A Sermon Delivered on March 23, 2025 by the Rev. Dr. Patrick H. Wrisley.
Turn in your Bible to Luke 13:1-9. We are going to read a passage that only appears in Luke’s Gospel. It addresses a deep theological issue with a fancy name: “theodicy” —the question of why bad things happen to good people. As you listen, you will note two tragedies and a parable. Let’s see how they fit together. Hear the Word of the Lord.
Luke 13:1-9
13.1 At that very time there were some present who told him about the Galileans whose blood Pilate had mingled with their sacrifices. 2He asked them, “Do you think that because these Galileans suffered in this way they were worse sinners than all other Galileans? 3No, I tell you; but unless you repent, you will all perish as they did. 4Or those eighteen who were killed when the tower of Siloam fell on them—do you think that they were worse offenders than all the others living in Jerusalem? 5No, I tell you; but unless you repent, you will all perish just as they did.”
6Then he told this parable: “A man had a fig tree planted in his vineyard; and he came looking for fruit on it and found none. 7So he said to the gardener, ‘See here! For three years I have come looking for fruit on this fig tree, and still I find none. Cut it down! Why should it be wasting the soil?’ 8He replied, ‘Sir, let it alone for one more year, until I dig around it and put manure on it. 9If it bears fruit next year, well and good; but if not, you can cut it down.’”[i]
Several years ago, Rabbi Harold Kushner wrote a book whose title is often misquoted. Many call it, “Why Bad Things Happen to Good People” but the actual title is “When Bad Things Happen to Good People”. Do you hear the difference? The first title asks “why” suffering happens, while the second assumes suffering “will” happen and asks how we shall respond.
On one hand, “Why” questions are centripetal in nature as they drill down and can immobilize us. “Why did this happen to me? Why would God allow this to happen to them? Why, if there is a loving God, would people have to endure the pain of treatment for their disease?” We can get mired in all the speculation we want but it still will not resolve the dilemma of the pain we feel or experience.
On the other hand, “When” questions are centrifugal in nature as they spin us outward in search of the meaning of the pain or misfortune we encounter. Spiritually and emotionally, we move from raising our fist and indicting God to intentionally begin walking alongside God in order to discover the meaning in the mess. You see, it’s not a question if bad things will happen to good people; it’s a question of when they will.
For centuries, people—including many in Jesus’ time—believed that suffering was a sign of divine punishment. If someone was sick, poor, or faced tragedy, people assumed they must have sinned in some way. Likewise, if someone was wealthy and healthy, it was seen as proof of God’s favor. This belief persists today, particularly in prosperity gospel teachings, where some claim that faithfulness guarantees material blessings. The problem is, Jesus does not endorse this way of thinking.
People approached Jesus, referencing Galileans whom Pilate had killed and whose blood was mixed with pagan sacrifices. They were essentially asking: Did they suffer because they were worse sinners than others? Jesus rejected this notion outright: No, I tell you; but unless you repent, you will all perish as they did.
Ouch, Jesus, that’s a little harsh!
Then Jesus brought up another tragedy—the collapse of the tower of Siloam, which killed eighteen people. Again, he asked, “Were they worse sinners than everyone else in Jerusalem?” And answering his own question, he replied, “No! But unless you repent, you will all perish as they did.” What is Jesus really saying here?
Jesus refused to speculate on the why of suffering; instead, he shifted the focus to how we respond to suffering and to life itself.
Jesus then followed up this discussion with a parable: A man had a fig tree that produced no fruit for three years. He told the gardener to cut it down, but the gardener asked for one more year to nurture it with fertilizer and care.
At first, this fig tree story sounds like it’s a non sequitur…this parable seems unrelated to what he has just said; yet a careful reading of our text reveals Jesus is making a subtle point: We are all like that fig tree. The tragedies Jesus mentioned remind us that life is fragile. Instead of wasting time speculating on the why of suffering, we should rather focus on making our lives fruitful right now while we are able to do so. And here’s the good news: God is the patient gardener, willing to nourish us with grace, waiting for us to turn heavenward.
Jesus is calling us to stop asking speculative “why” questions and start preparing for the “when”.
- When tragedy strikes, will we be grounded in faith?
- When suffering comes, will we trust that God is present?
- When we face loss, will we turn toward God rather than away?
There is a well-know Latin phrase, Memento Mori, that is instructive here. Memento Mori means, “Remember, one day you will die”. Jesus is reminding us that we can ask God all the speculative questions we want but unless we turn back around (the actual meaning of the word, repent) and embrace the relationship God wants with us, then our lives immediately lose their meaning and we live the rest of our days bitter at best and lonely and isolated at worst; we will live our lives and die emotionally and spiritually alone. Jesus is not trying to instill fear but is inviting us to be spiritually prepared, to live with purpose in this present moment, and to lean into God’s grace.
The word “repent” can sound heavy, even threatening. But biblical repentance is not about shame or fear — it is all about turning back to the One who loves us most, God. Imagine a child who falls and scrapes their knee. Instead of running away, they run straight way into the arms of their loving parent. That is what repentance looks like—it’s our running headlong back into the arms of God, trusting in Her love rather than living in fear.
When we embrace this kind of repentance, we stop understanding suffering as some form of divine punishment. Instead, we come to understand life’s hardships as part of our human condition. The deal is, however, we do not face them alone. God is not distant, handing down judgment from afar. God is right here, nurturing us like the gardener tending the fig tree, surrounding us with grace. God is like the patient waiting mother waiting for her beloved to come falling headlong into her arms.
Let’s close with a simple declaration. Repeat after me:
“Bad things happen to good people like me…and when they do…I will repent and fall into the waiting arms of God.”
In the Name of the One who is, who was, and who is to come. Amen.
© 2025 Patrick H. Wrisley. Sermon manuscripts are available for the edification of members and friends of First Presbyterian Church, 8 West Notre Dame Street, Glens Falls, NY 12801 and shall not be altered, re-purposed, published or preached without permission. All rights reserved.
[i] The New Revised Standard Version, copyright 1989, 1995 by the Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
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