Luke 13:1-9
If you could go back and tell your 21-year-old self-something…what
would it be?
- When I was 21…I was a senior in college…and would graduate the next May.
- When I was 20…after I graduated from college…
- I thought I would enter graduate school and move toward a masters and then a PhD in American history.
- But I was just not sure what I wanted to do when I grew up.
- But then at 21 it became apparent to me that God was calling me to the ministry.
- So…following my graduation…I would enter seminary and move toward becoming a Lutheran pastor.
- And so…I also decided to take two semesters of Greek.
If I could go back and tell my 21-year-old self-something…what would
it be?
- I would tell myself to simply enjoy the moment.
- When I was 21…I was intent on moving my life forward.
- I was focused on the future.
- What I wanted to do in the future…future goals and aspirations.
- I was afraid I would make the wrong choices regarding the rest of my life.
- If I could go back…I would tell myself not to be so afraid and concerned about the future.
- To live in the moment…to enjoy the moment and just be myself.
- And if I did that all would be well.
If you could go back and tell your 21-year-old self-something…what
would it be?
- Well…I wish I was someone who could answer that question with something inspiring like: “never give up!” or “believe in yourself!”
- But honestly…I think I would say: “You are not bald”.
As old age softens every inch of my body…heart…and spirit…
- I think about how my 21-year-old self-had no idea how wonderful my life was…
- And how my Lord had gifted me with such a glorious creation.
- But instead…I was dissatisfied and concerned about the next steps in consolidating my life.
- So…yes…I wish I could go back and tell myself “OMG…Enjoy the moment.”
The Lord be with you.
Today we are blessed to hear together the story of the fig tree from the Gospel according to Luke.
- And it got me thinking that my 21-year-old self would have connected to that fig tree story.
- At 21 we are all…well along the path of wondering…why bad things
- And our fig tree story seems to hold a bit of wisdom as to why.
- According to the gospel writer Luke…Jesus had something to say about such wonderings.
- Jesus seems to suggest that bad things do not happen to you because you are bad but rather because bad stuff happens.
- The Galileans were victims of a man…blinded by power…to command such horrific slaughter.
- And the second group were victims of
poor construction. - Bad things happen to good people.
The call of Jesus to repent is curious…
- But I think it has something to do with the urgency of how Jesus wanted others to follow in his way.
- The ones who died by Pilate’s hand were Galileans…they were not followers of “Jesus’ way.”
- And those killed…when the tower of Siloam fell on them in Jerusalem…were also not followers of Jesus.
- I think Jesus was trying to say
that people who follow the way of radical love…who follow his way… - Live deeply and there is not a moment to lose.
- He urges the listeners of this story to do what you need to do to follow.
- To not let another moment pass by.
- To follow the way of love…now.
- Because tomorrow is not guaranteed.
- The people who died were not bad or deserving of their end.
- It is just that their lives ended and there was so much more.
What then of the second part of the story and that poor fig tree?
- Is that tree going to produce figs or is it going to be fuel for the campfire?
- The end of the story is not ours to read.
Like our 21-year-old selves we do not know what the future is going to hold.
- The Landowner in the story is a familiar soul.
- We understand what the landowner sees in that poor fig tree.
- For we are all well versed in that vision:
- If it is not useful…then it is just using up limited resources.
- If it does not produce something we can sell…then it is of no value.
- If it does not follow the norm…produce when it should…
- Then something is wrong with it…and therefore…it is disposable.
The vision of the landowner is very familiar even if we have never
seen a fig tree.
- Many look in the mirror with Landowner vision.
- Many look in the mirror with Landowner vision and see graying hair and changing abilities and ask:
- What good am I? I am a burden using
up valuable resources. - Many look in the mirror with Landowner vision and see that they
cannot find work… - Or find a way through addiction or fight their way out of poverty…
- And conclude they are of no value.
- Many look in the mirror with Landowner vision and see differing abilities…
- And think they do not fit the supposed norm…therefore something is wrong.
- They are disposable.
- The vision of the landowner is very familiar even if we have never
seen a fig tree.
It is the vision of the blessed Gardener that we need to embrace.
- The one who is patient.
- Who takes a posture of nurture and care.
- Who sees potential and lives with hope for tomorrow.
- Who is not afraid of doing what
needs to be done… - Even if it means shoveling a few loads of manure.
- Unpleasant yes…and yet necessary to give the fig tree every opportunity to
be its true self.
When we were 21 we could not read the end of our story.
- It was unknown and was only found through our living.
- We do not know how it ends for the fig tree.
- It is unknown and it is only found in the choices made.
- We do not know…nor can we know what the end of the story…or our story will be.
- It is in the way we live now that we write the end.
When we were 21 years old…we had no idea where we would be today.
- It was in the living of everyday…along the way…that determined our today.
- My hunch is the journey to here and now was not all sunshine and roses.
- There were days when the Landowners’ vision got the best of us.
- But there were days…too…that the Blessed Gardener’s vision led us on.
Now…we might not be where we hoped to be this day.
- But…remember…our story is not finished yet.
- None of our stories are
ended yet…there is still time. - The Blessed Gardener is with each of us.
- But time is of the essence.
- In 1 to 5 to 10 years what do you think you will want to tell yourself
today?