let the wicked forsake their way, and the unrighteous their thoughts; let them return to the Lord, that he may have mercy on them, and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon.”  The message of Isaiah is that we have been chasing after the wrong things.  And like Jesus, Isaiah encourages us to repent and make a fresh start with our God.

         Like a strong rhythm, increasing in intensity, four words of the Prophet reach us – seek, call, forsake, return.  Like a theme with variations, they express one thought – an urgent invitation to the sinner to take the road back.

         All of us, by sin, have to some degree left the arms of our loving God.  But there need never be a point of no return.  At some moment grace stirs us.  Already a change of heart is bringing a change of direction.  How do we proceed?  The prophet tells us.

         Seek: The honest search for God is never in vain.  God shows us the way.

         Call: We may feel that our prayer is but a plaintive cry.  Yet ours is not a feeble call from the dark.  We call with hope, for God is near.

         Forsake: The God whom we have forsaken, whose Son felt forsaken on the cross, does not forsake us.  All God asks is that we break with the past.

         Return: the rest is easy.  The road back is shorter.  For the loving God is already coming out to greet us.  We approach without fear, for we realize that God who loves us excessively “will abundantly pardon” us.

         Today we have the joy of celebrating a baptism in community.  This is a wonderful opportunity for all of us to remember that we have sinned and that we have been washed clean by our loving God.  All of us have been given a fresh start.  Presbyterians believe that Baptism is an expression of God’s love, and that’s why we baptize babies.  God is right now reaching out in love to Hank and Gene even though they are too young to understand or respond to the love of God.  So too, God is reaching out to each of us in love, waiting for us to return and respond to God by sharing God’s love with the world around us.

         When we are baptized we unite ourselves with the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ.  We die to our old way of living and rise to a new way of life with God.  And we join the church community.  The cleansing water upon our head marks us as God’s own forever.  The baptism of children is an action for the whole church, as together we promise to raise these children in the faith.  Together, all of us, not just Daniel and Jana, agree to share the love of God with these children.  It is our collective responsibility to raise Hank and Gene in the traditions of the church and in the tradition of God’s love.

         While our lectionary reading today is a dark one it serves to remind us of the deep love of God.  When we finally stand before God, all the rankings and judgements of the world will fall away.  When we stand before God, all of us are nothing, naked and vulnerable.  We have all sinned and fallen short of God’s glory.  And wonderfully, thankfully, God responds to each and every one of us with love. No matter how hard our life has been, no matter how much we have suffered, and no matter how many times we have failed, God responds to each of us with love.

         Today, as we gather around the baptismal font, we remember the deep love of God for us.  Today we have an opportunity to say we are sorry.  We have an opportunity to turn from our old ways and make a fresh start.  We have an opportunity to share in the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ.  And we have an opportunity to receive the grace that is offered to us and to be renewed in the Spirit of God.  God has washed us clean of our past, God has wiped away our sin, and God has given us a fresh start.  Today, let us repent, let us turn back to God in love, and then let us share that love and forgiveness with the world around us.  Praise the Lord for God’s mercy and grace.  Amen.