There were some present at that very time who told him about the Galileans whose blood Pilate had mingled with their sacrifices. And he answered them, “Do you think that these Galileans were worse sinners than all the other Galileans, because they suffered in this way? No, I tell you; but unless you repent, you will all likewise perish. Or those eighteen on whom the tower in Siloam fell and kills them: do you think that they were worse offenders than all the others who lived in Jerusalem? No, I tell you; but unless you repent, you will all likewise perish.”

How ought the Christian respond to events that result in lives being disturbed and even lost? What is the Christian’s response to catastrophes? An appropriate title for Jesus’ words above might be: A Theology of Catastrophe. In this passage, one gets a glimpse as to how God would have people respond to tragic events that take place in our world.

Here in Luke 13 there is insight given by Jesus as to how we should in part respond to devastating events or catastrophes. In responding to tragic life events there are many appropriate biblical responses that we may take. For instance, believers should weep when lives are lost (Rom 12:15) whether it be a result of acts of wickedness or whether it be the results of a natural disaster.

Who more than Christians value human life? Christians respond to the loss of life with great sadness. Further, more than any other people group, Christians truly understand how tragic death really is because it was not part of the God’s original design.

Therefore, in general, death is a sad and somber thing. But, here in Luke 13, Jesus gave us another response that we may often overlook. In this passage, Jesus taught that tragic death should provoke all people to brokenhearted repentance.

Given the times of the COVID-19 pandemic, Luke 13:1-5 challenges Christians to respond with an eternal perspective as this catastrophic crisis unfolds nation by nation right before our screens. Within these verses, I would like you to see three things: (1) The Catastrophe Report (v.1), (2) The Catastrophe Perception (v.2), and (3) The Catastrophe Response (vv.3-5).

The Catastrophe Report (v.1)

Luke informed us in verse 1 that, “There were some present at that very time who told him about the Galileans whose blood Pilate had mingled with their sacrifices.” The phrase, “That very time,” refers to the time that Jesus was preaching amidst a large multitude. As Jesus was ministering to a large crowd on this occasion, He was interrupted by some people in the audience who wanted to report to Him a catastrophic event that had taken place in their midst. What was this event? Precisely, it was a slaughter at the temple.

There happened to be a group of Galileans who journeyed down to Jerusalem for the sake of celebrating the Passover. Upon their entering of the temple to partake in the sacrificing of their animals, there was a group of Roman soldiers who entered immediately behind them. Those soldiers proceeded to kill the Galileans.

This was a brutal act of murder. As one could imagine, this news was far reaching. If there was such a thing like The Jerusalem Chronicle it easily would have made it into the headlines. In addition to making the headlines, it made its way to Jesus on this occasion presented in Luke 13.

The Catastrophe Perception (v.2)

In Jesus’ response given in verse 2, it can be understood how certain persons were processing such an event.  Jesus stated, “Do you think that these Galileans were worse sinners than all the other Galileans, because they suffered in this way?” This was an all too common perception amongst the Jews of Jesus’ day. In short, what they believed was that “bad things happen to bad people.”

Thus, in response to the tragic temple event people were saying, “Those Galileans that were slaughtered must have been very, very wicked people.” We find similar logic employed in John 9:1-2, “As He passed by, He saw a man blind from birth. And His disciples asked Him, ‘Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?’” The assumption made by Jesus’ disciples was someone must have sinned to cause this blindness. That was the only reasonable explanation in their minds. Jesus didn’t agree with this assessment, however. In the Luke 13 account, Jesus corrected this type of over-simplistic thinking and delivered THE message unbelievers must hear in the midst of tragedies.

The Catastrophe Response (vv.3-5)

Jesus responded to the report and the perception of the catastrophe in two unique ways. First, He dispelled the idea that the Galileans who were slaughtered in the temple suffered such a fate because they were worse sinners than others. At the beginning of verse 3, Jesus responded to their common misconception with, “I tell you, no.” In this short negative response, Jesus rejected the common theology of the day.

Secondly, He called the individuals who reported the event to repentance. In the second half of verse 3 Jesus said, “…but unless you repent, you will all likewise perish.” What can be learned from Jesus’ response? There are six implications that can be drawn from Jesus’ response. These six implications can be applied to any devastating event that occurs in the world.  

Implication #1: God is Sovereign Over Death

Jesus communicated this by doing away with the common perception of the day regarding the fate of certain individuals.            Jesus basically says this: “People don’t necessarily die because they are worse than other people. And conversely, certain people don’t necessary live because they are better than others.” There some wicked people who live long lives, and there are good moral people who die young. (Consider the blessed life of the wicked in Psalm 73.) God is sovereign over all people including the numbered days of their lives. Psalm 115:3 says, “God is in the heavens and He does whatever He pleases.” This sovereign reign includes the timing and cause of everyone’s death. Job 14:5 reads, “Since his days are determined, and the number of his months is with you, and you have appointed his limits that he cannot pass.” 

Implication #2: All Are Sinners and Thus All Will Die

The Galileans didn’t die because they were worse sinners than others. They died because they were sinners in general. Thus, so will all others die who have sinned in like fashion, which is all of mankind. Romans 5:12 says, “Therefore, just as sin entered the world through one man and death through sin, so also death was passed on to all men, because all sinned.”

Implication #3: A Person’s Time of Death is Unknown

I am sure that the Galileans whose blood Pilate had spilled upon entering the temple did not think to themselves, “This is the day that I will die.” The same could probably be said of those eighteen people in Jerusalem who were crushed by the tower in verse 4.  One of the realities that Jesus was communicating in His response was the fact that people step into eternity at a time unknown by them. Thus, they better be prepared to step in correctly (i.e. in repentance.)

Implication #4: Life is Short

The individuals who made the report to Jesus about the tragic events were soon warned by Him to repent on the spot. Why didn’t Jesus wait until later on in their lives? Why didn’t He wait until they had had a bit more fun in their unbelief? The obvious reason is that their lives were short. James 4:14 says, “What is your life? For you are a mist that appears for a little time and then vanishes.”

Implication #5: A Person’s Most Important Need in Life is Repentance

Rather than addressing the event that was being reported to Him, Jesus addressed the souls of the reporters. Like the reporters in Luke 13, there are many people who are worrying about other people’s issues and problems and neglect to pay attention to their own pressing issues. This is a tactic of Satan: to get a person to not focus on the state of their soul. J.C. Ryle, writing on this issue, says,

Are you thinking you will pay attention to these things tomorrow? Remember the words of Solomon, “Do not boast about tomorrow, for you do not know what a day may bring forth” (Proverbs 27:1). “I will worry about serious things tomorrow,” said an unsaved person, to one who warned him of coming danger; but his tomorrow never came. Tomorrow is the devil’s day, but today is God’s. Satan does not care how spiritual your intentions are, or how holy your resolutions, if only they are determined to be done tomorrow. Oh, give no place to the devil in this matter!

Christians must warn people to stop focusing on all the wrong things and to give attention to their eternal souls.

Implication #6: If People Don’t Repent, They Will Perish

In verses 3 and 5 Jesus gave His listeners an ultimatum. This goes without saying, but the command He issued isn’t a suggestion. The word for “perish” is the Greek word apollumi (ἀπόλλυμι), and it means here to be destroyed metaphorically speaking. In this context it means to be given over to hell; to suffer the consequence of hell. Jesus’ ultimatum, then, is: Turn from your sin OR experience the wrath of God in everlasting torment.

Bringing it Home for the Christian in the midst of a Catastrophe

Christians must remember that (1) God is sovereign over death, (2) all are sinners and thus all will die, (3) a person’s time of death is unknown, (4) life is short, (5) a person’s most important need in life is repentance, and lastly (6) if people don’t repent they will perish. Let catastrophes like the ones of Jesus’ day or COVID-19 of today, break your heart and cause you to weep. Let them also drive you evangelistically because all will die and all need Jesus.

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It has been mentioned before that while stating the reality of God’s complete control in difficult times is helpful, it doesn’t go far enough in giving an accurate picture of the God of the Bible during times of trial. Quite recently, there was a pastor who preached on this very thing. The topic he addressed was the need to be biblically balanced in our presentation of the sovereignty of God. He painstakingly went on to clarify that he was not equating “being balanced” to compromising an essential biblical truth. Pastors must, he stated, preach on the sovereignty of God. This is the doctrine that Spurgeon declared to be the sweet pillow that every Christian lay their head on at night. But speaking of balance, he also encouraged pastors that while it is possible to be theologically precise as it relates to God’s power over all creation, if that truth is not explained in the light of the whole counsel of God, it is possible to distort who God is. He spoke very pointedly saying, “If you preach a totally sovereign God to your people, that He is in complete control over every square inch of their lives, but you do not also preach that He is good, you’ve preached to them a false god.” The late James Montgomery Boice might’ve agreed with such an assessment. During his last sermon to his congregation he expressed what the Lord had been teaching him through his bout with terminal liver cancer. The first thing he mentioned was the reality of the sovereignty of God. He said, “God’s in charge. When things like this come in our lives they are not accidental. It’s not as if God somehow forgot what was going on, and something bad slipped by.” But then he went on to add to this truth. There was another conviction that God had impressed upon him during his time of suffering. He said to the church, “What I’ve been impressed with mostly is something in addition to [God’s sovereignty]. It’s possible, isn’t it, to conceive of God as sovereign and yet indifferent? God’s in charge, but He doesn’t care. But it’s not that,” says Boice. “God is not only the one who is in charge; God is also good. Everything He does is good.”

So very essential to the reality of the sovereignty of God during trials is the goodness of God. Though this can be a hard topic to broach when considering sickness, it is a crucial one. God is indeed operating in every recent event in the world without exception. But in addition to this, it must be understood that He is directing all things for a good purpose. His intentions and motivations are always good. He always does what is right and the outcome of His plan is always wholesome. Therefore, God is not some wicked ruler smiling at the fact that His creation is being inflicted by a ferocious virus. Make no mistake, the Coronavirus is not a good thing in and of itself. But the Bible does teach that the all-powerful Creator is bringing about good from this particular sickness. Being that He is the sum, source, and standard of that which is beneficial and beautiful, His allowance of such a pandemic are those very things.

So with the sovereignty and goodness of God before us, how is God orchestrating these recent events for the good of His people and mankind as a whole? Or to ask it another way: What is the sovereign goodness of God doing amidst COVID-19? Most Christians realize that the ultimate answer to such a question is: He is bringing about His own glory. God’s glory is the ultimate purpose of both His complete control over all things as well as His goodness. But that answer is far too generic. So here are five things (not exhaustive) that the sovereign goodness of God is doing during this pandemic:

God’s sovereign goodness is conforming us to His Son

Romans 8:28 teaches that God causes all things to work together for good for those who love Him. This doesn’t mean that all things are good. COVID-19 is not a good thing. But Paul’s point is that God is even using this virus to bring about good. Specifically, that goodness is a conformity to the image of Jesus Christ (v. 29). God is sanctifying the church through various means through this pandemic. Possibly He is conforming us by causing us to fix our eyes on heaven (more on that below). Perhaps He is conforming us by showing us that we don’t trust Him as we ought to with food, finances, and other things. Or maybe God is making us more like Jesus in helping us get our eyes off of ourselves and to others in the heart of Philippians 2:3-4. However it may be that God is conforming us to look more like Jesus, this we know: He IS using this virus to make us more like Him. Perhaps ask yourself how God is shaping you.

God’s sovereign goodness might be humbling us

According to 2 Corinthians 12:7-9, we are given a paradigm for how God works as it relates to difficulties in our life. In that passage Paul mentions how he was given a “thorn in the flesh” for two purposes. First it was to keep him from being prideful. Paul had received a tremendous privilege of being caught up to a heavenly scene, and it is doubtful that such an experience would produce humility in him. Therefore, to keep him from exalting himself, the Lord used the thorn to keep him low. Although Paul’s was a unique scenario, a principle that can be taken from this is that the Lord uses trials to humble us. 

A second purpose for Paul’s thorn in the flesh was to highlight God’s sufficient grace against the backdrop of Paul’s weakness. This, of course, is a different side of the same coin. But in and through Paul’s weakness, God wanted to demonstrate His own strength to sustain Paul. It was not Paul who was sustaining Paul. It was not something or someone else who was sustaining Paul or providing him strength. This was all the Lord. So for the believer who has been inflicted by the Coronavirus, or any sickness for that matter, God uses their illness (or time of weaknesses) to demonstrate that He is truly their strength. This is not intended to be cliché. Oftentimes when I have something as small as a sore throat I am first reminded that I am not invincible. I am reminded that God doesn’t have limitations like I do. But I am also reminded that as an earthen clay pot, who is frail and weak, my strength has to be the Lord. My body will fail me, but the Lord’s grace will never fail.

God’s sovereign goodness is focusing us on heaven

I am sure that this recent pandemic has caused the church to look above. This is something that we are commanded to do in general (Col. 3:2). But unfavorable times have a way of refocusing wandering eyes on things of eternity. In Philippians 3:20 Paul speaks of our heavenly citizenship through which believers are eagerly waiting for the Lord Jesus Christ to return. In Romans 8:23 he speaks of a longing that suffering Christians have for the redemption of their bodies. This is the glorified state. So when we are facing difficult times, or the world seems to be in an uproar, God focuses the believer on eternal things. He provides for them a heavenly gaze that implants in them a longing to exit the chaos and be at home. 

God’s sovereign goodness is giving us opportunities to share the gospel

Now while Christians are the individuals who long to depart from this world and be with the Lord, it is equally true that they are the ones who plead with people to join them in heaven. At the most basic level, the Christian existence is for this very purpose. We are to be fishers of men (Matt. 4:19). We are to be disciple-makers (Matt. 28:18-20). We are to plead with people to be reconciled to God (2 Cor. 5:20).This is true regardless of the daily circumstances, but our evangelistic senses must rise in tumultuous times. We have a prime opportunity at hand. Now more than ever, the world is thinking about sickness, death, and the afterlife. Thus what an opportunity to speak to them the truth of Scripture. We ought to be telling them that sickness is a terrible reality. But it is a reality that was brought about by man’s rebellion against God. And because of this death will come to all. Some will die due to Covid-19. Others will die of natural causes. But the Bible is clear that all will return to the dust (Gen. 3:14). Yet this is not what’s most important. What is essential is not how we die but the state of our soul when we die. This affects our afterlife. All people will live forever, but it’s a matter of where they will be in eternity: either in the presence of the Lord or away from the presence of the Lord. This, of course, all depends on their relation to the Lord Jesus Christ. Jesus is God in the flesh. He came to earth two thousand years ago, lived a perfect life, and sacrificed Himself for the world, according to John 3:16. Therefore, the question we ought to be asking everyone during this outbreak of COVID-19 is: have you believed upon the Lord Jesus Christ?

God’s sovereign goodness is allowing the church to be the church

This perhaps is one of the sweetest ways in which the Lord is sovereignly working through these interesting times. Not only has he refocused the church on heaven and used them to share Christ with the unbelieving world, He is also providing opportunities for the shepherds to lead their sheep in a different way. He is giving the young and able-bodied individuals a way to honor the old and needy through grocery shopping and attending to others’ needs. Through GBC’s Basic Needs Ministry there has been, in a sense, a reenactment of Acts 2:42-47, where the early church in Jerusalem all came together and shared with one another as each had need. This wasn’t socialism by any means; this was sacrifice. And it has been sweet to see and hear of young and old in our body sacrificing for one another. It has been sweet to hear how certain individuals are making time to appropriately fellowship and pray with other believers. This is the church being the church. 

Church family, God is in control and He is good. Rejoice and take rest in how those two realities are manifesting itself in our current events.

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