Luke 13:1-8 Natural tragedies can happen to anyone at any time without warning. The goodness or badness of the persons involved is most often not the cause of the disaster. In any earthquake, tornado, fire, etc. there are going to be some that will be ready as far as their relationship with the Lord; but there will be a great many that are not ready. So often we run into the darkness with no thought of the obstacles that might be in our path. When Jesus said, "unless you repent you too will all perish.", He is not saying that tragedies will not happen, but that they won't catch you unprepared. When He says repent, He means that one needs to stop going in the wrong direction, turn around and began going in the right direction. "Jesus said "I am the Way the Truth and the Life..." Who needs to repent? Anyone who discovers he's going in the wrong direction. When does one need to Repent? Just as soon as he realizes that he's going in the wrong direction. What if you've repented and you are just not productive? In the Old Testament, a fruitful tree was often used as a symbol of godly living (see, for example, Psalm 1:3 and Jeremiah 17:7-8). Jesus pointed out what would happen to the other kind of tree- the kind that took valuable time and space and still produced nothing for the patient gardener. This was one-way Jesus warned his listeners that God would not tolerate forever their lack of productivity. (Luke 3:9 records John the Baptist's version of the same message.) Have you been enjoying God's special treatment without giving anything in return? If so, respond to the Gardener's patient care, and begin to bear the fruit God has created you to produce. Not bearing fruit may not get you lost; but you may be set aside. God may use someone else to do what He had called you to do.

There is a Limit