Repentance and Resilience: Embracing God's Kingdom
Summary
In today's gathering, we embarked on a journey through the third Sunday of Lent, reflecting on the themes of repentance, resilience, and the contrast between the kingdoms of this world and the kingdom of God. We began by inviting those who are thirsty and hungry to come and receive the living water and the bread that satisfies, emphasizing the fellowship and love found in our community and in Christ. Our worship was filled with music, prayer, and the reading of scripture, specifically from the Gospel of Luke, which presented us with a narrative of spiritual contrasts and the call to repentance.
The scripture reading from Luke 13:1-9 highlighted two tragic events: the massacre of Galileans by Pilate and the collapse of the Tower of Siloam. These stories were not just historical accounts but served as a mirror to the political and social upheavals of our time. Jesus used these events to challenge the prevailing notion that suffering is always a direct result of personal sin. Instead, He called for repentance—not just from personal sins but from complicity in systems of violence and injustice.
The parable of the barren fig tree further illustrated this call to repentance. The landowner, representing the oppressive powers of the world, sought to cut down the unfruitful tree. However, the gardener, embodying patience and hope, pleaded for more time to nurture the tree. This parable serves as a metaphor for God's kingdom, which is built on patience, healing, and the nurturing of life, in stark contrast to the empire's impatience and violence.
We are called to be like the gardener, tending to the soil of our hearts and the world around us with compassion and resilience. This active waiting involves standing up for justice, protecting the vulnerable, and nurturing the seeds of God's kingdom. As we navigate the challenges of our time, we are reminded to resist the empire's violence with the transformative power of God's love and grace.
Key Takeaways:
1. Repentance Beyond Personal Sin: Jesus challenges us to repent not only from personal sins but also from our complicity in systems of violence and injustice. This repentance involves a transformation of heart and mind, aligning ourselves with God's kingdom of peace and justice. [17:57]
2. The Parable of the Fig Tree: The story of the barren fig tree teaches us about patience and hope. Like the gardener, we are called to nurture and care for the world around us, trusting in God's timing and the potential for growth and transformation. [23:41]
3. Contrasting Kingdoms: The kingdoms of this world, represented by figures like Pilate, are built on violence and oppression. In contrast, God's kingdom is one of patience, healing, and nurturing life. We are invited to participate in this kingdom by embodying its values in our daily lives. [26:41]
4. Active Waiting: Waiting for God's kingdom is not passive. It involves actively standing up for justice, protecting the vulnerable, and nurturing the seeds of God's kingdom. This active waiting requires courage, resilience, and a commitment to God's vision for the world. [28:56]
5. The Work of God's Kingdom: Our work as followers of Christ is to embody compassion and care, standing up for the rights of others and nurturing the world around us. This work is grounded in the transformative power of God's love and grace, which calls us to be agents of change in a world in need of healing. [31:33]
Youtube Chapters:
- [00:00] - Welcome
- [00:45] - Call to Worship
- [02:30] - Announcements and Upcoming Events
- [04:15] - Short Film: Jesus Heals a Blind Man
- [05:30] - Gloria and Scripture Reading
- [11:17] - Gospel Reading: Luke 13:1-9
- [13:00] - Reflection on Social and Political Context
- [17:57] - The Unholy Trinity of Roman Imperialism
- [23:41] - The Parable of the Fig Tree
- [26:41] - Contrasting Kingdoms: Empire vs. God's Kingdom
- [28:56] - Active Waiting and Resilience
- [31:33] - Prayer for Transformation
- [34:00] - Sharing Joys and Concerns
- [36:00] - Offering and Prayer of Dedication
- [38:05] - Final Song and Benediction
Study Guide
Bible Study Discussion Guide
Bible Reading:
- Luke 13:1-9
Observation Questions:
1. What were the two tragic events mentioned in Luke 13:1-9, and how did Jesus use them to challenge common beliefs about sin and suffering? [11:17]
2. In the parable of the barren fig tree, what roles do the landowner and the gardener play, and what do they symbolize? [23:41]
3. How does the sermon describe the contrast between the kingdoms of this world and the kingdom of God? [26:41]
Interpretation Questions:
1. How does Jesus' call to repentance in Luke 13:1-9 extend beyond personal sin to include societal and systemic issues? [17:57]
2. What does the gardener's plea for more time to nurture the fig tree teach us about patience and hope in the context of God's kingdom? [23:41]
3. How does the sermon suggest we can resist the violence and oppression of worldly empires while embodying the values of God's kingdom? [28:56]
Application Questions:
1. Reflect on a time when you may have been complicit in systems of injustice. How can you begin to repent and align your actions with God's kingdom of peace and justice? [17:57]
2. The gardener in the parable shows patience and hope. In what areas of your life do you need to practice more patience, and how can you actively nurture growth in those areas? [23:41]
3. Consider the contrast between the kingdoms of this world and God's kingdom. How can you embody the values of patience, healing, and nurturing life in your daily interactions? [26:41]
4. The sermon emphasizes "active waiting" for God's kingdom. What specific actions can you take this week to stand up for justice and protect the vulnerable in your community? [28:56]
5. How can you incorporate the transformative power of God's love and grace into your daily life to become an agent of change in a world in need of healing? [31:33]
6. Identify a situation where you are tempted to respond with violence or anger. How can you choose a path of peace and forbearance instead, following Jesus' example? [28:56]
7. Reflect on the sermon’s message about the work of God's kingdom. What is one practical step you can take this week to embody compassion and care for those around you? [31:33]
Devotional
Day 1: Repentance as Transformation of Heart and Mind
Repentance is not merely about acknowledging personal sins; it is a profound transformation of heart and mind that aligns us with God's kingdom of peace and justice. Jesus challenges the notion that suffering is always a direct result of personal sin, urging us to recognize our complicity in systems of violence and injustice. This call to repentance is an invitation to actively participate in God's kingdom by embodying its values in our daily lives. It requires a shift in perspective, moving away from self-centeredness to a broader understanding of justice and compassion. [17:57]
Ezekiel 18:30-31 (ESV): "Therefore I will judge you, O house of Israel, every one according to his ways, declares the Lord God. Repent and turn from all your transgressions, lest iniquity be your ruin. Cast away from you all the transgressions that you have committed, and make yourselves a new heart and a new spirit! Why will you die, O house of Israel?"
Reflection: Identify a system of injustice you are aware of. How can you begin to repent from complicity in this system and align your actions with God's kingdom of peace and justice today?
Day 2: Nurturing Hope and Patience
The parable of the barren fig tree illustrates the importance of patience and hope in nurturing growth and transformation. The gardener, representing patience and hope, pleads for more time to nurture the tree, trusting in its potential for growth. This parable serves as a metaphor for God's kingdom, which is built on patience, healing, and nurturing life. As followers of Christ, we are called to be like the gardener, tending to the soil of our hearts and the world around us with compassion and resilience. [23:41]
James 5:7-8 (ESV): "Be patient, therefore, brothers, until the coming of the Lord. See how the farmer waits for the precious fruit of the earth, being patient about it, until it receives the early and the late rains. You also, be patient. Establish your hearts, for the coming of the Lord is at hand."
Reflection: Think of an area in your life or community that seems barren or unfruitful. How can you actively nurture it with patience and hope, trusting in God's timing for growth and transformation?
Day 3: Contrasting Kingdoms: Empire vs. God's Kingdom
The kingdoms of this world, represented by figures like Pilate, are built on violence and oppression. In contrast, God's kingdom is one of patience, healing, and nurturing life. We are invited to participate in this kingdom by embodying its values in our daily lives. This involves resisting the empire's violence with the transformative power of God's love and grace, standing up for justice, and protecting the vulnerable. As we navigate the challenges of our time, we are reminded of the stark contrast between the values of the world and those of God's kingdom. [26:41]
Colossians 1:13-14 (ESV): "He has delivered us from the domain of darkness and transferred us to the kingdom of his beloved Son, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins."
Reflection: Reflect on a situation where you are tempted to conform to the values of the world. How can you choose to embody the values of God's kingdom instead, even if it requires courage and sacrifice?
Day 4: Active Waiting and Resilience
Waiting for God's kingdom is not passive; it involves actively standing up for justice, protecting the vulnerable, and nurturing the seeds of God's kingdom. This active waiting requires courage, resilience, and a commitment to God's vision for the world. As we engage in this work, we are reminded that our efforts are not in vain, for they are grounded in the transformative power of God's love and grace. We are called to be agents of change, embodying compassion and care in a world in need of healing. [28:56]
Galatians 6:9-10 (ESV): "And let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up. So then, as we have opportunity, let us do good to everyone, and especially to those who are of the household of faith."
Reflection: Identify a specific way you can actively stand up for justice or protect the vulnerable in your community this week. What steps can you take to begin this work today?
Day 5: The Work of God's Kingdom
Our work as followers of Christ is to embody compassion and care, standing up for the rights of others and nurturing the world around us. This work is grounded in the transformative power of God's love and grace, which calls us to be agents of change in a world in need of healing. As we engage in this work, we are reminded of the importance of resilience and hope, trusting in God's vision for the world and the potential for growth and transformation. [31:33]
Micah 6:8 (ESV): "He has told you, O man, what is good; and what does the Lord require of you but to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God?"
Reflection: Consider a specific area where you can embody compassion and care in your daily life. How can you take concrete steps to nurture the world around you and stand up for the rights of others today?
Quotes
"You who long for connection, receive the fellowship of this community and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit. You who search for love, experience the love of Jesus expressed in music, prayer, community, word, and action. May this time of worship fill and refresh you. Let us worship God together, and let us pray together." [00:00:52] (29 seconds)
"At that very time, there were some present. We're in the 13th chapter, the first nine verses. who told him about the Galileans, whose blood Pilate had mingled with their sacrifices. He asked them, Do you think that because these Galileans suffered this way, they were worse sinners than all the other Galileans? No, I tell you, but unless you regret, you will all perish as they did." [00:13:43] (26 seconds)
"Or those 18 who were killed when the Tower of Siloam fell on them, Do you think that they were worse offenders than all the others living in Jerusalem? No, I tell you, but unless you repent, you will all perish just as they did. Then he told this parable. A man had a fig tree planted in his vineyard, and he came looking for fruit on it, and found none." [00:14:08] (31 seconds)
"May we hear and understand what the scriptures are teaching us today. Third Sunday in Lent. And again, we seem to have stories about the social and political upheavals of the day, with the people whose blood was mingled in the tower falling down, and the condemnation and the questioning about whose fault was what, just like whose fault was it the man was born blind." [00:15:49] (34 seconds)
"Caesar Herod Pilate unholy trinity of Roman imperialism Luke begins this selection with two news stories that everybody was talking about this is what was on Facebook at the time no I'm kidding but this was what was making the rounds the murder of the Galileans at the temple and the collapse of a tower on eighteen people in the first instance pilot had Galilee and pilgrims killed in the temple courtyard and then had their blood mixed with the ritual sacrificial blood there that was a shocking defilement of the practices of the Jews and a defilement of the temple with the temple with the temple." [00:19:10] (51 seconds)
"and they were probably crying for revenge and maybe that's why jesus wanted his hearers to repent jesus doesn't think that their personal sin caused everything no one is more or less of an offender than any of the ones who had died everyone had some problems with wrong no one in this sense deserved to die sometimes people just die especially when they're held in thrall and violent kingdoms in this world because that's what every rome every empire i'll let them go by okay every rome and every empire in human history always does" [00:22:06] (48 seconds)
"kills suppresses in order to survive and jesus surely doesn't desire revenge instead now hear this carefully instead he says to repent but repent of what repent of collaborating with roman violence repent of giving in to kingdoms built on injustice repent of blaming victims for their suffering and repent of believing that the murderous power of empire is the only power repent of lust for retaliation and vengeance" [00:22:56] (43 seconds)
"Perhaps the gardener secretly welcomed the idea of cutting down the landowner's tree, but instead of taking an axe to it and violently killing it, the gardener begs, sir, leave it alone for one more year until I dig around it, fertilize it, put manure on it. If it bears fruit next year, that's well and good, but if not, then you can cut it down." [00:24:50] (21 seconds)
"Remember, he said, why should I waste the soil on this? It isn't wasted. The land is holy. We're waiting for the land to do its work. But it needs tending. It needs patience. It needs care. It needs compassion. It needs resilience and courage. Trees take time to grow in fruit." [00:27:21] (21 seconds)
"The goodness of the law knows this. The law not only governs human relations, but the very life of creation, the contours of God's kingdom. It's almost like Jesus was saying, the kingdom of God is like a vineyard of young trees. A wicked ruler seized the land and tried to cut down all the trees because they were not profitable. They added no treasure to his stores. He was eager for the wealth the land would produce. But the faithful gardeners refused." [00:27:49] (29 seconds)
"The community, the blessed community, the kingdom of God, the realm, however you want to refer to it, waits for the trees to grow, for the flower and the fruit. And it isn't a passive practice. It doesn't mean just sitting around and waiting for things to get better. Waiting is an active practice of protecting, of standing up, of holding your ground, of nurturing you, of being attentive, of being woke." [00:29:19] (38 seconds)
"Resist every empire and don't meet Caesar's violence with more violence. Instead, remember the law and the work of God's kingdom. And do the work. And the work is what? The work is compassion and caring and doing the same things that we know we are to do. To follow in Jesus' way. It doesn't mean to sit on the sidelines. It means to stand up and protect somebody." [00:30:20] (24 seconds)
Chatbot
-
I'm an AI bot trained only on this specific sermon. Do you have any questions about it?