“Lament over Jerusalem” Luke 13:1-9, 31-35 Devo

March 14th, 2021 Devotional “Lament over Jerusalem” Luke 13:1-9, 31-35 Keep the sermon topic and Biblical text preaching all week by following Pastor Michelle on twitter @tinypastor and reading her sermon blog www.revmichelle.blogspot.com Monday: “Galileans” - Luke 13: 1-2 People were shocked. They were grieving. And they were looking for answers. Why had Pilate killed the Galileans? He had effectively murdered them and then used their blood for sacrifices. Notice that the people did not seem to be asking questions about why Pilate had done this. That they understood. It was a sign of his power. But they were wondering, at least in their hearts, if the Galileans had sinned against God that God would allow such a thing to happen. We, too, see tragedies around us every single day. It doesn’t take very long watching the news or reading a paper to see so much suffering in the world. We, too, can find ourselves asking why God allowed such a thing to happen. To which Jesus replies, this is not the question. Why do you think there is suffering in the world? Prayer: God, in our attempt to find answers to the questions of the mysteries of life, we sometimes place blame. We blame others. We blame you. And we fail to place blame where it is due - the fallen world we live in. Forgive us, O Lord, and speak to us once again of your truth and love and grace. Amen. Tuesday: “Repent” - Luke 13: 3-5 To this question of “do you think that because these Galileans suffered in this way they were worse sinners than all other Galileans?” Jesus answers no. These people were no better or worse than anyone else. They did not deserve to suffer. But he also takes the moment to call people to repent. To come to know the freedom and fullness of life that is found in God. Does that mean that if we repent, we will never suffer again? By no means. That is certainly not scriptural. Just look at the letters of Paul, the book of Acts, and the book of Revelation to hear accounts of how faithful saints have suffered throughout the ages. But it does mean that we know where our hope lies. Not in this fallen world, but in the arms of God. Where do you find hope in the midst of suffering? Prayer: Lord, we thank you that the worst thing is not the last thing - and that even in the face of tragedy we know the Good News of the resurrection. Let us live as resurrection people - even when it is hard, Precious Lord. Let us find our hope in you and you alone. Amen. Wednesday: “Fruit” - Luke 13: 6-9 The people around Jesus did not understand what he was saying about suffering. It did not make sense in their understanding of justice. So Jesus tries to explain it with a story - a story about a tree that did not do what trees are supposed to do. There was a fig tree that had not produced fruit for several years. So the owner of the tree decided that the only thing that could be done was to chop it down and start over. The tree wasn’t doing what it was intended to do - produce fruit. But a gardener, the tender of the tree, convinced the owner to not give up. To let him try again. To try to give it even more care. So it is with God. God does not give up on us or abandon us, even when we sin and lack fruit. Instead, God is like the gardener, doing for us what we cannot do for ourselves, and bringing us back to a place of vitality and life. How has God taken you from a season of not bearing fruit to bearing fruit? Prayer: God, we thank you that you do not give up on us. Even when we are far from you, O Lord, you are not far from us. Remind us of your mercy and grace, especially when it is hard for us to understand. Amen. Thursday: “Herod” - Luke 13: 31-33 Similar to Pilates plot against the Galileans, some Pharisees came to Jesus to let him know that Pilate wanted to kill him. He saw him as a threat he wanted to remove. We aren’t sure why the Pharisees, the same group that had their own complaints about Jesus in the past, were now reaching out to Jesus, but Jesus sends them back to Herod with a message - you are not in charge. I have a mission and it is in God’s timing. God’s will and God’s timing are hard for us to wrap our human minds around. And because of that it often seems like evil wins. Especially in the face of death. But Jesus reminds the Pharisees and us, that he is going to live each day he is given like it is his last, working for the mission of the Kingdom. What call do you hear in Jesus’s words? Prayer: Lord, we confess that we want to plan far into the future. But Lord, what we are promised is this day. Let us live it with zeal for you Kingdom and love for your people. Use us, we pray. Amen. Friday: “Jerusalem” - Luke 13: 34-35 Have you ever had a place where you feel deeply connected to God? Maybe it is a special camp sight. Or a family homestead. A place where you can just feel the love of God. For Jesus, such a special spiritual home may have been Jerusalem. Not the place where he was born or the place that he called home, but a place where he came to have deep experiences of God in community. Special celebrations, such as the Passover. Now, his heart is breaking for his spiritual home. They do not realize that they are the place that is so far from God that they now kill prophets. Now reject the compassion and love that Jesus has come to offer. It is hard when people we love do not accept the love of our Savior. But we do not give up on them, because Christ does not give up on them. Even in the midst of his lament, Jesus is turning his feet and his steps towards Jerusalem, to offer his very life for them and for many. How do you respond when people you love do not want to hear about Christ? Prayer: Lord, thank you for never giving up on us or those we love. Thank you, O Lord, for the example of both your prayer, your lament, and your actions, your steps moving towards the place that would reject you. Let us live life with the same commitment and love, we pray. Amen. Saturday: Preparing for the Word You are invited to read and pray this week’s text and topic: “Lost Sheep, Coin, Son” - Luke 15:1-32