It is 90%ing out there right now.  The forecast was a 90% chance of rain and it is...  It may crack a few tomatoes, but since we will be canning salsa and sauce this weekend, it is unfortunate, but not critical. 

Looking forward to the visit from Steven, Celinda and CeeCee this weekend.  Josh and Deed are coming over on Saturday to replace some outdoor faucets with frost free ones, that will be a big help in the garden where we won’t have to shut them off early to avoid freezing – and then need them to work in the garden.

Luke 13:1-5  There were present at that season some that told him of the Galilaeans, whose blood Pilate had mingled with their sacrifices.

² And Jesus answering said unto them, Suppose ye that these Galilaeans were sinners above all the Galilaeans, because they suffered such things?

³ I tell you, Nay: but, except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish.

⁴ Or those eighteen, upon whom the tower in Siloam fell, and slew them, think ye that they were sinners above all men that dwelt in Jerusalem?

⁵ I tell you, Nay: but, except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish.

It would appear they were asking Him if they had all sinned to deserve such a fate.

Why would Jesus answer like that, instead of giving a definitive answer?

Let us take what happened in America on September 11, 2001, or what is happening in the middle-east right now.  Let us ask Jesus:

Why would God allow the destruction of the Twin Towers in New York and all that death that resulted?

Think they were sinners above all men that dwelt in New York?

I tell you, Nay: but, except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish. - Jesus

Why the deaths that are occurring in the Middle-east with such viciousness?

Do we think they are sinners above all men in the Middle-east?

I tell you, Nay: but, except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish. - Jesus

Hebrews 9:26-28  For then must he often have suffered since the foundation of the world: but now once in the end of the world hath he appeared to put away sin by the sacrifice of himself.

²⁷ And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment:

²⁸ So Christ was once offered to bear the sins of many; and unto them that look for him shall he appear the second time without sin unto salvation.

We focus on the tragic death of people and ask why did this have to happen to fill in the blanks: – children, a nice guy, a whole community?

Jesus focused on the fact that all men will die.  They will either die with or without Him.  The manner of death can be frightful.

When we think of our own death – which usually only occurs after a brush with a serious accident – most of the time we think of ourselves dying in our sleep, without trauma.  Just peaceably dying.

Yet, it is still death.  All men, thanks to Adam’s sin will die – unless Christ’s returns before our death.  The manner of death doesn’t matter when it comes to what happens to us in the judgment, only what we have done with God’s Son, Jesus.

If we have not repented, if we have not chosen Christ as Lord, then we will find ourselves in hell, no matter the type of death. 

Yes, it is tragic when we see young children going through trauma or serious illnesses.  It is tragic when we see people killed on the streets.  It is tragic when people are beheaded due to their refusal to yield to the enemy.  It is tragic when earthquakes, hurricanes and tornados strike and kill massive numbers of people. 

The question we as Christians are often asked is how can God allow that to happen if He is such a loving God?

Christ’s answer was:   I tell you, Nay: but, except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish.

God created a perfect world.

Genesis 1:31  And God saw every thing that he had made, and, behold, it was very good. And the evening and the morning were the sixth day.

It was man that caused it to go out of that perfection when Adam ate the forbidden fruit.  It wasn’t as if he wasn’t told not to:

Genesis 2:16-17 And the Lord God commanded the man, saying, Of every tree of the garden thou mayest freely eat:

¹⁷ But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it: for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die.

But, Eve allowed satan to tempt her and she succumbed to the temptation and then gave the fruit to Adam, who also ate of it.  They both knew they were going against the Word of God, but they chose to believe satan when he said in Genesis 3:4 And the serpent said unto the woman, Ye shall not surely die:

From that point on, man will die.

No one is promised a free ride in this world.  Most people do die a quiet death, but they are just as dead as those killed in a violent act.

Jesus wasn’t being cruel or cynical when he replied:  I tell you, Nay: but, except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish.

He was pointing out that all of us are going to die and we need to repent before that act happens.  He was using the questions and the opportunity to remind them that death is imminent and they needed to repent of their sins.

These tragic deaths, indeed ALL deaths, come about because of sin – what is interesting is that no matter the circumstances God can use it for His good.

None of us would deny the humiliation, torture and pain and the ultimate death of Jesus was not viewed as a good thing to the followers of Christ at the time of his death.  However, it was necessary for all of us to be saved.

Are these violent deaths tragic?  Yes.  But so is the death of an elderly person who has lived out his life and dies on his bed, quietly in his sleep at home, if he has not repented. 

Later, Art :-)

From the ColumbiaRiverGorgeous
May Our Good Lord Bless and Keep YOU....’til we meet again