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Series C – Lent 3 – Sunday, February 28, 2016 | Pr. Chris Rosebrough

Welcome to the Teaching Ministry of Kongsvinger Lutheran Church. Kongsvinger is a beacon for the Gospel of Jesus Christ and is located on the plains of Northwestern Minnesota. We proclaim Christ and Him crucified for our sins and salvation by grace through faith alone, and now, here’s a message from Pastor Chris Rosebrough:

Time Stamp	Transcript
0:29	holy Gospel According to Saint Luke
0:32	chapter 13 verses 1 through 9.
0:35	there was some present at that very time
0:38	who told Jesus about the galileans whose
0:41	blood pilate had mingled with their
0:43	sacrifices and he answered them do you
0:46	think that these galileans were worse
0:48	Sinners than all the other galileans
0:50	because they suffered in this way no I
0:53	tell you but unless you repent
0:55	you will all likewise perish
0:58	or those 18 on whom the Tower of Siloam
1:01	fell and killed them do you think that
1:03	they were worse offenders than all the
1:04	others who lived in Jerusalem
1:06	no I tell you but unless you repent you
1:11	will all likewise perish and he told
1:13	this Parable a man had a fig tree
1:16	planted in his Vineyard
1:17	and he came seeking fruit on it found
1:19	none
1:21	he said to the vine dresser look for the
1:23	for three years now I’ve come seeking
1:24	fruit on this fig tree and I couldn’t
1:26	find none cut it down why should it use
1:29	up the ground and he answered him sir
1:31	let it alone this year also I’ll dig
1:33	around it and put on manure then if it
1:36	should bear fruit next year well and
1:38	good but if not you can cut it down
1:42	in the name of Jesus
1:45	all right so we’ve all seen in our
1:47	lifetime some pretty tragic things
1:49	happen from tsunamis and earthquakes and
1:52	tsunamis to nuclear reactors melting
1:55	down after tsunamis you know notice the
1:57	tsunami theme here it’s all wet but
2:00	um two you know construction accidents
2:03	cranes collapsing people dying death and
2:06	destruction everywhere and everyone
2:08	wants to know the answer to the question
2:09	what does it all mean what is God up to
2:12	what is he saying in all of this right
2:15	and there are whole YouTube channels
2:17	which are quite entertaining if you
2:19	actually take the time to watch them
2:20	where people are trying to have an Open
2:23	Bible and an open newspaper or web
2:26	browser now and try to figure out what’s
2:29	the message that God is sending us
2:32	well Jesus gives us the definitive
2:35	answer to what does it all mean he does
2:39	so in our text today and I would have
2:41	you pay close attention because what he
2:44	tells us has everything to do with not
2:46	only the season of Lent but also the
2:49	very Christian Life that we live every
2:50	day outside of Lent from day to day
2:53	every day
2:54	seven you know what is that 24 7 365 and
2:58	just put the numbers together right so
3:00	let’s return to Our Gospel texts there
3:02	were some present at that very time who
3:05	told Jesus about the galileans whose
3:07	blood pilate had mingled with their
3:09	sacrifices now why was this being
3:12	brought up well if everybody knows look
3:14	at pilate he’s a dictator he’s a
3:17	terrible politician what do you think
3:19	about that Jesus look at what he did
3:20	those galileans those innocent Brothers
3:23	of ours they were slaughtered by pilate
3:27	and then he took their blood and he
3:29	mixed it with the sacrifices he’s
3:30	desecrated the altar he’s desecrated
3:33	these people what do you think about
3:35	that Jesus with the expectation that
3:37	Jesus is going to say something
3:39	political something well important you
3:41	know like well that political leader
3:43	well we all know how wicked and evil he
3:46	is right or maybe Jesus was going to
3:48	comment on the galileans because
3:50	everybody understands historically the
3:51	galileans were a little sketchy at this
3:53	time and what I mean by that is is that
3:56	well the galileans were known to well
3:58	not be so good in the obey Rome category
4:02	no they uh there was a lot of them that
4:04	were very zealous in fact
4:07	um
4:08	the Romans had a whole bunch of them
4:10	crucified all at once to basically send
4:13	a political statement you mess with us
4:16	we kill you
4:18	right
4:19	so maybe the galileans weren’t exactly
4:22	Innocent but clearly pilate is more evil
4:25	and we do the same thing today right
4:28	what’s going to happen to our country if
4:30	this person gets elected or that person
4:32	gets elected how are we going to survive
4:34	look at that what that person has done
4:36	consider the email Scandal consider how
4:39	many divorces that person’s had what are
4:41	we in for God what do you have to say
4:43	about all of this
4:46	all right we all do the same thing we
4:48	want to know what God thinks watch what
4:51	Jesus does so he answered them all right
4:53	do you think that these galileans were
4:56	worse Sinners than all the other
4:57	galileans
5:00	uh what
5:02	because they suffered in this way do you
5:04	think they were more they were more
5:05	sinful
5:06	were they
5:08	was this Karma striking
5:11	right
5:13	no
5:14	Jesus says now listen I’m not going to
5:16	talk about that he says no I tell you I
5:18	tell you unless you repent you allow
5:21	likewise perish
5:24	now if they were in a room when this was
5:26	said I’m sure you can just hear those
5:28	oxygen being sucked out of the room
5:32	what
5:34	you’re supposed to talk about the
5:36	galileans and how innocent they are and
5:37	pilate how evil he is and you’re telling
5:40	us
5:42	to repent
5:44	and then Jesus picks up on a late
5:46	another news story at the time there was
5:48	a construction accident that happened in
5:50	Jerusalem
5:51	construction accidents we just had a
5:54	construction accident happen in New York
5:55	City the video was quite well shocking
5:58	to watch when that crane came down to
6:00	New York City right yeah anyone watch
6:02	the actual footage on that the people
6:04	who died so in a similar way Jesus says
6:07	or those 18 on whom the Tower of Siloam
6:10	fell and killed them do you think they
6:13	were worse offenders than all the others
6:15	who lived in Jerusalem
6:17	huh no I tell you unless you repent you
6:22	will all likewise perish
6:25	so Jesus rather than
6:28	um scratched their itching curiosity
6:30	about what God is saying
6:32	in a very real way gives us the
6:34	definitive Divine interpretation of all
6:39	of these natural disasters and
6:40	calamities that happen that just seem so
6:43	Random
6:45	the message that God is sending to us
6:49	and all of them is repent
6:52	you see
6:53	by Jesus asking the question do you
6:56	think these people were worse Sinners
6:57	than the other galileans or these
7:00	Sinners and the sinners in Jerusalem
7:02	were they any worse the answer to the
7:04	question is no
7:05	they were all Sinners indeed
7:07	and those who died well God has already
7:10	dealt with them
7:12	their fate is determined as for pilate
7:15	give it time it’ll happen he’ll stand
7:17	before the judge himself
7:20	the question is what about you
7:23	what about you
7:25	you want to talk about them Jesus wants
7:27	to talk about you and what Jesus wants
7:30	to talk about with you is your need
7:33	and my need to repent
7:37	we heard it in our Old Testament text
7:39	the Hebrew word
7:41	turn away to turn back
7:45	right we hear it in the words of Jesus
7:48	in the Greek text here today metanoia
7:50	which means to have a change of mind
7:54	it’s important that we understand what
7:55	repentance is and what it is not
7:58	we think repentance is something to the
8:01	effect of well it’s December 31st
8:04	Midnight’s about to strike I’ve got to
8:07	make some kind of a resolution right
8:09	this is the Year this is the year I
8:12	finally begin to make some progress on
8:15	regaining my 18 year old physique
8:18	this is the year that I’m going to Sock
8:20	away a certain amount of money this is
8:21	the year that I’m going to treat my
8:23	spouse a little bit better not much but
8:25	a little bit this is the year that I’m
8:27	gonna just fill in the blank right we
8:29	think this is what repentance is
8:32	that’s not repentance
8:35	that’s put in the cart for the horse
8:39	what is repentance
8:41	is repentance the thing that you did
8:43	that one time when you walked the aisle
8:45	at the Billy Graham Crusade
8:48	what is repentance
8:52	put simply
8:53	repentance is saying God
8:56	you’re right
8:58	I’m wrong
9:01	it’s saying God you’re holy
9:05	and I’m ungodly
9:08	it’s confessing
9:10	what you truly are
9:12	it’s speaking the truth about yourself
9:15	about your sin
9:17	about your ungodliness and about your
9:20	need for forgiveness
9:24	return to the Lord your God for he is
9:26	gracious and merciful slow to anger and
9:30	abounding in steadfast love the
9:32	scriptures say
9:34	return
9:36	and so
9:38	you’re thinking well are you saying that
9:40	cleaning myself up isn’t part of it yeah
9:43	no actually that’s kind of a funny way
9:45	of putting it I’m glad you asked the
9:46	question
9:47	because the one who recognizes that he
9:49	is ungodly and that God is in the right
9:53	and that he is in the wrong
9:55	confesses that he’s not living right
9:58	that he’s not thinking right remember we
10:00	sin against God in thought word and by
10:03	our actions and deeds by the things we
10:05	do oh and the things we don’t do
10:09	all right remember the uh the Seinfeld
10:12	television program
10:14	that was yeah I’m dating myself now that
10:16	was quite the fun experience when it was
10:18	on every week I remember people you know
10:21	every week talking about Seinfeld and
10:23	the latest episode at the water cooler
10:25	and you know at the office
10:27	well it was a program that was the show
10:29	about nothing that’s what they said
10:30	Seinfeld is the television program about
10:33	nothing and in a very funny way to end
10:37	the whole series when the fight when the
10:39	last Seinfeld it was actually aired it
10:43	was the story of how the main characters
10:44	were arrested and go to prison for doing
10:47	nothing there was a crime that was being
10:50	committed in front of them and they did
10:52	nothing to stop the crime but the place
10:55	where this occurred was one of those
10:57	states where they have a Good Samaritan
10:59	law if you see somebody in need and you
11:01	don’t help them you are criminally
11:03	liable and so they all ended up going to
11:05	prison
11:06	for doing nothing
11:09	which is what all of us actually deserve
11:13	because
11:14	the law of God
11:16	is summarized as love God
11:19	and love your neighbor as yourself
11:21	so when your neighbor has a need
11:23	and you do not help your neighbor
11:26	and you do nothing
11:29	not only in God’s Court do you deserve
11:31	to go to prison no you deserve to go to
11:34	hell
11:35	so examine your life how are you
11:37	measuring up
11:40	are you holy
11:42	are you righteous are you good
11:45	or
11:47	do you fall short
11:52	Jesus says
11:53	repent
11:56	repent and you’ll notice he’s not
11:58	talking to unbelievers he’s talking to
12:01	the children of Israel
12:03	and this should tell us something
12:04	repentance is not a flu shot
12:08	repentance isn’t something you did one
12:10	time back then
12:12	repentance is something that you do
12:15	every day
12:17	repentance is a lifestyle for a
12:19	Christian
12:20	because the difficulty of being a
12:22	Christian is just beyond the description
12:27	you see because you have been raised
12:31	from the dead through the preaching of
12:33	the word through the waters of baptism
12:35	God has given you a new life and
12:37	regenerated you and at the same time you
12:40	still have your old sinful nature to
12:42	contend with being a Christian feels a
12:44	lot like being schizophrenic
12:47	the Apostle Paul in Romans 7 says oh the
12:50	things I don’t want to do I keep on
12:53	doing the things I don’t the things I
12:56	want to do I don’t do
12:59	who will rescue me from this body of
13:01	death
13:05	that’s why Paul in our texts and
13:07	Epistles in in First Corinthians
13:10	careful unless you think you’re strong
13:12	and you’re standing lest you fall
13:15	repentance daily repentance is the type
13:18	of lifestyle that basically says God
13:20	you’re right I’m wrong
13:22	and you wake up the next day and you say
13:24	God you’re right I’m wrong it’s
13:26	confessing that I still have all kinds
13:29	of wickedness and evil living within me
13:32	and I truly still am in and of myself
13:35	not holy
13:39	and I need to do better
13:41	you see the doing better is the fruit of
13:44	repentance
13:45	it is not repentance itself
13:48	and so consider now
13:50	the scriptures clearly teach
13:52	that it’s God’s kindness
13:55	that leads us to repentance
13:58	not his Wrath
14:00	it’s his kindness and I want you to see
14:02	see this
14:03	in the next part of our gospel text
14:05	verse 6 chapter 13 Luke
14:08	so Jesus told this Parable a man had a
14:11	fig tree planted in his Vineyard he came
14:14	seeking fruit on it and he found none
14:18	that’s me
14:21	that might even be you
14:24	what do you do with worthless fig trees
14:26	what’s the point of having a fig tree if
14:28	it doesn’t bear any fruit right that’s
14:30	real simple so I said to the binder look
14:33	for three years now I’ve come seeking
14:34	fruit on this fig tree
14:36	I find none what kind of a selfish fig
14:38	tree is this right
14:40	cut it down why should it use up the
14:42	ground
14:44	kill him
14:46	send them to the Grave why should that
14:48	person continue to breathe my air
14:50	another way of putting it right
14:52	cut it down why should it use up the
14:54	ground he says sir sir sir let alone
14:56	this year
14:57	let alone this year also I’ll dig around
14:59	it and put on manure
15:02	than if it should bear fruit next year
15:04	well and good if not then you can cut it
15:06	down
15:07	look at the patience
15:10	where’s Jesus in the story
15:12	he’s the one saying no no no don’t cut
15:14	it down
15:15	I’ll take care of it
15:16	let me dig around it let me put a manure
15:18	on it now this Parable is called the
15:21	parable of the baron fig tree I think a
15:24	better name for this Parable would be
15:26	the year of manure
15:30	the year of manure
15:32	I love it because look at the tender
15:35	loving kindness no no don’t kill it
15:38	let’s let’s let’s help this tree out
15:41	and this is what Jesus does with each
15:43	and every one of us you look at your
15:45	life and you sit there and go
15:47	this bearing fruit of the spirit thing
15:50	just isn’t working out so well for me
15:53	I know I deserve to be cut down and
15:56	you’re right you do
15:58	here today Jesus is here
16:01	to dig around the roots
16:05	put some manure on you
16:08	to help you to strengthen you to sustain
16:11	you he doesn’t want you to thrown into
16:13	the fire
16:15	he’s going to help you bear fruit
16:18	that’s how kind our Jesus is
16:21	that’s how good and merciful and
16:23	gracious he is
16:26	and it’s his kindness that leads us to
16:28	repentance
16:30	Lord Jesus you’re right
16:33	I’m wrong
16:34	you’re good I’m not
16:38	have mercy on me Lord
16:41	I truly want to do better
16:46	so today
16:48	I recommend
16:51	repent
16:52	confess that Christ is right and you are
16:55	wrong
16:56	confess that your fruit is so lacking
16:59	and wanting
17:01	and ask Jesus to come and care for you
17:06	to come and care for you the way he
17:08	cared for the fig tree
17:10	and you know what
17:12	you didn’t even have to ask he’s already
17:14	doing that
17:16	here today to the preaching of his word
17:19	in the name of Jesus
17:21	amen

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