The Third Sunday in Lent (C), March 24, 2019 - Isaiah 55:1-9 and Luke 13:1-9

Isaiah 55:1-9 The poem is a rendering of the Isaiah text. Click on the image above for the hymn, put to the tune, MELITA (“Eternal Father, Strong to Save”). The last two lines of the poem below are the refrain for every verse of the hymn. Free for congregational use, formatted to be printed on 8.5x11 bulletin insert paper (sideways, two per sheet). For Heaven's Sake Ho, everyone who thirsts, come drink, Though you be poor, come now and eat! With all your money, do you think Your spending makes your life complete? Just listen up, and you will see The food that's good which I will give; Incline your ear and come to me, Filled with delight, so you will live! My steadfast love for David shows My love for you will never end, And people everywhere will know You're blessed, and run, and you befriend. Now seek, so that the  LORD, you find, Forsake the wrong in mind and deed, Because the LORD is always kind, And pardons all who come in need. I'm not like you in thoughts and ways, For heav'n's sake, I'll never stray. Scott L. Barton Ho, everyone who thirsts, come to the waters;  and you that have no money, come, buy and eat!  Come, buy wine and milk without money and without price.  Why do you spend your money for that which is not bread,  and your labor for that which does not satisfy?  Listen carefully to me, and eat what is good,  and delight yourselves in rich food.  Incline your ear, and come to me; listen, so that you may live.  I will make with you an everlasting covenant,  my steadfast, sure love for David.  See, I made him a witness to the peoples,  a leader and commander for the peoples.  See, you shall call nations that you do not know,  and nations that do not know you shall run to you,  because of the Lord your God, the Holy One of Israel, for he has glorified you. Seek the Lord while he may be found,  call upon him while he is near;  let the wicked forsake their way,  and the unrighteous their thoughts;  let them return to the Lord, that he may have mercy on them,  and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon.  For my thoughts are not your thoughts,  nor are your ways my ways, says the Lord.  For as the heavens are higher than the earth,  so are my ways higher than your ways  and my thoughts than your thoughts. + + + Luke 13:1-9 Fig Tree I think, perhaps, we miss the point If we think God 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 (2013) 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.’”