Sermon - Lent 3

Sermon - Lent 3
Luke 13:1-9
March 7, 2010
"pulled to grace"

Watching CNN lately you’d see coverage of the Earthquake in Chile and all the disasters. This comes not long after the earthquake in Haiti. We mourn and lament with the people of Chile and Haiti.
When we see these disasters, what does it do to us?
I was watching the national news Thursday, and saw a high speed car chase. I looked closer and it said “Long Beach, CA.” The chase was taking place on the 105. I thought to myself, I drive on the 105.
Or how about the bank robbery that took place Friday at the F&M Bank? Many of us frequent the F&M bank.
These events tend to shake us out of our normal routines and tend to stop us in our tracks…perhaps to reflect on our own mortality and the fragility of life.
Let’s be honest, we often tend to walk through life complacently. But tragedies shakes us out of our stupor. They pull our attention and cause us to reflect on life and how fragile and precarious it is. Just as we were pulled to reflect on Ash Wednesday.
At these times we also ask questions: why do bad things happen to good people? (the theological question of theodicy)
We walk through the wilderness in Lent and in our lives. The wilderness times in our life, times of trial and struggle … We start to think, what did I do to deserve this? Is God punishing me?
There is a theology that says “yes” – earthquakes happen because those people must have sinned; if you are suffering – it’s because you are a sinner.
If you lost your job; if you are poor; if you are sick; if you suffered a tragedy or calamity – you must have sinned.
If you were watching CNN in Israel at the time of Jesus, you would have seen the massacre of Galileans by Pontius Pilate and a tower that fell and killed 18 people in Jerusalem. Perhaps people would have been pulled to consider life’s fragility. They would have been afraid, and sought to rationalize the tragedy with this theology that equates suffering with sin.
To which Jesus says “No.” “Do you think that because these Galileans suffered in this way they were worse sinners than all other Galileans?” Jesus says “No.” It was not because they were sinners. Jesus gives a caution to anyone who would seek to rationalize tragedy by equating it with sin.
This theology allows us to dismiss those harmed in the tragedy. Take the lepers for example – “well, they are lepers because they are being punished by God, so I don’t need to help them.” It’s a cop out.
At moments of tragedy we can try to rationalize it with false assurance, or being moved to judgment or dismissal of the people. But Jesus says, rather than examining others, examine yourself.
So when tragedies grip you, and pull you into the reality of the fragility and precariousness of life – what if rather than being pulled to explain the tragedy by judging others; we instead were pulled to the face of God.
What if in times of uncertainty we were pulled to the One who is certain.
Jesus says to those grappling with tragedy, turn back to God, repent. Can someone that participates in the Bible Study tell us what repentance is in Luke’s Gospel? It’s not just saying sorry - turning back to God - changing your perspective – bringing kingdom. Being pulled to God who covers us in grace (like fertilizing the fig tree).
When there is tragedy, we are pulled to consider our own mortality, to lament.
Rather than being pulled to rationalize with false assurances (they deserved it)
May we be pulled to the One who is abounding in grace and steadfast love; then moved to extend that grace to those who are weighed down by tragedy, to help those in need. Amen.