Luke 13:1-9

Pilate had killed some Galileans and a tower had fallen on others and had killed them.  Pilate might have killed those people because he saw them as a threat against Rome.  The workers that got killed from the tower falling on them, maybe the Pharisees thought that they deserved what they got.  Jesus dismissed the idea that accidents or human cruelties were God's judgment for especially wicked sinners.  If that were the case then all the "bad" people in the world would not stay in power or live long lives.  Your righteousness is not determined by how you die or if you get a miraculous healing.  We all will die at some point.  Jesus did not share why some people live and others die tragically.  So I believe we are not supposed to try to figure it out because we never will.  Jesus decided to take that time to focus on our need to repent.  v. 3,5 "I tell you, no!  But unless you repent, you too will all perish."  Jesus was focused on the Kingdom more than anything else because that is the most important thing of all.  Jesus repeated Himself twice.  Anytime He says something more than once I think we should really pay attention. 

v. 6-9 "A man had a fig tree, planted in his vineyard, and he went to look for fruit on it, but did not find any.  So he said to the man who took care of the vineyard, 'For three years now I've been coming to look for fruit on this fig tree and haven't found any.  Cut it down!  Why should it use up the soil?'  Sir, the man replied, 'leave it alone for one more year, and I'll dig around it and fertilize it.  If it bears fruit next year, fine!  If not, then cut it down.'"  In the Old Testament fruit trees often represented Godly living.  God is the gardener and He is tending His garden.  Why would He want to keep a tree that is taking up room and soil from another tree that might produce mass amounts of fruit?  God takes tender care of his trees and makes sure they have plenty of light to keep the darkness at bay, He gives the trees living water so they will not wilt, and makes sure that the soil is healthy and is full of what the tree needs.  The enemy tries to pull out the tree by it's roots as if it were a weed because to him we are weeds.  The devil knows that if he can destroy us under the surface at the root then what shows above ground will just be rotten and lifeless.  He will use whatever means necessary to destroy us.

Are we producing good fruit or are we just taking up space?