Ok, as I get through this week of Lent...I am captured by this section of the Sacred Scripture in Saint Luke, Chapter 13, verses 1-9. I gotta' kind of break this down.....
Christ Jesus had been giving various discourses on how we are to live our everyday lives, actually starting back in chapter 11. He seems to have a special emphasis on the importance of : 1) repenting 2) receiving God into our hearts and lives, and 3) having a "new mindset"...based on having a new birth...accepting God and His plan for our lives.
Here in the first 5 verses of chapter 13...Jesus hears of a couple of calamities that had happened recently during this time. In fact, the people that were gathered around Jesus...informed Him of one particular incident that had happened...right at the Temple!
Why?...not really sure...Was it politically motivated.?..Was it because of the traditional concept of "when something bad happens to people...it is because they have done something bad and God is punishing them"?, or, Were the people around Jesus hoping He would get "fired up" and make things right....seek out the ones who did this and "even the score?"
This is where it gets rather interesting...Jesus does none of the above. He doesn't speak any compassionate words concerning the victims of this tragedy, He doesn't try to explain why God would allow such a horrible human massacre to happen in the first place, nor does He offer any comfort to the ones who is informing Him of this recent event.
Instead...His focus is on a similar theme as He had been speaking about in the last couple of chapters...the dire need for people's hearts to repent...and turn their thoughts, their actions, and their lives...to the Kingdom of God. In fact, Christ Jesus even brings up another recent tragedy Himself...and stresses the same thought...to repent and allow God to find entrance into your hearts...and change our lives......
A Gleaning from Saint Luke 13: 1-5
" About this time, Jesus was told of how Pilate (Note: this guy was much more ruthless than what one might think...the picture we often have is Pilate being a "little compassionate" at the trial of Christ...isn't really who he was...Pilate hated the Jewish people, thought little of their lifestyles and their God, was pro-Roman, and wanted to "go up the ladder"....he did not like the Judean area...wanted to get to Rome...and did not care who he had to kill to get there) had murdered some people from Galilee...right in the midst of the giving of sacrifices at the Temple!
As a result of these murders...Galilean blood was mixed with the blood of the animals that were being sacrificed at the altar...a most despicable offense to the Jewish faith...in some ways worse than death itself...meeting death being "unclean"...the worse possible scenario for anyone of the Jewish faith.
As Jesus listened to what had happened at the Temple, He responded by saying: " OK, let Me ask you this...Do you think this terrible and aggressive tragedy happen because the Galileans were "super-sinners"...having worse or more sins than any of you? Let Me answer that for you: the answer is: "No!"
Here is what you need to be aware of...unless you change your mind and give your hearts to the Lord God...even now...everyone of you can end up like the Galileans...having your destiny with death...not taking the time to let the "God of the Living" have His place in your hearts and lives.
Things happen in this life (perhaps because we live in a "fallen world")...including loss of life...and everyone seeks answers as to why...or demands retribution for unjust acts...or even blames God for allowing such atrocities.
Look at the 18 people who lost their lives recently when the Tower in Siloam fell on them. Do you think they were "super sinners", and this catastrophe happen because there was so much sin "oozing" out of their lives? Again, allow Me to answer that for you...the answer is: "No!"
Here is My point: Regardless of what type of situations that happen in our daily lives...sometimes good things, other times tragic...the most important thing for you to remember is: "Are your hearts right with God?...before anything else...before you react to any situation around you...your hearts must be given to...Him. You must give up your lives and "your way of doing things", repent of the "Master of your own Destiny" thing, confess your sin before God, and allow Him to find His home in your hearts...and give Him "the lead" in your life. Otherwise, a "Tower of Siloam" may fall on you...or you may even be killed...and look...the Galileans were even performing a "religious act"...yet listen to what I am saying.
If you can accept and begin to grasp what I am saying to you now...first you must repent, yield your entire lives to the Heavenly Father...for realize this: It's not a brick or a sword that kills a person...it's Eternal Death that destroys...not knowing...My Father."
Note: My take on all this is this: Certainly it is not wrong to take up causes you believe in...particularly for the betterment of others...or to "feel someone else's pain. Yet, human emotion or self-will isn't enough...we need Him to guide, direct, and bless those things we do. Our purpose in life...begins by knowing Him and yielding ourselves...to Him.
Is this a form of "Tough Love"?...maybe...
Christ Jesus had been giving various discourses on how we are to live our everyday lives, actually starting back in chapter 11. He seems to have a special emphasis on the importance of : 1) repenting 2) receiving God into our hearts and lives, and 3) having a "new mindset"...based on having a new birth...accepting God and His plan for our lives.
Here in the first 5 verses of chapter 13...Jesus hears of a couple of calamities that had happened recently during this time. In fact, the people that were gathered around Jesus...informed Him of one particular incident that had happened...right at the Temple!
Why?...not really sure...Was it politically motivated.?..Was it because of the traditional concept of "when something bad happens to people...it is because they have done something bad and God is punishing them"?, or, Were the people around Jesus hoping He would get "fired up" and make things right....seek out the ones who did this and "even the score?"
This is where it gets rather interesting...Jesus does none of the above. He doesn't speak any compassionate words concerning the victims of this tragedy, He doesn't try to explain why God would allow such a horrible human massacre to happen in the first place, nor does He offer any comfort to the ones who is informing Him of this recent event.
Instead...His focus is on a similar theme as He had been speaking about in the last couple of chapters...the dire need for people's hearts to repent...and turn their thoughts, their actions, and their lives...to the Kingdom of God. In fact, Christ Jesus even brings up another recent tragedy Himself...and stresses the same thought...to repent and allow God to find entrance into your hearts...and change our lives......
A Gleaning from Saint Luke 13: 1-5
As a result of these murders...Galilean blood was mixed with the blood of the animals that were being sacrificed at the altar...a most despicable offense to the Jewish faith...in some ways worse than death itself...meeting death being "unclean"...the worse possible scenario for anyone of the Jewish faith.
As Jesus listened to what had happened at the Temple, He responded by saying: " OK, let Me ask you this...Do you think this terrible and aggressive tragedy happen because the Galileans were "super-sinners"...having worse or more sins than any of you? Let Me answer that for you: the answer is: "No!"
Here is what you need to be aware of...unless you change your mind and give your hearts to the Lord God...even now...everyone of you can end up like the Galileans...having your destiny with death...not taking the time to let the "God of the Living" have His place in your hearts and lives.
Things happen in this life (perhaps because we live in a "fallen world")...including loss of life...and everyone seeks answers as to why...or demands retribution for unjust acts...or even blames God for allowing such atrocities.
Look at the 18 people who lost their lives recently when the Tower in Siloam fell on them. Do you think they were "super sinners", and this catastrophe happen because there was so much sin "oozing" out of their lives? Again, allow Me to answer that for you...the answer is: "No!"
If you can accept and begin to grasp what I am saying to you now...first you must repent, yield your entire lives to the Heavenly Father...for realize this: It's not a brick or a sword that kills a person...it's Eternal Death that destroys...not knowing...My Father."
Is this a form of "Tough Love"?...maybe...
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