I am so delighted that you have come to worship (here or online) because, let’s be frank, the topic as we arrive into this third Sunday in Lent is…not fun; it is difficult; it is immensely challenging! Repentance might outdated; it might seem like it is something a crazy televangelist might utter. But, repentance is a part of our growing in faith. Repentance is a way that we deepen our faith through different parts in our journey. So, as a reward for our engagement with this morning’s important topic of repentance, I thought we might begin with a little humour.
A man was pulled over for speeding. The officer came up to the car window. The man rolled it down. And the officer asked, “Sir, you were going well over the speed limit. Do you have an excuse for this?” The man sighed and said, “I am deeply sorry officer. You see, I was just on my way to church to ask for forgiveness!” The officer smiled and replied, “Well, let me help you get started. You can begin with repentance; here’s your ticket!”
In the gospel text before us, there is a lot going on. What Jesus is challenging is the common belief that suffering occurs as a direct result of one’s personal sin. A person sins and their suffering is a direct cause of this sin. Jesus first references the horrible massacre that was ordered by Pontius Pilate where Galileans were killed while humbly offering their sacrifices at the temple. He also brings up another event. The collapse of the Tower of Siloam which killed 18 people. We can, perhaps, think of some horrible tragedies that have befallen people who have suffered horribly, and we try to make sense of them. Why were they plagued with such suffering? Was it a result of their sin? Jesus rejects the idea that these victims were worse sinners than any other. Instead, he emphasizes the idea that everyone must repent. Repentance is not for the horrible, it is not for those who are far gone…In fact, repentance, Jesus says, is for all of us. And, as we go a little further into the Lenten season, we see that repentance is necessary, important, and ~ furthermore ~ repentance leads to growth. Repentance leads to fruitful living.
What Jesus teaches is that “unless you repent, you too will all perish.” Thursday’s calendar shifted us into the season of Spring. What is spring? Spring is a time of renewal, growth and new life. Jesus, in this teaching is drawing us back to the source of life. Growing buds and blossoms have been actively living in the source of life. Roots have been nurtured in the earth; water has brought life; sun has brought forth the new beginnings of growth. The growth we are seeing in our budding spring plants is a direct result of their time spent in the sources of life.
Repentance can be understood as the human parallel that we might engage in through our spiritual living. Are we rooting ourselves back in the source of life? Rooting ourselves deeply in God? Or…are we spending too much time in sources of stress, undelivered promises, and the countless ways that lead to death. Repentance comes from the Greek word metanoia which means a complete change of one’s heart and a turning towards God. For some of us, repentance might be a complete 180…a complete shift away from the ways of death, darkness and destruction that are the air we breathe and the soil we live in. This 180 would be a complete shift towards the ways of God’s light, hope and peace. For others, repentance might not be as severe; it might be more of a ‘course correction’ where we become more intentional in the paths we choose and the soil we plant our lives in.
It is important to acknowledge that we live in an era that is especially difficult to practice this. Even the best of us can become overwhelmed with the political worries we hold; with the economic concerns that may be on the horizon; with the health challenges we have for ourselves and others; and the list continues. Repentance is Jesus’ challenging teaching to root our lives in God. It is about not going it alone, but rather going through the pains and sufferings of the present rooted in God! Repentance, metanoia, is that complete change of heart; turning towards God in order that God might bring new life, new hope, resurrection. Repentance is why we received ashes upon our foreheads as we commenced this Lenten season. Repentance is why we are spending more time in prayer and scripture study and acts of loving service. Turning towards God is about humbly moving aside on the journey and letting God drive, and remembering we are just the co-pilots. Thanks goodness for that!
After the call to repentance, Jesus offers a parable for consideration: the parable of the fig tree. Parables, we recall, are windows into what the Kingdom of God is like. Parables help us gain a deeper understanding of what this Kin-dom that God is birthing into the world through Jesus is truly about. And in this parable we learn about judgement and patience. God’s dream is for all of Creation to be fruitful, like the fig tree. There are no specifics given about what fruitful living looks like; however, we all have seen a fruitful life, haven’t we? When I have the honour of gathering with family at a beloved’s deathbed, I ask about the fruit of that beloved’s life. What parts of her life touched yours? What are your memories of life together? What did he teach you? What will you remember. Spiritual fruits are never measured in weight or volume. They are measured in the way we touch others; the way our lives shine the light of God; the way our lives become alive in those who continue in our memories. A wise person looking up at stained glassed windows in church through which the light was shining through. The windows depicted some of the many saints and noted “a saint is someone who God’s light shines through.”
And the second part of that parable is that while the gardener is looking for fruit on the fig tree, the gardener is patient with the barren fig tree. The gardener says: “Sir, let it alone for one more year, until I dig round it and put manure on it. If it bears fruit next year, well and good; but if not, you can cut it down.” ’ Patience allows time for the soil to be loosened; time for nourishment to be given to the roots; time for growth; and…in time…for the beautiful fruit to blossom on its branches. The gardener knew that if the fig tree was rooted in the source of life it would blossom. And, repentance is that call to turn to the source of life and know that we will continue to be fruitful in our living.
The first challenging call in our Lent this year was that of “surrender”. We surrender our lives to God and move into the wilderness. We examined the faith that Jesus exhibited in doing this. We considered the wilderness experiences we are living in today. This surrender we discovered last week is met with God’s eternal promise. The promise given unto Abram and Sarai through the journey leading them to the Promised Land. The next step in Lent is the call to repentance as we turn away from all that distracts us from God’s way of life. And, as we do this, we discover the fruitful life. Unique in its expression in you. But, fruitful and essential for God’s kingdom to unfold.
Amen.