Wednesday Aug 25, 2021
The Falling Tower
Today’s passage from Luke 13 gives us two incidents that we would call tragedies today. The first one in verse 1 took place when Pontius Pilate, the Roman colonial governor of Judea, evidently had fallen upon some political enemies and destroyed them. What was particularly grisly about this was Pilate had sent his henchmen to find his political enemies at a time they were making sacrifices so when they were killed, their blood was mixed with the blood from the sacrifices. Then in verse 4, Jesus tells about another incident in which 18 people drowned in a reservoir due to a tower collapsed.
The question that comes up is a natural question, a very relevant and very contemporary kind of question. Why the asymmetrical way in which pain and comfort is distributed amongst the human race? Why is it that some people have all the “luck,” and why other people seem to have all the bad “luck”? Jesus’ answer, of course, is totally unique and completely counterintuitive. It’s absolutely counter to the wisdom of this world.
This sermon was preached by Dr. Timothy Keller at Redeemer Presbyterian Church on August 13, 2000. Series: Hard Sayings of Jesus 2000. Scripture: Luke 13:1-9.
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2 years ago
Thank you so very much. I now have a better understanding of Gospel Repentance .
3 years ago
Really love this sermon! There is a great contemporary show, The Tudors, and in one episode a scene that speaks to this sermon is very moving. In the scene, Queen Katherine lay dying and reflects on the shame and humiliation at Henry’s actions. She’s explaining she essentially wouldn’t change a thing because in her pain and suffering she feels greater intimacy with God. When things are going great, she says poignantly, you forget. The sermon brought back that scene which is one of my favorites in the entire series.