Our Artist-in-Residence, Erik Castellanos, added several more renderings to our Sanctuary last Sunday as we celebrated worship with Agape (Dave Scherer) & Rachel Kurtz. Please take time to view the paintings either before or after worship this Sunday as we continue our journey through the season of Lent by turning to Luke 13.1-9.
Outline for Vulnerable Renderings
•February 10: (Ash Wednesday)
•February 14: Luke 4.1-13 Vulnerability in temptation
•February 21: Luke 13.31-35 Vulnerability in sacrifice
•February 28: Luke 13.1-9 Vulnerability in needing others
•March 6: Luke 15.1-3, 11b-32 Vulnerability in Grace
•March 13: John 12.1-11 Vulnerability in accepting generosity
•March 20: Luke 19.28-40 (Palm Sunday)
•March 24: Maundy Thursday (6:00 pm in Social Hall)
•March 25: Holy Friday (7:00 pm in Sanctuary)
•March 27: Easter Sunrise (6:30 am Rose Garden McKinley Park) Celebrate Easter (9:30 am & 11:00 am Sanctuary)
Are you generally inclined to make quick judgments or generally inclined to postpone decisions? Describe a time your “way of being” has caused harm. Describe a time your “way of being” has done good.
Read Luke 13.1-9.
Leslie J. Hoppe writes, Three years should have been enough time for the fig tree to be productive. The logical course of action is to uproot the unproductive tree so that it does not take up valuable ground that could be used to nourish a fruit-bearing tree. Jesus has the person responsible for the vineyard doing something that simply does not make sense under the circumstances, but the extravagant nature of God’s mercy is an important motif in Luke’s Gospel (e.g., 15:1–32). Still, people need to respond to God’s mercy (13:8–9). The fig tree may be given another year to demonstrate its ability to produce fruit, but if it fails to do so, it will be cut down (Feasting on the Word: Year C, Volume 2: Lent through Eastertide Kindle Locations 3525-3526).
Consider where you most see yourself in this story:
- as the gardener (wanting to allow more time)
- as the landlord (needing to see results now)
- as the fig tree itself (overlooked and needing care)
- as the soil around the tree
- as the manure being brought in by the gardener
Take time for prayer as you live into the many parts of this passage for Sunday.