By Jared Warner
Willow Creek Friends Church
March 23, 2025
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Luke 13:1–9 (ESV)
1 There were some present at that very time who told him about the Galileans whose blood Pilate had mingled with their sacrifices. 2 And he answered them, “Do you think that these Galileans were worse sinners than all the other Galileans, because they suffered in this way? 3 No, I tell you; but unless you repent, you will all likewise perish. 4 Or those eighteen on whom the tower in Siloam fell and killed them: do you think that they were worse offenders than all the others who lived in Jerusalem? 5 No, I tell you; but unless you repent, you will all likewise perish.” 6 And he told this parable: “A man had a fig tree planted in his vineyard, and he came seeking fruit on it and found none. 7 And he said to the vinedresser, ‘Look, for three years now I have come seeking fruit on this fig tree, and I find none. Cut it down. Why should it use up the ground?’ 8 And he answered him, ‘Sir, let it alone this year also, until I dig around it and put on manure. 9 Then if it should bear fruit next year, well and good; but if not, you can cut it down.’ ”
Where does one start with today’s passage? With this month’s Quaker Query? With this week?
Do you attend regularly the services of your church and participate in them actively? Do you prayerfully endeavor to minister, under the guidance of the Holy Spirit and in humble dependence upon Christ, the spiritual gifts with which you have been entrusted?
For those that may be newer to our Meeting, the Quaker Queries are something unique that Friends contribute to the Church’s spiritual practices. They are a series of questions that pertain to the beliefs we say we hold, and we are to consider them prayerfully, allowing the Spirit of God to examine our hearts as we confess our answers to Him. I say it is unique to Friends, but it really is not. People have asked probing spiritual questions since the beginning of time, but it is something that the Protestant branch of the Church have neglected and something we as contemplative people picked up.
Do you attend regularly the services of your church and participate in them actively? Of the ten Queries we have in the Faith and Practice, this is one of my least favorite. My mind wanders as I consider it, and I often ask myself if God is keeping attendance records? The answer is no, God does not keep attendance. But there is something more to this, do you participate in them actively.
When I first came to Willow Creek, I came as a co-pastor. This was something new to me and to John Harkness, and we had to figure out how to divide the tasks between us, and to make sure we were seen as equals. Sunday mornings it was fairly easy to do, we just divided things up every other Sunday, and for Easter and Christmas we both stood aside and focused on praise, scripture and Holy Silence. This left the mid week services. Who would teach and who would listen? Or would we divide that up too. At the time we had a few children in the church, and we wanted to make sure the parents knew that they could bring their children so I opted to teach the kids, because we were of similar maturity.
I loved those discussions. I would come to church those Wednesday evenings with a small lesson prepared, a lesson I still do not think I ever gave since I am fairly certain they came to bible study with a goal to see just how far off topic they could get me to go. We had lessons on cheese, and how we could teach people about Jesus by looking at a quarter. I do not know if any of them actually learned anything, but there was one topic that was discussed. Church is boring. This statement actually rattled me a bit. I was trying my hardest to make our discussions as interesting and fun as I could possibly do, and yet it was still boring. Had I failed?
I looked at those students that evening and said yes it is boring. And then I asked them why is it boring? Several answers were given, answers I am sure you could probably anticipate. We were not singing enough popular songs. We needed more videos. I would rather just play games. I looked at them and eventually I said, “Church is what you want it to be. If it is boring it is because you want to be bored.”
This is what is at the heart of this query. This is why I struggle with it so much. Church is boring. But what am I doing? How am I participating? Am I contributing and using the gifts and abilities I have to assist those within our Meeting to make it less boring?
You might think that this is a call to change our format, to change our music, to change how we worship, maybe putting in a light show and some smoke or bubble machines. No, that is entertainment, that is not participation. Sure we want musicians to use their gifts, but that does not make it any less boring, because the church is a body. It needs a proper diet, regular activity, and rest. Just like our physical bodies, we are what we eat.
“There were some present at that very time who told him about the Galileans whose blood Pilate had mingled with their sacrifices. And he answered them, ‘Do you think that these Galileans were worse sinners than all the other Galileans, because they suffered in this way?’”
This seems like a weird passage, especially a weird passage to bring up while discussing a query. But I want us to think about this.
The Gospel writer Luke is one that was very careful in his writings. He tried very hard to report things accurately. He even says in the first verse, “Inasmuch as many have undertaken to compile a narrative of the things that have been accomplished among us, just as those who from the beginning were eyewitnesses and ministers of the word have delivered them to us, it seemed good to me also, having followed all things closely for some time past, to write an orderly account for you, most excellent Theophilus, that you may have certainty concerning the things you have been taught.”
We are not sure who this Theophilus is. But some scholars believe that the reason Luke was so meticulous in his Gospel, why he made sure of including the names of certain people, as well as places and events, was because Luke was preparing a legal defense for his friend Paul, who was facing a trial that could claim his life. It could be that the most excellent Theophilus was the one that was presiding over that trial. I want us to consider this as we think about today’s passage.
Luke writes this down, he includes a testimony of a horrific event where people of faith were murdered by the Imperial Governor while they were worshiping. He did this because the ferocity between the Hebrew people and the government was well known in the Imperial courts. Pilate was known for his draconian sentiments to rule. He was swift to use the sword to quell any potential uprising, and when the Hebrew religion required the entire population to migrate to one place at one time, violence was sure to follow. With all that being said, we do not know of which incident Luke speaks of today. There are some historical accounts outside of scripture that could fit the description, but none fit completely. This does not mean that it did not occur. The incidents we do know of, were horrific, so it is possible that it occurred but it was not as terrible as other events so it did not make it to the imperial courts.
Luke wants us to know that people came, likely from the very event, and shared the story with those around Jesus. But Jesus takes that conversation in a direction that was unexpected.
The Galileans were known for their nationalistic tendencies. It was from Galilee that the Jewish wars that eventually brought war to Jerusalem began. The Galileans were often regarded as the uneducated, rural extremists. They were quick to encourage taking up arms, because they did not have much to lose. Unlike those that lived in the more established urban centers of the region. Some might have considered these men to be freedom fighters, martyrs of sort. While others would consider them to be fanatics that got what they deserved.
They were discussing this among themselves and Jesus calmly chimes in. “Do you think these Galileans were worse sinners that all the other Galileans, because they suffered in this way?” This stopped the conversation cold.
Do bad things happen to bad people and good things happen to good people? This is a common belief among many. It was one of the belief systems within the Zoroastrian faith in Persia, it is something many religions in the East hold to, and something that many today believe. People get sick because they have sin, your business fails because of sin. If your marriage crumbles its because you had sin. At times yes, that is very true, but there are other times where this is not the case. And this line of thinking shows us that the people of ancient Israel were more pluralistic than we might think.
They incorporated within their thought process aspects of the dualistic spirituality of the people of Persia while they were in exile. They include the philosophical thoughts Hellenism. They hear spiritual discussions from exotic locations and they attempt to harmonize them with their own faith. And Jesus calls them out. He asks them if these are good men or sinners. And if they were good why did they suffer?
The world is filled with many spiritual teachings. Many within our community are good people, according to our world’s standards. But are the better than everyone else? And when suffering happens, does this mean they were hiding secret sin?
Jesus says, “No, I tell you; but unless you repent, you will all likewise perish.”
The clear understanding of this verse, the surface understanding is that Jesus is saying that everyone is a sinner. He is saying that no one is good. That we all deserve to have our blood mingled with our sacrifices. And I have heard many sermons saying that. I am not one that lets things sit on the so called clear understanding of scripture. I know that there is something more to what Jesus is telling us. Some teaching that sheds light to a greater understanding of God.
I think this can be found in pronouns. Jesus asks, “Do you think they are greater sinners since they suffer.” And then he say, “No I tell you; but unless you repent, you will all likewise perish.”
Notice the pronouns. They and you. They were judging them. They were focused on them, and Jesus says you.
We cannot know if they are good or bad. We cannot know if they were spiritual or not, if they believed in God, in Jesus, or if they were secretly practitioners of the dark arts. We cannot know them unless they tell us. Everything we can say about them is pure speculation. And you can go onto Facebook and Twitter…I mean X and see where that gets us. Speculations divides, it kills community. It sets us up against each other in an us verses them formation. And once we get into that train of thought, we are no longer able to approach a discussion rationally. Instead we want to cut off the seemingly erroneous branch.
Jesus turns the table and says, “No, I tell you; but unless you repent, you will all likewise perish.” The only people you have any control over is yourself. The only person you can speak for is yourself. The only person you bear full responsibility for is yourself. We can speculate all we want on what someone else thinks but what about you?
This leads us to the parable of the barren fig tree. The fig tree is a symbolic plant. It symbolizes peace, prosperity, and hope. In the the area surrounding the Mediterranean figs bear fruit twice a year. The first fruits come out in February, and when the leaves appear these first fruits are ripe. Then later in the summer just prior to autumn the second harvest is ready. The fact that it bears fruit twice a year is why it became a symbol of prosperity. And peace comes from what is required to establish an orchard.
The prophet Micah says this, “3 He shall judge between many peoples, and shall decide disputes for strong nations far away; and they shall beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruning hooks; nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war anymore; 4 but they shall sit every man under his vine and under his fig tree, and no one shall make them afraid, for the mouth of the Lord of hosts has spoken. 5 For all the peoples walk each in the name of its god, but we will walk in the name of the Lord our God forever and ever.”
It takes years to establish a vineyard or an orchard. It takes work. Pruning, grafting, irrigation, harvest at just the right moment. To be able to sit under our own fig trees means we have the time to dedicate to our fields and orchards. We have abundance because we are not going out to war. So like the olive branch the fig tree is a symbol of peace.
Jesus says, “A man had a fig tree planted in his vineyard, and he came seeking fruit on it and found none. And he said to his vinedresser, ‘Look, for three years now I have come seeking fruit on this fig tee and I find none. Cut it down. Why should it use up the ground?’”
Think about that for a moment. There is impatience in this man. He wants the prosperity and peace right now and if he cannot have it at this moment he wants it removed.
“Sir, let it alone this year also, until I dig around it and put on manure. Then if it should bear fruit next year, well and good; but if not, you can cut it down.”
The owner wants to cut it down, the ruler wants the fruit right away, but the laborer understand something that the owner does not understand. The owner does not work with the plants, he does not know what goes into it. All he knows is the profit. It is the vinedresser that knows what is required to make the plant prosper. It is the people within the community, the fields, that know how to bring produce from soils.
This man knows the life cycle of the tree, he knows the seasons. He knows with just that if he could only invest some time and energy into this tree. If he opens the soil to let the air get to its roots. If he mixes manure into the soil to provide the organic material and nutrients the plant needs to produce fruit. And if the tree gets one more years worth of rain. Then it will bear fruit.
But how does this vine dresser know? He has learned. He has developed an understanding of tree, has gained intimate knowledge of its physiology. This man knows that tree almost as well as he knows himself. That tree must breath. That tree must eat. That tree must drink deeply. And that tree will not get what it needs unless someone like himself invests the time and energy into it.
Do you attend regularly the services of your church and participate in them actively? Do you prayerfully endeavor to minister, under the guidance of the Holy Spirit and humble dependence upon Christ, the spiritual gifts with which you have been entrusted?
We are what we eat. We can walk away from here today and think that Church is boring. We can like the owner of that vineyard say, cut it down, give up, forget about it. We can like the people telling stories about the Galileans make judgments on what others are thinking or doing, or we can give it a chance.
What are you doing to prepare for worship each week? What are you watching, listening to, reading, or consuming through out the week to get you here to this place? Are you taking care of your body? Are you taking care of your church?
Church is boring, if you do not participate. It is boring if you come here expecting to receive, to be entertained, to be blessed. If you are coming here spiritually empty and filled with the world you will get just what you expect out of this time together. If you come here after listening to the divisive news reports all week, that is what you will get out of it. Are you giving it a chance or do you just want to cut it down?
There are some who are hear because they need hope. Are we able to give that to them? There are some here that need peace, are we able to give that to them? There are some here that need rest, are we able to give that to them? The church is a body, with many members and each of us work together so that we can nurture each other to health so that we together can bear fruit. But this all begins with you. Unless you repent, unless you turn and return to God, you will likewise perish. We perish not because we have sinned but because we have not been grafted into the living branch of Christ. We perish because we are choked of the breath of the spirit, and do not drink of the living water. We perish because we do not eat of the bread which is the very life of Christ.
Church is boring. Its boring unless we give it a chance to thrive.
Previous Messages:
Endure
By Jared Warner Willow Creek Friends Church April 26, 2026 Click here to join our Meeting for Worship Click to read in Swahili Bofya kusoma kwa Kiswahili Query 4 (Faith and Practice of EFC-MAYM pg 61) Do you provide for the suitable Christian education and recreation of your children and those under your care, and…
Ransomed to Love
By Jared Warner Willow Creek Friends Church April 19, 2026 Click here to join our Meeting for Worship Click to read in Swahili Bofya kusoma kwa Kiswahili 1 Peter 1:17–23 (ESV) 17 And if you call on him as Father who judges impartially according to each one’s deeds, conduct yourselves with fear throughout the time…
Born Again to a Living Hope
By Jared Warner Willow Creek Friends Church April 12, 2026 Click here to join our Meeting for Worship Click to read in Swahili Bofya kusoma kwa Kiswahili 1 Peter 1:3–9 (ESV) 3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! According to his great mercy, he has caused us to be born…
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