Third Sunday in Lent, March 3, 2013 – Luke 13:1-9

I think, perhaps, we miss the point
If we think He condoned
The cutting of that fig tree which
The vineyard grower owned;
For note the gard'ner said to him,
"Then YOU can cut it down;"
He must have said it with a grin,
And not some judgment frown,
Since first, the owner'd said to him
That HE should do the deed;
But Jesus' gard'ner knew the owner's
Nature supersedes
The "Fix yourself right now - or else"
View we think others need;
Thus, we can cut some slack for all,
Since God's love none exceeds.

Scott L. Barton
February, 2013

Luke 13:1-9

At that very time there were some present who told him about the Galileans whose blood Pilate had mingled with their sacrifices. He asked them, “Do you think that because these Galileans suffered in this way they were worse sinners than all other Galileans? No, I tell you; but unless you repent, you will all perish as they did. Or those eighteen who were killed when the tower of Siloam fell on them—do you think that they were worse offenders than all the others living in Jerusalem? No, I tell you; but unless you repent, you will all perish just as they did.”

Then he told this parable: “A man had a fig tree planted in his vineyard; and he came looking for fruit on it and found none. So he said to the gardener, ‘See here! For three years I have come looking for fruit on this fig tree, and still I find none. Cut it down! Why should it be wasting the soil?’ He replied, ‘Sir, let it alone for one more year, until I dig around it and put manure on it. If it bears fruit next year, well and good; but if not, you can cut it down.’”