TEXT: Luke 13:1-9

SUBJECT: Luke #52: Repent Now!

Nothing travels faster than bad news. The capital of Iraq is more than 7,000 miles away, but if the bombs start dropping on Baghdad, we’ll see them before they hit the ground. Bad news travels fast.

They didn’t have satellite TV in the First Century, but even then bad news ran like a cheetah. In the year before our Lord’s death, two shocking events took place in Jerusalem and soon everyone was talking about them.

The first was an accident. A tower fell down on the east side of the city and eighteen men were crushed to death. A bit later, some fanatics rioted in the Temple yard, the cops were sent in, and human blood was mixed with the sacrifices of Israel that day.

The bad news was riveting and—at first—no one knew what to make of it. But then the experts started weighing in on why it all happened. Their reasoning was simple and clear. If God is sovereign, the people died by His will. And, if God is just, the people must have deserved to die because they were very wicked sinners.

Was their thinking Biblical? Yes it was; they got it right out of the Book of Job-- from the men whose arguments and attitudes were condemned by God.

Jesus Christ had heard the news, of course, and He also knew what people were saying about it. They were saying,

Were they right? Were the dead men really, really, really bad sinners? Yes they were. But no worse than every other man, woman, or child who does not repent of his sins. Including people who are listening to this sermon. And maybe you.

What is repentance? The word simply means a change of mind. It’s used of God in this way. In the Book of Jonah, for example, the Lord says Ninevah will be overthrown in forty days. When the people believe the Word and humble themselves before Him,

He changed His mind. How an unchanging God can be said to change His mind is way beyond the scope of today’s sermon. And I won’t get into it.

For here, repenting means far more than changing your mind. It means a radical change of life. The change is so big that it is compared to a new birth, a new creation, and even a resurrection from the dead.

Above all, repentance is a change of will. Does the sinner ever want to do God’s will? Sure he does! As long as it does not cross his own! When it does, he prefers his own wishes to God’s will for his life.

This means you can be a really nice guy and not repent; you can be a sweet wholesome girl and not repent; you can be a respected pastor and not repent.

Repentance means disobeying yourself so that you can obey God. Jesus Christ never repented, of course, because He never sinned. Yet the penitent prays with his Master,

Have you repented of your sins? Some of you haven’t—and I know why: because you don’t feel the need for repentance. And why should you? You’re a good person, God is blessing you, and so, He must be very happy with you.

But that is exactly what the people in today’s story thought! They weren’t killed under the falling tower; Pilate didn’t mix their blood with the sacrifices. They were young and healthy and happy with a bright future ahead of them.

The Lord knows their thinking better than they do and pours boiling water on it.

Is repentance a one-time act? Something you can get out of the way and not worry about any more? No, it isn’t. Repentance is a lifelong thing. It is confessing your sins every day and praying for forgiveness every day and—also—trying hard to obey the Lord every day—even when you don’t feel like it.

The single most important document in the history of Protestantism is Martin Luther’s 95 Theses nailed to the church door in Wittenberg. Its first proposition is this:

We ought to do our duty—all of them as best we can. But not all duties are equally important. Where does repentance fit in? Is it a big one? Or is it way down the list of things to do? The Lord says it is a big one and He proves it by naming the alternative.

What is the opposite of repentance? A dictionary would list things like impenitence or stubbornness, hardness of heart, or even self-righteousness. This is all true, of course.

But Jesus Christ doesn’t put it that way! He says the opposite of repenting is…perishing. Twice in one breath, He says,

Note the word, "all". Not just the really bad people who heard Him—but every last one of them must perish if he does not repent!

Some have taken the word, "perish" to mean go out of existence. I hope that’s what it means—but I wouldn’t count on it! In fact, the word means "to be marred or ruined". Ruined for what? Ruined for what you were meant to do. You were made by God to have fellowship with Him forever. To perish, then, means—not to go into nothingness—but to be excluded from His fellowship forever. It is final and eternal separation from God.

In one of his many books, C.S. Lewis says that, in the end, everyone gets what he really wants. The man who wants fellowship with God will have it. The one who doesn’t want it, won’t have it. Do you want it? I know you don’t want to perish, but do you want fellowship with God? If you do, repentance is the way to get it—and there is no other.

Some things are gray and muddled; this one isn’t: it’s black and white and clear-cut. You will repent of your sins or you will perish!

Since it has to be one or the other, which one will it be…for you?

The Lord’s teaching is very plain; it’s not easy to obey, but there’s no problem understanding it. Repent or perish.

Jesus Christ demands repentance from everyone; no one is let off the hook; the best man in the world must repent or die in his sins. The words are serious and solemn and even menacing.

But then, they get even more intense. The Lord finishes His sermon with a short story. The story is not to fill time, but to press on His hearers—and us—the importance of repenting—not some day—but today, right now, and without delay.

The story is about a farmer, a farm hand, and a fig tree. The farmer planted a tree and expected to have figs in a year or two. But the tree didn’t produce. He tells the farm hand to cut it down because it’s wasting his soil and water. But the farm hand loves the tree (for some reason) and begs the master to give him another year with it. He promises to take special care of it that year—and if it still bears no fruit, then he’ll cut it down himself.

What’s the story about? Gardening? No, it’s about repentance. Justice demands that impenitent sinners be destroyed right now. But Jesus Christ asks for more time. If they don’t repent after that, then He’ll destroy them for their sins.

What did He mean? I believe He had Israel in mind. He had done a thousand mighty works for them, but they were still hard in unbelief. Give Him another year, and then they’ll repent or perish. Most of them did not repent and soon they were destroyed. That, I think, is the first meaning of what He said.

But this is not Luke’s point, for he’s writing to a Gentile. Yet he applies the lesson to all sinners: the time of grace is short and uncertain. Thus, every sinner must repent and he must do it right now!

That includes you.

I like kids and young adults very much. And, unlike some people my age, I don’t think they’re all morons! But on one point, nearly every young person is wrong. I don’t entirely blame him, for I felt that way myself 20-30 years ago.

What worries me is their belief that they are not subject to death. Oh, they know they are in their brains, but it doesn’t get through to them. How could they die? They’re young and healthy and brimming with life and energy. They’re not like their parents who are old and broken down and on their way to the cemetery.

But the fact is, everyone is subject to death: the 90 year old grandma and the nine year old boy too. And then, it’s too late to repent. Thus, if you want to repent, you’ve got to do it now. There is no time!

What is keeping you from repenting?

Is it the love of some sin? Maybe, over all, you’re a fine person, but there’s one sin that you love too much to give up. But is that sin worth perishing for? Wouldn’t it be wiser to give it up and live?

Is it the fear of what your friends might think? Will they think less of you if you repent? Yes they will! But why would you want their approval? Why would you choose it over God’s? One man said of Dr. Machen,

Dr. Machen was a Presbyterian pastor who died in 1937. He was a southern gentleman, very well-mannered and generous. Yet he was also distinctly Christian. And a lot of people hated him for it. Their hate was a badge of honor.

Is it the fear that—having repented once, you won’t be able to hold out and be true to Christ? That’s a real problem, one-time repenters have often fallen away and disgraced their Lord. So why not keep on repenting? The biggest sin is pardonable for those who repent of it. Nothing will keep you from persevering to the end—and being saved—by a lack of repentance. So why don’t you repent? Start now, keep it up, and…

…The love of God be with you. For Christ’s sake. Amen.