Please, please, please listen to what I have to say about this – it is important. There could very easily come someone claiming to work miracles, and even seeming to work miracles. He may even claim to be Christ, the Son of God. Don’t you believe him. He will be a liar. He will be an ambassador of Satan. And how do I know? Because that person and that sort of thing has been prophesied and already condemned.
Having said that, I dogmatically affirm that Jesus Christ did and still can work miracles. Throughout His ministry the Lord Jesus restored men’s sight, healed the lame, cured lepers, restored hearing and raised the dead, besides feeding thousands of hungry people. He told the friends of John to examine the miraculous evidence permeating His ministry in order to prove that He was the Messiah.. While we reject the miraculous claims of the sons of men, we expect the Son of God to do such things. And yet, even as believers, we refuse to get as excited about Jesus’ miracles as most non-believers might. Part of the reason for our reticence is explained here in these verses.
Let’s consider what the Lord Jesus reveals to us about His miracles.
First, despite learning about half a dozen different kinds of mighty works, performed on dozens of occasions, the Bible doesn’t even begin to describe them all. As Apostle John tells us, “there are also many other things which Jesus did, the which, if they should be written every one, I suppose that even the world itself could not contain the books that should be written.” And we are reminded of that fact here in this scripture. Do you see the word “Chorazin” in verse 21? That name is found on only one other occasion in the Bible – in Luke’s description of this same statement. And other than making silly guesses, the experts cannot tell us where or what “Chorazin” is. It appears to be a place in Galilee – a place where the Saviour visited and worked miracles – but there is not a person alive who can tell you where it was or what mighty works were done there. How many other communities in Galilee, in Judea, and in the regions surrounding Israel did the Lord Jesus prove His Deity and Messiahship through miraculous mighty works? There may have been many dozens, but we only have a small list of such places. In other words “there are also many other mighty works and miracles which Jesus did.” But why haven’t we been told about more of them?
Have you ever personally experienced a miraculous, mighty work of God? By their very nature, we may have experienced or seen miracles and not recognized them as such. For example, someone you know may have been really sick, but over time she regained her health. It could be that God miraculously restored that person’s health, and the medicine her doctor had proscribed wasn’t really a part of the process, but we couldn’t really know for sure. Couldn’t it be that there have been “hidden” miracles in your life? Maybe it was a car accident which should have occurred, but by the intervention of God, it didn’t. Perhaps it was the gift of some money exactly when it was needed. It might be argued that was only a coincidence, but who can know for sure?
The mighty works done in Chorazin remind us that miracles are not primarily designed for God’s glory. Please don’t misunderstand me about this – every true miracle glorifies Jehovah. But the Son of God didn’t walk about Galilee with the purpose of glorifying Himself through His miracles. Both individually and as a whole, they proved that Jesus was the Christ, the Son of God. They helped to convince the disciples to leave their first teacher, John, and to become followers of Christ. Those miracles taught them to listen to what Jesus had to tell them. But the primary purpose of Christ’s mighty works was not to make Himself popular or powerful. And I remind you that on several occasions Christ told the recipients of His miracles to hold their tongues.
Furthermore, the primary purpose of the miracles was not to make the recipient happy or to feel good. In fact, it might be argued – that was the exact opposite to God’s ultimate purpose. Yes, the former blind man was happy to be able to see once again. And the mother of the dead child was delighted to have her son back. Full tummies are always happier than hungry tummies. But the miracles of Christ were not bestowed, primarily, in order to gratify the flesh of the recipients.
They were designed to unstop the ears and to awaken the hearts of the witnesses to those miracles. John the Baptist came preaching the gospel of repentance – “the kingdom of Heaven is at hand.” And Christ Jesus preached the same message, but He added some really, really spectacular illustrations. John could quote the Old Testament and perhaps point to current events. But besides and beyond that – Christ could raise the dead and talk about the coming resurrection. He could heal the sick and tell people about the cause and the solution to sickness. He could feed the multitude and then tell people, “I am the bread and water of life.” Christ’s message was essentially the same as that of John, and it is still the root of our message today. “Repent for the Kingdom of Heaven is at hand.” “Repent therefore of this thy wickedness, and pray God, if perhaps the thought of thine heart may be forgiven thee. “The times of (our) ignorance God winked at; but now commandeth all men every where to repent.” Christ’s message was the same as John’s and ours, but He accentuated His sermons with miracles. “Woe unto thee, Chorazin! woe unto thee, Bethsaida! for if the mighty works, which were done in you, had been done in Tyre and Sidon, they would have repented long ago in sackcloth and ashes. “And thou, Capernaum, which art exalted unto heaven, shalt be brought down to hell: for if the mighty works, which have been done in thee, had been done in Sodom, it would have remained until this day.”
Doesn’t this scripture say something about the nature of religion in general?
There are thousands of varieties of people around the world, but they all have several similar characteristics. One of those similarities is their religious nature. Everyone is religious in one way or another, including the philosophic atheist and the atheistic scientist. The people of Tyre and Sidon, in Jesus’ day were religious people, but their’s was different from the Jews. And the people of Sodom were religious as well. The Sodomite may be just as religious as you are, but his religion is entirely different from yours. For example, his does require him to listen to the clear declarations of the Word of God. And his doesn’t have the same standards of righteous as yours. But then your perception of righteousness be different from someone more outwardly godly than you. I am using the word “religion” in the sense of an organized system of beliefs and practices – usually based on some sort of idea of spiritual leadership. Religion may be either good or bad, depending on the source of that spiritual leadership. I am pleased that you are a religious person, but don’t confuse that with salvation from sin.
The residents of Chorazin, Bethsaida and Capernaum were primarily Israelites – Hebrews. They were raised in the religion of Jehovah worship. They had the Old Testament scriptures on which to base their values and their world-view. The more diligent among them, periodically traveled to Jerusalem to worship in the temple. And they didn’t leave any room for the heathen religions of the Sodomites or the Sidonians.
The Jews could be easily compared to the more sincere within Christendom today. Christians believe that, in addition to the Old Testament, the New Testament is the Word of God. They may not know what it says, and they may not really care what it says, but they believe it to be true. They go to a Christian church, if not two or three times a week, they go at least two or three times a year. They say that the frequency of attendance isn’t as important as believing Jesus was a miracle worker. They may not have been circumcised, but they have been baptized. Yes, they have no idea about the definition of the Greek word – they have priests to worry about that. They may have been immersed, or sprinkled as either a baby or an adult, but precision isn’t important. And somewhere under the “Sports Illustrated” – swim suit edition and the “People Magazine” is their Bible. It may be either of the New International Version or the English Standard Version, because accuracy in translation is not as important as using modern English idioms. They often use the name of “Christ” or “Jesus” – but it is more often in profanity than prayer. They are Christians – not Muslim, not Hindu, not Buddist, not even fundamentalists.
The modern Christian people of Chorazin, Bethsaida and Capernaum have been enjoying the mighty works of Christ for over 2,000 years. They believe in the virgin birth of Christ. They believe that He healed Paul’s mother-in-law, and that He fed the ten thousand. They believe that He stilled the storm in the middle of the Sea of Galilee and that He made the tornado or the fire storm shift direction to destroy other people’s houses rather than theirs. And then there were God’s victories over the heathen enemy in Desert Storm, WWII and Korea, keeping us safe from the tyranny of the Sidonians and Tyrians.
Do I believe that the blessings of God have been graciously bestowed upon this nation and continent? I most certainly do. Miraculous blessings? Most definitely. And therefore the words of the Lord Jesus are that much more appropriate. “Woe unto thee, Chorazin! woe unto thee, Bethsaida! for if the mighty works, which were done in you, had been done in Tyre and Sidon, they would have repented long ago in sackcloth and ashes. “And thou, Capernaum, which art exalted unto heaven, shalt be brought down to hell: for if the mighty works, which have been done in thee, had been done in Sodom, it would have remained until this day.”
God’s gracious, miraculous, bountiful blessings are being wasted upon the people of this continent. If Jesus was walking among us today, once again He would “upbraid” us for our lack of repentance. A few minutes ago we read from the very appropriate words of Romans 2. Let me paraphrase them just a little bit – “Thou art inexcusable, O man, whosoever thou art that judgest (the Iraqis, the homosexuals and the child molesters): for wherein thou judgest another, thou condemnest thyself; for thou that judgest doest (things just as wicked). Thinkest thou this, O man, that judgest them which do such things, and doest the same, that thou shalt escape the judgment of God? Or despisest thou the riches of his goodness and forbearance and longsuffering; not knowing that the goodness of God leadeth thee to repentance? But after thy hardness and impenitent heart treasurest up unto thyself wrath against the day of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgment of God; Who will render to every man according to his deeds:” In Romans 2 Paul not only condemns the hypocrite, but refers to purpose of the blessings of God. “Despisest thou the riches of his goodness and forbearance and longsuffering; not knowing that the goodness of God leadeth thee to repentance?”
You say that God has been gracious and kind to you, and I will not argue the point. But what has that graciousness done in you? How have you responded? An incorrect response will mean divine judgment.
Christ reveals some things here about the judgment of God.
“I say unto you, It shall be more tolerable for Tyre and Sidon at the day of judgment, than for you. I say unto you, That it shall be more tolerable for the land of Sodom in the day of judgment, than for thee.”
I can’t tell you exactly what the circumstances will be when the wicked are judged. I can’t describe the courtroom, the glory of the Judge, or how the Prosecutor will go about His business. I can’t tell you if all the accused will be in the judgment hall at once, or if they will come in groups. I can’t tell you if each soul will be isolated, or if they will just feel isolated in a mass assembly. There is not a lot that I know for sure. But I can tell you that a literal and awful day of judgment is coming. And in some fashion the religious crowd will be separated from the heathen crowd. And it shall be more tolerable for the heathen than for the miraculously blessed people of Christendom.
Just as I don’t know much about the judgment day, I don’t know much about the punishment which will follow. But there has been enough revealed to show me that many will suffer more in that judgment than others. And, based upon the words of Christ Jesus, many who will suffer the most, will go into that judgment thinking that they will not suffer at all.
How was Capernaum exalted to Heaven as Jesus says in verse 23? It had become the home base for the ministry of Christ – He lived there when He wasn’t traveling. There had been many mighty works – miracles – performed in Capernaum. But, generally speaking, those miracles did not make the people of that city, humble, repentant worshipers of the Lord. They apparently became proud – and greedy for more of the miraculous. “And thou, Capernaum, which art exalted unto heaven, shalt be brought down to hell: for if the mighty works, which have been done in thee, had been done in Sodom, it would have remained until this day.”
The religious residents of Caperaum or Bethsaida, the home of John, Peter, James and Andrew, knew about Sodom and Gomorrah. That is probably true of most of us – We’ve heard about Sodom. Tell me then, where is Sodom? Can you locate it on a world globe or on a map? No? You say that God destroyed it. Somehow He whipped it off the face of the earth. You are right. One of the things of which this scripture reminds us is that physical death and earthly destruction do not replace or eliminate any future and eternal judgment. Later, in the Book of the Revelation, John will tell us, “I saw a great white throne, and him that sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away; and there was found no place for them. And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened: and another book was opened, which is the book of life: and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works. And the sea gave up the dead which were in it; and death and hell delivered up the dead which were in them: and they were judged every man according to their works. {hell: or, the grave} And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death. And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire.”
The miracles of God are wonderful things – some are blessings beyond compare in this world. Imagine the emotions of the widow whose son had died, and the family was carrying the body out to the grave. And then along came Jesus, touching the bier upon which the body laid, and the boy returned to life. Imagine the thrill running through the heart of that mother. Now picture her standing before that same Christ – acting as her eternal judge. That woman, is now responsible, not only for her Jewish heritage, instruction and upbringing, but also for her stewardship of the miraculous resurrection of her son. If she grew proud of the fact that Christ miraculously blessed her boy… If she boasted that she must have done something worthy of God’s miracle…. If she didn’t from that day forward humbly worship and serve Christ as the Son of God and her Lord and Saviour…. Then the miracle was a wasted blessing. It was more than a wasted blessing – it became a part of her curse, increasing her guilt of wickedness and unbelief.
And similarly, here you sit in one of the Lord’s churches, listening to the preaching of the Word of God. Whether or not you have received miraculous blessings, you have been covered in God’s general blessings. If you have not repented before God, acknowledging your sinfulness and unworthiness….. If you have not cast yourself down before the Lord, seeking His mercy and salvation…. Then when you stand to be judged by Christ, all your blessings will be brought up as witnesses against you. “And thou, which art exalted unto heaven, shalt be brought down to hell.” Are you ready – at this moment – to stand before God?