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<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><?xml:namespace prefix = st1 ns =
"urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags" /><st1:place><st1:PlaceName><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt">Peace</SPAN></st1:PlaceName><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt"> </SPAN><st1:PlaceName><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt">Lutheran</SPAN></st1:PlaceName><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt"> </SPAN><st1:PlaceType><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt">Church</SPAN></st1:PlaceType></st1:place><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt"><?xml:namespace prefix = o ns =
"urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" /><o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><st1:place><st1:City><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt">Las Cruces</SPAN></st1:City><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt">, </SPAN><st1:State><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt">NM</SPAN></st1:State></st1:place><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt"><o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt">Pastor Steve Loy<o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><st1:date Month="3" Day="14"
Year="2004"><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt">March 14, 2004</SPAN></st1:date><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt"><o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt">The
Third Sunday of Lent<o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt"><o:p> </o:p></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt">Text:<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>Luke
13:1-9<o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt"><o:p> </o:p></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt">Martha and I attended Carolyn Stuve’s father’s funeral
in </SPAN><st1:City><st1:place><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt">Carlsbad</SPAN></st1:place></st1:City><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt"> a few weeks ago.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes">
</SPAN>Carolyn Stuve was raised in Artesia.<SPAN
style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>Her parents are Baptists and the pastor
she knew growing up, Walt Isaacs, did the funeral.<SPAN
style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>Virgil was a farmer who liked to fish
and hunt and play the guitar.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>Many
of the people from town remembered him as the farmer who raised
watermelons.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>In his later years
Virgil and Walt had recorded some songs with Virgil playing the “geetar” (that’s
how Walt said it) and Walt playing the mandolin.<SPAN
style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>The tape was playing as we gathered at
the mortuary.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>The funeral was a
wonderful tribute to Virgil and the sermon reflected Walt’s love and admiration
for his close friend.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>The sermon
also reflected the Baptist tradition which most often asks anyone who has not
yet given their life to Jesus to do it now.<SPAN
style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>Walt made it clear that it was Virgil’s
desire for everyone to consider their lives in light of Jesus.<SPAN
style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>Virgil was proud to have given his life
to Christ and he wanted others to know it and to follow his example.<SPAN
style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN><SPAN
style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN><o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt"><o:p> </o:p></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt">In
mainline churches we don’t ask people about their conversion experiences.<SPAN
style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>Most of us don’t know when we were
baptized.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>The date is on a
baptismal certificate somewhere, probably in a box with some old pictures.<SPAN
style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>We don’t want to put anyone on the spot
or make anyone feel too uncomfortable.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes">
</SPAN>After all, we proclaim grace and assume that God loves everyone
right?<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>But today’s reading presents
some real challenges both for us and for our Baptist
friends.<o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt"><o:p> </o:p></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt">There are two things that come up clearly in today’s
reading.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>The first is cause and
effect.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>Luke challenges any idea of
cause and effect in human suffering.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes">
</SPAN>Jesus asks, “Do you think that because these Galileans suffered in this
way they were worse sinners than all other Galileans?<SPAN
style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>No, I tell you; but unless you repent,
you will all perish as they did.”<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes">
</SPAN>God doesn’t cause people to suffer because of their lack of belief.<SPAN
style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>And those who have faith don’t receive
an extra measure of blessing.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>God’s
blessing and the challenges we face in life are not a result of our faith or
lack of faith.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>There is no cause
and effect.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>There are plenty of
people who are devoutly faithful and yet face enormous challenges.<SPAN
style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>Faith doesn’t insulate us from pain and
suffering.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>And on the other hand
there are people who are entirely faithless, whose lives are wonderful.<SPAN
style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>There is no cause and effect between
belief and material blessing, between lack of faith and contentment.<SPAN
style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>There is only one difference that I can
find on a fairly consistent basis and that is gratitude.<SPAN
style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>In my experience, people of faith tend
to recognize that life is a gift, rather than a God given right and they tend to
live life with a sense of gratitude.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes">
</SPAN>While those who are not people of faith tend to cite their own
intelligence or ability for the good things in life.<SPAN
style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>The one thing that both groups, those
with faith and those without, tend to do is that when bad things happen, we
wonder what we have done to deserve it.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes">
</SPAN>Jesus responds to the question with irony.<SPAN
style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>He says, “Do you think their suffering
is a result of them being worse sinners?<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes">
</SPAN>No they aren’t.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>And instead
of thumbing your nose at them, instead of trying to decide if they were awful
people, I suggest you worry about your own life or you may have a tower fall on
you some day.”<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes">
</SPAN><o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt"><o:p> </o:p></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt">Jesus attacked any notion of cause and effect.<SPAN
style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>He said instead, “Believe in God, take
what comes, and trust that God is with you every day of your life.”<SPAN
style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>If you want an easy predictable faith
you will have to look someplace else, because it is not in my Bible.<SPAN
style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN><o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt"><o:p> </o:p></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt">That’s the first part of the reading.<SPAN
style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>The second part has to do with the
parable of the fig tree.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>This is a
wonderful Lenten text as we consider how to redevote our lives to God.<SPAN
style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>This parable is a corrective for we who
spend so little time talking about conversion. <SPAN
style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>The owner of the vineyard is ready to cut
down the fig tree, while the gardener is patient and ready to do more work.<SPAN
style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>He pleads for the tree one more year and
the owner relents.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>The owner
doesn’t care how pretty the tree is, how healthy it is, how much shade it
provides.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>He cares only about the
fruit it produces.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>After all he
says, fig trees are for figs.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>The
parable challenges many of the popular notions about religion.<SPAN
style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>It suggests that Christianity is not
about morality, or civility.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>Faith
doesn’t make us better people or better citizens.<SPAN
style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>The question for people of faith is,
have you produced any fruit. <SPAN
style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN><o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt"><o:p> </o:p></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal
style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 3pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none"><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt">Now here is the hard part, the parable presents us with
some difficulties.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>In one sense
only God will know if you have produced any fruit.<SPAN
style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>Most of us think of ourselves as both
fig tree and gardener, but we aren’t very good self critics.<SPAN
style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>We find it difficult to be honest,
especially with ourselves.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>We are
likely to delude ourselves.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>We tend
to either find fruit in our labor when in fact we have done very little for
God.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>Or we find our lives barren
when God has used us well.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>It is
difficult to be both the fig tree and our own gardener.<SPAN
style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>I have always imagined that each of us
needs a spiritual friend, a person we know we can count on to be honest with
us.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>We each need a person who will
pray with us and for us, who will prune us when we need pruning and fertilize us
when we need spiritual sustenance.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes">
</SPAN>There is no doubt that each of us is in need of continuing care.<SPAN
style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>Maybe we need our attitude pruned, that
we might clip away the pettiness or selfishness so that generosity might
grow.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>Maybe some despair has
cropped up, that needs to be replaced by hope.<SPAN
style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>Or a part of our lives has become filled
with callousness where we need compassion.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes">
</SPAN>Maybe a part of our lives has gotten out of control and needs to be cut
off, to see what God will grow next in that place.<SPAN
style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>Or perhaps as a parable suggests
we need a little digging around and some fresh manure at our roots, the
spiritual food of prayer and worship and song so that we can bear the fruit of
the kingdom.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>But in the end, only
God knows the fruit of our labor.<o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal
style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 3pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none"><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt"><o:p> </o:p></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal
style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 3pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none"><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt">The parable reminds us that faith is not for the purpose
of making us better people, more successful or happier.<SPAN
style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>We who are followers of Jesus have a
single purpose – to produce fruit for God.<o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal
style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 3pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none"><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt"><o:p> </o:p></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal
style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 3pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none"><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt">Pastor Isaac’s sermon was a reminder for me that we need
to give our lives to Jesus.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>Unlike
the Baptists, however, I have never believed that once is enough.<SPAN
style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>We will need to recommit regularly.<SPAN
style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>And our commitment, according to the
parable of the fig tree, is not “Lord make me a better person” or “Lord make me
happier.”<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>Our daily prayer is
“Lord, grant that I might bear some fruit today – make me useful to you and to
others.”<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes">
</SPAN><o:p></o:p></SPAN></P></DIV></BODY></HTML>