Sermon Tone Analysis

September 13, 2015

Read Lu 13:1-5 On the morning of Sept 11, 2001, I was preparing for work when the phone rang.

It was Mom calling to see if I was home since I traveled about 75% of the time in those days.

She sounded so relieved to find me I asked, “Why are you asking?”

She said, “You better turn on the TV,” which I did to see one the World Trade Center buildings in NYC in flames.

People were speculating about what might have caused a plane to run into the building when another plane flew straight into the South Tower, and we all watched in horror as both towers eventually collapsed resulting in the deaths of 2,996 people – more than were killed at Pearl Harbor.

So, why?

Why did this happen?

Where was God?

It is tempting and easy to say that such events are God’s judgment on sin, as some did on 9/11 and then had to recant because of the outcry.

Our text suggests Jesus would say we are asking the wrong question.

Instead of “Why did this happen?”

we might more appropriately ask, “Why did this not happen to me?” That’s the question.

Jesus makes a critical point.

We are all born under a death sentence.

Morally bankrupt.

That is the human condition.

The wonder is not that some face tragedy.

The wonder is that any of are left standing at all.

We are all living on borrowed time.

Follow with me as we see how this plays out by looking at* I. Two Great Tragedies II.

Two Grave Traps and III.

Two Gospel Truths.*

Here is heaven’s perspective on tragedy.

*I.

Two Great Tragedies*

Pontius Pilate was appointed governor of Judea by Emperor Tiberius in AD 26 and served for 10 years.

He was insensitive and brutal.

Galileans were always known leaders of revolts against Rome.

One such mob protested Pilate appropriating temple money to pay for a much-needed aqueduct.

When they came to offer sacrifices at a Feast, probably Passover, Pilate disguised his soldiers in ordinary clothing.

At a given signal, they pulled out their hidden weapons to disperse the mob, resulting in the death of many whose blood mingled with their sacrifices.

A few days later, Jesus is addressing a crowd of mostly Judean Jews in Perea.

He berates them for knowing more about weather signs than spiritual ones.

He urges them to settle accounts with God before they are brought into judgment.

But rather than heed His advice they go on the offensive.

V. 1: “There were some present at that very time who told him about the Galileans whose blood Pilate had mingled with their sacrifices.”

The context indicates they are saying, “You think we don’t understand the signs?

You are so wrong!

We know what’s going on.

We know judgment when we see it.

Why only a couple of days ago, God brought judgment on a bunch of your Galilean neighbors when Pilate slaughtered them.”

That’s their human interpretation of a tragic event involving some people they felt were their moral inferiors; and that is their response to Jesus’ warning about judgment.

“It’s good for others maybe – but not for us!”

The second tragedy is mentioned by Jesus Himself in v. 4, “Or those eighteen on whom the tower in Siloam fell and killed them.”

Archeologists have recently uncovered the Pool of Siloam.

Work was still going on there when we visited in 2010.

It was located near the southeast corner of the city wall.

A nearby brick tower, perhaps associated with the aqueduct, had fallen, killing 18 innocent people.

Another human disaster.

I suspect Jesus brought it up for 2 reasons.

First, while the first tragedy was imposed by human wickedness, this one was purely coincidental.

Thus Jesus is fleshing out the types of tragedy that might happen – some imposed, some just natural disasters.

But there’s also a 2nd reason.

The first tragedy involved despised Galileans.

Thus, it was easy for Judeans to claim God’s judgment on that inferior group.

But the tower in Siloam took the lives of Jerusalem Jews.

Jesus’ audience wouldn’t have been so quick to interpret that event as God’s judgment.

Now, with the stage set we see the response of Jesus’ audience represents two very mistaken ways to look at tragedies.

So let’s examine these two grave traps – two common errors in the way we interpret disasters.

*II.

Two Grave Traps*

*A.

People Always Get What They Deserve (Moralism)*

Some commentators suggest that enemies in the crowd were trying to get Jesus to speak against Pilate hoping the news would reach Pilate and he’d be livid with Jesus by the time He arrived in Jerusalem.

But Jesus’ comment in v. 2 indicates that is not the intent.

Pilate is incidental to this crowd.

To them those Galileans being killed like that was an obvious sign of God’s judgment on what must have been some pretty awful sin.

This is moralism.

Moralism sees life as a series of rewards or setbacks based on good or bad actions.

It sees a direct link between how people live and falling towers.

Jesus knows their assumptions.

V. 2, “Do you think that these Galileans were worse sinners than all the other Galileans, because they suffered in this way?”

Then v. 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?”

Yes, they did!

Jesus is reacting against the moralism that sees a direct connection between how someone lives and the disasters they face.

The religious, moralist view goes like this: “If you live a good life, you’ll have a good life.

If you obey God, He’ll bless and prosper you.

On the other hand, if your prayers are not being answered and bad things are happening, you must not be living right.

You are being punished for some reason.

There’s something wrong with you – unconfessed sin, disobedience and so the tower is falling.”

That’s the default setting of our heart.

That is where we go without prompting.

We are moralists by nature.

We all tend that way.

Remember the actor, Christopher Plummer – starred in The Sound of Music, a movie he hated.

Called it The Sound of Mucus!

In the movie, his character, Capt Von Trapp, falls in love with Julie Andrews’ character, Maria.

Late in the movie as they realize they are going to live happily ever after, they sing a song about it.

It’s a musical!

Back and forth they sing: “For here you are, standing there, loving me / Whether or not you should / So somewhere in my youth or childhood / I must have done something good.”

The statement of a true moralist.

It gets worse as they go on: “Nothing comes from nothing / Nothing ever could / So somewhere in my youth or childhood / I must have done something good.”

What are they saying?

“If my life is turning out well, I must have done something right.

If my children are turning out right, it’s because I was a smart parent.

If my career is going well, it’s because I’m a hardworking, savvy, intelligent person.

If I have a lot of good relationships, I must be an attractive person.”

That’s moralism.

It’s our default setting.