Now there were some present at that time who told Jesus about the Galileans whose blood Pilate had mixed with their sacrifices. Jesus answered, “Do you think that these Galileans were worse sinners than all the other Galileans because they suffered this way? I tell you, no! But unless you repent, you too will all perish. Or those eighteen who died when the tower in Siloam fell on them—do you think they were more guilty than all the others living in Jerusalem? I tell you, no! But unless you repent, you too will all perish” (Luke 13:1-5, NIV).
Having people killed at the Temple while they were presenting sacrifices was a particularly cruel and vicious punishment. We don’t know much more about this event other than what is written here. We don’t know what they were guilty of. It seems clear from the context that they had done some very bad things. Certainly God allowing people to be executed at the Temple while they were offering Him sacrifices seemed to show these people deserved such a death…at least in the eyes of the reporters.
Jesus’ response is very humbling. Do you think that these Galileans were worse sinners than all the other Galileans because they suffered this way? I tell you, no! But unless you repent, you too will all perish. To illustrate His point, Jesus brings up another local tragedy—eighteen people who died when a tower collapsed on them. Their deaths were not indications of how bad they were or that they had done something to especially offend God. If they said anything at all, it was that all of us need God’s grace. If we do not repent and acknowledge that need, no one will be better off when we appear before God Almighty.
When bad things happen to bad people our default response is often something like “They got what was coming to them.” We compare ourselves to them and rationalize that we are not as bad, not as deserving, not as evil. From a human stand point that may be true. But from a divine stand point things are not so rosy. The reality is we are not near as good as we think we are.
Guilt increases depending on how much love, honor, and respect the person we sin against is owed. For instance, if I walked up to a patron here in the cigar shop and kicked him in the shin I would be in trouble for sure. If I walked up to a policeman and kicked him in the shin I would be in more trouble. If I walked up to the President of the United States and kicked him in the shin, I would be in even more trouble right? A lot more!
God is someone to whom we owe love, honor, and respect to an infinite level. Every time we sin it is like walking up to God—who has never sinned against us in any way—and kicking Him in the shin. Every kick deserving of infinite punishment because of our obligations to love and honor and obey Him being infinite. Perhaps you are not guilty of murder, rape, theft, fraud, or adultery. But you are guilty of kicking God in the shin again and again and again. And that every minute of every hour or every day you have been alive. Do you think that these Galileans were worse sinners than all the other Galileans because they suffered this way? I tell you, no! But unless you repent, you too will all perish.
Jesus turned His disciples away from openly judging others—even if they deserved it—and instead encouraged them to repent for their own sins. After all, it is this humble contrition that produces the fruit that God desires, not keeping score on who is better or worse. The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart, O God, you will not despise (Psalms 51:17, ESV). We are saved by grace, pure and simple, or we are not saved at all.
Learning To Be Full Of Grace And Truth. 
Always a great message Dan.
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Thanks Bob!
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