Jesus sets straight the disciples’ thinking that some people are worse sinners because of how they died. If some terrible accident befalls someone, that doesn’t mean they were a terrible sinner, or worse than one who didn’t die.

Jesus also points out, though, that if they don’t repent, they will likewise die. He also tells a story about a fig tree that doesn’t produce fruit. It’s cut down after the vinedresser patiently works to give it what it needs to produce fruit. God is patient, but there comes a time for judgment and wrath. He won’t stay His hand forever.

He then shows compassion and heals someone. He then points out the hypocrisy of those who accuse Jesus of breaking the Sabbath. They were willing to care about their own interests on the Sabbath but didn’t care about others. They weren’t fearing God. They were fearing man. Those Sabbath laws were man-made.

I have always been bothered by this next section in Luke 13, the mustard seed and the leaven. It easiest to see why with the leaven. Jesus compares the kingdom of God to leaven and how a little leaven affects the whole dough. The disciples were just warned about the leaven of the Pharisees. The Israelites had to make unleavened bread for the temple and for holy days. Yeast is associated with sin and its spread. It doesn’t sound like a good thing for me to have spreading yeast in the kingdom of God.

That’s how I see Israel and the church, though. A little leaven gets in and it affects the whole lump. It spreads.

I see idolatry and false doctrine so widespread in the churches. I am constantly fighting off false doctrine at our church. People don’t see the problem with one little line in a song that promotes a false doctrine, but it’s leaven. And it spreads through the whole.

After these stories which I see as more warning than anything, we get one more warning about how many will seek to enter but not be able. They are seeking after it’s shut, once it’s too late.

It’s a fact God weeps over. He is the vinedresser, doing all He can so that you will produce good fruit, but He won’t force Himself on you. Choose Him.