DEVOTION – DAY 247

Luke 13:4-5 “Repent Or Perish”

 

Luke 13:4-5 “Or those eighteen who died when the tower in Siloam fell on them – do you think they were more guilty than all the others living in Jerusalem? I tell you, no! But unless you repent, you too will perish.”

 

In ancient times as it is today, many people think that when a disaster occurs and bad things happen to them, it is the consequences of sin in their lives. They think that the disaster befell them as an act of divine judgment. For example, a woman was filled with regret and guilt when she had a miscarriage. She had an abortion some years earlier when she had an unwanted pregnancy and when she was finally ready to have a child and the miscarriage happened, she felt that the miscarriage was divine punishment for her earlier abortion. We also know a man who told us that he thought he must have done something bad in his previous lives because he never had much luck in his career. He could not keep his jobs for long as he drifted from one job to another. He blamed it on bad karma

 

But Luke 13:4-5 reveals a different picture. Jesus used an actual disaster event to teach an important principle. A tower in Siloam built on the southeast section of the walls around the city of Jerusalem had collapsed. The falling rubble had killed 18 people. That disaster had been a shock for everyone in Jerusalem. The people in the city had thought that perhaps God had caused them to die in such a manner, as His divine judgment for their sins. But Jesus revealed in these verses that in reality, everyone were sinners, not just the 18 people who had perished in the tower collapse. Jesus went on to warn that unless everyone repented of their sins and sought God’s forgiveness, they would be facing God’s judgment and would perish.

 

The only reason why none of us have met divine judgment for our sins yet is because of God’s grace and mercy. The truth is that we have all sinned before God. We sin every day. And we must repent and call upon Jesus as our Lord and Savior in order to be saved from the penalty and judgment for our sins.

 

Let us pray: Heavenly Father, we worship you for you are gracious and merciful. Thank you for your gift of salvation through belief in your Son, the Lord Jesus as our Lord and Savior. Please help us to point others to His saving grace. In the precious name of the Lord Jesus we pray. Amen.

 

Questions

  1. What is your normal response when bad things happen to you? Do you think God is angry with you? Share.
  2. How can you thank God for His grace and mercy?
  3. Who can you help to receive God’s gift of salvation? How can you help them know about Jesus as their Lord and Savior?