The Gardener replied, ‘Sir, let it alone for one more year, until I dig around it and put manure on it. [9] If it bears fruit next year, well and good; but if not, you can cut it down.’ Luke 13:8-9

Before we come to this patient gardener, let us reflect on the pain of the first part of the Gospel. We don’t know anything much about the Galileans apparently killed by Pilate in the middle of their worship, nor about the people of Jerusalem who died when the tower fell. Whether their deaths were horrible murders or tragic accidents they have left people wonder what is going on in the world.

There are no doubt people here in Queensland asking the same sorts of questions after the tragic death of two school children this past two weeks. No explanation makes any sense.

Matt Skinner#
Reminds us that Tragedies arrest our attention, they pull us up short.

Life’s fragility gives it urgency. Jesus turns attention away from disasters, victims, and “why?” questions to address those of us who thus far have survived the hazards of the universe and human society. We should not mistake our good fortune as evidence of God’s special blessing.

Jesus neither blames the victims nor tries to explain why. Jesus merely points to us, what about you? No, I tell you; but unless you repent, you will all perish just as they did If you don’t repent you will suffer the same calamity. Jesus’ words are hardly words of comfort. They don’t make you want to burst into the old Sunday School hymn, Jesus loves me this I know.
If we put Jesus’ words into a question it doesn’t sound so harsh but it is still confronting.
Is your life such that if catastrophe struck today you can confidently come into the presence of God with joy?
During the week I went to visit Tom. Tom has had a couple of close shaves after recent surgery. Rather than express fear of death Tom shared with his children and grandchildren of his faith and confidence in God. As Christians we can face the worst catastrophes with faith.

When Jesus says “if you don’t repent” He is not just saying make a decision today. May be Jesus is using some of the gruesome shock factor of those catastrophes to startle people into repentance. But it is more than a one off decision.
Brian P. Stoffregen in his Exegetical Notes tells us, The verb “to repent” (metanoeo) is in the present tense (subjunctive), which implies continual action = “be repentant” or “continue to repent” or “keep on repenting.” This is not a one-shot event that saves one from “perishing,” but a lifestyle of penitence.

Jesus invites us into a way of life, a repentance life. There is a call to live life bearing fruit. Psalm one has the image of the righteous person being like a tree planted beside a stream. It always bears fruit in season. Repentance is as much about being rooted and grounded in God’s holiness that we bear the fruit of the Holy Spirit daily.

Stoffregen quotes Richard Jensen in Preaching Luke’s Gospel [p. 147] Repentance is not a fruit problem; it is a root problem. It is the root of who we are that is a problem in God’s eyes. So repentance cannot be composed of “I can” statements. “I have sinned God. I am sorry God. I can do better.” Repentance, rather, must be composed of “I can’t” statements. “I have sinned, God. I am sorry. God, I’ve tried and tried and tried but I just don’t produce good fruit. I can’t seem to do better. I need your Vinedresser to work on the roots of my life. Give me a new life, God. Give me your life. I can’t. You can.”

So we might say that Jesus invites to put our roots down deeper in this life of repentance. But perhaps it is more appropriate to say he himself provides the means for the roots to grow deeper.

Jesus uses the metaphor of the fig tree. Three years in a row I have come to gather fruit but nothing. This tree is a waste of space. The gardener says lets wait one more year. I will dig manure in around it. Let’s see what happens. We never know what happens; the graciousness of the gardener is the point. Running through Luke’s gospel there is a theme of the importance of repentance but it is tied to the graciousness of God. The woman who looses the coin searches for the coin. The shepherd searches for the sheep, the father runs to the lost son. Yes there is great rejoicing over the sinner who repents but the repentance is inextricable from grace. The gardener says, I will dig around the tree, if you don’t see any fruit then you may cut it down.

The Africans have a story of the Lion hunter who discovers the Lion has been circling around him. He is hunted rather than the hunter. In a more joyful sense we discover that we have been prepared for repentance and the life of repentance by our gracious father. God has been preparing us for grace through out our lives even when we have turned our backs on God.

In our first story Abraham has been trying to be obedient to God but God does not keep his side of the promise. Abraham does not have a son except the child of a slave in his household. Abraham does not speak to God with gentle piety. It is a bit like the later stories of Abraham and Sarah are heard laughing at God. It is hard to know how Abraham felt being told to go outside and look at the stars. It is not till later in the story that the sun goes down. Does that mean the Abraham was supposed to see the blue sky and yet know that in just a little while it would be full of a multitude of beautiful stars? Even if Abraham is convinced he still asks for more certainty about the land. It is then that we have the story of the slaughter of the animals and the covenant cut by God as a sign to Abraham that his children would inherit this land.

But through this story we are more conscious of the vagaries of life. What we understand to be a promise of blessing from God does not seem to bear fruit. People who are no worse than you or I are killed in horrific crimes or are victims of terrible accidents. No answers make any sense. We have to sit with the pain and confusion. Only faith can bring us in time to healing. Only grace can bring us to joy. But we often discover our patient loving heavenly father has been with us the whole time. God is with is through the tragedies and even when we have turned our back on him.