This is a multi-part series that is looking to the Bible in Luke 13:1-9 for help in answering the difficult questions facing Christians when confronted with evil and tragedy in our world.
Go to Part #4
In Part 4, we considered the seriousness of sin against a holy God. There is no way to deny the Bible’s teaching that the just consequence of every human being’s sin is judgment and wrath from God. Praise God that the story doesn’t end there! The amazing thing about Jesus is that he takes willful, brazen traitors like you and me and speaks verses 3 and 5 from Luke 13: “No, I tell you; but unless you repent, you will all likewise perish."
Jesus speaks these words as a warning to those who would take their sin lightly, but don’t miss the awesome grace and mercy in those words! Jesus’ words in response to real and horrible tragedy are not harsh! They point us to the most amazing love in the universe: God’s love and His mercy towards sinners. The wonderful implication in these verses is that if we do repent, we will not perish.
God’s response to our adultery against him, to our betrayal, was to send His one and only Son into the world to die on the Cross and take the punishment we deserve for our treason!
John 3:16
“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.”
What’s the most shocking and appalling thing you can imagine? For many, this question brings to mind events like the ones I have already mentioned: Tyrants like Pol Pot, Hitler, and Saddam Hussein. Terrorists like the ones responsible for 911 in
“12Be appalled, O heavens, at this; be shocked, be utterly desolate, 13for my people have committed two evils; they have forsaken me, the fountain of living waters, and hewed out cisterns for themselves, broken cisterns than can hold no water.”
The most mind-blowing, shocking and horrible thing in the world is that God’s people:
- people who claim that God is holy
- people who claim to know that they are sinful
- people who have heard about God’s forgiveness through Christ
- people who have publicly claimed to repent from their sins in order to follow Jesus
God is telling the heavens to be appalled that this sort of people are turning away from God, from infinite joy, infinite love, infinite holiness, infinite satisfaction for their souls and, instead, betraying God and looking for happiness in their own way!
Dear Jesus, please capture my heart with the reality of how glorious and beautiful You are in all Your infinite power and might. Help me to be appalled for the right reasons as I look at my own heart and the world around me. Help me to know that there is absolutely nothing appalling about You no matter what circumstances I encounter in this world.Go to Part 6
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