How unfortunately typical and contemporary...
Illustration
How unfortunately typical and contemporary is this part of Luke. Jesus is with some people who tell of a tragic slaughter of some Galileans during worship by troops of Pilate. Hinting at the issue of why this happened, and the unaskable question of their sinful merit of su6h tragedy, Jesus gives stern reply. "No." And "no" to another tragic accident in a tower's construction, which they had not mentioned.
But as it says in Psalms 90 (often used at funerals) "So teach us to number our days, that we may get a heart of wisdom ..." That is not to simply feel grateful or lucky, but to become more productive with our days, thus the parable in verses 6 through 9 of this chapter in Luke.
Attributed to Harry Emerson Fosdick in a sermon is a story of a person's visit to an orchard. The visitor was given a complete tour. Noticing a group of fruit trees he asked what they did if the trees did not bear fruit. "Cut them down?" The orchard owner said they pruned, sprayed, and fertilized them to see if they would bear. "Then you cut them?" The reply came, "Then we gash them, using chains or iron bars ..." The incredulous visitor asked what happened then. "The trees almost always bear the next year ..."
But as it says in Psalms 90 (often used at funerals) "So teach us to number our days, that we may get a heart of wisdom ..." That is not to simply feel grateful or lucky, but to become more productive with our days, thus the parable in verses 6 through 9 of this chapter in Luke.
Attributed to Harry Emerson Fosdick in a sermon is a story of a person's visit to an orchard. The visitor was given a complete tour. Noticing a group of fruit trees he asked what they did if the trees did not bear fruit. "Cut them down?" The orchard owner said they pruned, sprayed, and fertilized them to see if they would bear. "Then you cut them?" The reply came, "Then we gash them, using chains or iron bars ..." The incredulous visitor asked what happened then. "The trees almost always bear the next year ..."
